Named "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brian" by The Economist, Bernard Cornwell is the undisputed master of historical battle fi ction, and for more than twenty years, his Richard Sharpe series has thrilled millions of readers worldwide on both the page and on television.

Now author Mark Adkin, a major in the British army, has created this indispensable guide covering Sharpe's early career, from his beginnings as an illiterate private fighting on the battlefields of India to his legendary command of the Light Company.

A treasure not only for fans of the series but also for anyone interested innineteenth-century warfare, The Sharpe Companion includes: A chapter devoted to each Sharpe bookGlossary of characters, both real and fictionalIllustrations and photographsMaps of every battle and skirmish

Full of fascinating historical details, thrilling contemporary accounts of actual battles, and impeccable research, The Sharpe Companion is a must for every student of military history and an essential addition to every Sharpe fan's library.

This book will be indispensable to all those interested in exploring the legacy of Britain's incredibly varied and exciting military history, which extends over more than 2,500 years. The museums featured range from major national institutions, like the Imperial War Museum, Portsmouth Royal Dockyard and the RAF Museum to exhibitions focused on individual arms, such as the Tank Museum or the Fleet Air Arm Museum, the major regimental museums and notable private collections. All the major known battlefield sites in Britain, from the Roman invasion to the Jacobite rebellions, are included, with a description of each action and 1:25 000 Ordnance Survey maps to help visitors trace the different stages of the battle in today's landscape. An enormous variety of fortifications are covered, ranging from prehistoric hill forts to medieval castles, Victorian forts, Second World War defence lines to Cold War bunkers. Information on access, opening times and admission charges is given for each site and the gazetteer is organised on a regional basis, with maps showing the location of the sites in relation to major towns and roads. There are also feature spreads on a wide variety of topics such as the Roman army, Celtic hill forts, the Martello Towers, invasion defences, medieval warfare, the Antonine Wall and many others.

This book tells the story of the battle for Goose Green - the first crucial clash of the Falklands war - through the eyes of the commanders, both British and Argentine, from brigadier to corporal. It follows in detail, with the aid of maps, the 14 hours of vicious infantry fighting of both sides as they struggled for the tiny settlement of Goose Green. The book explains how 2 Para came close to failure as the battalion fought over open ground, in daylight, without adequate fire support against prepared positions. Controversial questions - such as: was it an unnecessary battle? Why did London overrule the brigadier commander's reluctance to attack? Did Colonel Jones's solo charge, which won him the VC, decide the issue? - are discussed frankly. The author, himself a former infantry officer, has had the full support of The Parachute Regiment, and has assembled the views and comments of over 45 veterans of all ranks who fought there.

Reissued for the 40th anniversary of the Falklands conflict The most in-depth and powerful account yet published of the first crucial clash of the Falklands war - told from both sides. 'Thorough and exhaustive' Daily Telegraph 'An excellent and fast paced narrative' Michael McCarthy, historical battlefield guide Goose Green was the first land battle of the Falklands War. It was also the longest, the hardest-fought, the most controversial and the most important to win. What began as a raid became a vicious, 14-hour infantry struggle, in which 2 Para - outnumbered, exhausted, forced to attack across open ground in full daylight, and with inadequate fire support - lost their commanding officer, and almost lost the action. This is the only full-length, detailed account of this crucial battle. Drawing on the eye-witness accounts of both British and Argentinian soldiers who fought at Goose Green, and their commanders' narratives, it has become the definitive account of most important and controversial land battle of the Falklands War. A compelling story of men engaged in a battle that hung in the balance for hours, in which Colonel 'H' Jones' solo charge against an entrenched enemy won him a posthumous V.C., and which for both sides was a gruelling and often terrifying encounter.