Rafael Sabatini Books

The Anglo-French Vicomte Marc-Antoine de Saulx arrives in Venice on secret mission from the British Prime Minister to save the Venetian Republic from being annexed by Napoleon. In order to accomplish his task, he must play a dangerous game of double agent, while at the same time attempting to save his former betrothed from being sacrificed on the altar of international politics.

Although seldom read or discussed, Venetian Masque (1934) is nevertheless a fine example of Sabatini's later works. The writing style is mature and even (despite a somewhat abrupt beginning); the plot and dialogue are sophisticated, with plenty of action, twists of fate and international intrigue. Like most of the author's works, it is difficult to put down.
A lesser known novel, but still showing Sabatini at the height of his powers. A must-read for fans of the author.

Rafael Sabatini is a brilliant author. This story centres around a young man, Andre Louis Moreau at the beginnings of the French revolution, who witnesses a crime against his best freind, perpetrated by a wealthy Marquis of France. Andre Louis takes an oath to take up the ideas of his murdered freind. Hes seeks justice for his murdered freind. Finding none, he speaks out, and in the course becomes a fugitive from the law and his family. The story then follows his amazing exploits, with his path continually crossing with the ruthless Marquis. It is not Andre Louis who seeks the Marquis but rather fate that puts them in each others paths. The ending to this book is simply amazing and entertaining. Its a must read.

I find the most rated review to be off in some aspects. I dont believe Andre Louis has personal quest for revenge. It is only justice that he ever seeks, and he is not driven by hatred. Revenge and Hatred are the Marquis. Andre Louis is driven by survival, love & success. As I said above, it is lady fate that plays her game. He is also never in pursuit of the beautiful Aline de Kercadiou.

But thats just my opinion.

Well worth the effort. In parts a romantic melodrama, but finely balanced with the revenge/coming-of-age portion.

Across the backdrop of the French Revolution, a man falls foul of the authorities because of his politics. Going on the run, he encounters some actors, leading him to take up the role of Scaramouche, a clown type rogue character.

Eventually, he settles in at a fencing academy, working for a master. Taking over after his death he puts his sword skills to good use.

There was a time when the word "romance" when applied to fiction meant "exciting adventure," not, "lonely girl lusts after bare-chested hunk." Classic authors of the genre would include Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas and Arthur Conan Doyle. Among these giants one would have to include Rafael Sabatini, and of his many works, Scaramouche is probably his greatest.

It is the story of Andre-Louis Moreau and takes place during the turbulent years of the French Revolution. Moreau is a splendid creation and a classic hero of romantic literature. A man of thought and introspection, Moreau becomes a man of action when his close friend Vilmorin is unjustly provoked into a duel and murdered by a noble with whom he can't possibly hope to compete. Moreau, initially dismissive and cynical about the movement for liberty in which his friend was so passionately involved, vows to take up his cause.

He does so, and quickly becomes such an effective speaker that he is forced into hiding, which in his case means taking up residence in a traveling theatre group. This group practices the improvisational technique known as commedia delle-arte, and over time Moreau becomes one of the stock characters: "scaramouche," the boastful, deceptive captain. But after enjoying much success, this venture comes to an end, when, seeing his bitter enemy in the theatre one evening, Moreau uses the stage to scathingly attack the unjust actions of the nobility and provokes a riot.

His next adventure finds him as the apprentice in a fencing academy where he becomes expert with this weapon, a skill he uses with ever-increasing frequency as he re-enters society as a member of the newly-formed parliament, and finds he must defend himself against those upper-class rogues who would provoke him into a deadly duel.

It is an absolutely splendid tale and works on every level. Clearly, from the above, you could hardly ask for more in the way of adventure. But there is so much more than this. The characters, for example are all richly portrayed and nuanced. Even his enemy, the terrible Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr, is fully-fleshed out well beyond the one-dimensional evil-doers so often found in the genre.

The historical and political aspects are well-illustrated as well. One comes away from the novel with a clear understanding of the way French society operated in 1787, and more importantly, one gains this understanding through the thoughts, actions and discussions of the novel's major and minor characters. That political change was coming to France was known to everyone, and everyone had an opinion to share on the subject.

