The Brethren
Fortunes of France: Volume 1
by Robert Merle
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Pub Date Mar 03 2015 | Archive Date Jan 05 2015
Steerforth Press | Pushkin Press
Description
Two veteran soldiers retire to a castle in the wildly beautiful Périgord of sixteenth century France. But the country is descending into chaos, plagued by religious strife, famine, pestilence, bands of robbers... and, of course, the English.
In the course of their story we are introduced to a slew of vivid characters, including the fiery Isabelle, mistress of the castle, refusing to renounce her religious beliefs despite great pressure; the petty and meal-mouthed Francois, unlikely heir to the estate; the brave and loyal Jonas who lives in a cave and keeps a wolf as a pet; the swaggering soldier Cabusse; the outrageously superstitious Maligou, and Sarrazine, who once roamed as part of a wild gypsy band.
A sprawling, earthy tale of violence and lust, love and death, political intrigue and dazzling philosophical debate, The Brethren is the first step in an engrossing saga to rival Dumas, Flashmanand Game of Thrones.
Advance Praise
Advance Praise from the UK:
"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." — 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
"Cleverly depicts France’s epic religious wars through the intimate prism of one family’s experience. It’s beautifully written too." — Metro.
"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, Five Star Review
“Historical fiction at its very best… The second instalment cannot be published too soon.” — We Love This Book
“A Sprawling, earthy tale of peril, love, lust, death, dazzling philosophical debate and political intrigue… an engrossing saga.” — Gransnet
"A master of the historical novel." — Guardian
"A spectacular evocation of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century France." — Independent
Advance Praise from Europe:
"His readers appreciate his recipe for writing that is as political as it is entertaining."— Deutschlandfunk
"Be warned: even just a few pages can lead to addiction." — Neckar-Tauber Trend
"With much wit, irony and a knack for juicy details, [Merle] brings alive his country's history." — Literatur-Report
"For fans of historical fiction, The Brethren is a delight to savour." — Thüringer Allgemeine
"Thrilling! Robert Merle rides his novel at full tilt across a richly eventful period of history." — Le Magazine Littéraire
"Robert Merle is one of the very few French writers who have attained both popular success and the admiration of critics." — Le Figaro
"A wonderful, colourful, breathlessly narrated historical panorama." — Zeitpunkt
"Breathes new life into the classic adventure story and great historical epic." — Les Nouvelles Littéraires
"France's greatest popular novelist." — Le Monde
"The Dumas of the twentieth century." — Neues Deutschland
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781782271239 |
| PRICE | $14.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 181627
The Brethren Fortunes of France: Volume 1 captures the violent 16th century with a narrator that is perfect to share his unsettled and conflicted world with his readers. Born of a Catholic (Papist) and a Protestant (Huguenot) Pierre de Siorac is our guide into the many bloody conflicts and the first bleak outcomes of church, crown and even his own familial discord. Nothing is certain in this era as Pierre opens his personal history to us and tells us about daily occurrences, continual fears of attack from inside and outside high chateau walls and shows us the battles that rage from personal interests. A little different from other works readers may have encountered or may expect about this era being a commoner's voice is used to recreate this fascinating era versus a strictly royal view of the conflicting religious opinions and views. Brief appearances of French Royalty are made but only mentioned in the sharing of conversation with travelers so the reader learns information as our narrator first and continually hears about the danger that is being stoked by intolerance and political gain and there is still much to come. Being the first of thirteen novels in this series more details are shared with the reader than they may bargain for and it is assured something will be learned by the last page.
In the end, I will be the first to admit I was skeptical about this title. I usually prefer the royal immersion and treatment of fiction and I can never resist when I see a crown or ornamental trinket on the cover and I quickly find the time to cast out reality and slip deep into my indulgences. I’ll admit it; I want the glitter of history and sometimes overlook the earthy side of the past especially when it comes to French history. I love to be proven wrong in situations like these. For me this novel was a thundering and enthralling adventure that had all the details that I always hope to encounter in fiction: a new portion of history to look further into, multifaceted characters, a believable atmospheric story and of course an entertaining balance between historic facts with creative fiction. Perhaps a little paced at the beginning as the foundation was set but once this story gathered speed it became hard to put down, something a little different and well worth the time. I look forward to City of Wisdom and Blood: Fortunes of France: Volume 2
*I would like to thank NetGalley and Steerforth Press for the opportunity to read and enjoy The Brethren: Fortunes of France: Volume 1
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