Sharpe's Prey

Richard Sharpe gets involved in espionage, 1807

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The French are moving every closer to outright war with England. Napoleon has his eyes set on the Danish fleet; he would dearly love the ships currently hiding in port at Copenhagen for his own. In part, these ships would replace some of those lost at Trafalgar, in part they would provide troop transports for an invasion of England.

Sharpe gets roped into escorting another officer who is trying to bribe the Danes to let these ships be placed under English "protection" until the end of the war. The proud Danes refuse, the determined English insist, and hundreds of civilians in Copenhagen wind up dead during the bombardment.

In the end, England sails away with dozens of ships and Denmark is forced into an alliance with France.

In this book, our hero is double-crossed more than once, it seems, but still manages to kill the correct bad guys in the end (doesn't he always?). Along the way, we learn more history and Sharpe has time for love (doesn't he always?). We meet some old friends, and Sharpe's success will hopefully propel him higher in the ranks. Perhaps someday soon he'll be looked on as a proper officer.

The Mauritius Command

Captain Aubrey is made acting Commodore for an important mission, 1810

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Jack Aubrey is ordered to sail for two French-held islands in the Indian Ocean, eastward off the coast of Madagascar. The island pair, Mauritius and Le Reunion, hold ports from which French ships have been preying upon East India Company vessels.

Jack is made Commodore for the mission, enabling him to fly a long pendant from the topmast, and given a small flotilla and access to ground troops. He is to batter the French naval assets into submission, land the troops, and install a British governor. The British sailing vessels are outnumbered, and it requires all of Aubrey's characteristic luck and expert seamanship to eventually wear down and defeat the enemy.

The book is full of the usual ups and downs experienced by a man of war in action. Wonderful adventure and excitement, alongside brutal and fierce butchery. In the end, the islands fall, and British shipping is a bit more secure. As a reward for his wonderful service, Jack is given the honor of ferrying the dispatches about the success back to England, a plum assignment sure to result in honor, glory, advancement, and promotion. We'll see...