Beyond all of this though is the simple, exciting pleasure in the reading of it. More than anything else, this novel is fun! Winding in and out of the plot and the historical context there is treachery, double-dealings, surprising revelations of identity, and yes, romance of the boy-girl type, made all the more delightful by Moreau's cool, detached, wry and often hilarious reactions to these events. He is the indefatigable Moreau, the man of justice, the man of fairness, the man of action . . . and the man of reason, in the age that was defined by that phrase.

It is a splendid performance by one of the truly great authors of the historical romance.

This is my first Sabatini novel (just finished it last night), but it won't be my last - I found Scaramouche excellent.

Scaramouche is set during the years leading up to and including the French Revolution, and follows the exploits of one Andre Louis Moreau, a lawyer, a bastard, and a Frenchman with close connections to the ruling class. Moreau begins the story without an inkling of support for the Republican cause, but this changes early in the novel when Moreau's best friend, an outspoken Republican with a "dangerous gift of eloquence", is wrongly and permanently silenced. With that event, Sabatini not only changed the course of Moreau's life forever, he also had me hooked less than 30 pages into Scaramouche - an impressive accomplishment given my attention span, or lack thereof.

Moreau, or Scaramouche as he's eventually known, is a complex and unique character. Moreau's motives are often contradictory and hard to understand yet, at least to me, remain believable. He devotes his life to a cause he (at least initially) doesn't believe in. He seems to have little care for those around him, and is even called heartless by his friends and peers numerous times, yet he possesses loyalty worthy of admiration. An admitted hypocrite, he despises the emotion of hatred whilst himself dedicating a good portion of his life to vengeance. I found this unique character memorable and also worth liking and rooting for.

If there is one negative worth pointing out, it's that Scaramouche (the novel, not the character) is, at times, highly predictable. In particular, there is a revelation relating to Moreau's linage revealed at the end of the story that I saw coming from a mile away - and I'm pretty dense, there's generally a lot I don't see coming from a mile away that many other readers would. The story also is peppered with a number of fairly unlikely coincidences - but I think it's reasonable to consider these not coincidence, but Providence, or fate, and their prevalence is common to other works that I'd consider within the same category as Scaramouche, including everything I've ever read by Dumas or Hugo.

However, aside from what I'd consider a good to very good story, any negatives I can point out are, in my opinion, more than offset by Sabatini's excellent writing. This is clearly a matter of opinion, but I like his writing style better than just about anything I've read in the recent past, and I've read works by some pretty well regarded authors in the recent past. And in my opinion it's much more than a good vocabulary, the entire 350 pages are dotted with more great one-liners than I could possibly count or keep track of (beginning with the opening line of the novel, but this is far from the only memorable line). I was laughing out loud multiple times while reading this, moved to laughter by the overweight Pantaloon's "ponderous yet curiously noiseless gait" and, crap, countless other lines that make me wish I'd read with a highlighter nearby so I could quote more than one of them in this review and elsewhere - I never do that (read w/ a highlighter next to me) but do wish I had in this case and will when I read future works by Sabatini. The comical nature of the book is also bolstered by Moreau's cynical, dry humor that I find appealing.

As for my highest praise for this piece, I can offer two examples. The first is that I will read more works by Sabatini (in fact I just received a copy of Captain Blood today). The second is, if asked by a random friend to recommend a single book I've read over, say, the last six months as an easy, entertaining (yet nonetheless thought provoking) read, my answer would come easily and immediately: Scaramouche.

Probably one of my favorite stories of all time, the book is far better than the hollywood version! First published in 1922, it was a national sensation and remains so popular it is republished about every 10 years or so.

The action commences in England, with the first failed attempt to wrench tyrannical King James II from the throne. Dr. Peter Blood is caught in the middle because he treats a soldier from the losing side. His death sentence is changed to transportation to the West Indies to be sold as a slave (this type of thing really happened as the Americas were often used as a dump of this sort as was later Australia).

There he meets the beautiful, kind and intelligent Arabella Bishop, the ward of Colonel Bishop, the island governer and as a disgusting a man as Peter Blood is good. Misunderstandings ensue and cannot be corrected when Blood and his compatriots escape and steal away in a ship to become pirates. But Peter and Arabella soon meet again under very different circumstances.

