Book info

• Title Rebel
• Author Bernard Cornwell
• Year 1993
• Genre Historical

It is summer 1861. The armies of North and South stand on the brink of America’s civil war. Nathanial Starbuck, jilted by his girl and estranged from his family, arrives in the capital of the Confederate South, where he enlists in an elite regiment being raised by rich, eccentric Washington Faulconer. Pledged to the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck becomes a northern boy fighting for the southern cause. But nothing can prepare him for the shocking violence to follow in the war which broke America in two.

Thoughts

Nathanial Starbuck is estranged from his family and he joins the ranks of one Washington Faulconer, although he yo-yo’s between being the right hand man and being the sworn enemy of the eccentric leader.

Starbuck is an interesting character, particularly headstrong although he values his morals and his friendships. Washington is really nice to Nate at the beginning of the book but when he turns against him, you just love to hate him.

Bernard Cornwell writes well but I got a little bored of the detailed battle scenes. I do like the conversations and the relationships between the historical people. It was good but I much prefer the Sharpe books. Apparently Bernard had to choose between extending this series and the Sharpe series and I think he chose the right one.

Rating: 3 / 5