Sharpe's Rifles (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #1)

Another powerful work from one of the best historical novelists of this or any generation. One comes away with period information, while being entertained and educated. Glad I decided to give this series a shot...

I started the eleven book series in October of 1998 and finished in early February 1999. Hands down the best series of books I have ever read. Sharpe's Rifles and Sharpe's Gold (#3) were my favorites. Read them all, read them as fast as you can and then read them again. I can't remember when I've had as much fun reading. Why I had to read Shakespeare in high school in stead of these, I'll never know.

Fascinating tale but with detail on the development of light infantry tactics and the initial use of the, then, new rifle. Loved the movie/DVD on it also even though it had to cut some corners combined two stories and was low budget. Well worth reading and watching the whole series.

If you've read Bernard Cornwell then you are familiar with the Saxon Chronicles and the Archer Series, both are better in my opinion. Sharpe's is a good read, and well written but just not as intriguing. Sharpe is not easy to like, which is not new to a Cornwell character, but it makes it harder to get behind him. Overall a good book which I would recommend reading, just after you've read all the other books mentioned above - or maybe before so you won't be able to make the same comparisons.

I've read Sharpe's India books, and Sharpe's Rifles and very much enjoyed all of them. I am extremely frustrated however, that I cannot find a true chronological listing of what is, in fact, a continuing story! the store, you can do better than you have if you want to. I wish you wanted to!

If you are interested in good military history and like fictional characters in real battles, the Sharpe's series by Bernard Cornwell is outstanding. There are about 15 or 18 books in the series, starting when Private Richard Sharpe is an 17 year old private in the British Army in India in the late 1700, and follows him through battles in India, Trafalgar, Denmark, Portugal, Spain and eventually to the battle of Waterloo. Cornwell has done his research and us sticklers for realism can see he has the correct history of the battles, description of same, proper equipment, tactics, and armament. BBC did a 15 part mini-series which is available on DVD and well worth the watch. But be warned that the DVD series starts in Portugal and leaves out the first books on India where Sharpe is a private, makes sergeant, and finally makes ensign. In the series he is a lieutenant who, because he rose from the ranks and is disliked by the "proper" officers of aristocratic families who bought their commissiions, gets assigned to the 90th Rifles (Green Jackets) as no other snooty officer wants to be there (they don't like how slow the rifles load compared to muskets even though the Baker rifles have longer ranges and are more accurate than the Brown Bess muskets). But Sharpe drills his men until they are very combat effective. As a retired US Army infantry officer, and US Marine Vietnam vet, I really like this series. Only 10 more books to go! Cornwell, a former BBC producer, took his motivation for writing this series after reading the Hornblower series as a lad.

I couldn't really get immersed in this story, the protagonist is too much of an emotional basket case. He seems to want/resent being an officer, yet instead of moving forward by either resigning his commission or overcoming his educational short comings, he instead wallows in resentment of his status. I only felt contempt for the protagonist.

‘Sharpe’s Rifles’ is centred on the mainly fictional account of events in 1809 after a small expeditionary army sent to Spain in 1809 to support the Spanish and to cut off the invading French Army's supply lines. The story opens when the British army is forced to retreat and Lieutenant Sharpe finds himself for the first time in charge of a unit of his Rifle regiment. They find themselves cut off from the main army and the soldiers are reluctant to take orders from someone of their own class. This was the first ‘prequel in the Sharpe series, and in a sense it does show, as there is no reference to his relationships he had in the previous book. Also, the book does lean more to fiction than many other books in the series. However, this is a fine entertaining novel, that easily captures the atmosphere of the previous books and I’m sure it won’t be long before I’ll be tucking in to the next book in the series.

The 6th story in the Richard Sharpe adventure series. Lieutenant Sharpe commands the 95th Rifles of the South Essex Regiment. The men deeply mistrust him because he is not a "proper" officer coming from wealth and status, but a man like them, a common soldier who was promoted from within the ranks. In order to win their respect, Sharpe must first win the trust of Rifleman Harper, a large, tough, Irishman who plans to kill Sharpe for making them march through French-occupied Spain in retreat to Lisbon. The Rifles meet Blas Vivar, a Spanish nobleman, who convinces the 95th to help him and his Cazadores to storm the French-held fortress at Santiago. Vivar carries a well-guarded chest that contains the banner of St. James the Apostle, and legend says that any army that flies the banner of St. James will never be defeated in battle. Sharpe fights not for the legend, but for a young English woman, Louisa, who separates from her strict Protestant aunt in pursuit of adventure and romance in war-torn Spain. The 95th witnesses the savage fighting skills of their mistrusted lieutenant, and Vivar persuades Harper to accept a promotion to Sergeant. A splendid book.

Bernard Cornwell's long running series about Richard Sharpe, a foot-soldier in India and in the Napoleonic Wars is one of the best historical series around. Sharpe's Rifles is set at the time of the brutal French Invasion of Galicia in Spain in January 1809.

While Richard Sharpe joined the Army to avoid prison he quickly found that he loved a life of a soldier, especially the adrenaline pumping excitement of battle. He has proved himself in battle and gained a stunning battlefield promotion to become an officer. This is not a comfortable situation as other officers look down on him because he is not their class and his troops who won't look up to him because he is not seen to be a proper officer.

Sharpe has moved on to join the 95th Rifles who are posted to Spain. His Company Commander is killed in a skirmish with the French and Sharpe is left in command to get his Company to safety through French lines. This would be hard enough with the respect of his riflemen which is not forthcoming, especially from the dominating and difficult Irishman Harper who the troops look up to instead of Sharpe. The battle of wills between two strong personalities is enthralling and compelling.

Sharpe's Company meet up with Spanish cavalry commanded by aristocrat Major Vivar who means to raise the flag of Spain's patron saint over Santiago de Compostela, now in French hands. Sharpe is faced with a dilemma, to help Viva or to go it alone in dangerous country.

Once again this is a history lesson about the art of war in the early 19th Century which is bloody and brutal. It is also the story of a brave and clever man of common background who has to face up to his gremlins to get the respect of his men.

I found some of the background, especially Sharpe's relationship with women from a genteel background, is a little confusing because the book was written before SHARPE'S TRAFALGAR (which comes before Rifles in the timeline) where Sharpe has a torrid and very emotional relationship with Lady Grace Hale.

