Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe, #2)

Title: Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe, #2)

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Published in: 1998

Date read: 8th April 2017

Score: 4/5

Genre: Historical fiction

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Sharpe's Triumph" by Bernard Cornwell, published in 1998, is the third novel chronologically in the Richard Sharpe series, though it was written much later. It's set earlier in Sharpe's career, specifically in 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War in India, and directly precedes "Sharpe's Fortress." This novel details a pivotal event in Sharpe's early military life and his first significant encounters with Major General Arthur Wellesley (the future Duke of Wellington).

The story finds Sergeant Richard Sharpe serving with the British East India Company's army in India. He is a hardened veteran, cynical but fiercely loyal to his comrades. His regiment, the 33rd Foot, is part of Wellesley's force marching against the powerful Maratha Confederacy, an Indian alliance.

Sharpe's particular burden in this book is his commanding officer, Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill, a truly loathsome and sadistic character who has a deep-seated hatred for Sharpe. Hakeswill is a bully, a thief, and a coward, who constantly torments Sharpe and abuses his authority. He becomes a persistent and personal enemy for Sharpe throughout the novel.

The central event of the novel is the epic and incredibly bloody Battle of Assaye, which occurred on September 23, 1803. This was one of Wellesley's most famous victories, but also one of the hardest-fought and most costly. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Wellesley's forces faced the well-trained and heavily armed Maratha army, which included disciplined infantry and numerous cannons.

Sharpe finds himself in the thick of this brutal battle. Cornwell vividly portrays the chaos, terror, and relentless close-quarters fighting of Assaye, often described as a "soldiers' battle" due to its intensity and the heavy casualties suffered by both sides. Sharpe's courage, tactical thinking, and raw fighting prowess are repeatedly put to the test as he tries to survive the onslaught and protect his comrades from both the enemy and Hakeswill's malevolence.

During the battle, Sharpe's personal feud with Hakeswill intensifies. Hakeswill, in his cowardly attempts to save himself and exploit the chaos, creates direct dangers for Sharpe and his men. Sharpe's fight for survival is intertwined with his desperate need to expose Hakeswill's villainy and bring him to justice.

The "triumph" of the title refers to both Wellesley's unlikely victory at Assaye and, more personally, to Sharpe's own triumph over Hakeswill and the challenging circumstances. The climax is the brutal heart of the Battle of Assaye, where Sharpe's defiance, leadership, and incredible bravery contribute directly to the British victory and lead to a crucial confrontation with Hakeswill. This battle further solidifies Sharpe's reputation in Wellesley's eyes and sets the stage for his eventual promotion and future adventures in the Peninsular War. "Sharpe's Triumph" is a raw and visceral depiction of early 19th-century warfare and the forging of a true hero.

Comments:
I read all of the Sharpe books in chronological order, one after the other. When I have looked back, I have not separated them at all unless there is a specific thing to add which will be after saying that I suddenly loved historical fiction and anything that Bernard Cornwell writes.

Books that we've read by Bernard Cornwell (28):
Sharpe's Eagle (Sharpe, #8) (1981), Sharpe's Gold (Sharpe, #9) (1981), Sharpe's Company (Sharpe, #13) (1982), Sharpe's Sword (Sharpe, #14) (1983), Sharpe's Enemy (Sharpe, #15) (1984), Sharpe's Honour (Sharpe, #16) (1985), Sharpe's Regiment (Sharpe, #17) (1986), Redcoat (1987), Sharpe's Siege (Sharpe, #18) (1987), Sharpe's Rifles (Sharpe, #6) (1988), Sharpe's Revenge (Sharpe, #19) (1989), Sharpe's Waterloo (Sharpe, #20) (1990), Sharpe's Devil (Sharpe, #22) (1992), Sharpe's Battle (Sharpe, #12) (1995), Sharpe's Tiger (Sharpe, #1) (1997), Sharpe's Triumph (Sharpe, #2) (1998), Sharpe's Fortress (Sharpe, #3) (1999), Sharpe's Prey (Sharpe, #5) (2000), Sharpe's Trafalgar (Sharpe, #4) (2000), Gallows Thief (2001), Heretic (The Grail Quest, #3) (2003), Sharpe's Havoc (Sharpe, #7) (2003), The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1) (2004), Sharpe's Escape (Sharpe, #10) (2004), Sharpe's Fury (Sharpe, #11) (2005), The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2) (2006), Sword Song (The Saxon Stories, #4) (2007), Lords of the North (The Saxon Stories, #3) (2007)