Sharpes Rifles French Invasion Galicia January 1809

I am reading the Sharpe books in chronological order and have just reached Sharpe's Rifles, the first meeting of Lt. Richard Sharpe and his best friend, Sgt. Harper, and I have to admit that the moment doesn't mean all that much to me.

It's crafted to be one of those great moments in fiction, and I suppose it could have been if I had approached Sharpe's Rifles from a different direction. Had I been reading the books in order of publication or even seen the occasional installment of the BBC's Sharpe movies, I think I would have been delighted to see the meeting of these men. But reading the books in order gives me no stake in their relationship. I have come to appreciate Sharpe, but I don't know Harper at all and just don't care about how they met yet.

That could change as the series goes on, but I am still not sure it would make a difference as far as their initial meeting is concerned because, as I said, it is "crafted" to be one of those great moments. And I don't know that the series has what it takes to be a "great" series, let alone be important enough for the meeting of its principles to be of serious interest to the literary world at large. Moreover, the crafting of the meeting feels forced in a way that truly great meetings of characters do not. Aubrey and Maturin meeting (a fine example considering their place in the Napoleonic oeuvre), coming as it does in the opening pages of the first book with no need for a prequel, is an organic growth of the story, and its impact is given a chance to grow over the course of Master and Commander with a feeling that anything could happen. None of that is the case with Sharpe and Harper.

Regardless, Sharpe's Rifles is a decent read, but not one of the best in the series. There are too many inconsistencies with the books that come before, and Sharpe's tendency to fall for every pretty girl above his station (which he has done in ever preceding book, yet this is never mentioned in Sharpe's Rifle) is already becoming tedious.

The battles are rousing, though, and Cornwell always includes something fun and inventive -- like Sharpe's use of caltrops against the French Cavalry -- and Sharpe's brutal efficiency consistently sates the potential bloodlust of Cornwell's readers.

Cornwell also makes sure there are interesting supporting characters. Despite the weakness of Sharpe's meeting with Harper, the Irish Sergeant is a promising partner for Sharpe, and the fiery Blas Vivar, the Spanish Major trying to work a miracle against the French, succeeds in overshadowing everyone in the story. The only complaint in the supporting cast is that every Frenchman is turning into a Napoleonic era Nazi -- too cruel, too dishonourable, too clever and just a little too evil. It will become downright annoying if it continues for the rest of the books, but for now it is merely noteworthy.

Sharpe's Rifles is only worth reading if you're committed to the series, if not you can probably get away with watching this installment on BBC. I have a feeling you won't miss anything of importance.