Once again this is a great page-turning story which puts you in a front row seat on the battleground and builds up Sharpe's character as he faces up to his gremlins and shows that he is one of the smartest soldiers of his generation. I still have lots of Sharpe's adventures to share and I look forward to reading them from time to time as exciting relief from more contemporary novels. 4.5 stars.

As of March 2014 there are 23 books in Cornwell's Sharpe series. By publication date, this is the ninth book of the series. In chronological order of Sharpe's life, this is the sixth novel. Each installment of the series is a stand-alone novel so they can be read in any order.

Lieutenant Richard Sharpe gets little respect. He earned his commission through an act of bravery. Unlike his fellow officers, who despise him, he was not born into wealth. The soldiers under him do not respect him because they know he was once a common soldier.

In this novel, Sharpe commands a detachment of the 95th Rifles. They are fighting the French in Spain. When the British troops are ambushed by the France, Sharpe and his men are cut off from the main body of the British. Sharpe must find a way to get his squad back to British held territory.

This is Sharpe's first command position. Previously, superior officers had placed Sharpe in non-command positions. Sharpe was a good sergeant, but now he needs to learn how to command men.

Sharpe finds an unexpected ally in Major Blas Vivar. Vivar is a Spanish officer. He and his soldiers are protecting a valuable Spanish treasure. Major Vivar enlists Sharpe's aid in delivering the treasure to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, Vivar helps Sharpe earn the respect of the soldiers in his command.

This novel is an action-packed military adventure. There are rousing scenes of battle. There are gritty descriptions of army life in the early nineteenth century. And , of course, there is the mighty Richard Sharpe.

For me, this novel was a great page turning adventure tale.

Many people compare the Hornblower books to the Sharpe novels and vice versa. The two series have little in common other than covering similar time periods in British history, one from the naval and the other from the military perspective. As his name suggests, Sharpe is quick-witted and as adaptable as a Swiss army knife. Hornblower is more cerebral and comfortable in his officer's role. Sharpe is initially a fish out of water when leading his men, and he knows it.

If you are like me, you've been reading these books in the order of the events they portray (rather than the order of publication). From that perspective, Sharpe's Rifles is the sixth in chronological order of events.

Since Sharpe was raised to be an ensign by saving the life of Sir Arthur Wellesley as the Battle of Assaye, he's been struggling. The Scottish regiments in India didn't want him because he is English. Posted to the 95th Rifles in England, the officers don't want him because he's not a gentleman born and the men don't respect him for the same reason. But he's seen as valuable in a quartermaster role where he can keep an eye on the tricks that soldiers use to fiddle the stores. Sharpe is a good quartermaster, but he wants to fight instead.

In Sharpe's Rifles, Sharpe comes unexpectedly to command a small group of the 95th Rifles during a disastrous retreat from the victorious French. He decides to take his men to Lisbon to find transport, but the men plan to head north instead. Immediately, Sharpe's authority is challenged and he fights back the only way he knows how . . . with his fists. Into that perilous moment steps a Spanish grandee, Major Blas Vivar, who persuades Sharpe to join forces with his cavalry troops who are carrying a mysterious chest to Santiago de Compostela. What's in the chest? It must be valuable because the French have dispatched a lot of troops to get it.

Trekking in miserable weather over the mountains in winter, Sharpe comes to respect Vivar who helps Sharpe learn how to command. Their alliance is sundered when Sharpe learns that Vivar hasn't been telling the truth about certain things. It doesn't seem to matter when Sharpe learns that the French have taken Santiago de Compostela. There's no point in going there!

Sharpe's life is further upset by running into a family of English Methodists who are trying to convert the "heathen" Catholics to their Protestant faith without much success and demand Sharpe protect them from the French. Sharpe isn't excited about acceding to this demand, but he can't help but be drawn to their young niece who is flirtatious.

Before long, Sharpe is involved in matters that seem more relevant for Don Quixote than for the 95th Rifles as he joins an idealistic crusade to strike a symbolic blow for Spain. From there, it's great fun . . . among the best of the Sharpe novels. Bernard Cornwall has taken a lot of license with history here, and it makes for good story telling.

Fans of Sergeant Harper in the later novels will be thrilled to find out how he became a sergeant in this book.

I suspect this book will be one of your favorites in the series.

Bernard Cornwell's magnificent Richard Sharpe series continues on with "Sharpe's Rifles," set in the mountains of Spain in 1809. Sharpe is still a despised quartermaster in the 95th Rifles, but tragedy and war provide him with the opportunity to learn and prove that he is a true leader of men.

Bernard Cornwell has famously written the Sharpe series out of chronological order, so for many readers "Sharpe's Rifles" is a prequel. Not so for me -- I've been fortunate enough to start the series with "Sharpe's Tiger," so "Sharpe's Rifles" falls into the natural progression for me. After reading some of the other reviews, I sense that as a prequel, "Sharpe's Rifles" was a touch disappointing. I do not share these sentiments.

"Rifles" finds Sharpe in the ultra-violent clash between loyal Spaniards and their English allies on the one side and the French with their traitorous Spanish allies on the other. This is no-holds-barred combat, and the French are not above razing entire villages to the ground after putting all men, women and children to the sword. To top it off, the war is being fought in the dead of winter, where freezing cold kills as many soldiers and civilians as swords and bullets.

Sharpe finds himself the only surviving officer in a group of surviving Riflemen, and while he has the rank, he does not have the respect of the men. Mired hundreds of miles from home, seemingly cut off from any escape route, Shapre seems doomed to lead his men into disaster . . . for which he will likely receive a bullet in the back from one of his belligerent subordinates.

Things change when Sharpe meets up with a dashing Spanish officer charged with a sacred duty -- to protect a symbol of Spain's religious fervor that is guaranteed to unite the populace in a charge against the hated French. The only problem is that the Spanish officer is being hunted by one of France's most sadistic and clever officers, and he will stop at nothing before he retrieves the relic.

It is all here for fans of Cornwell's work -- the amazing battle scenes, Sharpe's struggles with his doubts, the compelling cast of supporting characters, and a lovely woman who steals Sharpe's heart. Pulsating with the power of the Spanish mountains, "Sharpe's Rifles" is action-packed, funny, and surprisingly elevated with its respect for Spain's hyper-religious culture. Indeed, it is the "rational" French who are the villains here.

