# SHARPE’S FORTRESS (Book Review)



## Danjanou (13 May 2003)

Sharpe‘s Fortress is the third instalment of the "India trilogy" of this popular series. It is December 1803, mere months after the spectacular British victory at Assaye, described in Sharpe‘s Triumph. Richard Sharpe has finally achieved his life‘s ambition. He is finally an officer in the King‘s Army. 

However the old adage says, be careful what you wish for, you may get it, applies here. His men are sullen and insubordinate toward him. As far as they are concerned he is not a proper officer and therefore his orders don‘t have to be acknowledged, let alone obeyed. 

His fellow officers are also against him. He is not of their class and therefore not an acceptable messmate. He is also poor, and probably unable to support himself in the manner of which an officer should. This last point though is far from true. 

Sharpe is probably one of the richest officers in his Regiment if not the whole army. The King‘s ransom in jewels he took from the Sultan Tippoo in Sharpe‘s Tiger are still in his possession. He has wisely chosen to keep this fact a secret from all others. 

Even his age is against him. He holds the rank of Ensign, the lowest possible commissioned rank. Almost all of the other Ensigns are mere youths starting on their military careers. Sharpe is almost twice their age. 

Finally to make matters worse he has been commissioned into the 74th a Scottish Regiment to replace the casualties suffered at Assaye. Sharpe the Englishman is a foreigner here. He doesn‘t speak the language and is not welcome. 

Offers have been made to him to sell his commission and return to England. They are offers he is seriously considering, as it is clear he will never be welcome where he is. Another alternative is to transfer to a new regiment, "The Rifles" being raised in England. It is an option he doesn‘t like but realizes he may have no choice. 

All is not lost however. The Army is marching once more. Wellesley is pursuing the remnants of the Mahratta‘s Army, which have taken refuge in the mountain fortress of Gawilghur. Here there will be another battle, and Ensign Sharpe will have a chance to prove his worth to his new comrades and earn their respect. 

Here there will also be the chance for revenge. Sharpe‘s enemy William Dodd is in Gawilghur and Sharpe believes that he is responsible for the death of Colonel McCandless, Sharpe‘s friend and mentor. 

Before this happens though further misfortune befalls our hero. He is transferred from his regiment. His new post is second in command of the supply and baggage train. Despite this new humiliation he throws himself into his new task with his usual enthusiasm. The first day on the job he uncovers and halts a conspiracy to steal needed supplies and sell them for profit, to among others their enemies. 

Recovering the lost supplies, he reports to his new commander only to discover yet a new problem. His new commander was a willing if secret participant in the conspiracy and is far from pleased at his loss of income from it. This commander has also found a new Sergeant to assist with the baggage train who shares his outlook on life, loyalty and profit, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, Sharpe‘s oldest nemesis. 

His new commander and Hakeswill soon set up Sharpe. He is ambushed, robbed of his jewels, and sold to his enemies who intend to kill him for sport. It is only through the intervention of some loyal friends that Sharpe escapes. Now believed by friend and foe alike to be dead, he is free to pursue his revenge on all who have wronged him and regain what he has lost. This will take place in the blood-soaked breach of the walls of Gawilghur. 

Bernard Cornwall has again given us an excellent adventure tale. Once again he shows both his mastery of attention to historical details whether discussing siege techniques of the 18th century and/or how bullocks are cared and fed for. Again he skilfully weaves actual historical figures like Arthur Wellesley into the plots and machinations of his heroes and villains. 

Another aspect begins to show in this novel. Over the years Cornwall has become more familiar with the character he has created and his skill as a writer has matured. In the earlier novels we only have a sketch of Richard Sharpe. We know he is a warrior and a man of action, and also a man with a deep sense of honour. We don‘t get more though. We don‘t get in those books the why. 

Now in these "newer" novels some of these questions are being answered. Cornwall takes us deep inside Richard Sharpe and begins to show us why he is like he is. He shows us the inner Sharpe, and it’s not at times a pleasant sight. 

Sharpe in the early works is heroic. In these later works he is also all too human with frailties‘ doubts and vices. This only serves though in the long run to make the character and the series more effective and enjoyable.


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## Sharpey (14 May 2003)

I should really sit down and read these books one day, since we share the same name, first and last!


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