No. 11), Waterloo (Sharpe's Adventures

I had been reading the Sharpe series and wanted to read the true story before I continued with the fiction. Of course you could still tell that it was Cornwell doing the writing. This book, "Waterloo", showed how opportunities were missed on both sides, and how important leadership is in battle. Napoleon and Wellington had completely different styles. Wellington right up front, and Napoleon from the rear. Communications played a critical role in the outcome, as did trust in your allies. And still, it could have had a different outcome. I'm sure there are many other accounts of the battle, and each reflects the authors point of view, research, and opinions. Cornwell successfully lays it all out for the reader. You'll enjoy this one.

I started this book with substantial background in the subject. However, I found the writing and the events covered to be interesting and useful. Mr Cornwell does well with real history. Robert J Hermann

I love the descriptions of the infantry battle squares being formed to protect them from the charge of the Calvary. The battle scenes are a great read as only Cornwell can discribe them. A wonderful read.

Generally, an excellent account of the battle and the men involved. Thankfully, there is very little preamble - the author gets straight to the story he is telling. There are excellent maps throughout the book to enhance understanding of the tactical situations. The author makes great use of contemporary accounts. He frequently sets a scene and then quotes extensively from a participant in that portion of the action.

I have but one issue with this book. The author frequently changes verb tense in the middle of a chapter, a paragraph or even a sentence. His editor did him no favors in allowing this - it detracts from the cogent and clear telling of the story.

Waterloo does a great job of presenting a complicated battle in an entertaining manner. Cornwall strikes a good balance between restating facts and moving the narrative along in a manner that is more in line with a novel than a history book.

Well written, fast, and very easy to read. It is like reading one of his novels. Dates, times, tactics, and weapons are all part of this history changing event. Mr. Cornwell does an excellent job of bringing the personal aspects of the battle to include the discussing the personalities of the main characters/players. This is a mixture of Sharp meeting the excellent West Point history series. He even provides maps which is a nice change of pace in many history books of late. Now, I have two favorite history writers - Cornwell and Joseph Ellis.
Mr. Cornwell write some more of these!

Bernard Cornwall breathes life into the the complex constellation of sometimes interrelated and sometimes isolated events that comprised the four - day showdown between the Napolean-led French Army and the loosely-coordinated alliance of the British and Prussian Armies that we know as Waterloo. Several authors from both sides have written accounts of Waterloo but this book gives a highly readable and impartial view off the whole affair. I couldn't put it down. Neither will you!

I've walked the battlefield, read several books about Waterloo but this book without question gave the best overview of the battle and its use of personal narratives really brought the battle to life. Excellent job....

As always Bernard Cornwell delivers an amazing story. I have already read the whole series of books that comprise the Sharpe's saga twice and truly I could probably read it for a third time.
Mr. Cornwell thank you so very much for all your work!!!

Bernard Cornwell knows history (and knew to have this book released to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.). I love this book for the richness of the accounts of the battle, and the terrific artwork included throughout. That said, I am horrified at the almost callous way that men were sent to their death, in vain attempts, almost like throwing good money after bad. This new book captures one of the most significant battles in histroy, and does it in a way that only Bernard Cornwell can do...great work!

A worthy conclusion to Sharpe's peninsular campaign. It is also a well researched story of Wellington's success at Waterloo. The characters Richard Sharpe and Harper grow and mature but also stay true to form.

I've read several books on the battle: Jac Wellers, as well as Bernard's Sharpe version. This was the most complete story that I've seen which covers the entire story of the battle including inputs from members of all 3 armies. Bernard acknowledges his dependence on others, but with a novelist's viewpoint manages to make all of the material new and fresh!

This book like no other encapsulates the brutal intensity of war. It is quite comprehensive and the characters of this theater of war are marvelously defined. Additionally, the readers (audiobook) are splendid. And the author even interjects humor when he brilliantly begs the dangling question of why yet another book on Waterloo? The answer would but come in the form of the following masterfully written history.

I'm a professional historian, currently working as a curator for one of the largest private museums in the United States. For a general reader this is one of the most well-written, thought provoking history books I have read in years. The book isn't terribly groundbreaking; as far as I'm aware it introduces no new ideas to Napoleonic study, but for a popular audience it would be hard to beat this well-written, approachable work.

This book was well written and obviously meticulously researched....from a British/Allied perspective i suspect. It seemed to say much the same that i have read by other authors on Waterloo but it was a good read. I accept it is in a different category and i think his first foray into the field of non-fiction but i do prefer his historical fiction writings where clearly he is the master of masters. The Warrior Chronicles is so clear an example, along with the Sharp stories and of course, the Warlord Chronicles. The 3 books in that series are without doubt, the best books i have read; better than Clavell's series culminating in Noble House and Follet's Pillars of the Earth.

This is a good primer four the casual military history buff. Not too detailed, emphasizing the human dramas and the confusion of 150,000 men battling in a small area. Obviously influenced by Cornwell's previous work, Sharp's Waterloo.
He gives the Prussians the credit that is missing from most other casual studies.
An enjoyable read.

Some of Cornwell's fiction I can take or leave--enjoyed much of the Sharpe series, did not care much for his Hundred Year's War stories. This book, his first foray into non-fiction, I very much enjoyed. He does a very good job of showing the sweep of the Waterloo campaign, doing a better than average account of the Prussian contribution.

The book was sent out very quickly after I ordered it and the price was very good. I was pleased to find this book online. I have been reading the whole Sharpe series and could not find this one locally.

The age old story of the winners write history!! At least this appears to be an honest attempt at trying to decipher what happened over those tumultuous 3 days. Unfortunately there will always be an element of interpretation, but this story tries to give both sides of those days. It seems strange that someone who had been so militarily successful over a long period could have been so poor in judgement and not taken a more active position during the day given the need for a speedy victory. I guess arrogance and given his generals successes in the past, could have lulled him into over confidence, but it seems strange given the need to defeat either of the opposing armies quickly, Napoleon didn't ensure execution of his plans to the letter. Such is history strewn with such examples of hubris!
This is a well told recount of the three days that help shaped Europe and other parts of the world (the colonialisation of countries such as Australia and large parts of Africa). The research is exhaustive and collates so many sources which allows the reader to have a great overview of what happened as best can be told from such a confusing three days. Cornwell uses his writing skills to bring all these sources into a coherentflow of events.

I thought it was an excellent historical account of the famous battle. Most of Cornwell's books fall into the category of historical fiction. This book is pure history. I was obviously well-researched and, as usual, well written.

I am a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's. I have read many of the books of historical fiction. I think this book bogs down a little with too much detail. It is, though, thoroughly researched and well written.

Bernard Cornwell has a way of roping me in and not letting me put his books down till I have finished. This volume did not disappoint. 200 years ago this June a defining battle was fought. This was a great introduction to what transpired.

A really good history book, which shows what a good fiction writer can bring to history books. Namely color, human interest, and managing to make it not the dull usual list of dates and times. Without making up fictional facts. Really brought out how the armies of the time had gotten so big no one person could actually run a battle any more, until they got radio. And more importantly, smokeless gunpowder. Gun smoke hid large parts of the battlefield when the really vital decisions had to be made. And how both sides made utterly stupid decisions. My only complaint is that the Wavre battle (the almost ignored fourth battle) could have used a bit more attention as it was so vital I freeing the Germans to send to cement the victory.

I'm a big fan of Cornwell's Medieval English novels and I thought he could do real military history with flair. Not so much. He aims at a very low level of knowledge or understanding, for the general reader, okay, but he really just phones the whole thing in. The most irritating aspect is the repeated redundancy which he does over and over again (get it?). I assume this is done to fluff up his material to book length, as he does with assigning page numbers to the many illustrations. He even misses out on the drama part which I would have thought he'd excel at. There are much better options out there.

