Anyone here like Bernard Cornwell?

[bamamick]

I started reading the 'Richard Sharpe' books in high school and have all of them. I really like that stuff. I just recently ordered the latest BBC dvd called 'Sharpe's Challenge' and was fascinated to see how they had combined elements of several books (at least two of which were not written by Cornwell at all) and turned it into a pretty damn good teleplay.

One thing that I do pity: Sharpe's French lady, Lucille, has apparently died of a fever heading into the year that 'Sharpe's Challenge' takes place. This is 1817. What's sad is that Lucille features prominately in the very last Sharpe book, the one about Admiral Cochran and Chile. So if they ever do make the last book (Sharpe's Devil) into a film then they will either ignore the parts with Lucille in it or they will just conveniently forget that she is already dead :).

Anyone else here enjoy these books?

Mickey Lake

[Tar Devil]

I've read (I think) all the Sharpe books, the Winter King series, the Starbuck Chronicles, two of the Grail Quest series, all of the sailing thrillers, and Stonehenge. Haven't started the Saxon series yet.

Think I like the Winter King series best.

Yeah, I'd say I enjoy him! :)

Later,

Phil

[dredbob]

I dig his writing too. Always very well researched with a good solid historical backdrop. I don't think I've seen the Starbuck Chronicles though, what's that about?

Bob

[John B]

I've read quite a few and enjoyed them when I did.
That said , I could read em again because of the aluminium pots I was fed out of growing up. and the head injury.

[bamamick]

the US Civil War. He quit writing them for a couple of reasons, but one of which was that they were pretty much just like the Sharpe books.

I have read all of Cornwell's books but for some reason don't really like them except for the Richard Sharpe stories. Either Cornwell really connects well with Sharpe or I do, and I certainly can't relate to shooting and stabbing folks. Anyway, I like 'em. And I like Sean Bean in the television series. I especially like Hugh Fraser as Wellington. I don't know what he got paid but he probably said no more than two lines per episode, but his look of disdain was probably worth the money they paid him.

And John, if I read you correctly I agree, it's not exactly brain-food. But it's fun and entertaining most of the time. Lord, it must be. I have probably read some of these books four or five times by now.

Mickey Lake

[Ian McColgin]

I thought Starbuck was not up to our neighbor's (Cornwell lives in Chatham in what he calls "The House that Sharpe Built" and sails Pleasant Bay) generally high standard.

He really has one general purpose hero - Sharpe in various guises. Big, competent, honorable, stubborn, incredibly brave, and not too bright about politics.

He can really manufactor the historical novels because much of the plot is carried along by his first class good research. Perhaps that's why the sailing novels - which I think his best - are so few in number. Anyway, call it formulaeic writing but Cornwell has a formula that can keep generating good reads for as long as he want to do the work. He keeps it fresh by romping into different eras, and that's good by me.

[Ian McColgin]

Oh yeah. I can't remember the title, but one of the sailing novels opens with our hero sailing solo back to England for dubious family reasons and amidst fatigue and hallucinations he essentially surfs into a dangerous little harbor. One of the most vivid sailing descriptions ever written.

Someone please recall the title and recommend it to all on this forum.

[Milo Christensen]

I haven't read the sailing thrillers, but now that I know about them, I will. These are the choices:

"Wildtrack"
"Sea Lord" (aka "Killer's Wake")
"Crackdown"
"Stormchild"
"Scoundrel"