You should read "Sharpe's Rifles," but based on the other reviews I've read, you should read it in chronological order with the other books - check out Cornwell's website for an updated list.

This enjoyable sixth series entry appears to have been written before the previous five. (And after eight later ones.) It's fun watching Cornwell make it all fit, no mean feat. The writing crackles with newness, not having yet settled into a lower-key long-distance pace.

We meet Sharpe - original readers really were meeting him for the first time - in Spain's northwest Galicia region in 1809. His unit gets cut off while retreating from the French. Sharpe, as quartermaster the lowliest form of officer life, finds himself in command. He must win over men who expect officers to be gentlemen, not from the ranks like themselves and certainly not raggedly poor like Sharpe.

With escape to the nearby coast impossible, he must face down a mutiny to lead them toward Lisbon, where a British garrison remains. His biggest problem: the huge Irishman Patrick Harper, who wants no part of the English or Sharpe. They meet up with Spanish cavalry led by Major Vivar, a local aristocrat to whom peasants are loyal. This unlikely ally carries with him a mysterious chest the French desperately want to capture. He also teaches Sharpe about command. Sharpe's men learn he already knows how to fight.

Cornwell must have had plans for the earlier books. He touches lightly on earlier events, but mentions enough - the battles of Assaye and Seringapatam, the storming of Gawilghur, the fateful encounters with the Tippoo Sultan and General Arthur Wellesley - later written about. He avoids missteps which would then have had to be changed. He writes Sharpe strongly in the present tense, sort of like Hammett's Continental Op, avoiding the not-yet-written past, but also establishing Sharpe's lonely, poor and defiant persona. And this, finally, is where Sharpe gains command.

This is the first 'Sharpe'(and Bernard Cornwell) novel I've read. I was aware of the TV series with Sean Bean(which will air this summer on BBC America), and of the books, and finally decided to try one. I knew that the series proceeds in 'chronological', rather than published order, so I went with the 'earliest' adventure I could find. I was not disappointed!

'Sharpe's Rifles' is a perfect blend of all the elements which could have gotten a lesser historical fiction author into trouble, but Cornwell manages to combine action and character development, without over-emphasizing one or the other.

The developing relationship between Sharpe and Harper builds to a satisfying 'conclusion' here...although it's really only the beginning! Sharpe himself becoms more likable, to both his men and his reading audience, as his confidence grows in battle.

The Spanish major, Blas Vivar, presents Sharpe with an interesting contrast as a foe, but as we learn more about him and his true intentions in Santiago de Compostela, he becomes a worthy comrade-in-arms, as well. The 'romantic' subplot turns out as one might expect for Sharpe, but I was left hoping that Vivar and Louisa will turn up in a future volume.

I'm looking forward to discovering more of this entertaining series!

I discovered Sharpe in a remnant bookshop in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1987. The first three Sharpe books cost me, in total, NZ$10. Around US$5. I have never seen Sharpe / Cornwell in a remnant or second-hand bookshop since. And I gladly fork out my $ for the next new Sharpe. I have all of them. Each one gets read once every two years. My wife thought I was a lunatic - until I read "Sharpe's Rifles" aloud to her. Now, she's read all my Sharpe books, and competes with me to get the newest and latest. Incidentally - the trip back in time to India is superb! If you've never read any of the series before, do start with Sharpe in India, then go on to this one. It's simply a matter of chronology. I now have everything Cornwell has written... including the unfortunate Starbuck Chronicles. Three or four of the Sharpe TV series have screened here - but the dumbing down of TV has meant that they were screened at a time when they were bound to pick no viewers: 11.30pm. "We had no viewers, therefore we shan't buy the rest of the series.." cried the dorks at the Channel responsible. Sigh. And the store only has them on NTSC, not PAL! Bugger! Great series, great reads. Buy them all, and make Bernard Cornwell wealthy. He deserves it.

Sharpe's Rifles by Bernard Cornwell is an exciting roller-coaster ride of battles and army life as seen through the eyes of Richard Sharpe, a newly made lieutenant in the English infantry. During the early 1800s most officers in the English infantry were of noble birth, however Lt. Sharpe, a former enlisted man comes from the ranks. He receives little respect from the men in his command and even less from his peers. The setting is in Spain during the French-Napoleonic invasions. The English (and Lt. Sharpe) are supporting the freedom fighters of Spain.
His army has been defeated and the French are pushing the English towards the coast of Spain and into Portugal. Through a series of mishaps he finds himself under the loose command of a Spanish Major who is intent upon flying a holy banner from a major city deep within the French area of control. Sharpe must win the respect of his men, fight an invincible French Colonel, and vie for the attentions of a beautiful English missionary.
I admit that I was a fan of the PBS series before I read the books. However, when you start this book you will have a hard time putting it down. Cornwell writes in plain English and his dialog is great.

Some nine books into his Napoleonic series, Cornwell pauses here to return to the beginning of Sharpe's association with the 95th Rifles. In 1809 French forces were sweeping the British out of the Spain in a full retreat to Portugal. Sharpe is a Lieutenant, and a lowly quartermaster at that, but through a series of mishaps and skirmishes, he finds himself in command of the tattered remnants of a Rifle Company cut off from the main British army. These men, led by the indominitable Irishman Harper, are demoralized, distrustful of Sharpe, and waver on mutinousness. We see his first clumsy attempts at leading men, as he tries to get them to safety. Their momentary alliance with a Spanish Major who is escorting a mysterious strongbox only leads to more trouble as the combined forces are dogged by a unit of French Cavalry intent on capturing the box. Of course, over time, the contents of the box are revealed and a thrilling city battle is fought. We also see Sharpe's first awkward falling in love, with the niece of some British missionaries (who provide some of the most comic moments in the entire series). It's a good prequel to Sharpe's adventures in the Peninsular Wars, and while it makes a logical place for newcomers to start the series, it might actually be more fun for those who have already gotten to know Sharpe and Harper.

An action-packed novel situated during the Peninsular War, that is the Spanish War of Independence against France. Entertaining and historically satisfying fictional episode of the Napoleonic Wars within Spain's nortwest corner, exactly during Sir John Moore's retreat to Corunna. As the author well points out, this episode did not happen historically, but fighting did take place through the mountainous regions of northwest Spain and even in Santiago de Compostela, so this ficticious story does go well with the historical facts that we know. It's fun reading and it's an excellent historical piece. I would say that Cornwell does and excellent job portraying the Spanish people and mores as well as the British soldiers, Irish included, who come out authentic. The characters and their nationalities are drawn with talent through their actions and words.

