Richard Sharpe invades France, is abandoned with a small group, and survives, c. 1814
***
Pierre Ducos is really out to get our good Major Sharpe. Nice try, Ducos! It seems the Peer (Fieldmarshal Arthur Wellesley, at this point Earl of Wellington) wants to cross the Adour River and needs two things: some chassee-marées (boats) and a distraction.
Oh Richard! Kindly go kick some for us, would you now? That's a good lad. Sharpe is asked to lead a small force against an almost abandoned French fort. Resting under the fort's guns are the aforementioned ships. Intelligence intrigue follows, wherein some traitors deliberately catch wind of a proposed foray into the city of Bordeaux, which, sources say, is almost ready to rebel against Napoleon.
Oh Richard! Kindly go kick some for us, would you now? That's a good lad. Sharpe is asked to lead a small force against an almost abandoned French fort. Resting under the fort's guns are the aforementioned ships. Intelligence intrigue follows, wherein some traitors deliberately catch wind of a proposed foray into the city of Bordeaux, which, sources say, is almost ready to rebel against Napoleon.
Along the way Sharpe meets an American privateer, Captain Killick. I can't help but consider this guy, in name only, to be a nod to Aubrey & Maturin. This novel has a lot (for a Sharpe novel) of nautical flair; perhaps it is the Cornwell tip of the cap to O'Brian.
At any rate, Sharpe ends up alone, with his small force of men, trying desperately to defend a partially destroyed fortress from a much larger French attack. They make it out, in the end, but just. Sadly, our friend Major Hogan dies of the fever while Sharpe is gone.
No comments:
Post a Comment