The age old story of the winners write history!! At least this appears to be an honest attempt at trying to decipher what happened over those tumultuous 3 days. Unfortunately there will always be an element of interpretation, but this story tries to give both sides of those days. It seems strange that someone who had been so militarily successful over a long period could have been so poor in judgement and not taken a more active position during the day given the need for a speedy victory. I guess arrogance and given his generals successes in the past, could have lulled him into over confidence, but it seems strange given the need to defeat either of the opposing armies quickly, Napoleon didn't ensure execution of his plans to the letter. Such is history strewn with such examples of hubris!
This is a well told recount of the three days that help shaped Europe and other parts of the world (the colonialisation of countries such as Australia and large parts of Africa). The research is exhaustive and collates so many sources which allows the reader to have a great overview of what happened as best can be told from such a confusing three days. Cornwell uses his writing skills to bring all these sources into a coherentflow of events.

I thought it was an excellent historical account of the famous battle. Most of Cornwell's books fall into the category of historical fiction. This book is pure history. I was obviously well-researched and, as usual, well written.

I am a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's. I have read many of the books of historical fiction. I think this book bogs down a little with too much detail. It is, though, thoroughly researched and well written.

Bernard Cornwell has a way of roping me in and not letting me put his books down till I have finished. This volume did not disappoint. 200 years ago this June a defining battle was fought. This was a great introduction to what transpired.

A really good history book, which shows what a good fiction writer can bring to history books. Namely color, human interest, and managing to make it not the dull usual list of dates and times. Without making up fictional facts. Really brought out how the armies of the time had gotten so big no one person could actually run a battle any more, until they got radio. And more importantly, smokeless gunpowder. Gun smoke hid large parts of the battlefield when the really vital decisions had to be made. And how both sides made utterly stupid decisions. My only complaint is that the Wavre battle (the almost ignored fourth battle) could have used a bit more attention as it was so vital I freeing the Germans to send to cement the victory.

I'm a big fan of Cornwell's Medieval English novels and I thought he could do real military history with flair. Not so much. He aims at a very low level of knowledge or understanding, for the general reader, okay, but he really just phones the whole thing in. The most irritating aspect is the repeated redundancy which he does over and over again (get it?). I assume this is done to fluff up his material to book length, as he does with assigning page numbers to the many illustrations. He even misses out on the drama part which I would have thought he'd excel at. There are much better options out there.

Cornwell's narrative of a well known battle is presented in smooth, taut prose spiced with anecdotes gleaned from exhaustive research of primary and secondary sources. A great tale with a good presentation of the military and political dimensions of Waterloo as well as the view behind a musket crammed in a square as the breastplated French cavalry charge.

Excellent presentation. The battle was a series of actions, which he breaks down into chapters with readable maps. It is very readable, and there are only a few military units involved in each chapter, so it is easy to keep everything straight.

bought the book as a present. The receipent is very happy with it. I think, it is mainly because he did not have to worry wether it would be here on time for Christmas, and also got it before May, when Barnes and Noble would have it.

As always, Cornwell delivers! This is well written and gives a slightly different insight into the characters and events that participated. Clearly well researched, Cornwell's ability to bring the people and scenes to life make this book hard to put down once started. This is an enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of History, especially a part so important in European life.

Excellent presentation. The battle was a series of actions, which he breaks down into chapters with readable maps. It is very readable, and there are only a few military units involved in each chapter, so it is easy to keep everything straight.

bought the book as a present. The receipent is very happy with it. I think, it is mainly because he did not have to worry wether it would be here on time for Christmas, and also got it before May, when Barnes and Noble would have it.

As always, Cornwell delivers! This is well written and gives a slightly different insight into the characters and events that participated. Clearly well researched, Cornwell's ability to bring the people and scenes to life make this book hard to put down once started. This is an enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of History, especially a part so important in European life.

Bernard Cornwell has the ability to make his historical fiction so readable, and it seems his historical accounts also. So full of information that any history buff would want, plus little known facts that bring that ah ah moment. I now know why Wellington has been known as the "Iron Duke" Who would have guessed. Cromwell says that this is his first and last historical novel. I hope not, never has history been so readable, more please

I loved this book. The author made it easy to visualise what was happening on the battlefields. The book included excellent descriptions of all the battles of the campaign. There was a nice balance between overall action and the personal experiences of some participants.

Bernard Cornwell's customary capacity to create both a participant's view and strategic lucidity makes the sequence of events and experience itself understandable. He creates a driving, exciting narrative however much you know the outcome.

The Book is most interesting and i recommend it. However despite using Kindle Books for a few years without any problem this particular download was a disaster. I had to contact the store several times as frequently when moving to the next page the Kindle went back to the begining or jumped to almost the end of the book. Despite the stores assistance from this point of view the book was a disaster. I suspect the transfer to a Kindle reader was not a success and the store may need to examine the reasons for this.

Well researched, easy to read without getting bogged down in historical detail, a fascinating overview of this world changing event and insight into the mind set of main players. A great read for lovers of history.

A very clear and plausible account of what was evidently a very confusing and muddled battlefield. The complexity is well portrayed of the logisitcs to manoevre so many men in so many battalions and divisions, (infantry, artillery and cavalry), within the confines of the Mont St Jean battlefield, in appalling weather conditions and very poor visibility due to dense gunfire smoke. The many illustrations greatly assist in gaining an appreciation of the formidable conditions of this battle.

I really enjoyed this book, written by a novelist rather than an academic historian. In this case it works because of the huge body of literature already produced on the Waterloo, so the author has the advantage of being able to use his talent for story-telling to survey what is indeed a thrilling tale.

I bought the hardcover version, rather than waiting for a Kindle edition, for the simple reason that there are some beautiful colour illustrations and many excellent maps inetrspersed throughout the book. The maps have been chosen well, and serve to ease your understanding of each stage of the battle. Each time I read the book I put my bookmark on the relevant map, and would flip back and forth at least a few times each chapter - something the Kindle is still not suited to.

I must have read a different version than every other reviewer [only kidding about that] and having read and loved every other book that Cornwell has written, this work is inexplicable. The astounding number of repetitions throughout the book are almost comic. How many times can he write that Wellington favored the reverse slope, that the Rifles' bayonets were 23" long, or that Von Muffling was the Prussian liaison to the Duke? Each, and many, many more are repeated endlessly. But that is not the biggest editing disaster. Cornwell changes tenses at whim throughout the entire book. At times he writes in the past tense as appropriate to most works of history. In the same paragraph, he will switch to the present tense, as if he were either writing in real time or viewing events through the actual participants. It might sound fine as I describe it, but in the actual narrative it is jarring and [dare I say it] amateurish. In all of his previous work, I have never encountered this and there is a reason for it: it reads terribly. Sorry to be the voice of dissent, but this book is a poor read on a magnificent subject and was not worth the wait or the price.

HarperCollins did their best with this turkey, throwing in all the color pictures they could manage. But REALLY! The man CANNOT write non-fiction, no matter how good his novels are. Any kind of copy-editing would have shortened this book by at least a third, because it is So Repetitious. As another customer wrote, how many times do we need to be told that Wellington posted his troops on the back side of ridges so they wouldn't be exposed to enemy artillery fire. Perhaps this would do for someone who has never read anything about Wellington, the Peninsula Campaign or Waterloo...(?) I actually found one spread where the author said exactly the SAME Thing in practically the SAME Words, on FACING PAGES!
Look elsewhere. The literature is voluminous and Cornwell's bibliography is an OK place to start. [Please excuse all the ranting Capitals. I know they are impolite in online prose, but unfortunately there is no provision for underlining, italics, etc.]