As a fan of most Napoleonic War Stories and un abashed student of the British Army it would not take too much to keep me happy here. I will probably read more Sharpe Novels in the future ( I picked up 1 - 9 in a garage sale), but I would have to say that Cornwell can churn out the stories, but Cornwell is certainly not a good writer. The style is formulaic and flat for the most part. I'm not looking for Conrad or Steinbeck, but I would think that there could be a bit more depth to the characters at times. Superficial depth seems to be the one abiding trait of his characters:

- The Irish are unruly, drunk and hate the English, but when push comees to shove they fight like demons for the King.

- Sharpe is an unlikely candidate for officer status as a Lieutenant, the son of a whore, a normal foot soldier who rose in the ranks to seargent and then, through an act of some caprice, finds himself and Lieutenant (and I do hope all those American fans are pronouncing it "left-tenant" in their heads).

- The antagonists are evil and untrustable. They scheme and connive.

- The Spanish are reluctant allies, but hey, when push comes to shove, they love the English.

- he doesn't get the girl in the end. I can tell that this will continue in the future.

------

I did enjoy the story, but there were few surprises (I honestly thougth I got more suspense in Biggles Novels than in this one).

Cornwell is good in his historical descriptions of the British Army. His technical knowledge is good, but his descriptions are very sparse and limited to baubles on the French Uniforms and a dscription of the Baker rifle (all good).

All in all a good novel for the plane. You can put it down and pick it up at any place and even if you lose the thread of the story you can always pick it up.

An action-packed novel situated during the Peninsular War, that is the Spanish War of Independence against France. Entertaining and historically satisfying fictional episode of the Napoleonic Wars within Spain's nortwest corner, exactly during Sir John Moore's retreat to Corunna. As the author well points out, this episode did not happen historically, but fighting did take place through the mountainous regions of northwest Spain and even in Santiago de Compostela, so this ficticious story does go well with the historical facts that we know. It's fun reading and it's an excellent historical piece. I would say that Cornwell does and excellent job portraying the Spanish people and mores as well as the British soldiers, Irish included, who come out authentic. The characters and their nationalities are drawn with talent through their actions and words.

As a fan of most Napoleonic War Stories and un abashed student of the British Army it would not take too much to keep me happy here. I will probably read more Sharpe Novels in the future ( I picked up 1 - 9 in a garage sale), but I would have to say that Cornwell can churn out the stories, but Cornwell is certainly not a good writer. The style is formulaic and flat for the most part. I'm not looking for Conrad or Steinbeck, but I would think that there could be a bit more depth to the characters at times. Superficial depth seems to be the one abiding trait of his characters:

- The Irish are unruly, drunk and hate the English, but when push comees to shove they fight like demons for the King.

- Sharpe is an unlikely candidate for officer status as a Lieutenant, the son of a whore, a normal foot soldier who rose in the ranks to seargent and then, through an act of some caprice, finds himself and Lieutenant (and I do hope all those American fans are pronouncing it "left-tenant" in their heads).

- The antagonists are evil and untrustable. They scheme and connive.

- The Spanish are reluctant allies, but hey, when push comes to shove, they love the English.

- he doesn't get the girl in the end. I can tell that this will continue in the future.

------

I did enjoy the story, but there were few surprises (I honestly thougth I got more suspense in Biggles Novels than in this one).

Cornwell is good in his historical descriptions of the British Army. His technical knowledge is good, but his descriptions are very sparse and limited to baubles on the French Uniforms and a dscription of the Baker rifle (all good).

All in all a good novel for the plane. You can put it down and pick it up at any place and even if you lose the thread of the story you can always pick it up.

Sharpe's Rifles is the book in which Sharpe gets his first command. It's the bringing together of two characters that will see the peninsular wars to an end. Sharpe meets Harper for the first time in this book, and it not what I expected. It is however a great tale of how the two soldiers came together.
This book puts Sharpe in Spain, during the British retreat towards Corunna. This is a dark point for the British in the peninsular wars when French victory seems not so far off. Sharpe, while second in command of a detachment of riflemen cut off from the main British force, is soon to face the most challenging point of his career. Sharpe has to learn quickly when his commander gets killed and leaves him in charge. He needs to earn the respect of his men and lead them to victory. It's a great story and a great look at how Sharpe came to be so admired by his men. This book starts of many of the features that make the Sharpe series so great, it's a must read for all Sharpe fans.
4 Stars.

After reading a number of C.S Forester's Hornblower series, I realized the appreciation I have for historical fiction that contains a main character's development throughout that particular historical era. The Sharpe's series is just another superb example of this.
This book is the first volume of the series, but not the first chronologically in the series. I personally would have preferred to start with 'Sharpe's Tiger' which is where Richard Sharpe begins his career as a Rifleman as a Private. Then continuing the readings chronologically following his military career.
In Sharpe's Rifles, LT. Richard Sharpe (formerly known as SGT. Sharpe) becomes the commanding officer of a small detachment of Rifleman whom becomes separated from a retreating British Army in Spain. While retreating, Sharpe is confronted with the difficulties of adjusting to the role of an Officer while being harassed from a persistent attachment of French Dragoons. His difficulties increase exponentially when Sharpe gains a common ally against France, a small attachment of Spanish Calvary. Sharpe learns that the Spanish Calvary attachment is on a quest to reunite Spain's demoralization with a sacred item that must reach Santiago to give Spain one last fighting chance against the invading French.
The smell of smoke, the war cries of combat, and the fate of brave men are well embedded throughout the book. This is an action packed book, page-turner that I would recommend to all interested in this era!

This book is the beginning of the Sharpe adventures in Europe during the Napoleanic Wars. Sharpe must drag a company of British soldiers through French-controlled Spain, and in the process helps a Spanish nobleman achieve a miracle. There are two things that I really enjoy about this series:
1. Great historical detail and a superabundance of historical information. I've looked for other books about this time in European history, and there are surprisingly few. It was a fascinating time, when modern techniques were evolving, but when cavalry was still the most potent weapon.
2. Action, action, action. These books make me feel as though I've been slogging through the bitter winters and unordered retreats, and then forced into battle, where the smells of blood and powder intermingle. Kinda exhausting at times.
My only complaint with the series as a whole is that it sometimes leans towards melodrama, but, hey, sometimes that makes the books more interesting. People who enjoy the Hornblower series or Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series should enjoy these if they crave a little land action.

