Customer Reviews
Must read - By: Jim Webster, 12 Aug 2008 
If you ever enjoyed any Sharpe story or film then you must buy this book, A. it is for charity
B. It fills a lot of gaps in the films.
C. it is funny & amusing.
and
D. I t ends with a great true life story about the author which explains a lot about Richard Sharpe.
Actually it is the Appendix which merits the five stars!... "Cakes and Ale" - By: Alejo, 25 Mar 2008 I bought it as I have done with alll Bernard Cornwell related to Sharpe material.
The fact it is a skinny book (like Sharpe's Skirmish & Sharpe's X'mas), & what is in it (meaning the History of Sharpe books & TV series... was already very well known to me) wouldn't come as a surprise did not stopped me, because there is always something knew to learn.
So, in a way I was not disappointed at alll, I did not knew some funny anecdotes, & other not so funny related to the books & the TV series.
That alone was worth the price (ouch... happy it goes for charity though) of the little book.
What is reallly worth your time is the tale of the "peculiar" Bernard Wiggins infancy... as a piece of information it is truly revealing & in a way explains why Richard Sharpe has so much anger inside... I do not blame it a bit... I can't stand zealots or proselitists myself.
I read it on one sitting... & I have to confess I skipped the extracts of the books (I already knew them ... not by heart... but nearly), I do not agree about the TV series... even if Sean Bean is well casted... I love much more the books!... insuficient "numbers" of "extras" were a big disappointment when I bought the VHS tapes (in their time)... & I have not bothered to buy them in DVD...
What I did not knew, & had escaped me when reading the ACW novels is that Patrick Lassan... IS... OF COURSE!!!... Sharpe's son!!!... one probably focus too much on the narrative & do not relate one series to the others!... IT WAS A GOAL BERNARD CORNWELL MADE! (and the balll passed between my legs!!!).
I just hope Patrick Lassan is (why not) the protagonist of a future novel set in the Crimea & he rides in the Chasseurs d'Afrique to the rescue of the remains of the light brigade... (THAT NOVEL WOULD BE A MUST READ MR. CORNWELL!!!).
Well, stopping my wishfull thinking... if you buy this book you will learn why "Sweet William" was so named... & after whom... & a lot of juicy anecdotes akind.
IT IS ABOUT TIME HE DELIVERS ANOTHER ONE!... after alll he always says:
Sharpe & Harper will march again... (and hopefully US with them...)
ADB
