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

Entry: Sharpe - The Novels - A5212874
Author: Emmily...Roses are red, Peas are green, My face is a laugh, But yours is a scream - U190758

I'm bogged down with confussion as to what to do for the best with this Entry and the TV series, which is based on the books.

I'm not sure if the characters should be in the Novels Entry or the TV one, also there are some characters in the books and in the TV deries and visa versa...

I'd like to get both of them finished, so would appriciate any advice from someone who's had similar problems.

Emmily

After advice from F57153?thread=1472141&post=17227174#p17227174 I am combining the two entries, it'll be a bit jumbled until I sort it, hopefully over the weekend.

Emmily

How are things going with this Emmily?

I like the look of the list of books, I don't thing they actually need little plot summarys they look fine as they are now.

It'd be nice to get some progress going after christmas anything anything in particular I could help with?

On a side note Bernard Cornwell is a great guy, I posted a message on his bulletin board last week and he (or someone working for him! ) has replied already. Its nice for an author to show how much he appreciates his fans by talking with them regularly like that. Perhaps you should include a link to his website amongst this entries text...

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/

"How are things going with this Emmily?"

erm, very slowly I'm afraid, I've been spending my time on other Entries, I will get back to this soon.

for the feedback on the book list.

>"anything in particular I could help with?"

Until I dig out my written notes, I don't really know where I was up to, I'll let you know.


Ok, will include that link.

Emmily

The Entry I had in Peer Review has now been picked, I'm putting all other Entries I'm working on, on hold and concentrating on getting this Sharpe one finished, first thing to do - is find my written notes

Emmily

To save you from going through the entry to see what I've added I'll post what I add here, feel free to make any comments.

(Under TV Hero section 'The Cast')

>>>
Intelligence Officers

In reality there would have been a few ranks between Sharpe and Lord Wellington, to overcome this the Cornwell used intelligence officers (also known as spymasters) as go-betweens to enable Sharpe and Wellington to interact, there were four throughout the series.

Major Hogan played by Brian Cox. The middle-aged snuff taking Hogan was the first of the intelligence officers, who helped Sharpe in his new role of being an officer.

Major Nairn played by Michael Byrne. Taking over from Hogan, Nairn was a more serious and grave character, who disapproved of Sharpe's stubbornness.

Major Mungo Munro played by Hugh Ross. Nairn's replacement was a contrasting character; Munro was humorous and flamboyant and being Scottish, he sometimes wore tartan and had a passion for the pipes.

Major General Ross played by James Laurenson. The last intelligence officer, Sharpe and Ross become close friends; Ross gives away the bride at Sharpe’s wedding to Jane. >>>

Emmily

Sorry if I'm about to sound a bit grumpy...I've asked a few times of those who've read the books (and are on the Entries list) if the chosen men in the novels are the same as in the TV series. Last night I started reading Sharpe's Battle, I've not finished the first chapter yet, but already I have discovered that Sharpe has a company of 20 riflemen which includes the names of the chosen men from Tv and four crack shooters, including Hagman and Harris is in the books.

It is important that the information in the Sharpe Entry is as accurate as possible in order to do justice to the novels and TV series and for the credibility of the Edited Guide. (When it eventually gets there) If you think I have some information wrong, please tell me.

Emmily

sorry, I really haven't had the time to go through this properly.

In the books, it is Majo Munro who teaches Sharpe to read in the Tippo Sultan's prison, with his nephew William Lawford.

The difficulty, as I see it is this: there are so many books, and so many programmes/films, that it is almost impossible to keep them separate, but because the characters are transferred around from book to TV, it is difficult to track them.

Rifleman Hagman is consistently in all of them. But if I remember righly, Rifleman Tongue - the french speaking one - died early on in the book series, but not in the TV version. Wasn't he transposed to Harris in the series? (or do I need to read them all again )

If I understand the writing/filming process correctly, Cornwell was still writing Sharpe as they filmed, and indeed wrote the first tv version especially (including a hero of a Spanish person). This is then compounded by the fact that writing/publication order does not follow a chronological time-line of events, as Cornwell (for which I adore him completely) went back to fill in a lot of blanks. This must have caused a load of problems for the TV people.

For me TV Theresa is completely different to book-Theresa, and Jane on TV is a bit silly and simpering but basically nice. Book-Jane is a calculaing witch (who, thankfully, eventually reaps what she sewed)

And the name of Harper's wife inexplicably changes.´

Gimme a bit of time and I'll see what I can come up with.

this entry, as it is, is excellently done.

