Book Review for

Sharpe's Rifles (Galacia 1809)
by Bernard Cornwell
 

The 6th in the Richard Sharpe series.
Lieutenant Richard Sharpe commands the 95th Rifles of the South
Essex Regiment. The men deeply mistrust him because he is not a
"proper" officer coming from wealth and status, but a man like them,
a common soldier who was promoted from within the ranks. In order
to win their respect, Sharpe must first win the trust of Rifleman Harper,
a large, tough, Irishman who plans to kill Sharpe for making them march
through French-occupied Spain in retreat to Lisbon. The Rifles meet
 Blas Vivar, a Spanish nobleman, who convinces the 95th to help him
and his Cazadores to storm the French-held fortress at Santiago.
Vivar carries a well-guarded chest that contains the banner of
St. James the Apostle, and legend says that any army that flies
the banner of St. James will never be defeated in battle. Sharpe
fights not for the legend, but for a young English woman, Louisa,
who separates from her strict Protestant aunt in pursuit of adventure
and romance in war-torn Spain. The 95th witnesses the savage
fighting skills of their mistrusted lieutenant, and Vivar
persuades Harper to accept a promotion to Sergeant.
A splendid book.

 
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