4.5 stars - My introduction to the Napoleonic Wars land battles - all new to me and so interesting - really well told by Cornwell - I have several friends who rave about his historical fiction, but this is also my introduction to Cornwell's writing as I have not read him before - most of all, it made me want to learn more about the battle, the personalities, and the soldiers.

Some highlights for me:
A description of the Duchess of Richmond’s ball, the night before the fighting commenced, with most of the British officers there to receive orders – you can’t make that stuff up!
Great inclusion of first-hand accounts
As someone who is interested in 19th century military medicine, I enjoyed the brief but interesting mention of Dominque Jean Larrey, Chief Surgeon of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, his "flying ambulance" design and his concept of forward surgery/aid stations
The "Aftermath" section and Cornwell's synthesis of the battle and post-battle opinion was very good
I actually listened to the book, but our library also had the e-book so I read parts on Kindle as well - the narration is very good and the illustrations and maps in the e-book version are produced very nicely, relevant, and there is a good amount

If there are faults, they are few and nitpicky:
a) he over-uses his "rock, paper, scissors" metaphor iin describing the supporting arms of infantry/cavalry/artillery
b) a pet peeve of mine: using the present tense to describe past events - he uses this a lot as well - I know writers think it adds an "immediacy" to historical writing, but it's a faux immediacy
c) not his fault; mostly mine - I do think he presupposes a good amount of knowledge on the reader's part in terms of an awareness of Napoleon, the previous Allied coalitions and battles/wars of the era, etc

None detract from what is an energetic and interesting read - Highly Recommended

Most everyone has heard of Waterloo, but not many understand its importance. It set the stage for almost the entire 19th century, and helped Britain become the world superpower. Cornwell gives us all the important facts, but doesn't get bogged down in them. The story moves along quickly. There is just enough build up so you understand what was at stake, and the firsthand accounts help you to imagine what it was like for the participants
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"Waterloo" is put together perfectly. Each chapter begins with maps of the area, or pictures of paintings about that point in the story. This is a great help for visualizing what is happening on the battlefield. Also, the physical construction of the book is impressive. From the page thickness to the font to the pictures and maps. I highly recommend buying the hardcover instead of the kindle version.
As a self-confessed Francophile I did find "Waterloo" tilted towards the British point of view, which is ok. Waterloo is a great British victory, but if I could add anything to the book it would be more from the French perspective and more Napoleon. This being the last battle of the most dominant figure of the age, Napoleon comes across as almost disinterested and unimportant to the outcome. But this is a small complaint; I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have a much better understanding and appreciation of this epic battle.

To my knowledge, this is the second book that Bernard Cornwell has written on Waterloo, the first being Sharpe's Waterloo in which the fictional RIchard Sharpe is instrumentally present at many key points in the battle. I have to say that I enjoyed reading Sharpe's Waterloo more than I enjoyed reading this non-fictional version. Oh the story is all here, with the blood and glory and blunders all laid bare. It appears that Napoleon missed several opportunities to win the battle. First, at Quatre Bras, Marshall Ney failed to attack the crossroads promptly and seize it. That would have assured a French victory. Second, Napoleon and Ney sent Erlon shuttling back and forward between Ligny and Quatre Bras but never getting him into decisive action at either battle. Third Grouchy (between Grouchy, Nosey and Boney the participants almost sound like the Seven Dwarves instead of the historic generals that they were), failed to follow Blucher to Wavre and then insert himself between Blucher and Waterloo - this appears to be partly Grouchy's fault and partly Napoleon's poorly worded orders. On the day of Waterloo, there were many blown chances and blunders on either side - from Slender Billy's (Prince William of Orange) cavalierly sending infantry marching in line to be butchered by cavalry to Napoleon's failure to reinforce Ney's eventual breakthrough at La Haie Sainte. But this is all pretty much well understood history and the delight is in the telling and description of the action. Sadly Cornwell disappointed me this time as he seems to have caught Harry Turtledove's disease of incessantly repeating the same phrases. It is this incessant harping about how the Duke liked to leave his troops on the reverse slope that leads me to deduct a star from my rating. Interestingly, IMHO Waterloo is really not the decisive battle of the Napoleonic wars. Trafalgar in 1805 probably deserves that designation as it ensured British naval supremacy, simultaneously eliminating any possibility of the French invading Britain and enabling the British to feed troops and supplies into the Iberian peninsula via Lisbon. Waterloo was the final battle rather than the decisive battle. And if Napoleon had won at Waterloo, he probably would have soon lost to the combined Russian and Austrian armies that were also on the way to France. What Waterloo did was leave the Duke of Wellington as the sole undefeated general with the reputation of being the vanquisher of Napoleon, although Blucher certainly also deserves credit for his vital role in the action.

If you are looking for a good book about Waterloo this isn't it.
Let me say that I love ( honesty not sarcastic ) Mr Cornwell's Sharpe series but he should stay away from non-fiction or do better research
Just a few items
- units being mentioned that were not at Waterloo , author mentions a light division at some point , there was no light division at Waterloo
- misidentified the set up of the French Grand Battery , author quotes that half of that battery were 12 pounders when only 18 out of 80 guns were 12s. Some might call this nitty gritty but this is about facts not guesses
Add to that a clear dislike of the Prince of Orange whom he barrages with undisguised disdain . After the first few insults we get it you don't like him but throughout the whole book ?
This is supposed to be facts not a personal vendetta stick to that.
I could go on but I think the point is made.
If you want a good book about Waterloo and you want facts invest and buy Mark Adkin's Waterloo Companion.

Bernard Cornwell has written an excellent description of this great battle. "...reason to write this book is to try and give an impression of what it was like to be on that field on that confusing day." He brings to the task all the skills of a superb writer of military novels.

The opening illustration in the book is Turner's "Field of Waterloo from the Picton Tree". This exaggerates the steepness of the slopes, but also shows the small size of the battlefield, and also helps accentuate the amazing tension and drama of this famous battle. The illustrations, particularly the color ones are very nice and the maps are quite good. Readable with some difficulty on my Kindle Touch; they are very clear on my IPAD and IPhone 5

The analysis is cogent, written with great drama; but there is little that is new, and some that is very old. Cornwell goes to great length to explain the "rock-paper-scissors" of Napoleonic warfare. Although Cornwell addresses the current controversy of the role of the 52nd Light Infantry at the climax of the battle, he apparently was unable to use Nigel Sale's interesting "The Lie at the Heart of Waterloo"The Lie at the Heart of Waterloo: The Battle's Hidden Last Half Hour which sees a conspiracy among the British leaders, including Wellington, to conceal the truth of the last half hour of the battle. Another new work, Brendan Simms' The Longest Afternoon"The Longest Afternoon: The 400 Men Who Decided the Battle of Waterloo gives an interesting turn to accepted interpretations, arguing that role of the 2nd Light Battalion of the King's German Legion defending Le Haye Sainte was the key to the battle. The Bibliography is excellent, but with one exception seems limited to British authors. The exception is the excellent study of the Prussian share of the battle by Peter HofschroerWaterloo 1815: Quatre Bras & Ligny. Cornwall seems to have ignored a work that concentrates on the battle through French eyes, Andrew Field's "Waterloo, The French Perspective"WATERLOO: THE FRENCH PERSPECTIVE. And the Italian. Alessandro Barbaro's dramatic "Battle"

Few can dispute Cornwall's analysis of "who won the battle; who lost the battle", which pretty much follows accepted views. He gives full credit to the Prussians as well as the British; if Wellington did not stand, Blucher would not have come, and if Blucher was not coming Wellington would have retreated.
The author writes: "No matter how often I read accounts of that day, the ending is still full of suspense." To further this, the author avoids the historical past-tense as much as he can. This reader can only agree with the author; as the drama and uncertainty of that day holds the reader in suspense.
This review is based upon the Kindle edition which I was able to download a few months ago. Why I was able to do this, I do not know.

