#87 Sharpe's Company, by Bernard Cornwall (Harper Collins)

A friend of mine, Big Gay Rob, swears by Sharpe (almost more than Sharpe does himself in the novels). His girlfriend doesn't mind; she reckons Sean Bean, who played Richard Sharpe in the television series of the books, is 'all man'. And I have to admit that, after finishing Sharpe's Company, I can't argue with either point of view.

Sharpe's Company is the proverbial right rollicking read. You're never more than a heartbeat away from another battle, another betrayal, another beautiful woman to catch Sharpe's eye amid the never-ending plot and intrigue of an army at war.

The focus of this book is the Siege of Badajoz in Spain in the early 1800s, and things aren't going well. Sharpe's lost his captaincy and is being bated by an enemy within the ranks, while the battle isn't going any better...

That he's going to come through it all is never in any doubt, and there is very little to surprise readers. But there is plenty of frenetic fun and excitement en route as Sharpe bests what appear to be insurmoutable odds to win the battle, protect his woman and rid the army of (a bit of) corruption.

The above is all well and good, of course. But even as a relative newcomer, I know author Bernard Cornwell prides himself on his historical accuracy, and the authenticity of the setting and the events combines with even the most outlandish plot to produce a very enjoyable book.

So, rating time:

#87 Sharpe's Company, by Bernard Cornwall (Harper Collins) - 8/10

Next up: No and Me, by Delphine De Vigan (Bloomsbury)

Click here for the full list of books so far, and their rating