Sharpe's Tiger: The Siege of Seringapatam, 1799 (The Sharpe Series 1)

In a battery of events that will make a hero out of an illiterate private, a young Richard Sharpe poses as the enemy to bring down a ruthless Indian dictator backed by fearsome French troops. The year is 1799, and Richard Sharpe is just beginning his military career. An inexperienced young private in His Majesty's service, Sharpe becomes part of an expedition to India to push the ruthless Tippoo of Mysore from his throne and drive out his French allies. To penetrate the Tippoo's city and make contact with a Scottish spy being held prisoner there, Sharpe has to pose as a deserter. Success will make him a sergeant, but failure will turn him over to the Tippoo's brutal executioners -- or, worse -- his man-eating tigers. Picking his way through an exotic and alien world. Sharpe realizes that one slip will mean disaster. And when the furious British assault on the city finally begins, Sharpe must take up arms against his true comrades to preserve his false identity, risking death at their hands in order to avoid detection and thus to foil the Tippoo's well-set trap. Richard Sharpe avoids the tyrannical Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill and endeavours to rescue a British officer from under the nose of the Tippoo of Mysore.But in fleeing Hakeswill, Sharpe enters the exotic and dangerous world of the Tippoo. An adventure that will require all of his wits just to stay alive, let alone save the British army from catastrophe.Soldier, hero, rogue - Sharpe is the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles whose green jacket he proudly wears. The prequel to the series, describing Sharpe's experiences in India. Sharpes Tiger describes the adventures of the raw young private soldier Richard Sharpe in India, before the Peninsular War. Sharpe and the rest of his battalion, along with the rising star of the general staff Arthur Wellesley, are about to embark upon the siege of Seringapatam, island citadel of the Tippoo of Mysore. The British must remove this potentate from his tiger throne, but he has gone to extraordinary lengths to defend his city from attack. And always he is surrounded by tigers, both living and ornamentalany prisoner of the Tippoo can expect a savage end. When a senior British officer is captured by the Tippoo's forces Sharpe is offered a chance to attempt a rescue, a chance he snatched in order to escape from the tyrannical Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill. But in fleeing Hakeswill he enters the confusing, exotic and dangerous world of the Tippoo and Sharpe will need all his wits just to stay alive, let alone save the British army from catastrophe. With the same meticulous research and attention to detail that distinguishes the rest of the bestselling series of Sharpe novels, Bernard Cornwell has recreated the 1799 campaign against Seringapatam which made the British masters of southern India, a campaign that pitted brutalized soldiers against an ancient and splendid civilization. Set against a background of dazzling wealth, ruinous poverty, gorgeous palaces, sudden cruelty and pitiless battles, Sharpes Tiger is his greatest adventure yet.

In a battery of events that will make a hero out of an illiterate private, a young Richard Sharpe poses as the enemy to bring down a ruthless Indian dictator backed by fearsome French troops.

The year is 1799, and Richard Sharpe is just beginning his military career. An inexperienced young private in His Majesty's service, Sharpe becomes part of an expedition to India to push the ruthless Tippoo of Mysore from his throne and drive out his French allies. To penetrate the Tippoo's city and make contact with a Scottish spy being held prisoner there, Sharpe has to pose as a deserter. Success will make him a sergeant, but failure will turn him over to the Tippoo's brutal executioners — or, worse — his man-eating tigers. Picking his way through an exotic and alien world. Sharpe realizes that one slip will mean disaster. And when the furious British assault on the city finally begins, Sharpe must take up arms against his true comrades to preserve his false identity, risking death at their hands in order to avoid detection and thus to foil the Tippoo's well-set trap.

Author Biography:

Bernard Cornwell, is the author of the highly acclaimed American Civil War series The Starbuck Chronicles: Rebel, Copperhead, and Battle Flag. A native of England, where he worked as a journalist in newspapers and television, Cornwell is now a resident of the United States and lives with his American wife in Cape Cod.

as The British Army Fights Its Way Through India Toward A Diabolical Trap, Young Private Richard Sharpe Must Battle Both Man And Beast Behind Enemy Lines.

it's 1799, And Richard Sharpe Is Just An Illiterate Young Private In His Majesty's Service, Part Of An Expedition Sent To Push The Ruthless Tippoo Of Mysore From His Throne And Drive His French Allies Out Of India.

posing As A Deserter, Sharpe Must Penetrate Into The Tippoo's City And Make Contact With A Scottish Spy Being Held Prisoner There. Success Will Mean Winning His Sergeant Stripes; Failure, Being Turned Over To The Tippoo's Brutal Executioners — Or His Man-eating Tigers. Picking His Way Through An Exotic And Alien World, One Slip Will Mean Disaster As Sharpe Learns That He Must Fight His Old Comrades In Order To Save His Own Neck. Along The Way, He Keeps An Eye Out For Mysore's Beautiful Prositutes, Any Stray Loot He Can Get His Hands On And The Chance To Learn His Abc's. But When The Furious British Assault On The City Begins, Sharpe Must Fight With The Fierceness And Agility Of A Tiger Himself To Foil The Tippoo's Well-set Trap — And To Keep From Being Killed By His Own Side.

philadelphia Inquirer

the World May Have A New Literary Hero. His Name Is Richard Sharpe.

In 1799, the British Army is fighting its way through India in an attempt to push the ruthless Tippoo of Mysore from his throne and drive his French allies out. Posing as a deserter, the young and illiterate private Richard Sharpe must penetrate into the Tippoo's city and make contact with a Scottish spy being held prisoner there. Success will mean winning his sergeant stripes; failure, being turned over to the Tippoo's brutal executioners--or his man-eating tigers. Along the way, Sharpe keeps an eye out for beautiful prostitutes, any stray loot he can get his hands on, and the chance to learn his ABCs. But when the furious British assault on the city begins, Sharpe must fight with the fierceness and agility of a tiger himself to foil the Tippoo's well-set trap--and to keep from being killed by his own side From New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, the first exciting adventure in the world-renowned Sharpe series, chronicling the rise of Richard Sharpe, a Private in His Majesty's Army at the siege of Seringapatam. “The greatest writer of historical adventures today.” —Washington PostRichard Sharpe. Soldier, hero, rogue—the man you always want on your side. Born in poverty, he joined the army to escape jail and climbed the ranks by sheer brutal courage. He knows no other family than the regiment of the 95th Rifles, whose green jacket he proudly wears. An inexperienced young private in his Majesty's service, Richard Sharpe is part of a military expedition to India to push the ruthless Tippoo of Mysore from his throne and drive out his French allies. By posing as a deserter, he hopes to penetrate the Tippoo's city, avoid a well-laid trap, and make contact with a captive Scottish spy. But while success will make Sharpe a sergeant, failure will place him at the mercy of the evil despot's brutal executioners--or worse still, his hungry, man-eating tigers Richard Sharpe is once again marching in step with the Light Company of George III's army, this time in India, going into battle against the Tipoo Sultan. It's hot as hades, the new sergeant is a sadist who wants to drum Sharpe out of the brigade, and both of them have their roving eyes on the beautiful half-Indian widow of the late and admired Colonel Bickerstaff When he goes undercover in India to overthrow the Tippoo of Mysore, Richard Sharpe is forced to take up arms against his true comrades to protect his false identity