Mr. Cornwell is very good at describing the players, has a great feel for drama and keeps things moving along.

I feel the book stumbles in its constant repetition of phrases, quotations and explication. Also, while I get that this is an appreciation of the battle and not meant to be a scholarly work, the absence of sources and notes is very bothersome and undermines his research.

The volume itself is lovely, full of color plates and maps, printed on quality paper.

All in all a good book, but nowhere near great.

Completely biased . When's have you read a book on Waterloo where there are pictures of every major player EXCEPT Napoleon. Author cannot bring himself to say Wellington was defeated at Quatre Bras. I can see why this book was popular in England.

The 21st Richard Sharpe adventure. Sharpe has come out of retirement at the request of 23-year-old Belgian Prince William of Orange who is untried in battle and too eager to prove himself, a combination that proves fatal for many of the troops he commands. Sharpe is a lieutenant-colonel in the Belgian Light Dragoons. He is joined by his ever-faithful warrior-companion Sergeant Harper. On reconnaissance, they discover the French army amassing near Quatre Bras. They are led by Napoleon in an obvious advance upon Brussels. Sharpe must get word to the Duke of Wellington. He does, but with just barely enough time for the Duke to slow Napoleon down. Prince William sends infantry into the battle with blatant disregard for sightings of enemy cavalry, and they sustain heavy losses. Sharpe loses his temper and insults the Prince, who discharges him from his duties. So Sharpe takes up fighting alongside his old and endeared former regiment, the Prince of Wales Own Volunteers, the green-jacketed riflemen of the South Essex. To this day, the French claim that Waterloo was a strategic retreat, not a defeat. The Germans (Prussians) claim they helped rout the French, even though they arrived very late to battle. And the English claim they beat Napoleon's superior numbers. But nobody describes battle scenes better than Bernard Cornwell: "The Prussian infantryman clapped his hands to his sword-whipped face, trying to cram his eyes back into their sockets" Sharpe must also contend with the man who took up with Sharpe's wife, who stole all his fortunes of war. A fine story.

Just got my copy at my local bookstore today. I have read four books on Waterloo before, including Victor Hugo's description of the battle in Les Miserables. After previewing Cornwell's book, I decided to get it and add it to my military history library.
The book is full of beautiful illustrations and paintings of the commanders and soldiers, as well as pictures of all stages of the battle. I enjoyed the maps the author used in showing the area of the fighting.
Is this the definitive book on Waterloo? I would say no. Waterloo is like Gettysburg, it has been written about to death and we will never have a definitive book on this battle. But Cornwell's is most certainly the best I have read, and the most informative. While hardcore Waterloo buffs might not find anything new here, for this of us interested in the battle but not to that extent will enjoy this book. A must read.

The Battle of Waterloo is one of the most documented events in history; it’s also one of those times in history that’s very close to Bernard Cornwell’s heart. The bestselling author is known for his medieval historical fiction and is definitely a master of the genre, but now, for the first time, Cornwell has created a work of nonfiction in Waterloo.

The subtitle encapsulates the book: the history of four days, three armies, and three battles. The book is divided into relatively short but riveting chapters, each ending with a selection of photos and artwork – in color where available – making Waterloo a wonderfully illustrated edition for any history buff. Cornwell spends little time with the first two battles, Ligny and Quatre-Bras, providing a detailed step-by-step report of the battles in Cornwell’s talented way, and using detailed formation maps to make things clear for the reader.

The last third of the book is dedicated to the battle of Waterloo and perhaps what makes the book so fascinating is how much Cornwell uses from letters and diaries and other primary sources that give the book life, taking the reader back to the historic time.

Originally written on June 4, 2015 ©Alex C. Telander.

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Waterloo was a turning point in modern history. The all day battle of June 18, 1815 was fought south of Brussels pitting the Allied armies under the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) future British Prime Minister against Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821`) and his French legions. Wellington was assisted by General Blucher and the Prussians as they defeated the little corporal. Napoleon had escaped from St. Helena's and returned to France where he quickly deposed Louis XVIII and fought to protect France from her many enemies. The battlefield was small encompassing only a few miles but was extremely bloody. Wellington protected his troops with his reverse slope strategy and his strong defense destroyed the might of France. As a result of the battle:
a. Napoleon was finally deposed as Emperor of the French and sent into exile on Elbe where he died six years after the battle.
b. Great Britain was at last triumphant over Revolutionary France and went on to extend their already vast empire. The nineteenth century balance of power in Europe would lead to almost a century of European peace..
The book is richly illustrated with colored art work and includes many first person accounts from generals to foot soldiers. We learn how armies were armed, fed, transported and fought in this early nineteenth century milieu.
Bernard Cornwell is best known as a historical novelist featuring the British soldier Sharpe who fought against Napoleon. In this first book of nonfiction the author has done a fine job of explaining a complicated battle to general readers. I have many huge tomes on Waterloo but this is the one I will most turn to as a refresher of information on Waterloo. Recommended!

This is my first read in Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe series. It’s both brilliant and deadening. Waterloo is a celebrity battle for most people, including me before I started Waterloo, and I guess most folks know little more than the outcome: Wellington and the Prussian commander, Blücher, put an end to Napoleon’s final fantastic comeback in Europe. The Little Corporal died six years later in exile.

Cornwell is an appealing storyteller and his exacting descriptions of characters, places and the battlefield milieu are almost a reward in themselves. It’s really impossible to feel detached from what’s going on. Ay, there’s the rub. I felt distress and then full-blown horror as the fighting wound up and then wound down—nearly 50,000 men were killed or wounded in frantically compressed combat that ended on June 18, 1815, in a small valley in Braine-l’Alleud near the Belgian town of Waterloo, which gave the epic battle its name.

Even the slightly Hollywood bravery of Richard Sharpe doesn’t soften the impact of reading about the butcher’s work done on all sides in that violent meeting of men and ambitions. The somewhat formulaic treatment of the lives and loves of key characters is a slight distraction, but it really doesn’t hinder the accelerating martial excitement of Waterloo.

Cornwell is a compelling storyteller. I was greatly moved by Waterloo, but I can’t say I’m glad I read it.
Read more of my reviews here:
richardsubber.com

I read this book over Xmas. I didn't know much about Waterloo, but found the story captivating. It is fast-paced and holds your attention. If you like military history, you'll enjoy it.

Spoiler Alert (the following contains specifics from the book)

As an aside, I somehow thought that Wellington was the hero of Waterloo. But this book makes it clear that Blücher was the real hero. His army was defeated by Napoleon on the first day of battle, but importantly, not destroyed. He could have marched his defeated army back to Prussia, but instead, he re-grouped and came to Wellington's aid at a crucial moment and delivered a victory. And frankly, I came to have a diminished view of Wellington. The author goes to great lengths in various sections of the book to defend Wellington's actions - such as why he chose to attend a dinner party when he knew that Napoleon's army was on the march, and failing to come to Blücher's aid on the first day of the battle. The author spends so much time defending Wellington's actions, that you begin to wonder if Wellington did indeed make several failures in judgement. But no worries, Blücher to the rescue!

Mostly accurate but heavily British-biased. After having read numerous accounts of this battle and the well known bias in history by British authors to praise Wellington ceaselessly and even magnify his stature, this book is just another to add to the stack. I thought the historical community was done with that era of Napoleonic history writing. Napoleon is given hardly any credit throughout the book for anything, and even Cornwell's account doesn't really provide much detail that isn't well known from accounts. I had obtained the audiobook and basically stopped about 3/4 of the way through. It became a bit of a bore.

