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ADKIN**, MARK: : THE Sharpe COMPANION: A detailed historical and military guide to Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series of Sharpe novels

LONDON.HarperCollinsPublishers;1998.

ISBN 0002558173.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.[Complete number line 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2.] FINE/FINE- No owner inscrptn, and no price clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean, matt,wrap-around colour pictorial artwork by David Scutt,background illustrated dw/dj,with wrap-around,superimposed glossy illustration of crossed bayonetted rifle and cavalry sword and other military accoutrements to front panel of dw/dj,with bright,crisp,glossy gilt-bordered red lettered title and black-edged gilt lettered author's name and other black sub-title lettering to front panel of dw/dj,black-edged gilt lettering to a slightly sunned/faded spine/backstrip;rear panel of dw/dj with brown+ black lettered bestselling list of Sharpe novels and a critic' brown lettered review.Negligible shelf-wear,bumping,or creasing to edges and corners – no nicks,tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges generally bright and clean without any foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips – virtually pristine,possibly unread apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright, crisp,unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain red cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettering to spine/backstrip and same,a headband,and immaculate plain white endpapers. UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,xvi-xxiipp+2-322pp [paginated] includes Bernard Cornwell foreword,Adkin's introduction,16 chapters,one on Sharpe himself, the other 14 on the Sharpe novels (from Sharpe's Eagle to Sharpe's Devil - omitting 'Sharpe's Triumph','Sharpe's Christmas'),40 b/w maps,6 b/w sketches,5 b/w diagrams;16pp b/w plates in 2 blocks of 8pp between pp106-7 and pp202-03 respectively, abbreviations used in the text and glossary,a glossary,and a bibliography.Plus [unpaginated] half-title,publisher's list of Adkin's other titles,b/w thumbnail of S. Essex Regimental flag illustrated title page,contents list/table with blank verso,list/table of b/w list of maps,b/w sketches and b/w diagrams, abbreviations used in text with b/w diagram of symbols used on maps to its reverse,recto of foreword,and to the rear, 8pp blanks.[Bibliography incorrectly paginated with pp221 in Contents list/table - shold read pp321.] Visually the exterior appearance is more than acceptable,and even internally,the book is in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for book's age and subject matter. It is only the exterior fault described that prevents a deserving and slightly higher grading for the dw/dj.Despite that,it really is an exceptional example for its cleanliness and brightness. The character of Richard Sharpe first saw print in 1981 and since then he has soldiered through seventeen novels (then 1998) and the whole Peninsular War to the Battle of Waterloo. Latterly,his early days in India have also been chronicled in the latest books in Bernard Cornwell's bestselling series.A number of acclaimed television films,starring Sean Bean, have brought Sharpe and his doughty band of Riflemen to an even wider audience.  Mark Adkin is a highly respected military historian and former soldier,as well as being a long-standing admirer of the Sharpe novels.In The Sharpe Companion he has produced the definitive guide to the historical and military background of the characters and events in the series.It can be used to accompany the novels or simply read on its own for the wealth of fascinating detail and anecdote that it provides.Beautifully illustrated,complete with pictures of famous battle scenes and characters and maps of the many battles and skirmishes Sharpe was involved in.  'The Sharpe Companion' is an indispensable guide to the life and times of Richard Sharpe,a must for every student of military history and fan of Sharpe. Please contact seller,because of the weight of this item,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **                                                                   

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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