h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...what you mean.

I read a few Sharpe books because they were lying around, and they're strangely addictive, even if the writing is terrible.

Then they showed one on TV today, and I thought "meh". And then Sean Bean took his shirt off...

hehe
and I reel another one in.
Sean Bean actually doesn't fit the physical description of Sharpe, but after the TV thing first went out, Bernard Cornwell thought he was so perfect that he never really described him again - certainly he never again mentioned his black hair.

Ah, the Beanster. That accent. That uniform...

As for the books: quite simply put it lies in the detail. The characters are totally fabulous - especially Sharpe, but also Harper, Harris and Hagman. Especially Hagman.

The writing is competent too. But I've found it best, reading the Sharpes as i do, to read them interspersed between other books.

No, the detail of the writing is what annoys me, because he repeats expressions and turns of phrase constantly. Once you start noticing it, it's very irritating.

(And yes, Harper is very good, too )

What I mean by the detail are the little little things. Like the soldiers keeping their tealeaves in withtheir gunpowder and the fact that they didn't have left and right shoes.

But what keeps me coming back are the characters.

Oh, I see. Yes, that is good - well researched. Except when it comes to horses But maybe that's just a stylistic device to show how little Sharpe knows about 'em...

egads yes - he's hopless when it comes to horses (except in... hmmm the 2nd India book, which is 2nd in the series but came waaay down the line in publication date)

Sharpe's Fortress?

When he knows exactly where and how to bleed the DofWs horse.

But even so: I'll forgive everything for more Sharpe. I just wish he'd write another one...

I don't mean Sharpe, I mean the author. All that kneeing your horse into a gallop and hauling on the reins to make it stop nonsense. Like a two-bit Fantasy author.

But that's the little things.

No - I know what you mean. But I think he's written like that because he (Sharpe) doesn't know. Cornwell will often put you in the middle of things and leave you on your own - just like Sharpe.

Although I'm getting a bit cross - I'm now reading Azincourt and it's Sharpe 450 years before Sharpe. If you see what I mean.

So what about the scenes with cavalry, but no Sharpe?

A one-trick pony, is he?

not really a one-trick pony - but it can get a bit annoying.

But in general he's a competent writer and for fun you can't beat a Sharpe.

What really makes me laugh about the Sharpe novels is all the sly digs at the cavalry - my dad was in the household cavalry and I grew up hearing what a waste of space the infantry are.

I suppose that makes them all the more fun to read.

But it's not just Sharpe himself. Reading one of the India ones now, and I miss Harper and Hagman and the rest...

Hi Sho,

Anything you want brought back, since I'm coming over at the end of the month? I can just pop something in the post in Germany, so much quicker than sending it from here...

ah you're cute
but no thanks - we will be in the English shop in Köln soon-ish stocking up.
Is this you coming back for good now?

No, just three days for a conference in Wupp. Then I'm back here for two weeks, and then in Germany for two weeks for Christmas - then back in NI until March, most likely.

So I can still post you anything you've forgotten later.

We're all eingedeutscht now though, so there's very little we miss. Except Flakes - and we restrict them to visits to Colonia.

Wupp, eh? Cold now...

I seem to be going local, too - I nearly said "so it is" yesterday, caught myself just in time!

I'd better look for a winter coat before I come over, then