[...]

This is the first Sharpe novel Bernard Cornwell ever wrote, but is not the first one chronologically.. you know, llike Star Wars. The difference is that George Lucas thought out all six episodes beforehand presumably, but when Cornwell wrote his first Sharpe he had no idea Sharpe's adventures would become the phenomenon they have. Thanks to the fact that the Richard Sharpe of Sharpe's Rifles unknown to him or his author at the time of this writing means that anyone coming into the series of novels having read the first five will find some slightly askew factors, such as This Sharpe not having had the year with Grace before contemplating a life with Louisa. No matter though.

If you pick up this novel, however, having seen the Sharpe's Rifles movie prepare for some confusion. First of all, the book refers to Sharpe's field commission happening in India when he saved Wellesley's life, while the movie has him doing this in Portugal at the beginning of the movie. And Sharpe and the 95th Rifles have been together for months.. with Sharpe as their quartermaster. In fact, the book begins with the British retreat from Napoleon's armies, before Wellesley comes back and begins his ultimately successful campaign to drive the French out. Don Blas and his flag are here. Hogan shows up at the very end. The whole story of the animosity between the Rifles and in particular harper and Sharpe is here. Sadly, he never gets to say, "Chosen men, eh? Well, I didn't choose you."

However, having Sean Bean and Darragh O'Malley firmly in my imagination, I think I like the book better than the movie. Maybe because Cornwell didn't know Sharpe much at the first the character comes off more callow, more whiny, which is the point. He is bitter and full of self pity, feeling done dirt by having to be the quartermaster and being treated like an interloper by officers and men alike. In this novel Sharpe comes to find his place as an officer leading men in battle. Cornwell does a fine job showing how this happens, how Don Blas's mentorship and the building mutual respect with Harper combines to give Sharpe the support and spotlight to shine. It is completely credible that Hogan, the Irish major, meeting Sharpe and finding out he was the one that helped the Spanish Cassadors take Santiago de Compostella would provide the catalyst for our hero to become the man we all know and love.

A quick rundown of the story. Sharpe is part of a squadron of Rifles that are cut off as the British are being chased to the sea by napoleon's elite armies. Their captain dies and later their sergeant, and Sharpe is thrown into command by virtue of being the sole officer. He struggles not to be killed by friendly fire until he runs into Don Blas Vivar, an idealistic and even visionary Spanish nobleman. Don Blas helps Sharpe develop the skills to lead what men he has left and teaches him how to deal with the hostile Harper, who all but worships Don Blas. The latter convinces Sharpe to bring his men along to hoist a flag once carried into battle with the Moors by the don's ancestor. he means to inspire the Spanish people to resist the French by showing them St. James, Santiago, is on their side and fighting with them. In spite of Sharpe's own skepticism, he goes along with the plan.

In the meantime Methodist missionaries show up with their very pretty daughter, Louisa. Sharpe falls for the young woman, of course, but so does Don Blas. The question becomes, can a good Methodist girl find happiness by adopting idolatrous Papist ways as a Countess or only by following an aging lieutenant with a lower class accent and no education from battleground to battleground? You do the math. I seem to recall in the movie the harridan of an aunt turns out to be a Rothschild in drag, but maybe that was another episode.

I recommend the book.. you should probably see the movie first and then read it, as I am not sure the other way around will work as well. So now you know why Wellesley looked nothing like himself in Episode I -- or is it Episode VI? Whatever. "Use the forks, Luke!"

It's 1809 and Richard Sharpe, professional infantryman in the Peninsular Campaign and until recently a sergeant, has been granted a battlefield commission to lieutenant -- which, actually, he's not too happy about. And he hates being the battalion's quartermaster, but that's the only job his superiors will trust him with, since he's not a gentleman. His battalion of the 95th Rifles has been decimated by the Imperial French in northern Spain and Sharpe is the only officer left. Gathering together the remnant of his unit (who don't trust him either), he tries to find a way to get them to Lisbon, where the Royal Navy might be able to pick them up. And then he runs into a charismatic Spanish cavalry officer who convinces him to help in capturing Santiago de Compostella, the spiritual heart of Spain, from the French. Don Blas Vivar is the custodian of an ancient and holy artifact which he believes will stiffen the national spine of his country, and Sharpe, though he's completely nonreligious, has his own reasons, in the shape of a very attractive young English girl trapped in Spain with her aunt and uncle. The love interest is destined not to go the way he hopes, but Sharpe will find himself developing into the kind of commanding officer he needs to be. There are nearly two dozen books in this series, now, and this one, while it's the first novel actually written, is ninth by internal chronology. I'm a longtime fan of Napoleonic naval adventure novels, but having discovered that Cornwell is terrific at conveying the feeling of infantry life two centuries ago, and that he does a very creditable job of describing combat scenes, I'll be hunting up the rest of Sharpe's adventures.

This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.

Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...

And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.

This is the first of the Sharpe novels set in the Peninsular War (1808 - 1813), which forms the main scene of his fictional exploits. It tells of how Sharpe, landing in command of a small, isolated, and defeated force of riflemen after all the other officers were killed in battle, leads his mutinous force to safety, and on the way to a battle fought to fulfill an ancient prophecy.

It is written to the standard Sharpe formula. There are several battles, well described, a girl who Sharpe falls for but doesn't win, colorful and occasionally comical characters introduced for Sharpe to play off against, and a treacherous villain. The formula is predictable, and ought to be more boring than it is, but Cornwall executes it skillfully. His one weakness is in creating female characters, and the one in this story is rather more high spirited and adventurous than seems realistic for a woman of this period. The Spanish Don who recruits Sharpe as an ally to carry out his rather desperate plan is a more successful invention.

There are presently 5 other Sharpe novels written after this but earlier in chronological sequence, and the continuity is by no means seamless. For instance, Sharpe here gives an account of his past battles, but somehow forgets that he was at Trafalgar, as well as his role in Denmark only a few months earlier. In general, the Sharpe of this book is too green, too immature, and too short of self confidence to match the younger Sharpe portrayed in the more recent books.

