Sharpe's Fortress

"The greatest writer of historical adventures today."
—Washington Post

Critically acclaimed, perennial New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell (Agincourt, The Fort, the Saxon Tales) makes real history come alive in his breathtaking historical fiction. Praised as "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brian" (Agincourt, The Fort), Cornwell has brilliantly captured the fury, chaos, and excitement of battle as few writers have ever done—perhaps most vividly in his phenomenally popular novels following the illustrious military career of British Army officer Richard Sharpe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In Sharpe's Fortress, Ensign Sharpe's adventures in India reach a grand finale at the Siege of Gawilghur during the Maharatta War in December 1803, as Cornwell's hero uncovers a foul treason and seeks a righteous revenge. Perhaps the San Francisco Chronicle said it best: "If only all history lessons could be as vibrant."

Britain's number one bestselling novelist is back! Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe's Fortress--the stunning successor to Sharpe's Tiger and Sharpe's Triumph marks Richard Sharpe's explosive, unforgettable, final adventure in India.

Surviving the infamous battle of Assaye, Richard Sharpe has been promoted for his gallantry and skill assisting Sir Arthur Wellesley--the future Duke of Wellington--in overcoming the rebellious Mahratta confederation. But though the war with the Mahratta seems near its end, Sharpe, now an officer in Wellesley's army, faces a battle of a different kind among his own ranks. Uncomfortable with his newfound authority and unwelcoming colleagues, Sharpe is relegated to the tedium of baggage duty.

But his fury and uncertainty are soon overcome when he catches wind of a treasonous scheme devised by none other than his oldest and worst enemy, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. His life hanging in the balance and no friend to turn to, Sharpe has little choice but to take up arms and seek revenge in a desperate attempt to thwart his old nemesis and regain his stolen treasure, the jewels of the Tippoo Sultan.

Sharpe's private campaign leads him to the legendary impenetrable fortress in the sky, Gawilghur--the last refuge for desperate enemies of all dark stripes, including the renegade Englishman William Dodd. Joining Wellesley's army as it prepares to lay siege to this fortress high above the Deccan Plain, Sharpe will risk his honor, reputation, and fortune on a battle that will test him as never before.

Sharpe's Fortress caps this unforgettable soldier's India trilogy and leaves him poised to return to Europe, where he will face new, even more evil and lethal enemies.

Bernard Cornwell's masterful characters and sweeping historical novels provide "a marvelous mixture of fact and fiction" that are "characterized by . . . immaculate historical reconstruction and the ability to tell a ripping yarn." For adventure fans everywhere, they are not to be missed. |

“Fast-paced [and] electrifying . . . Another rousing installment in the Richard Sharpe saga.” - Booklist

“Cornwell’s blending of the fictional Sharpe with historical figures and actual battles gives the narrative a stunning sense of realism . . . If only all history lessons could be as vibrant.” - San Francisco Chronicle

“It is the action sequences that make the deepest impression: men huddled on hillsides, anxiously surveying the enemy guns . . . and steeling themselves for  . . . counter-attack. They are beautifully observed and, in their evocation of quiet heroism, pulse with rare humanity.” - Sunday Telegraph