Heretic Dawn (Fortunes of France 3) - Softcover

Merle, Robert

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1782271937 ISBN 13: 9781782271932

Publisher: Pushkin Press, 2016

Synopsis

1572: Returning from his studies in Montpellier, Pierre de Siorac is ambushed by a jealous Périgord nobleman. A duel ensues, and Pierre must subsequently travel to Paris, to seek his pardon from the King. The capital city and the royal court are a disorienting new environment for Pierre: a world of sweet words and fierce pride, where coquettish smiles hide behind fans, and murderous intents behind elegant bows; a world of genteel tennis matches and deadly swordplay, whose elaborate social graces mask a simmering tension that will soon explode to engulf the entire city in one of history's most infamous bouts of butchery - and signal the dawn of a new and bloody era in the history of France.

Here, Pierre faces the greatest challenge of his young existence - to make his way through this deceptively dangerous milieu, to win a royal pardon, and finally to escape from Paris with his life, and the lives of his beloved companions, intact.

Heretic Dawn is the third book in the swashbuckling Fortunes of France series, after The Brethren and City of Wisdom and Blood.

About this title

Review

'The best so far' Sunday Times Culture magazine

'Merle's writing style is entertaining, easy to read and well-paced... thought-provoking yet thrilling swashbucklers - and immensely good fun' Historical Novel Society

'If you remember reading and loving Alexandre Dumas then this continues in the same vein... sword-slashing action' The Connexion

'Swashbuckling historical fiction... For all its philosophical depth [The Brethren] is a hugely entertaining romp... The comparisons with Dumas seem both natural and deserved and the next 12 instalments [are] a thrilling prospect' Christobel Kent, Guardian

'A vivid novel by France's modern Dumas... [there is] plenty of evidence in the rich characterisation and vivid historical detail that a reader's long-term commitment will be amply rewarded' Sunday Times

'The mainstay of the novel is swashbuckling action... What stands out is Merle's eye for detail' Spectator

'This is the most absorbing of the series so far... each volume may be built like a house brick to look at but it's not at all brick like in the reading' Bookbag, Five Star Review

'Cleverly depicts France's epic religious wars through the intimate prism of one family's experience. It's beautifully written too. Metro.

'Historical fiction at its very best... This fast paced and heady brew is colourfully leavened with love and sex and a great deal of humour and wit. The second instalment cannot be published too soon' We Love This Book

'A powerfully accessible path of introspection and questioning of the present through the past' Bookanista

'This is old-fashioned story-telling. It has swagger and, vibrancy with big characters... A gripping story with humour and strength and real attention to historical detail" Mature Times

This enjoyable story has some of the wit of George MacDonald Fraser's 'Flashman'... Alexandre Dumas comes to mind too... [the remaining volumes] of this moving panorama are eagerly awaited'The Tablet

'A lively adventures anyone keen on historical fiction [should] look forward to the next instalment' Telegraph

'A master of the historical novel' Guardian

'The spectacular 13-volume evocation of 16th-17th-century France' Independent

'Merle's novel offers a sympathetic and highly imaginative view of a fraught time in French history... filled with originality, humanity, and insight'New Welsh Review

'The Brethren very quickly wins one over' Glasgow Herald

'The Dumas of the twentieth century' Neues Deutschland

'A wonderful, colourful, breathlessly narrated historical panorama' Zeitpunkt

'An enjoyable read, distinguished by its author's erudition and wit' The Sunday Times

'Robert Merle is one of the very few French writers who has attained both popular success and the admiration of critics. The doyen of our novelists is a happy man'

--Le Figaro

From the Author

Robert Merle (1908-2004) was born in French Algeria, before moving to mainland France in 1918. Originally an English teacher, Merle served as an interpreter with British Expeditionary Force during the Second World War, and was captured by the German army at Dunkirk, the experience of which served as the basis for his Goncourt-prize-winning Weekend at Zuydcoote. He published the 13 volumes of his hugely popular Fortunes of France series over four decades, from 1977 to 2003, the final volume appearing just a year before his death in 2004.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pushkin Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1782271937
• ISBN 13: 9781782271932
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 608