New Sharpe Book coming

[Arthur]

The Quentin Margont novels by Armand Cabasson might be what you are looking for. There are three of them, all starring captain (later major) Margont, a French infantry officer with a knack for hunting down serial killers who is frequently asked by his superiors to investigate complex criminal cases. The books are a mix of crime fiction and military history, and they are pretty entertaining in addition to being well researched. There are three of them : Les proies de l'officier, Chasse au loup and La mémoire des flammes, their stories taking place in 1812, 1809 and 1814 respectively. If you are feeling lazy (or for the benefit of others who might be curious about the Margont novels but don't speak French), Cabasson's books have been translated into English (as The Officer's Prey, Wolf Hunt and Memory of Flames, all straightforward renditions of the orignal French titles).     

[Grumpy Gnome]

Thanks for the tip on that Arthur.

I seem to recalls series about a French lancer officer lines of the Sharpe series but for the life of me I can not remember the name of the series or the author.

[Sir_Theo]

I haven't read all the Sharpe books (although I was a big fan of the TV series growing up) and for me they aren't as good as the Warlord series, or the Last Kingdom ones as Cornwell books go, but they are fun.

My favourite Napoleonic book series are the masterful Patrick O'Brian Jack Aubrey novels.

[Cat]

Thanks for the tip Arthur, I just ordered Chasse au loup from a French seller on ABE to give that a try.

[Blackwolf]

RF Delderfield’s 5 Men of Gascony is also very good

[forrester]

My reaction was please please no more...

I was ok with the first few, despite this being "Napoleonic Fantasy" but it later seemed to get bogged down in predictable dog-whistle stuff about priests lawyers and posh officers [I am one of these, and it does feel tiresome to be constantly targeted in books I might otherwise have enjoyed] .

No Sharpe wont be killed off in this book as there are already post 1815 stories.

I much prefer Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series [some of which is Napoleonic] which I think has a much more authentic feel.

I started like quite a few people with Airfix and the film.

[Patrice]

Years ago in a second-hand bookshop in England I bought an old edition of a novel with a fascinating title, "Death to the French" by CS Forester, does it count? 

The Quentin Margont novels by Armand Cabasson

Thanks Arthur I didn't know these.

it did get me wondering if there's any equivalent Napoleonic light fiction in French?

There are some big differences in public interest for novels between the two languages. The interest for novels (in general) is not so wide in France than in the UK (and USA I suppose); also the French public as a whole has much less interest for detailed military history than people in the UK. So you can get novels about great historical characters, but not so many stories about ordinary people in a military context. Crime fiction books (as Arthur's suggestion) are an exception as this kind of novels is fully appreciated in France so authors would seek any context for their stories, knowing that it will sell, and that may include military history.

[Cat]

There are some big differences in public interest for novels between the two languages. The interest for novels (in general) is not so wide in France than in the UK (and USA I suppose); also the French public as a whole has much less interest for detailed military history than people in the UK. So you can get novels about great historical characters, but not so many stories about ordinary people in a military context. Crime fiction books (as Arthur's suggestion) are an exception as this kind of novels is fully appreciated in France so authors would seek any context for their stories, knowing that it will sell, and that may include military history.

Ah, that explains some finds that popped up with searching last night. 

Laurent Joffrin has 3 detective novels, Les aventures de Donatien Lachance, set in the Napoleonic period. He also did more of a history, Seul contre tous - Cent Jours avec Napoléon, written as a reporter embedded in the army, that might be entertaining.
 

[Der Alte Fritz]

That’s good news. I had thought that Cornwell was finished with Sharpe.

[Ninefingers]

posh officers [I am one of these, and it does feel tiresome to be constantly targeted in books I might otherwise have enjoyed] .

Well it's fine as long as you don't feel a  deep-seeded shock of the thought of a commoner being raised up from the ranks...

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

Given that between 10 and 15% of the British officer corps of the Napoleonic period came from this source, and many more were from not much different stock, I doubt that many of the officers of the time drawn from other social strata, actually did either.  I do rather think that Cornwell has found his "real enemy" (much like Dickie "Darling" Attenborough did in "A Bridge Too Far" - hint: it's NOT the Germans, no more clues.....) and has milked it for all it's worth, pandering to modern sensibilities with regard to "social injustice" and upper class twittery.  It's one of the reasons I don't like him.

[vtsaogames]

I assume that "Sharpe's Afterlife" will feature the odious Obadiah Hakeswill being there too, having died shortly before or after Sharpe.
There are a number of things about this series that bug me, but none so much as that boring sergeant.

[Sir_Theo]

He was good in the TV show, although that was largely due to the performance of the wonderful Pete Poselthwaite.

[Ninefingers]

pandering to modern sensibilities with regard to "social injustice"

You say that, but the first book was published in 1981.

[Grumpy Gnome]

He was good in the TV show, although that was largely due to the performance of the wonderful Pete Poselthwaite.

I quite agree. An excellent villain to hate.