Don't read it if you already know the battle fairly well. Nothing to be added here.

So you think you know all about Waterloo! Not until you have read this book you haven't, It reads like a film script. It is the author's first venture into nonfiction writing and, if I had more than five stars to award him, I would. It is extremely well written and, unlike most military history books it has wonderful. diagrams of all phases of the three day battle. It also has glorious color plates. The bibliography is very focused and very good. The narrative is interspersed with excerpts from letters and diaries of participants in the battle, a touch I have seldom seen in this type of book. Accompanying the excerpts are brief biographical details of the authors as well as biographical notes of the principal actors in the battle

Yes, the battle was won by Wellington who was personally present directing his men at all the critical moments of the battle. . Like
Washington he suffered nary a scratch. Not so with Napoleon who was content to let Marshall Ney run the battle. A huge mistake inasmuch as New managed to get everything wrong. Read this book; you will not be sorry if you do.

Bernard Cornwell has once again hit a home run with this book. I have read every book in the Sharpe series. From start to finish I was enamored w/ the writing and very impressed w/ the extensive research wh/ was required to write this book. The compare and contrast of the locations of the troops on both the French & Allied sides, the chaos is brought alive and Wellington is ultimately correct in his ascertion that a history of a battle cannot be written. Cornwell does a great job in pointing out the differing view points from different vantages of troops from all armies. I was very impressed w/ the lost opportunities of Napoleon in failing to send in the renowned and undefeated Imperial Guard, his confusing command to a General who had 30,000 troops wh/ would definitely have had an impact if they had marched to the main battle and not wasted their time fighting the Prussian rear guard. This is a very exciting book and I hated finishing it.

This year marks 200 years since the battle of Waterloo, a battle where Napoleon's hopes of restoring his empire were put to rest and Europe's fate for the remainder of the 19th century was shaped. This anniversary and Cornwell's extensive knowledge about the battle are the main reasons for why he wrote this book.

Bernard Cornwell already went over the battle of Waterloo in Sharpe's Waterloo, a book that has Richard Sharpe take part in some of the main events and engagements that occurred during the hundred days. There are a lot of similarities between this book and Sharpe's Waterloo: Cornwell's low opinion of Slender Billy, Prince William of Orange who's orders get a couple of regiments killed, he heavily credits the british and colonel Macdonnell for the defense of Hougoumont(Sharpe takes part in the fighting), to name just a few.

This book goes further from Sharpe's Waterloo since it contains multiple eye witness accounts of the fighting. The eye witnesses belong to all armies involved: british, dutch-belgian, french, and prussian. It explains for the novice the rock-paper-scissors game that dictates the outcome of clashes between infantry in line, infantry in square, cavalry, and artillery. Armed with this knowledge, the reader can better understand some of the military operations involved: d'Erlon's infantry attack, the british heavy cavalry charge, marshal Ney's cavalry attack, the last attack of the imperial guard.

After reading this book it comes across that Cornwell's opinion is that both sides could have won the battle at different points with better timing and better decision making. He states this in the book. Regardless, even victorious at Waterloo the general agreement is that Napoleon would have eventually lost anyway since the forces gathered against him were too large in numbers. However, Napoleon didn't win at Waterloo and because of this battle, the duke of Wellington went down in history as one of the best defensive generals of all time.

The basic facts about the Battle of Waterloo are not contentious: it was fought on Sunday 18th June, in Belgium, about 9 miles south of Brussels. A British army led by the Duke of Wellington joined forces with a Prussian army led by General von Blucher and defeated a French army led by Napoleon. Out of a total of nearly 200,000 combatants on all sides, nearly 50,000 died on the field.
There are already numerous books available on the subject, and no doubt, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the battle, there will be plenty more. So why write another book on the subject? If one leaves aside commercial factors, the answer is that ‘every man’s account will be different’ – those are the words of the Duke of Wellington.
So why read this version of the battle by Bernard Cornwell?
One good reason is that this book also deals with the frequently overlooked battles of Ligny and Quatre Bras that occurred in the 3 days before Waterloo. At Ligny, Napoleon defeated the Prussians whilst at Quatre Bras - which was technically a victory for Wellington - Marshal Ney inflicted heavy losses on Wellington's army and forced it to retreat: a reminder that Napoleon and the French army were formidable opponents.
Another good reason is that – as one would expect from a book by Bernard Cornwell – the book is highly readable and entertaining. Cornwell is seldom content to mention a key player without mentioning an anecdote that reveals something of their personality. Some anecdotes are hilarious - including one about a British officer who fooled a French general into believing he was an American officer (despite wearing a British uniform) and hitched a ride in his carriage. The book contains fascinating personal information about Wellington and Napoleon, and many others. Some years after Waterloo, Wellington met some former French officers who rudely turned their backs on him at a social function. His response was to tell an outraged female guest: "Don't worry, I've seen their backs before."
Cornwell interposes numerous first person extracts from diaries and letters which give a feeling of authenticity and often pathos. There are, as well, plenty of good quality maps and illustrations, including some exquisite paintings which provide welcome touches of colour throughout the manuscript.
This is not an academic work. Cornwell is a novelist who knows about history but is not primarily a historian. He writes to entertain, and as he entertains he also informs and educates. If you want to feel you’re on the battle field in the midst of gunsmoke and slaughter, this is the book for you. If you want something for scholarly purposes, you might be better off looking elsewhere – although I’m sure you’d enjoy reading this all the same.
(Edited 31st May to correct error concerning battle of Quatre Bras.)

This is not a scholarly history with footnotes in every paragraph. There is an index and a small bibliography to say this is non-fiction.
If you want a highly detailed, very scholarly history of the Waterloo Campaign, this book will be a disappointment.
If you want an informative, very readable and entertaining history of this campaign, this book is an excellent choice.
The author presents an intelligent view of the campaign moving from personal experience to history and back again in a seamless narrative.
Spread throughout the story is historical highlights and explanations that increase the reader’s understanding and enjoyment.
The book has groups of full color illustrations at the end of most chapters of scenes from the battle.
This is a wonderful history, informative, easy to follow and entertaining.

Waterloo was the punctuation mark at the end of a generation-long struggle between Britain and France, and this well-written novel is likewise the full stop at the end of the adventurous career of Richard Sharpe, once a private soldier in a red coat, then a sergeant, then a low-ranking officer, and now -- finally -- a light colonel, called out of his brief retirement in Normandy to serve as a sort of figurehead on the staff of the young, thoroughly incompetent Prince of Orange. Sharpe commands no battalion, which gives Cornwell the freedom to move him around the relatively tiny battlefield wherever things are happening. As Wellington noted the next day, the battle was a very near run thing. The French came vey, very close to winning and Wellington had already sent all the regimental colours back to safety to avoid their being taken by the enemy. The key action, in retrospect was the defeat of the two Imperial Guard columns -- the very first defeat that elite corps had ever suffered -- by exhausted but still rapid-firing British infantry. Waterloo has been more heavily studied, interpreted, and written about than any single battle except Gettysburg. But experts still disagree how the second, slightly smaller Guard column was turned back down from the crest of the ridge, so that's where Cornwell places Sharpe, who takes full, official command of his old outfit, the South Essex, and helps to save the day. Nitpickers will find fault, I'm sure, with the few small changes the author makes in the flow of events, but the story is very well told, one day at a time, and the reader will not be disappointed.

