Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 21, 1993 TAG: 9303210240
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Reviewed by ROBERT HILLDRUP
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
CIVIL WAR SERIES OFF TO A ROCKY START
REBEL. By Bernard Cornwell. HarperCollins. $20.Comes now "Rebel," the first novel in what is projected as a Civil War series, the Starbuck Chronicles, and it's as full of holes as a Confederate private's pants.
Our hero, who presumably is not going to be killed off if he is to stay the course of the series, is one Nate Starbuck of Boston, a runaway theology student and son of an abolitionist pastor.
Starbuck hasn't a brain in his head, though most of the other characters constantly praise him for his wisdom and perception.
The story open with young Starbuck in Richmond, at loose ends in more ways than one. The Civil War is about to begin; so, with absolutely no motive, he joins Faulconer's Legion, a sort of private army (Confederate, that is) being raised by the father of a friend.
Before the story closes with the Confederate victory at First Manassas, young Starbuck has performed a marriage (though unordained), bedded the bride in a Richmond whorehouse, been sent back to the Yankees by the Confederates who have become heartily sick of him, been captured and recaptured by both sides, has murdered for no good reason a fellow soldier (Confederate) and been promoted to captain.
And this is the guy we're supposed to be following with admiration through a whole new series of Civil War novels? He is if you like high camp, and I don't mean tenting on the old camp ground.
Bernard Cornwell, an Englishman, is no amateur, even if this tale sometimes reads as if it were written by one. He is the author of the highly successful Sharpe's series of adventures, and some interesting modern sea stories, as well. Despite all its faults, "Rebel" gets stronger the longer it goes. Truslow, a rascal of a mountaineer sergeant, and Maj. Bird, a wimpy cynic who grows in battle, are the two really striking characters; and one can only hope we will see more of them and less of Starbuck. At the end of the novel, there is even a semblance of a plot.
What we apparently can expect is that Starbuck will be present at most of the campaigns of the war, in the Valley of Virginia, for example, and at as many others as Cornwell can wring out.
"Rebel" is entertaining in a way that the author probably didn't intend, and sometimes it's a real hoot. Midway through the book, one character offers the solemn but unintentionally hilarious aside to the effect that all bad girls sooner or later go to Richmond. And we thought it was just the General Assembly.
Stay tuned: It'll be interesting to see what kinds of boys and girls - good and bad - assemble in other parts of Virginia before Cornwell is through.
Robert Hilldrup is a Richmond writer and former newspaperman.