Sharpe’s Fortress

by Bernard Cornwell Book 3 in the Sharpe series.

First published 1999

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4.3(20,988)

After the Battle of Assaye, the newly commissioned Ensign Sharpe continues his pursuit of William Dodd. Dodd has taken refuge in the mountain fortress of Gawilghur, where the remaining Maratha forces prepare to resist Arthur Wellesley’s army. Sharpe must navigate treachery within the British ranks and find a way into a stronghold believed to be impossible to capture.

Gawilghur’s defences make the final assault a problem of engineering, courage and intelligence rather than simple numbers. Sharpe’s new officer status also leaves him exposed to men who resent his promotion from the ranks. The novel links his personal advancement with Wellesley’s campaign against the Maratha Confederacy, showing both military and social barriers that appear almost impossible to breach.