Bernard,
I learned to love reading all kinds of books and while I don’t believe that I have the critical skill to comment in a publication, I still think that my opinion is valued among my friends and peers.
I’m 1/2 way through Sharpe having devoured Arthur and Saxon in the last few months – nearly all these books (with the exception of Trafalgar) had me captivated for the short time it took me to navigate them.
Where I feel you excel is in the balance of story, pace and historical fact.
Having read many of my wife’s books, I’d like to suggest spending slightly more time on the relationships and inter-personal tension that the subject matter lends itself to so that the ladies can feel a little more comfortable being exposed to your wonderful historic adventures.
Chris