Sharpe's Tiger

Richard Sharpe and the Siege of Seringapatam, 1799

***

The first book in my journey is complete. A wonderful, gritty, fast-paced, realistic war story full of bravery and brutality, violence and horror. What a start to what will no doubt prove to be an epic series. I was led to this group of books through some dim recollection of seeing Sean Bean playing the title role on Masterpiece on PBS. 

Very well written, this book virtually starts off with the bang of a cannon, the solid shot bouncing across the hard earth, seeking the tightly packed ranks of marching red coats. British infantrymen from the 33rd Regiment of Foot, some of whom served in the American Revolutionary War, now find themselves defending the Empire in hot and distant India. One of the lowly privates, Richard Sharpe, gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of the Army. The lower ranks are filled with misfits, thieves, and malcontents. The officers are nobles from important families, or those wealthy enough to have purchased their rank. Discipline is rigidly enforced, through the lash when necessary. On campaign, men die from all manner of diseases, sicknesses, and fever, in addition to the bullet, cannon ball, and bayonet. Traveling with the thousands of soldiers are many thousands more civilians, including wives, children, servants, laborers, and merchants.

Sharpe gets into trouble with a particularly foul and vindictive Sergeant, one Obadiah Hakeswill, and is almost flogged to death on trumped up charges. He is saved from certain doom only to be offered what amounts to a suicide mission. 

He and another man, young Lieutenant William Lawford, must try to infiltrate the fortified city of Seringapatam to free one Colonel Hector McCandless, chief of the British East India Company's Intelligence Service. McCandless has been captured by a fierce enemy, the Tippoo Sultan, leader of the the Kingdom of Mysore, ruler of most of southern India. Colonel McCandless has some information of the defenses of the city, and knows of a trap the sultan has built into those defenses for the unsuspecting British attackers.

Lawford and Sharpe pretend to be deserters wishing to join the Tippoo's forces. They are integrated into a unit of other Europeans, led by a French officer. Later, through a cruel twist of fate, they are discovered as spies and thrown into the dungeons to await a gruesome execution. In the chaos of the British attack on the city, the men escape with McCandless and join the fight to overthrow the "Tiger of Mysore".

By the end of the book Sharpe is returned to his old unit, promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and McCandless offers him a chance to work for him again in the future.

A great book but filled, as one can imagine, with death and destruction. A thoroughly researched piece of historical fiction, closely based on real events. Sharpe is a fictitious character, thrust into the midst of the action, acting as our defacto guide to the unfolding drama. Well worth the read.