Cornwall does have some tendency to simply wish away problems he doesn't want to work out solutions to. After the major battle in the book, Sharpe's men are far from British lines, in an area filled with French forces who now know their location. But Cornwall's story is almost over and he doesn't really want to deal with that, so he simply assumes that Sharpe is able to get through Spain without encountering the enemy and fast forwards to his return to British lines.

Regular readers of the series will find what they expect and enjoy. For those new to the sequence, this was written to be a starting point and would probably work better read that way than as a sequel to "Sharpe's Prey".

Sharpe's Rifles is the place to start with Bernard Cornwell's gripping series of adventures which follow the career of Richard Sharpe, an officer in Wellington's army. Sharpe is unusual for an officer in Britain's army in the 19th Century - he was promoted from the ranks in a time when this was exceedingly rare. These novels follow Sharpe's career through the Peninsula war, culminating with the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo.
In Sharpe's Rifles we meet the new Lieutenant Richard Sharpe as he is struggling to earn the respect of his fellow officers and the men he commands. As we meet him he is serving as a quartermaster, as the popular prejudice was that officers promoted from the ranks took to drink and could not be trusted in a fighting command. We learn that he is in fact an experienced professional soldier and won his commission by an act of bravery on the battlefield, so he is seething with frustration and a sense of injustice at his lot. During a disastrous retreat from Napoleon's pursuing troops Sharpe finds himself in command of a company of survivors separated from the main army. During the journey in which he leads the men back to safety (with a detour to help the Spanish guerillas and capture a town) he learns how to command and earns the respect he craves. We also see the birth of the friendship between Sharpe and Sergeant Harper, which is central to the rest of the series.
Once I had started I found it impossible to put this book down, and then dashed out and bought the rest of the series. The story is gripping, the pace fast, and the characterisation excellent - Sharpe is no one-dimensional action man and his character continues to develop throughout the series. Cornwell is a very well-informed military historian and I learned a great deal about an era with which I was previously unfamiliar.

'Sharpe's Rifles' is the first of Bernard Cornwell's orginal Richard Sharpe series and is a wonderful start. Here we meet for the first time the maverick British officer Richard Sharpe and his tough-as-nails companion Sergeant Harper. The story takes place during the British retreat from Spain in 1809. French victory seems certain. Lieutnant Sharpe is seperated from his unit and forced to command a rag tag company of riflemen, who have little love for thier new leader, though enemy territory back to the British lines. On top of these worries, Spanish partisans insist that the British escort them to a remote village where they believe victory over the French is possible. This is a novel that takes you back in time to the desperate days in the struggle against Napoleon. Even if historical novels aren't your thing the adventure alone is worth the read.

I finally picked up "Sharpe's Rifles" months after having the series recommended to me by a friend. I wish I hadn't waited. Although I read a lot of military fiction, I have never read anything about the Napoleonic wars. Cornwell actually brings the battles to life, from the cries of the dying and wounded to the smell of the smoke of the battlefield. All of the cahracters come to life, and are exemplary of the kind of lives lived by the soldiers and officers of the era. It is obvious that Cornwell did his homework here.
Richard Sharpe is a well developed character, an everyman that developed not only into a super warrior, but also into a superb leader of warriors.
In this novel the author gets right down to the story, and wastes no time getting to the heart of the story. The writing is straightforward and clean.
Highly recommended

This was my first Bernard Cornwell novel, and I liked it so much I read it in one sitting, even though the napoleanic wars aren't my area of interest (though this series could change that). Cornwell actually has a subtle but unique style of prose, unlike so many contemporary writers who only hammer out the basic gutterals, yet his writing is not exposition or description-heavy, but moves along at a swift pace. The character of Lois, who in the hands of most writers would have come out as just the obligatory love-interest, is brought to life as a 3-dimensional character here even though her over-all role is relatively small. There is a sense of adventure to the proceedings and the events unfold realistically. I have already bought 7 more of his novels (Arthur trilogy, civil war quartet) and look forward to reading more about Sharpe. I see why he has such a large following.

Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series of historical fiction traces the adventures of Richard Sharpe through India and Europe through the Napoleonic wars. Sharpe begins life as an orphan of a prostitute and joins the army as a private to avoid a worse fate. Over the course of 24 novels and short stories, we follow his adventures, promotions, successes and failures. We also gain a ground-level perspective on the Napoleonic wars and insight into the life of a 19th century soldier through a compelling and gripping character.

Sharpe's Rifles, the sixth in the series chronologically, finds Sharpe in Spain. When his battalion is defeated by French cavalry, he finds himself in command of a small group of surviving Rifles as they escape deeper into Spain attempting to reconnect with the army or find passage back to Britain. Though he was promoted to Lieutenant in an earlier novel, this is his first real combat command. He struggles to gain respect of the men and we get to watch the character grow as he learns to develop his established talent in combat into the qualities that will make men follow and respect him. The backdrop of combat and Sharpe's heroism, typically for Cornwell, drive the novel forward, but this growth on Sharpe's part is the real story of Rifles for me.

This is my favorite of the series thus far, with the exception of the first, Sharpe's Tiger. The Spanish setting is as rich in flavor as the India of the early novels. Sharpe is gaining a whole new dimension as a character. And finally, I loved the character of Patrick Harper and have high hopes that we'll see much more of him as Sharpe's band moves on.

Sharpe's Rifles was the first in Bernard Cornwell's acclaimed Sharpe series. We first meet Lt. Richard Sharpe, he is the quartermaster of the 95th Rifles on their retreat from a horrific defeat at the hands of the French. After a surprise attack by French cavalry decimated Sharpe's regiment, he is left in command with a surly command. There is the threat mutiny from an Irish private names Patrick Harper and a dangerous journey against an implacable enemy. Somehow Sharpe must pull together his shattered regiment outwit a relentless pursuer and deal with Methodist missionaries. Here is the adventure that started it all.

I am so happy to have found Sharpes books, I watched this series on tv years ago with the actor Sean Bean who is Sharpe. This is the fourth of the series I have read and even though Sharpe is fictious a real part of history is explored is each story. Lots of action, indepth discreption, and a good read that is hard to put down. If you should start the series I feel it is best to start with the first book as he advances through the ranks.

Bernard Cornwell is an unabashed formula writer, but nobody does that formula better. If you have a long drive ahead of you, or a long commute, nothing helps the miles pass than the exciting (and violent!) adventures of Richard Sharpe. You'll be so engrossed in the story, that red lights and traffic jams will make you happy, because it will give you time to listen to more of the exciting story.

