Sharpe's Rifles

[A.J. Holst]

Stumbled across this title while traveling out of town.

The author is Bernard Cornwell.

I love historical fiction of all sorts, started with the Killer Angels and have been hooked since.

This book takes place in 1809, British retreat across Spain, Richard Sharpe is a new lieutenant in The Rifles.

The Rifles, or properly the 95th Regiment of Foot (ain't Google grand) carries the 1805 Baker Rifle equipped with a 24" sword bayonet.

Pick up the series dead in the middle, it seems Richard started as a private, making Sergeant in India in 1799 as detailed in Sharpe's Tiger and ends in 1815 at Waterloo.

My next trip out tof town, I found Sharpe's Tiger, now I'm hooked...

Fun fact, Sean Bean plays Richard Sharpe in the Brit series and without watching, we know he makes it to the end.

Cornwell is a prolific writer, I read his stand alone, Agnicourt. Real page turner.

A Google or even Amazon search will reveal the different time periods he covers in the genre.

[peejman]

Cool. I'll have to add those to the list. 

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/about-the-sharpe-books/