Scoundrel

Bernard Cornwell is certainly one of my favorite authors. He is most popular for his Sharpe's series, which follows Richard Sharpe, a soldier in the British army around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. I say around the time because Cornwell started during the Napoleonic wars, has gone on to write some prequels that take place in India, and has even written some (one?) post-Waterloo Sharpe's novels. They are historical fiction by nature, but Cornwell does a great job taking some history and making it into a tale.
Scoundrel is a different sort of tale all together. As a departure from the typical Cornwell novel (he has also written a Civil War series, a King Arthur series, etc.) Scoundrel takes place in near modern times. It is hard for me to say it, but it certainly seems like most of the strife in Ireland has died down. Not to say that everything is peaceful there, but compared to how it was in 1992 when Cornwell first published Scoundrel things are downright quiet. Fourteen years ago that was definitely not the case. Scoundrel takes place in the middle of all of that strife. The lead character, an American living in Europe, acts as a gopher to the IRA. The book follows Paul Shanahan as he tries to get out of a life he no longer wants to live. It certainly is not my favorite Cornwell, but if you enjoy nautical themed adventure stories it can keep your interest. I would give it three out of five stars. For a first time Cornwell reader try Sharpe's Rifles instead.