Spain, December 1812

In a deathly cold winter on the Spanish-Portuguese border, a group of deserters take British hostages and it falls to Major Richard Sharpe to lead the perilous rescue mission in the biting cold mountains where he faces one of his oldest, and most cunning, adversaries.

The British armys fate rests on the hostages liberation. Outnumbered and attacked from two sides, it looks like surrender or certain death on the Gateway of God pass. Yet prepared to hold his ground, or risk his life trying, is Sharpe . . .