PS -- I'm puzzled that so many critics of this series (many of them, apparently, on the Continent) complain because Sharpe, the sometimes larger-than-life hero of the series, is . . . well, *too* heroic. They complain because Sharpe, a quintessential Englishman (though he might disagree), sees the war through English eyes. His opinion of England's allies and enemies are those of the typical short-sighted Englishman. What do they expect? Sharpe doesn't live in the European Union, he's the product of nearly twenty years of warfare between his country and France. History is history, and no amount of caviling is going to turn the Belgian-Dutch into heroes, or make the Portuguese love the Spanish, or make the British love Napoleon, or make the Prussians less Prussian.

An absolutely superb piece of writing that effectively brought history to life. I have read much on this battle and the Napoleonic Wars and this is one of the best. Cornwell brings these historical figures to life and gives the reader a feel for the battlefield and what the soldiers embroiled in the butchery must have seen, heard, smelled and feared. I had no problem following the discourse of the battle (although a complicated battle it was) and was immersed in the leaders and men on the field. I read the book in one sitting - I could not put it down.

Bernard Cornwell's "Waterloo, Sharpe's Final Adventure" is fast paced fun and an action packed thriller. Here Cornwell tells the story of Waterloo; the unbelievable hubris of the commanders (both sides), the complete waste of human life and especially the fear of the average soldiers. Cornwell paints a picture of France and anti-French forces coming together to do battle, somewhat like two huge forces on a collision course. The point of view is more from the average soldier and not from the generals, so don't count on a lot of quotes from Napoleon or Wellington.
This time Sharpe is a lieutenant-colonel in the Belgian Light Dragoons under the command of the 23 year old Belgian Prince of Orange. Sharpe's primary function is to provide military advice to the youthful prince and try to keep himself from killing the idiotic monarch. Really he is there to collect soldier pay. Along the way Sharpe encounters a wife's betrayal, monumental military bumbling, senseless slaughter, and of course battle. For it wouldn't really be a Sharpe story without battle.
However, (and I cannot put my finger on it) "Waterloo" is written differently from Sharpe's other stories. Perhaps the characters are more mature or maybe it is the fact that half of the story is about the actual battle. Cornwell's Sharpe's books usually devote a chapter to the battle and not half a book. But lets face it the battle is one of the biggest in history.
What makes Sharpe stories so great is the writing, Cornwell knows how to convey a story and keep it interesting. I recommend this book to military history buffs, arm-chair generals, and any one else who enjoys a story told well.

With WATERLOO Bernard Cornwell gives us better history because he puts us in the mind's eye of the participants complete with all of the fears, frustrations, joys, terror and gut wrenching numbness by having us on the field and watching the enemy come towards us hoping we can hold our ground, let alone our water.
Like many historical battlefields -Waterloo included- what remains are the places, the armies and events long gone and given way to the indifference of time. Authors like Cornwell give them back their critical place, purpose and potency. If you have followed the SHARP series then you've watched the rise of Richard Sharp in the British Army and knew that his tie to Wellington had to inevitably lead them here.
If you're new to the series then I envy your discovery because you have some good reading ahead of you. Cornwell makes history breathe- no easy thing. WATERLOO will help you hear the cannons.

If you have ever wondered about these "great " battles then this book is one to read. There is no glory in war and Cornwell shows great tenacity in writing compelling text that takes you back to what is may have been like. Using many firsthand accounts on all sides, the author painstakingly takes you there and offers the reader various options in making up their own mind. A good clear read, it's not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

I was totally blown away by this book; this is my first book that I read by Bernard Cornwell, but it sure won't be the last. I got the hardcover edition which is actually a piece of art, marvelous to look at and to hold in your hands. And I have to say that the quality of the writing equals that of the premium edition version. I simply loved how Cornwell sifted through the exhaustive bibliography for the most correct information and how he presented the battles, the settings and the characters. He relies on many eye witness accounts, which adds a certain realism to what could easily be a dry history lesson. All in all this has been a great purchase.

Brilliant! My hard cover copy is excellently illustrated with maps and artwork but of course the main story is the battle itself and nobody-- I mean, nobody-- tells battle stories like Cornwell. Highly recommended.

I've read most of them and I liked this one the best. Of all the books in this series, this one had more battle scenes. Perhaps that is because he focused the book on the three days of the campaign that led up to and included the Battle of Waterloo. His writing is very descriptive, the dialogue is crisp, and the characters are utterly believable. Of course, he had a huge assist in the writing of this book because so much has been written about this key battle in world history. He took full advantage of that, so his readers can enjoy historical fiction that is anchored in sound history and biography. These books are such a pleasure when you want an easy read.

I had to wonder, since the battle could so easily have been won by the French, how would that have changed world history? As it was, the battle had important implications for much of the rest of the 19th century, at least where Europe is concerned.

When the book opened with a description of the distinction between regiment and battalion I was put off. When the remainder of the prologue was filled with sentences that trailed off and repeated themselves I nearly put the book down. But my decision to power through it proved to be a good one, as the story that was buried beneath the extra verbiage and military jargon is exceptionally well told. I came away from the book feeling like I had gained an understanding of war in general during the Napoleonic era and the forces that shaped Waterloo in particular. After the first chapter or two I found the book almost impossible to put down, and finished it almost in one sitting. I very highly recommend it.

It is difficult for a military history book to read like fiction. Cornwell succeeds in doing so. You don't need to have a prior understanding of this battle to understand and enjoy this book, it is as readable as it gets.

About five years ago, I convinced my wife to take a trip to the Gettysburg battlefield. I never had been there and wanted to go, and it’s within driving distance of where we live in New Jersey. Before we left, I had her read THE KILLER ANGELS by Michael Shaara just so she wouldn’t be entirely lost when I started blatting about Devil’s Den, Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge.

This is not because it’s the best book written about Gettysburg. Even a quick look at the top listings on the store tells you that there are a number of excellent, top-drawer books on the Gettysburg battle --- those by Bruce Catton, Shelby Foote, MacKinlay Kantor and James McPherson, just for starters. There are illustrated guides, battlefield companions, photographic essays, regimental histories, memoirs and novels galore. You could spend weeks reading them all. But most of us don’t have that kind of time, and if you want to read just one book about Gettysburg and get a good idea about what the battle was like, you could do far worse than THE KILLER ANGELS.

Here, Bernard Cornwell is writing about Waterloo, and chances are there’s been at least as much ink spilled over Waterloo than Gettysburg, if not more. WATERLOO is his first nonfiction effort. (A prolific novelist, he previously had written a Richard Sharpe novel about Waterloo.) The book is specifically designed for readers who may not have the most astute grasp of the Waterloo campaign, which is a nice way of saying “Americans.” It is full of beautiful maps, photos and paintings, all of which help to orient us to the action on the battlefield. Cornwell takes the time to walk us through such mysteries as the intricacies of the table of organization, the importance of the reverse slope, and the advantages and disadvantages of the cavalry charge.

Overall, the experience of reading WATERLOO is delightful --- the rough equivalent of a battlefield tour with a friendly, helpful, extremely knowledgeable guide. Cornwell’s enthusiasm for Waterloo is infectious, and he walks readers through the intricacies of the individual battlefields with aplomb. It also boasts a diverse and entertaining cast of characters, and Cornwell takes delight in introducing us not only to the principal leaders but also to the foot soldiers and artillerymen who fought, bled and died on the field.

Cornwell has a vast amount of experience in writing about Wellington’s armies, all of which is put to good use here. As a novelist, his gift is that he can reduce even the largest battle to the essential conflict --- that point on the field where individual daring and valor can change the fortunes of war. Writing about Waterloo allows him to tell the story about the big picture of the battle, putting all the different pieces into place and setting them on the field. But those big maneuvers all depend on small moments --- closing the gate of a besieged house that served as a makeshift fort, keeping an infantry square together during a cavalry onslaught, driving Napoleon’s Old Guard into a panicked retreat. Cornwell is superb at telling these stories and then weaving them back into the narrative of the battle.

