Sharpe's Fury Bernard Cornwell (HarperCollins, £17.99) Wellington's victories in the Spanish Peninsula should never be underrated, and they are certainly not by the tough-minded Sharpe. From bridge-blowing to romantic intrigue, this novel, as much as any other in the great series, places the reader in the mainstream of battle. This time it is Barossa, a place of horror and treachery, where Sharpe needs all his renegade skill to defeat his adversaries. A story from the master, rich both in historical detail and high adventure.

The Janissary Tree Jason Goodwin (Faber, £12.99 pounds) oScents and smells abound in this ravishing thriller set in the Ottoman Empire. The janissaries were the Sultan's guards, whose time has come as Istanbul begins to embrace Western thoughts and ideas - shades of the Samurai in Japan. Goodwin covers this novel with layers of authentic spice, locking us in the 19th century harem of Oriental mystery and cruelty.

Sovereign C.J. Sanson (Macmillan, £16.99) oThe atmosphere surrounding the towering figure of Henry VIII always makes for a stunning Sansom novel and this is his third steeped in Tudor history. The king is on his way to York, the scene of rebellion five years previously, and the hunchback lawyer Shardlake is on a mission concerning an imprisoned conspirator. As in his previous stories, Sansom conjures the evils of the reign - a penetrating study of up a fearful realm of decay and torment.

Empire of Dragons Valerio Massimo Manfredi (Macmillan, £6.99) oRome is all the rage these days and one of the best exponents of the genre is Manfredi, whose Last Legion is soon to hit the screens. Empire of Dragons will almost certainly follow. This deals with the escape of the emperor's guards after they fall into a vicious trap and follows their fortunes on a journey to the east. A great read for all who still live in the Roman Empire.