Frederick Davidson is not my favorite narrator for the 'Sharpe' series, but that's just a personal preference, he's definitely one of the top vocal talents in the world of audio books.

This was my first foray into the Napoleonic historical fiction genre (including the Hornblower series as well as the Aubrey/Maturin books) and since I am more of a landlubber I went with the Sharpe series. The writing style can be light and fluffy at times but there is enough period detail to keep the historian in you engaged. The action is quite bloody and there is a certain gritty realism to much of the story. I could have done without the whole chick element that Louisa brings but it does serve to offer some insight into Sharpe's character by the end of the story. A quick read, and hard to put down. I'm looking forward to Sharpe's Eagle.

The book is well written, the characters are complex, and the story line is steeped with historical detail. Cornwall is a fantastic writer who seems to capture the feeling of the Napoleonic Wars as if he were there himself. This book introduces the reader to Richard Sharpe and Patrick Harper, two of the best written characters in modern fiction. The action starts almost immediately as Sharpe takes over the 95th Rifles. Your heart won't stop racing until the final page. Sharpe and Harper have grabbed my imagination as does the back drop of 19th century Spain. This is a must read for any student of the Napoleonic Wars.

Compared to pulp fiction this is decent historical fiction. I am more impressed with the Flashman series for the depth and detail of history portrayed in a grand adventure. In Sharpe, while the motif was historical, I was disappointed that the main event of the novel is completely fictitous. There was no Galacian battle at Santiago after Sir John Moore's defeat. While you got to know the fictitous characters in great detail, there was no such description of the historical figures such as in the Flashman series where the author does exquisite research in conveying the personalities of John Brown, Kit Carson, Lord Cardigan, Bismarck, Lady Sale, Fighting Bob, etc. in addition to the compelling dissection of major historical battles in Afghanistan, Little Bighorn, India. Please read a Flashman novel then decide whether this book truly deserves five stars. I don't know whether I will read another Sharpe novel. I may try one more, but if the history part doesn't get much better, I certainly won't finish the series.

This is an excellent action book. Sharpe is a strong character, and the historical context of the story is very interesting. Cornwell's battle scenes are very well done. As with all the books in the series, Sharpe and Harper lead a charmed life (all other characters except the Duke of Wellington are fair game for a French bullet), so you always know he will get out of whatever predicament he finds himself in, but it doesn't matter. This book is definitely well worth the read if you are into this genre.

Another fine book. Writer's like Cornwell, of which there are few, never cease to amaze. Prolific yet always profound. Dramatic yet believable. Characters at once unstoppable yet also fallible. Stories fictional yet grimly realistic. And he always pays a mind to the ladies. In this one I read quite amused as the central female character, an English girl separated from her overbearing Protestant missionary aunt and thrust into Sharpe's willing care, goes on and on to the hardened but smitten Sharpe about her love interests, while the screams of dying men echo about the city. Sharpe, heartbroken and shocked from not being the chosen one, shows his human side and heads off to get drunk and find cheaper love. This amidst the aftermath of another vicious battle.
The author is so savvy and such a subtle teacher and so infinitely wise to the ways of men and women and life in this world, that you find his works not only entertaining but also instructive. You learn when you read his books. Sharpe is the ultimate warrior in a gruesome campaign to rid the peninsula of the murderous and treacherous French. I find his work somewhat formulaic at times, but it matters not if there is always a mysterious and devious villain, an alluring and attractive woman, a great fighter, a stalwart and able companion and the willing and able veterans of his green jacketed rifles. If you haven't gotten into Mr. Cornwell's works, then I can only tell you that a gold mine of literature awaits you.

If you have read other Sharpe books, you will realize right away that the story goes back to the time before "Sharpe's Eagle". It serves to set the stage and introduce the characters that will populate the series thoughout the campaigns in Portugal and Spain. If you haven't read any other Sharpe stories and you like Historical Fiction that are enjoyable reads you are going to enjoy it.
Don't get me wrong, as a story it stands alone quite well. Readable and entertaining are the first thoughts that come to mind. The battles/fights seem to be historically accurate as well as well written (not always the case with storied written about this time period). The characters are understandable, without appearing to be twentieth-century men being transported to another era. As Sharpe grows as a commander, you both empathise with his problems and cheer his accomplishments.
The whole series is worth reading, and this a great prequel to the timeframe where most of the action takes place.... and there will be quite a lot of it!
PS... The books are better than the BBC series.

Firstly this is an exellent book like all of the others in the sharpe series.It is hard to believe ,at the start ,that the Chosen men will one day respect and like sharpe,especially harper who really gets off on the wrong foot with sharpe,but will one day be sharpes best friend.sharpes objective is to find the armys missing banker,and is put under the command of major dunnet and captain murray who are both, along with most of the search party massacred by french cavalry, luckily sharpe and the chosen men survive.sharpe is left in an awkward position, with both other officers dead ,because the chosen men do not see him as a 'proper' officer.Fourtunately he joins forces with a group of spanish guerrillas, and finds he has another objective,to raise the banner of saint james to boost the morale of the spanish so they rise up against the french.
This storry is an amazing adventure and a great read and i'd reccomend it to any one!

I've never posted a review before but I had to express my gratitude to Bernard Cornwell for his terrific books about the Napoleonic Wars. I love historical fiction series, and would just add that anyone who likes Cornwell should get the new Cold War series book, "The Triumph and the Glory." I can't recall the author's name, I think he's new, but his style is every bit as polished as Cornwell's and his novel is very worthwhile reading.

Although I don't usually like military history, I did enjoy this book. That could have been because I completely love the "Sharpe" DVD series - though the book was nothing like the movie, so maybe not. The style drew me in - dry enough to fit the genre, but not so dry that I did not care about the characters or the events. Those coming to this book expecting it to be what the movie was will be disappointed; those who come to it expecting a good story will not be disappointed in the least.

I love the Sharpe series, as well as almost all the books by Cornwell. The problem with this audio version is getting past the narrator's poor attempt to sound like characters he is portraying.

He would have been better off with a straight read than making Sgt. Harper sound like a scrawny weasel of an Irishman (definitely not my idea of him), or Blas Vivar who sounds like a throat cancer victim. I won't even expand on what he does to the heroine.

