The Brethren: Fortunes of France 1 - Tapa blanda

Modern-day Dumas finally crosses the channel Observer 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 sprawling, earthy tale of peril, love, lust, death, dazzling philosophical debate and political intrigue... an engrossing saga Gransnet 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 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 A master of the historical novel Guardian We're swept away by triumph, tragedy, action and adventure... It's a novel like this that makes reviewing one of the best jobs in the world. The Book Bag So rich in historical detail... the characters are engaging Sunday Express A highly anticipated tome that's been described as Game of Thrones meets The Three Musketeers -- Mariella Frostrup BBC Radio 4's Open Book Cleverly depicts France's epic religious wars through the intimate prism of one family's experience. It's beautifully written too. Metro A bold invasion of Dumas territory... There is a philosophical depth to the novel... whets one's appetite for the next volume Wall Street Journal 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 A lively adventure... anyone keen on historical fiction [should] look forward to the next instalment Telegraph The spectacular 13-volume evocation of 16th-17th-century France Independent Swashbuckling Newsday The Dumas of the twentieth century Neues Deutschland A wonderful, colourful, breathlessly narrated historical panorama Zeitpunkt 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 Compelling... a French epic Kirkus Reviews Future volumes in the saga, once translated, will be well worth reading - and may beappearing in roundups of the year's best historical novels for the next decade BBC History Magazine One of the many delights vouchsafed by Robert Merle's The Brethren is the sense that the author is astonished that what he's writing about actually happened... [The book is] both wise and audacious, constantly nudging up against the extraordinary. The New York Times Book Review Alongside the drama and the swashbuckling there is room for subtlety TLS Merle, whose Fortunes of France series is a best-seller in this country, has been hailed as a modern-day Dumas. This is a swash-buckling start Connexion

The Perigord of sixteenth-century France is a wild region on the edge of the reaches of royal authority-its steep, forested valleys roamed by bands of brigands and gypsies, its communities divided by conflict between Catholics and converts to the new Protestant faith, the Huguenots. To this beautiful but dangerous country come two veterans of the French king's wars, Jean de Siorac and Jean de Sauveterre, The Brethren-as fiercely loyal to the crown as they are to their Huguenot religion. They make their home in the formidable chateau of Mespech, and the community they found prospers, but they are far from secure-religious civil war looms on the horizon, famine and plague stalk the land, and The Brethren must use all their wits to protect those they love from the chaos that threatens to sweep them away. The Brethren is the first volume in the epic historical drama Fortunes of France-a lusty, exhilarating blend of adventure and romance set against the backdrop of a critical period in European history. This revamped B-format edition is perfectly placed to capitalise on the success of the first edition last autumn. The sequel, City of Wisdom and Blood, will be published in September, while the third instalment in the series, Heretic Dawn, will follow in early 2016.