I've lost count of how many times I've read this book and I envy you if this will be your first time.

Captain Blood is a classic pirate romp, entertaining and with plenty of action.

Blood, the main character, helps the wrong guy, and earns the enmity of the authority types. He becomes a slave in the Carribean.

He finds a hot chick, and escape to become the pirate Captain Blood.

This book is great. Rafael Sabatini did really weaved a grand plot. The first chapter is a bit difficult to get through, but after that you are swept along in the ever moving story. You feel the tenseness of the some of the ship battles. You laugh at the wit, charm, and geniusness of Captain Blood in the most impossible odds. Rafael Sabatini knew how to use the english language in a way that keeps you interested. There is also a depthness in the way human emotions are described that sheds light on the human mind.
This is a book I will read again in the future.

I was really struck by how bad this book is, not for the writing style, wich is Romantic and enjoyable, but for Captain Blood himself. He is no hero. Weak, self-obsessed and totally inept at leadership. Blood leads his crew into danger based on nothing more than an absurd lust to a boy-faced woman will all the appeal of a stack of bricks. Blood came off as a teenager who had never been kissed. This book was weird...

I was assigned to read this book for my language arts class. I am in the 6th grade, but my reading level is about at the 5th grade level. My Mom and I both agree that this book is above the level of understanding and vocabulary for most middle school students. There are several other students in the class having difficulty with this book. My Mom has been reading the book aloud to me and I think that the plot is great and the charaters seem real. Quality stories like Captain Blood always give you a lot to think about! I would recommend reading this book.

The book is a melodrama. The first part consists of the main character wanting to marry a 17 year old girl but her brother objects. Lots of talking. Very little action. A duel is almost literally described as "in a few minutes it was over". The second part consists of a woman urging her husband to dislike the main character. Scene after seen of this.

If you just read the plot it reads like a swashbuckling adventure. But the book expands the drama scenes and barely mentions any action. It is well written if you like melodrama. The characters are not all that deep but they are well written and distinct.

I hate to be another person to write a glowing review of "The Sea Hawk," but I can't help myself. Sabatini is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books by him. It's the sweeping saga of an English gentleman's transformation into a Muslim pirate circa 1590, and its themes of family betrayal, religious revenge, and tormented love are worthy of a Verdi opera. Sir Oliver and Rosamond are familiar Sabatini character types, but I personally feel they have more depth and vitality here than, say, the leads in "Captain Blood."

"Hawk" does have a few problems though, shared by other books in the Sabatini canon. Like "Scaramouche," there's the slightly awkward three act structure. "Hawk" gets off to an exciting start, then bogs down a bit when it introduces the North African setting and the Muslim characters, and in Act 3 finally careens to a terrific and breathless finish. Also, as another reviewer pointed out, the Muslim characters, especially compared to their English counterparts, are not particularly convincing. In fact, their overly stilted and archaic dialogue bears an amusing resemblance to the historical speechifying satirized by Thackeray in his 1850 burlesque "Rebecca and Rowena." But all in all, these are minor complaints. "The Sea Hawk" is a ripping read by one of the 20th century's masters of historical fiction.

From beginning to end, "The Sea Hawk" is also irresistably cinematic, from the initial descriptions of Sir Oliver's mansion to the final shipboard embrace. However I don't expect that this will be remade into a movie any time soon, given today's political climate. I read this shortly after the Madrid bombings, and it was decidedly unsettling reading about a Western guy who converts to Islam and takes up a jihad against the wicked Spanish. Yes, times have certainly changed since "Hawk" was written in 1915. One wonders what Sabatini would make of John Walker Lindh...

"Captain Blood" is adventurism with lots of action and good character studies. "The Sea Hawk" is also adventure but with far less action and more fascinating character studies. Sabatini invents intriquing thought processes for the leading characters that lead to the unexpected . He is almost as good as Tolstoy in opening up heads. The translation is excellent as the words just flow making it difficult to put the book down.