It almost certainly would be wrong of me to say that WATERLOO is the best book written about the battle. Reviewers who have criticized it point out that it is not particularly scholarly or groundbreaking, which may be perfectly true. But if you were going to read only one book about the Battle of Waterloo, I can’t see why you wouldn’t pick up Cornwell’s. It is an outstanding treatment of a great battle, geared towards readers who appreciate an engrossing story that is well told.

Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds

A guilty pleasure, for sure, but always exciting read. Sharpe is in his element and the historic detail makes for a satisfying story. Details from earlier stories play out and newer story lines get more flesh on the bones.
I'm looking forward to finishing the series, but wanting more at the same time.

An excellent depiction of the epic battle! The Sharpe adventures was a binge worthy read and I could not stop until finally reaching that ridge over the bloody valley.... and now I discovered book number twenty-one!

I was dining a few nights ago with - oddly enough - a German,an Englishman, and a Frenchman.
The topic came around to Waterloo. The Frenchman told the table that Napoleon didn't lose. He made a strategic defeat, and anyway it was the Prussians who won the battle. The German said the Prussians won the battle, and the French were beaten spitless. The Englishman said that Wellington and his army of scum won the battle, that Napoleon ran like a rabbit, and the Prussians arrived too late to do anybody any good. Before sabres were drawn, I poured another port and laid out an excellent Blue Vein cheese from New Zealand's Kapiti Coast.
No matter what Cornwell did with this Sharpe story, he was going to be in trouble. I loved the book. Great battle! It's hardly a Sharpe book at all: Sharpe's merely the device Cornwell uses to draw the battle together for the reader.
But Cornwell was always going to cop it in the neck from the Dutch (What? The Dutch run? Never! ) He was always going to be mocked by the Germans (Loiter on the way to a battle? Nein! ). The French have never believed they lost the battle anyway, so Cornwell's version would have to wrong, wrong, wrong.
The book's an entertainment, so let's not get our knickers in a twist about "the facts". It's Cornwell's view of the battle - accept that. And when you come to accept it as an entertainment, you'll enjoy it. This is battle on a huge scale - the largest number of men ever committed to battle at the time. And it's described expertly, with a feel for the blood, terror, glory, and unthinking heroism of the day.
Deeply satisfying, dramatic, gory - with a neat wrap-up for Sharpe's adulterous [...] ex. What more could you want for a Sunday afternoon?

Nobody handles battle scenes better than Bernard Cornwell. His treatment of the Battle of Waterloo does justice to its significance as the final confrontation between the French under Napoleon and the alied European powers. Those who have not read all the other Richard Sharpe books might not appreciate the story's context so well, but anyone picking up the book with no prior experience of Sharpe could still derive immense pleasure from the complex action - the reversals of fortune in the continuous give and take between two huge opposing armies.
Something that I did miss was a fuller rounding out of the story of Richard Sharpe himself. Having set up the Battle of Waterloo to be both a confrontation between European powers and between Sharpe and his estranged wife's lover, I was hoping for Sharpe to bring that chapter to a close rather than other forces intervening to do the job for him. Just not as much fun as having him wield the sord.
And what about the money?

Fast-paced, very readable with eyewitness descriptions of the battle. Mr. Cornwell kept the movement and reality of war in the foreground. He made the events understandable as much as one can of the chaos of a battle. The tremendous amount of research and sources that are available about Waterloo can be overwhelming, but he brought it together in just the right amount.

This is a very compelling 350-page description of a battle. That's pretty hard to pull off, even if you're Bernard Cornwell. Historical accuracy isn't easy to achieve, either--competing versions of events, the squabbling of modern historians, the paucity of evidence on certain events all conspire to make history something that you can't be 100% accurate about. Whatever "accurate" means. But the "inaccuracies" in this novel are no worse than in other works of historical fiction, like Shakespeare's English chronicle histories. I certainly wouldn't argue that Cornwell is a better writer than Shakespeare, but he is far kinder to the Duke of Orange than Shakespeare is to, say, Joan of Arc. I think the combination of realistic detail (the visceral battle scenes) with high romanticism (Sharpe's being single-handedly responsible for all of Napoleon's major defeats on the Peninsula) is nevertheless a very attractive one, the sort of thing that lifts this and the other Sharpe novels out of the "mere fiction" level to the level of at least minor literature. Richard Sharpe is an ingenious literary invention: a fictional device for telling the story of the Duke of Wellington, a man who really did defeat Napoleon that many times.

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.

You might think so when reading this book, which combined a fictional character with a real historical event. But it is a great tale of Waterloo with Wellington as costar and the battle described in great detail. Again Cornwell tells a
tale from the perspective of men not of our time, in one of the greatest battles of history that deposed the tyrant of Europe once and for all. This is one of the last books of the Sharpe series, and the last of the Napoleonic War, and the characters have been well developed by this time. Another great effort by Cornwell.

Bernard Cornwell does a good job at explaining complicated battle scenes. With this book he adds a lot of detail that is easy to understand. I can visualise the major characters, the formation of the infantry, the shelling, the cavalry, with the officers urging the soldiers on. The photographs, maps, and paintings all help to make this battle seem very real 200 years after the fact.

I love the Sharpe series, but this is one of the least effective. Cornwell apparently wanted to write an historically accurate detailed account of Waterloo, and Sharpe and Harper are simply not at the center of the story, but, oddly on the fringe of the narrative. They are awkwardly dropped into various scenes, but there are many many scenes they simply are not part of. Its just a let down for the true Sharpe fan -- after all, there are not many battle Sharpe can be part of after Waterloo, and I had hoped for so much more. I've read every Sharpe novel, and this is the least appealing.

Whilst reading this book I tried desperately to keep in mind that this was fiction and that it was for entertainment - although my own opinions of the battle, often contrary to the author's, continued to creep up on me.
Enjoyed simply as a work of fiction is book is damn good - one of the best novels of the Napoleonic period (most other novel's cocnentrate on the war at sea which was minor and largely over - at least in the seas around Europe - by 1805). I highly recommend this not just to those who have an interest in the time, but simply to any reader who wants a brilliant action novel.
As for my disagreements with the author's potrayal of the battle - well Waterloo is probably the most controversial battle in history and it would be impossible to get everyone to agree. The author gives the typical English opinion of the battle - that is Wellington's brilliance won the battle. No doubt Wellington was one of the greatest generals of the age along with Davout, Suvorov and of course Napoleon. Waterloo however was not his greatest battle. To attribute the battle's outcome to Napoleon's or his Marshals' failures, to Wellington's skill or to the Prussians' arrival is folly. It was a mixture of all of these factors. Wellington would have been defeated without the Prussians arriving. Had Wellington not been the skilled general he was the Prussians would have arrived to find the Anglo-Dutch army already defeated and would have in turn been defeated. Had Napoleon not been so inatttentive he would have performed just as he had in all of his brilliant battles and against Napoleon at his best even Wellington would have lost. Had Ney not been so impetuous or had Grouhcy not been so overcautious the battle would have gone against the Allies. It was all these things that led to the outcome.
Oh and I believe one reviewer said that Waterloo was the largest battle of the age - there were plenty of larger battles in 1812 and 1813 as well as some earlier. Leipzig was by far the largest - similar in size to some of WWI and II's large battles.

Excellent, readable work. Brings great understanding to a watershed historical event. Pay no attention to the 'tense' carping and nitpicking here. Cornwell, a great author, has contributed immeasurably to the public's grasp of this battle. This is how history should be written.

