A thoroughly enjoyable that unlike most of Mr Cornwall's oeuvre is a stand alone novel. While there are several similarities to others of his works (mean sergeant, dead brother etc) there is enough about Redcoat to make it stand out from the Sharpes and Hooktons of this world. If anything it plays closest to Azincourt in terms of the character of the protagonist, though not this time in story or plot. One thing that this does achieve is to show that in intervening 350 years between the two wars little has changed, the concerns of the ordinary private soldier are the same, the lives from which they are escaping are still governed by the same class system (which in fact stretches further back to the time of Utred) and the ever present enemy is still the French, even though here their threat is only ever in the background. The novel also stand separate from other Cornwall works in that almost the whole narrative is set within Philadelphia with the soldiers largely left idle and to their own devices rather than marching across vast distances and then enjoining battle which is more usual within these stories. This sense of being entrenched gives Cornwall the opportunity to explore a different side of the soldier's psyche to that explored in the Starbuck and Sharpe series.Knowing little about the history of the American colonies and their rebellion most of the history here was new to me and this very much had the effect of being opinion forming. Whether or not the fact that there appeared little will to fight the rebellion is true I still do not know for certain but it certainly casts the British response to the rebellion in a new and for me fascinating light.My only problem with the novel is the character of Captain Kit Vane. He starts out fully formed and possibly the most interesting character, an officer counterpoint to Sam Gilpin's private soldier and I saw the possibility of a Sharpe/Harper type of relationship but around halfway through the novel he degenerates somewhat into a one dimensional cypher, used only to push forward the narrative. The novel needed a villain and Kit unfortunately gets cast in this role. While the narrative of his desperate search for a traitor within the British camp is still compelling the fact that it is driven by a thirst for revenge I feel lessens its impact somewhat. If instead he had been a solider investigating the passing of information to the enemy from within the British camp out of no motivation other than duty it would have been far more interesting to see his reaction once he discovered that the culprits were his friends and associates, and we could have ended up rooting for him rather than them if we so wished, rather than being directed to support emotionally the rebel sympathisers by Vane's misplaced motives.All in all a very enjoyable read, just a pity that we lost the war.
Richard Sharpe... here I come! I am a huge fan of Cornwell's medieval/viking era historical fiction. I am now officially hooked on the revolutionary era sagas. The Fort is good, but Redcoat is far better. Vintage Cornwell. Excellent battle scenes and characters you love and love to hate.This novel also gives solid insight into the British occupation of Philly and the relative high class of most English officers mixed with torn American families (some split between rebel and loyalist). He even throws in a soft love story which somehow works well (I generally hate romance in novels). The battle scenes with musket and bayonet are classic. Redcoat ranks up there with Agincourt as my 2 favorite "stand alone" Cornwell novels.
Once again, I have to emphasize Cornwell's unrivaled mastery of researching and chronicling historical events, whether it be the 14th century or the 19th. He did not disappoint with Redcoat.For those who prefer the "history" in "historical ficton," you get plenty of it with vivid details of the Revolutionary War and its players, both real and fictitious. Some readers lament that this novel lacks Cornwell's trademark epic battle scenes, espousing every gory detail. Some lament that it is uncharacteristically (for Cornwell) a romance novel. One of the main reasons I liked this Cornwell novel so much was that it was balanced compared to some of his others—not thick with the nauseating barbarity of war but certainly not a soppy love story, either.I applaud Cornwell's character development here, allowing us to see the war from the perspective of both Americans and British. Redcoat is an entertaining, action-packed narrative and an excellent history lesson.
—Karen Gennari
A love story cloaked in some historical fiction during the British occupation of Philadelphia.The plot seems appropriate for a three-episode production of Masterpiece Theatre complete with gallant English generals, ambitious soldiers trying to improve their stations and witty wordplay of beautiful women at fashionable Philadelphia parties. I know I've seen this on public television.Having just read the author's Agincourt, I can't believe this is one of Cornwell's better novels. So, it's just OK, but I'll give the author another read or two.
—Fred
I've been a fan of Cornwell for years, and this fictional account of the events occurring during the British occupation of the city of Philadelphia in 1777 during the American Revolution didn't let me down. It's fast paced, and interspersed with the historical events that transpired that over that winter that I wasn't aware of, such as the extent that the British Commander-in-Chief,William Howe,tried to bring a lasting peace to the colonies while fighting a rebellion, with a love triangle involving a private in the British army, a Patriot woman and a Philadelphian merchant.The story begins as the British defeat Washington at Germantown prior to entering the city, and ends with Howe transferring command to Clinton the following spring. Well written and researched, this is pleasant reading for the historical enthusiast.
—John Reas