I find it hard at times to pick up novels written a century ago or so, the language can be archaic, the pace a little slow... Not so this novel. It amazed me how quickly I could adapt to Sir Oliver and his world. The heroes were larger than life, the villains deliciously captivating. I found it incredibly hard to put down. It's just nice to read about a hero that stands for something, a person true to their beliefs. Purists would say Sabatini relies on coincidence to move his plot forward, but the world he creates makes it all believable. If you are hesitant about reading the prose of classic swashbuckling literature, read the first three chapters, I guarantee you'll be hooked ;)

Having recently read several modern novels by contemporary authors, I was transported by THE SEA-HAWK back in time to an earlier style of writing and a distinctly different use of language. How many books, for instance, have you read lately that use the verb "trepan" very frequently? Didn't think so.

Having found modern authors' use of language to be pretty bland and, in a few instances, actually to violate grammatical convention, I was thrilled to encounter Sabatini's 1915 novel with its beautiful, effective use of the language. For a lad born and educated in Europe, Sabatini wrote in English with a felicity that usually eludes native-born American writers, and, dare I say, quite a few British authors, too. Thinking of the modern American authors I have read lately, I can say with pleasure that reading Sabatini is like taking a fresh, invigorating intellectual shower and thoroughly ridding oneself of the superficial linguistic dust lingering from their various works.

Of course, there is far more to THE SEA-HAWK than its sparkling use of language. Sir Oliver, or, to use his Muslim name, Sakr-el-Bhar, is a complex character who responds to his changing fortunes as a real person who wishes to survive and even prosper, yet who retains his dignity in the face of undeserved adversities that could have easily crushed a lesser man. The plot is truly gripping, and the reader eagerly pursues the story to learn what will befall Sir Oliver next and whether he can somehow extricate himself from this new quandary and perhaps even turn the situation to his advantage.

All is believable. The settings in which the plot unfolds are exotic but realistic. Though he knows it is fiction, the reader can easily accept the reality of the setting, the characters, and the action. While certain fortuitous coincidences do occur from time to time, no miraculous escapes or incredible rescues are foisted upon the hapless reader. Nothing untoward jars him from his vicarious participation in this great adventure.

Enjoy THE SEA-HAWK for its wonderful use of language. Enjoy it for the variety and depth of its characters. Enjoy it as a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas. (One simply cannot write about Sabatini without using the word "swashbuckling" at least once.) Enjoy it for the reality of its settings and events. There are critics who say that THE SEA-HAWK does not reach quite the same degree of excellence as do some of Sabatini's other novels, such as CAPTAIN BLOOD and SCARAMOUCHE. However, I beg to disagree with them. If you have enjoyed any of Sabatini's other novels, do not hesitate to read this one, for it is equally enjoyable. If you are coming to Sabatini for the first time, you will find THE SEA-HAWK to be a fascinating introduction to his work, and you will be as motivated as I to follow it with several of his other novels. Once begun, Sabatini is habit-forming!

I was listening to Colonial Radio Theatre's production of Rafael Sabatini's CAPTAIN BLOOD when my brother's "Irish triplets" (2 girls & a boy) came to visit for a week. Upon hearing a few moments of CRT's production, they wanted... no, begged... for more ~ in my car whenever we drove anywhere and every night after teethbrushing, showers and books read, they pled for one last adventure. These are children of the "cable tv" generation, who recently "discovered" STAR WARS, so it was nice to expose them to some of the literature that formed the basis for adventures like STAR WARS, and in a way they don't often encounter, the audio play format. Since they are all emerging readers, I was happy to expose them to such engaging literature that requires something from them, listening skills and using their imaginations to form the "pictures in their heads." Such a swashbuckling adventure with moral integrity and only a couple of very mild language encounters of the "quarter in the swear-jar" variety (their phrase!) is a great way to rev up those facile imaginations, and let me tell you, our Lego pirates got quite a workout that week! Keep up the great work, CRT. Our kids need all the exposure to good literature they can get and this was perfectly timed for these kids. We'll be looking for more adventures in the future!
Oh, by the way, I loved it too!