I really don't think you need to focus too much on the differences between TV and book - maybe just to mention it (you already mention that for TV purposes they "downscaled" the battle scenes)

It may also be worth mentioning (even in passing) that because the first 3 novels were written later, even though they introduce interesting characters (Agnes, etc) these characters are never mentioned again - in particular Grace, the mother of Sharpe's dead son (this really does explain in great part why he had so much disgust and disdain for the upper classes. It also gives Sharpe and Wellington another connection - he is a distant cousin of Grace)

And one little thing, since I come from a military family we heard about this all the time: the ball on the eve of Waterloo (where he has his final episode with Jane) was the Duchess of Richmond's ball.

for that info Sho

Seperating the novels and TV is difficult, but I'm hoping it will all come together and make sense in the end, but I'm expecting it to cause a headache or two along the way

Ah, from what you've said about Jane in the novel, what's under Novel Jane in the Entry the reads like the TV Jane to me

Please don't think I'm ignoring your information if it's not added straight away, it'll be here when I need it

I'm currently working on the TV section, in Word and a temp.entry then transferring it to here.

Emmily

simupost

to be honst I haven't seen much of the TV Jane, so I bow to your superior knowledge of her!!

(as an aside: have you seen the Drool Thread Calender 2006? You might like Mr. January...)

No, I've not seen the Drool thread, have I missed much

What I was wondering about the Jane that's in the Entry was whether it was more like the Jane of the TV, who I'd agree was simpering, it's the differences between the characters that I'm hoping will help make the Entry work, and I don't remember her dying on TV, so I don't think Sharpe marries Lucille in TV version, again I'll check. Means I'll have to watch all the DVDs again

Tongue on TV mysteriosly just disappears, I think he was only in the first one, I'll check that.

Emmily

Its funny that you see more of the TV Jane in my description of her character in the entry. I've always been more into the books than the TV series. In fact although I've got them all on DVD I've only watch the series once or twice whilst I've read the books man many many times!

Perhaps it's just because I'm a succor for a pretty face (just like Sharpe) and she's worked her evil tricks on me too!

Hmmm could be that the novel and TV Jane are very similar, and it's seeing the prety face that hides the evil streak

I've noticed in some areas there's more detail in the books, so maybe Jane's personality goes into more depth in the books.

(Getting error pages trying to post this, so if it posts more than once)

Emmily

well, as I said, I haven't seen much of Jane on TV.

Shape marries Lucille only after Waterloo, doesn't Jane go off in a desperate state, penniless an pregnant? I can't recall seeing mention of her death, but then I can't recall the exact details of his marriage. I do have the vague impression, for some reason that it was more of a common law thing.

Sharpe didn't offically marry Lucille at all, in fact he's living in sin waiting for Jane to die at the time of Sharpe's Devil,

This is copied from the bernard cornwell's website, its well worth a read as he answers most questions you ask fairly propmtly although ask him about future books or plot lines and he (quite rightly) becomes a bit vague!

http://www.bernardcornwell.net

Q: Hi Bernard I've noticed that quite a few people ask whatever happened to Jane Sharpe (and the general consensus seems to be a hope that she comes to a sticky end!) Readers of Mark Adkins book 'The Sharpe Companion' will note he states that Sharpe finally marries lucille in 1844 after the death of Jane. The implicaton is that Jane has not long been dead at this time so she must have been in her fifties when she died (I can't remember how old she was when we first met her). Presumably also she was not impoverished as I think she still had the money she stole from Sharpe. Unless she married bigamously the money remained hers and never passed into the control of a husband. Hey, maybe Sharpe gets it back in the end as her next of kin - although she could have had children of course. Indeed she was pregnant at Waterloo wasn't she? Of course there is a lot of water under the bridge between 1815 and 1844 (and I doubt she moved in the circles to which she aspired) - maybe you will tell us about it one day! Regards, Fiona


A: It's possible! I'm not sure I know what happened to her - I don't think it was anything very good, but if I ever reach that stage in Sharpe's life - or hers - I'll doubtless discover her fate and let you know. Promise.

Cardi-Bling I was looking for the BC link the other day, couldn't remember which thread it was in I've put it in the Entry now, so I won't loose it again.

I watched Waterloo last night, Jane's not as sweet as I had thought, she tries to persuade John to kill Sharpe, and suggests paying someone to do it if he's not up to it, and last we see of her she is pregnant.

To save me from scrolling in this Entry, I have 3 temp entries on my space these are the TV characters. I'm also seeking advice from Spell Checker A1022897 on grammar and punctuation on those sections, so hopefully they'll be less changes to be made when this gets to PR.

The way I'm planning it is to complete the TV section, then make the changes and additions to the novels section.

Emmily

I'm adding tidbits of reality too. I think I've read or heard that more men died of illness, and lack of medicine that in battle, can anyone confirm that.

Emmily

I think you're right Sho in what you said above about the characters being hard to separate as they run so close...I'm having a re-think about how best to write this.

Emmily