Sharpe’s Enemy cover art

Sharpe’s Enemy

The Defence of Portugal, Christmas 1812

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 Months Free + £10 Audible voucher

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST.
More purchase options

Sharpe’s Enemy

By: Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by: Rupert Farley
Get this deal

£5.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends on 5 July 2026 at 11:59 BST. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £15.50

Buy Now for £15.50

*SHARPE’S COMMAND, the brand new novel in the global bestselling series, is available to pre-order now*

Spain, December 1812

In a deathly cold winter on the Spanish-Portuguese border, a group of deserters take British hostages and it falls to Major Richard Sharpe to lead the perilous rescue mission in the biting cold mountains – where he faces one of his oldest, and most cunning, adversaries.

The British army’s fate rests on the hostages’ liberation. Outnumbered and attacked from two sides, it looks like surrender or certain death on the Gateway of God pass. Yet prepared to hold his ground, or risk his life trying, is Sharpe . . .

‘A master storyteller’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War & Military Solider War Military Winter
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Continue the series
Sharpe’s Assassin cover art
Sharpe’s Assassin By: Bernard Cornwell

Critic reviews

‘Sharpe and his creator are national treasures.' Sunday Telegraph
'Bernard Cornwell is a literary miracle. Year after year, hail, rain, snow, war and political upheavals fail to prevent him from producing the most entertaining and readable historical novels of his generation.' Daily Mail
'Cornwell's narration is quite masterly and supremely well-researched.' Observer
‘The best battle scenes of any writer I’ve ever read, past or present. Cornwell really makes history come alive.’ George R.R. Martin
All stars
Most relevant
Listening, you can almost smell the black powder, hear the guns!

Rupert Farley is a superb narrator. By far the best to ever record any of the Sharpe books. Every voice is clear and recognisable, and his narration is gripping. Simply a pleasure to listen.

No one writes a better battle than Bernard Cornwall

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Where does Sharpe's Enemy: The Defence of Portugal, Christmas 1812 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best

What does Rupert Farley bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Farley is an excellent narrator and performer, bringing the characters and scenes to life in a way I wouldn't have been able to in my own head

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, but it'd be a spoiler if I told.

Any additional comments?

This is the first Sharpe book I ever read and still one of the best, so I was anticipating the audio more than most... And it did not disappoint.

Sharpe's Excellence

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Happily following Sharpe from the very beginning, looking forward to the next. Dog walking always a pleasure with this for company.

Excellent as always

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I'm familiar with the Sharpe TV series and really love this.. 12 hours is quite a short book from my previous listens but I really love it. It's quite an 'efficient' book, there's a lot packed into it but there's also a lot of fine detail. Very well written with clever use of language without becoming pretentious. Although it took a moment to warm to the narrator, I felt he did an amazing job. He gave the characters great voices and the accents weren't distracting. Great at using inflection, tone and rhythm to set the mood. Will definitely be getting more of the Sharpe books.

My first Sharpe book and love it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Can't praise these books enough.. my cumute to work on the underground is so much better for listening to these books :)

the whole series is amazing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews