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  • Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles, Book 1)

  • By: Bernard Cornwell
  • Narrated by: Andrew Cullum
  • Length: 16 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (275 ratings)

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Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles, Book 1)

By: Bernard Cornwell
Narrated by: Andrew Cullum
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Summary

The first book in Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series on the American Civil War.

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.

©1993 Bernard Cornwell (P)2014 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
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Critic reviews

‘A sure-fire bestseller’ Financial Times

‘His series of Sharpe novels earned him almost every accolade possible from British newspapers. This is even better’ Daily Mail

‘What Cornwell really likes is battles . . . you will be duly rewarded with the smell of quality cordite rising from the pages’ Daily Telegraph

What listeners say about Rebel (The Starbuck Chronicles, Book 1)

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story - Narrator grows on you

I read this some years ago so knew it was a great story.
I was disappointed with the narrator but the dramatic voices were ok and he grows on you through the book.
On the whole an enjoyable audio experience.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good scene setting

Good scene setting for the next 2 books. Good descriptions and although a standalone book I will read the next one

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very good story, mediocre performance.

I'm much more a fan of Cornwell's Starbuck Chronicles than I am of Richard Sharpe, his original 19th century swasher of buckles. The characters are more nuanced and they are generally more fun. Sadly, this audiobook is dreadful.

I'd actually heard a few chapters of the American version of this novel on YouTube (which wouldn't let me report it for piracy, because the people who run YouTube are cretins) and decided to buy it on Audible. Sadly, it wasn't available, but this English version was.

Given that all of the characters are Americans, WHY even bother making a British version?!?! It makes less than zero sense. It makes MINUS sense. Even worse is that the performer of the British edition, is the possessor of accent impersonations that would make even Dick van Dyke go, "Damn son, you just ain't got it!", and that he reads in a horrible, halting fashion that makes me keep wanting to check that the app hasn't been accidentally paused.

I would give anything to be able to buy the American edition, which is much better!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Typical Cornwall

Great story of the American civil war. Full
Of believable characters and realistic action
As you would expect from cornwall

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

a bit underwhelming compared to other stories

i wanted to like this, and was intrigued by the concept - but its not a patch on Sharpe or Uhtred - also i was a bit put off by the narrator - switching from quite formal british english to American accents - one minute it sounded like i was listening to the BBC fishing forecast, then The Dukes Of Hazzard - not to say his accents werent good, just it was a strange setup

Im not sure ill continue with this series - i dont really care about the characters that much yet.....

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

A great story well read thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend looking forward to the sequel

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

loved it great story as always from Bernard Cornwell
can't wait to hear next book

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

New subject same great writing

Read 30 other Cornwall books and this one didn’t disappoint. Looking forward to continuing this series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The historical activity as well as the story line.

Nothing. Bernard Cornwall always is a great story writer full of action, pity that he won't finish the Starbuck series off.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent from start to finish

excellent narration, story, characters. expect to get through this audiobook in a few sittings. learned more about the civil war reading this than in school

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3 people found this helpful