Description
The swashbuckler tradition was born out of legends like those of the Knights of the Round Table and of Robin Hood, revived in the early 19th century by Romantic movement authors such as Sir Walter Scott. The genre caught hold with the publication of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers in 1844, and for the next century it was arguably the world's leading form of adventure fiction.
Featuring selections by twenty hugely popular writers from the last century including Rafael Sabatini; Johnston Mcculley (creator of the Zorro character); Alexandre Dumas: Arthur Conan Doyle; and Pierce Egan (author of Robin Hood), this anthology is dedicated to the swashbuckler's roots: historical adventures by the masters of the genre. Most of these stories have been out of print for decades; some have never before been collected in book form. All are top-notch entertainment.
So, ready for some action?
En garde!
About the Author
Lawrence Ellsworth is the pen name of Lawrence Schick. He began his career as a writer at TSR Hobbies, where he was instrumental in the early popularity of the role-playing game "Dungeons & Dragons." An authority on historical adventure fiction, Ellsworth is the editor of The Big Book of Swashbuckling Adventure as well as the translator of Alexandre Dumas's The Red Sphinx and The Three Musketeers. He lives in northern Maryland.
Reviews
"Captain Blood, Zorro, the Scarlet Pimpernel, Brigadier Gerard, Robin Hood; stories with titles such as 'Pirate's Gold' and 'The Queen's Rose'- this is just the gift for, in Arthur Conan Doyle's words, 'the boy who's half a man, OR the man who's half a boy.'" -- Michael Dirda - The Washington Post
"A fantastic selection of brilliant, old-school swashbucklers. Ellsworth has chosen sterling historical adventures from neglected and forgotten writers." -- Howard Andrew Jones, author of the acclaimed Desert of Souls series and editor of the eight-volume collected historical adventures of Harold Lamb
"An excellent read for all those who enjoy swashbuckling-and for those who'd like an introduction to the world of derring-do." -- AuthorLink
"The combined historical research is impressive. The tales are as quick and cutting as a rapier blade. An excellent and entertaining survey of the genre's roots, a brilliant selection of dash, pluck, skill, yearning, and fortune." -- Publishers Weekly
Book Information
ISBN 9781605986500
Author Lawrence Ellsworth
Format Paperback
Page Count 604
Imprint Pegasus Books
Publisher Pegasus Books
Weight(grams) 755g
Dimensions(mm) 231mm * 180mm * 36mm