For anyone interested in Napoleonic history Bernard Cornwell's 'Richard Sharpe' series will amaze and delight. 'Waterloo' is a wonderful tribute to the those who fought the famous battle and a thrilling adventure for Richard Sharpe. In 'Waterloo,' Sharpe fights not only the forces of Napoleon, but the young and inexperienced commander of the Dutch troops as well as his wife's cowardly lover. From the tense moments as French troops cross the border, to thrashing of the British at Quatre Bras, to the slaughter of Ney's cavalry on the British squares, to Wellington's near-run triumph, this is a magnificent blending of historical fact and captivating fiction. 'Waterloo' may be Cornwell's best.

The most straight forward of the Sharpe's series, and by far the longest and most intense battle narrative I have ever read. I can't speak to it's historical accuracy (it being almost 30 years since my last Military History course), but the action is so well described and so vivid that I absolutely could not put the book down once the final days battle began. Of course it is far fetched to expect one soldier to have been present at so many of the battle's key points, but as a literary device to describe a major battle it is a definite triumph.

The battle of Waterloo was a complicated messy affair. I've read many accounts of the battle and still didn't "get" the totality of the event until I read Cornwell's masterful book. It made the battle and the participants come alive. Superb book and highly recommended.

Waterloo is the finest book on early nineteenth century warfare I have read. It flows like a fiction novel, and truly demonstrates the scope and intensity of the Waterloo Campaign. Stories from the generals and soldiers alike help the reader picture the action and understand the horrors of the defining British victory of the Napoleonic Wars.

Excellent re-telling of a much written about subject, but with style and interesting facts and well weighted and considered conclusions. Good for the first time reader or like myself someone who has read several accounts of this pivotal event. Cornwell is a master of fiction and nonfiction.

'Victoire! Victoire! We have had a magnificent affair against Napoleon today ... it was my corps which principally gave battle and to which we owe the victory' - Prince William of Orange.

As an English person of impeccable PCness, I wouldn't like it to be thought that we blame foreigners for a d@!n thing. So ... at Waterloo, which was a famous French victory, Wellington's Anglo-Irish scum ran away while the King's German Legion covered the retreat. The Iron Duke was suffering from gippy tummy or possibly piles. The Belgo-Dutch, on the other hand, stood and fought like heroes, and there was a flypast of pigs. Also, Sharpe is a fictional character, so I think we can all agree that he couldn't have winged the Prince of Orange or repulsed the Imperial Guard. Somebody did, though. Merde.

There, Anonymous Reader, will that do? The book tells a different story but it's a good read. Not the very best - for that you'll have to go to 'Sharpe's Gold' or 'Sharpe's Regiment' - but if you like big battles, this is the big one, and nobody does it like Cornwell. Enjoy!

Rather churlishly, Wellington chose not to call it the Battle of La Belle Alliance, although it couldn't have been won without Blucher. Not to mention the Prince of Orange.

P.S. I owe an explanation for this flippant review. It was provoked by a certain 'reader' who reviews every Sharpe book as follows:
British feel-good book, typically British blaming the foreigners for everything, typically British boasting, etc, etc.
Boasting and blaming foreigners is, of course, unknown among French(?) people, especially anonymous ones. Well, merde to you too.

Written with the same passion and precision as his historical fiction, this history of the four days at Waterloo is brought to life in vivid detail relying on first hand accounts including diaries, letters home, and memoirs.

It is a fascinating play by play amid speculation for the questionable actions. Who won and why is the simplest description; this is much more.

Waterloo was a great battle! It is an outstanding read...tediouns in details from previous Sharpe books, but absolutely necessary for a first-time reader to grasp the keys to this wonderful series of war stories! It brought both Sharpe and Harper to full life...being a British soldier in this time was mean, dirty, bloody and exciting! Cornwell is a master of this period!!!

This is a great telling of the battle of Waterloo. Despite Wellington's admonition that no one can tell the story of a battle, Cornwell does a splendid job from forward to afterward telling the overall story and the small stories within the larger narrative. I would recommend this book to all lovers of history.

This book was my introduction to Cornwell. Interpersing the details and timeline of the Battle of Waterloo with the hero, Sharpe, makes reading him so enjoyable. The writing is fresh, original, creative, never repetitous. His descriptions of the weather, the landscape, the battlefield are clear, evocative and informative.

A bravo introduction to Richard Sharpe and all the writings of Bernard Cornwell.

One can easily get addicted.

Let me start by saying I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly. As a work of fiction, it is first rate. But that is all it is. Like the reader from Norfolk, VA, I was a little disturbed about certain claims this author made about how particular aspects and the campaign and battle were handled. If these claims - particularly the way British author Cornwell does what his countrymen are often too keen to do, that is to blame foreigners for all their own mistakes - were presented as pure fiction, that would not be a problem. However, Cornwell claims to have done serious historical research, relying on Weller as his main source. Oh dear!

This time Sharpe is a lieutenant-colonel in the Belgian Light Dragoons under the command of the 23 year old Belgian Prince of Orange. Sharpe's primary function is to provide military advice to the youthful prince and try to keep himself from killing the idiotic monarch. Really he is there to collect soldier pay. Along the way Sharpe encounters a wife's betrayal, monumental military bumbling, senseless slaughter, and of course battle. For it wouldn't really be a Sharpe story without battle.

As one would expect, Cornwell has done a wonderful job researching and documenting the battle of Waterloo. I appreciate the way he acknowledges discrepancies and omissions in the historical record and is very clear about what is speculation vs. documented fact.

Quick word about this and all the other Sharpe books They are fantastic!After all, its true that these stories are pure fiction, but they are HISTORICAL fiction.
The Prince of Orange, is the prince of the Nederlands (i.e. Holland), not Belgium. Belgium did not exist as an independent country untill 1850. the region is commonly known as Flanders, a province which kept changing hands in the many wars. At the time, It was under control of the Dutch, but had their own uniforms seperate from the Price of Orange's other troops.
If you go to Waterloo today, the Lion Hill is said to mark the place where the Price was killed, and the Lion statue was cast from melted down cannons used during the battle. It faces France as a warning.
The history lesson ends here. :)

Let me begin by stating that I am a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell's works of historical fiction. His imaginative characters, terrific story telling ability, and narrative style are always very entertaining. I also appreciate the care he takes in wrestling with the real-world historical details that are the backdrop for all of his writing. That said, unfortunately, this work of non-fiction lacks this almost magical combination of features that ordinarily keep me spell-bound. While this book does offer a modestly comprehensive start-to-finish perspective on the battle, it has a rambling, tedious style. It often needlessly repeats information, including anecdotes and annoying time-worn expressions like 'rock, paper, scissors.' He assumes the reader knows nothing about the military organization, tactics, etc. so there are a lot of tiresome digressions sprinkled throughout the text. While there is a lot of action taking place in each chapter, it's not really clear why Cornwell chooses to focus on some aspects while leaving out other elements. One thing is clear, he's a huge fan of Allied generals like Wellington, Picton and Blucher, while he holds all of the French generals in low esteem. It's pretty clear that the publisher never intended to offer us a serious work of historical research that engages the reader in the controversies surrounding the battle. But does the world really need another superficial introduction to Waterloo that mimics a two-hour television documentary in its presentation and shallow depth? I fault the editors for allowing what really appears to be a first draft to sail through into publication (no doubt in an effort to release the book in time with the 200th anniversary of the battle). At best, this book is a somewhat entertaining introduction to Waterloo for those who know nothing about the battle. For everyone else, I would recommend a host of far more thorough and well-researched books on the market today.