All in all though, it is a great way to pass the time if your driving or have time to wait for your girlfriend (my girl is always late). Don't let this put you off too much though, it is still a great story, and of coarse it's still Sharpe, Harper and the Rifles marching to Paris and killing sinister Frogs on the way. Ah, if life were only so simple!

God save Ireland!

One of the best novels in the Sharpe series. Unlike later novels, in which Richard Sharpe seems infallible and invincinble,
Sharpe's Rifles portrays the hero as insecure and uncertain of his abilities. The novel also introduces Sgt. Patrick Harper and
begins to develop the relationship between these characters.

I am a history teacher and I am very serious about historical details. The characters in this book may not be real, but that makes no difference. The book is well written, the characters are complex, and the story line is steeped with historical detail. Cornwall is a fantastic writer who seems to capture the feeling of the Napoleonic Wars as if he were there himself. This book introduces the reader to Richard Sharpe and Patrick Harper, two of the best written characters in modern fiction. The action starts almost immediately as Sharpe takes over the 95th Rifles. Your heart won't stop racing until the final page. Sharpe and Harper have grabbed my imagination as does the back drop of 19th century Spain. This is a must read for any student of the Napoleonic Wars.

Great historical fiction. Cornwell tells a great story. His characters feel real and he knows how to make a battle compelling. I love that in the last few pages he tells us where he has taken liberties and where he has stuck to the facts.

Sharpe's rifles is the book that really starts it all. Cut off from the retreating army, Sharpe and a handful of Riflemen must team of with a group of Spanish resisters in an adventure similar to the quests for the holy grail. The book is an easy read and shows a unique side of the hero as Richard Sharpe truly learns what it is to lead troops into battle. This book shows essential elements of Sharpe and is a good read. Cornwell's genius begins here.

I had read a few of the sharpe books before, but this was great! the battle scenes, the carachters, the plot, everything was just right!My thanks to Mr. Cornwell for bringing this awesome character to life.

SHARPES RIFLES
Sixth of Cornwell's peninsular war novels, containing the fictional personage carrying the series of selected battles under Wellington during the Napolianic war with Great Britain. Along wiih the other 10 novels in this series, the period recreation and battle accuracy are outstanding. As adventure, it contains sex and violence in sufficient detail to appeal to a large audience.

Another fine book. Writer's like Cornwell, of which there are few, never cease to amaze. Prolific yet always profound. Dramatic yet believable. Characters at once unstoppable yet also fallible. Stories fictional yet grimly realistic. And he always pays a mind to the ladies. In this one I read quite amused as the central female character, an English girl separated from her overbearing Protestant missionary aunt and thrust into Sharpe's willing care, goes on and on to the hardened but smitten Sharpe about her love interests, while the screams of dying men echo about the city. Sharpe, heartbroken and shocked from not being the chosen one, shows his human side and heads off to get drunk and find cheaper love. This amidst the aftermath of another vicious battle.
The author is so savvy and such a subtle teacher and so infinitely wise to the ways of men and women and life in this world, that you find his works not only entertaining but also instructive. You learn when you read his books. Sharpe is the ultimate warrior in a gruesome campaign to rid the peninsula of the murderous and treacherous French. I find his work somewhat formulaic at times, but it matters not if there is always a mysterious and devious villain, an alluring and attractive woman, a great fighter, a stalwart and able companion and the willing and able veterans of his green jacketed rifles. If you haven't gotten into Mr. Cornwell's works, then I can only tell you that a gold mine of literature awaits you.

Pengquin Publishing must be crazy to insist on a price of $12.99 for the Kindle edition of "Sharpe's Rifles" when I can purchase a new paperback copy for $l0.98.
Or, better yet, I can buy a used paperback copy for about $3 or $4. As long as publishers insist on prices higher than $9.99 for Kindle editions of their books, I shall continue to not buy them!
I shall, instead, read books like the complete works of Charles Dickens for free! And, I will purchase new books for Kindle at a price no higher than $9.99.
I really like my Kindle, but I will not pay extra for the books I read just to have them on my Kindle!
While production costs for a Kindle edition of a book are next to nothing compared to the production costs of paper copies, some publishers seem to be insisting on premium prices for Kindle editions... higher prices than they can get for their copies printed on paper! So, as long as publishers continue to insist on inflated prices for Kindle editions of their books, I will continue to read other material from other publishers.

Revised review 09/30/2013
My first review, shown above, was actually a review of Penguin Publishing's pricing policy of Kindle books versus their paper books. I did not intend for it to be a reflection on the novel. I am happy to see that Penguin appears to have re-assessed their pricing policy for Kindle versions.
I have changed my rating for the book to 5 stars. I am a great fan of Bernard Cornwell's historical novels, and I am working my way toward reading all of them. I believe it is historical fiction at its finest. Mr. Cornwell's historical novels are the best I have found to portray the flavor of British history from the Middle Ages (The Saxon Chronicles) through the 19th century (the Sharpe series).

Love, Love, Love this book! One of his best. just engages you from cover to cover. 5 star review

--That being said, I'm thinking that they must not want this e-book thing to work out if they want to price their ebooks $2 less than their print version, which is already overpriced. It cost's them almost nothing to send you a digital copy of the book compared to print, price it accordingly. Many of Penguins books across the board are overpriced. I'm wondering if they realize how many copies of this book are floating around. I could probably hit a local used bookstore and pick up a copy for less than $4 right now. They need to come to their senses.
--I'm not one of those idiots who thinks this stuff should be free, just realistic. The author and the publisher should have every right to charge you money for the book, but seriously make it reasonable or it will encourage people to look elsewhere for a copy that cuts out both the publisher and the author from their rightful earnings. If I could rate the publisher, 0 stars for being idiots.

Edit: now that the ebook has been repriced to something appropriate, I can rerate it to 5 stars

After spending hundreds of dollars on my Kindle and ebooks over the last couple years, it was the $13 price tag on this one book that motivated me to put it away and get a library card today.

Fun fact: your local public library has every book in this series and will let you have it for free.

Why would anybody buy this book in the Kindle edition when it can be had in paper for half the cost? This is a ripoff and similar pricing policies will be what prevents Kindle from being a really great tool.

Make sure you start the series at the beginning, because this is not the first book despite being advertised as such. You can find most of the early books at your local library. The storytelling linked to history and seen through the experience of very compelling main character is as good as it gets. We are blessed that there are so many books in the series.