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I don't like Sharpe!

annis
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Post by annis » Wed March 24th, 2010, 6:15 pm

Posted by Kate Quinn
His Starbuck series is splendid, but it's looking increasingly unlikely that he will ever finish it.
Especially now that he's working on yet another new series set during the American Revolutionary period--

Chatterbox
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Post by Chatterbox » Mon April 12th, 2010, 6:37 pm

The Sharpe 'formula' bothers me a lot less on screen; I have all the DVDs, though I've long since discarded the books. You know there will be a love interest, you know there will be an enemy, you know there will be a battle and a duel and Sharpe's life will be in peril. But what is interesting to me are the characters and the settings.

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Mon April 12th, 2010, 11:04 pm

I think the Sharpe's are entertaining, but I've only read a couple and like Chatterbox I have the episodes on DVD. I have the Sharpe's on my TBR because the DH has them, but I may never get around to reading them. Good to know they are there I guess.
I am totally out on a limb for not particularly liking the Arthur series. I couldn't even tell you why now because it's so long since I picked up the first one and put it down with a 'meh.' I've been enjoying the Harlequin and Uhtred books. My favourite Cornwell remains Gallow's Thief though. That was a 'couldn't put down.' I like his contemporary thrillers too.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

Chatterbox
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Post by Chatterbox » Tue April 13th, 2010, 3:54 am

EC, I'm even further out on a limb than you are -- I generally don't like Arthurian fiction, whoever is writing it. (Yes, even Mary Stewart...) OK, I may try again in a few decades, but there's a lot of other stuff I'd rather read.

One era that I'd love to see some great HF from is Charlemagne...

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N. Gemini Sasson
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Post by N. Gemini Sasson » Tue April 13th, 2010, 5:21 pm

I enjoyed the Grail Quest and Saxon Chronicles books enormously, but have yet to pick up a Sharpe book, probably because I tend toward medieval fiction. But my library has the full set of videos, so maybe I'll borrow some of those and see what it's all about.

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parthianbow
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Post by parthianbow » Tue April 13th, 2010, 8:08 pm

[quote=""Chatterbox""]One era that I'd love to see some great HF from is Charlemagne...[/quote]

Now there's an idea :D :) :p (I always loved that period of French/European history too. Thanks for reminding me about it.)
Ben Kane
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Spartacus - UK release 19 Jan. 2012. US release June 2012.

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aceuggy
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Post by aceuggy » Sun March 6th, 2011, 2:56 pm

I'm a Sharpe fan, I've read them all. I'm also a Warlord fan and have read all of them to date as well. I've just finished and enjoyed very much The Gallows Thief, but I'm struggling big time with The Fort!

Ash
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Post by Ash » Sun March 6th, 2011, 3:02 pm

My DH got hooked on Cromwell re the Sharpe series. I got hooked on him with the Arthur series which he read and loved, as well as the Saxon series. Since then he has found less love for the newer Sharp books and eagerly awaits anything from his other type of books. I think he also found the Sharpe series formulatic. He did love watching the series tho, and still pulls them out on occassion.

Its rare that I love all of the works of a particular writer. I don't care for Sharon Kay Penman's mysteries, or some of ECs early books. But thats to be expected, and often tells me that the particular author is well rounded enough to appeal to many tastes. And thats a good thing!

BrianPK
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Post by BrianPK » Fri March 11th, 2011, 11:57 pm

I've never read Sharpe and have always tended to avoid doing so for some unknown reason but I'm sure I'll love the series when I get around to doing so.
The Warlord trilogy (Arthur) was an excellent read and Cornwell obviously poured his soul into it. The detail and richness of the trilogy is in complete contrast to the Saxon Chronicles(Uhtred) and the Harlequin series which seem to have been written as pot boilers. I found the stories a little naive just in a few places and very undemanding but enough of the criticiam. I still enjoyed them so much and eagerly looked forward to my nightly reading session. I was at a loss when I finished them, they were so enjoyable. :)

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wendy
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Post by wendy » Sat March 12th, 2011, 2:34 am

[quote=""stu1883""]Hi everyone,

I'm sorry to upset you - but I love BCs books.....just not the Sharpe stories!

The Harlequin trilogy is superb and the Arthurian books are some of my absolute favourites.

The Sharpe books (to me) are all a bit samey, but his other books are superb.[/quote]


I'm a huge Sean Bean fan so they work for me
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Fire on Dark Water (Penguin, 2011)
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