I just finished this 6-disc set from CRT. Sabatini's story is great, with good plot and character development by the CRT. I have not read the original work so cannot comment on the script editing as compared to the book. However, this set does claim to be unabridged, so I assume it is a good reflection of Sabatini's original work. The sounds used throughout are exciting. The creaking of the ship on the seas, horses galloping, sword fights, cannon brigades, mob scenes, I thought were all well done. The sound engineer gets A+ for this one. The Director, on the other hand, and the CRT actors, frankly they get in the way of the story. The Director gets a C+ for trying and the actors, maybe a C+ for effort. Some acting is passable, for instance Captain Blood at times sounds sincere and reflects actual feelings. The supporting actors on the other hand could be described as flat, forced, dull, and at times even incomprehensible as they rush through the dialogue (it almost seemed as if the Director was standing by with a stopwatch in hand ...). The accents are really painful and it is difficult at times to understand whether the actor is attempting a French or Spanish accent. Really, it seems as if they grabbed someone off the street, shoved a manuscript in front of them and said, "read this quick and pretend you are Spanish/English/French." It was almost as if they were just mumbling through it in a rush in an attempt to get to the next coffee break as soon as possible. But, in the end, the story prevails and the sound effects are cool. I would recommend purchasing this cheaper version (no idea why there is a $90 version also listed - gold plated?). Its worth the cost and I'm sure the CRT will do better in future stories.

If I could only take 5 books to a desert island, Captain Blood would be one of them. CRT/Jerry Robbins has done a fabulous--utterly fabulous--job with this audio work. The music, the actors--everything is wonderful! I absolutely disagree with the reviewer who stated "lousy accents." Jerry Robbins has Blood done to a fine T. Blood is Irish and Robbins plays this role like a grand master. TO CRT: Please bring us more of the Blood novels...the sequels are just as grand and I wish you had more of your splendid work online in CD format for purchase. Go Colonial Radio Theatre! You are the best there is!

I've not had a chance to finish the set, but I've enjoyed it so far a great deal.

I bought this CD and before I had a chance to listen to it, I read another review which slammed it right down to the music. So, I listened to it with a bias, waiting for it to be horrible. It isn't. Not by a long shot. Not by a VERY long longshot. CAPTAIN BLOOD, as produced by the COlonial Radio Theatre is without question, one of the most spectacular action shows on CD! I am also a fan of the book, and these characters leaped off the pages and into my mind - with the help of a few thousand sound effects.

The production has the feel of a 1930's or 40's swashbuckler. The acting is great, and I am sorry, but the accents are just fine! Another reviewer was right - Errol Flynn didnt use an Irish accent either. And in the movie, Ross Alexander, Robert Barrett, Guy Kibbee, Olivia DeHavilland, NONE of them used ANY accents, while Basil Rathbone did an over the top cartoonish French accent - so, if someone is going to slam this major effort, slam the classic as well, because they did the same thing! I LOVE this CD. The battles rock the speakers - and the cannons booming terrifying.

One of the most breath-taking scenes in the whole show is the first time Blood and his crew set sail - the music and the sounds of the sails, and the rigging ... it's just magnificent. Other hilights that stayed with me - the capture of the Spanish ship, the battle of Cartagena, the incredible acid tongued dialog, a flogging scene that is so intense I found myself cringing - but that scene alone shows Blood turn on a dime. It is at that moment he realizes what he has to do.

The music score is, in a word - BEAUTIFUL. This score is worthy of Korngold, and has a sense of that style about it and is played by a full orchestra. This reminded me of the classic Warner Bros. scores from those grand epics. So, in the end, I think this is one of the best radio plays I've heard. I love it. It's magnificent. It's Captain Blood - coming to life before your very ears.

This is not one of Sabatini's better known novels nor is it quite as excellent as Captain Blood, Scaramouche, or Master at Arms. But if, like me, you love Sabatini, or if you are simply a fan of the historical swashbuckler, you will enjoy The Sword of Islam (1939). It has the same careful attention to historical detail, sparkling dialogue, humor, action, and surprising plot twists that once made the author a household name. The protagonist Prospero Adorno, a 16th-century Genovese naval condottiere serving under the great Admiral Andrea Doria, is not the typical cardboard hero rescuing a maiden in distress. In facing complex ethical crises that cause his name to be vilified and almost ruin his career, he grows morally and spiritually as a human being. Like Bellarion, another of Sabatini's heroes, Prospero wins by stratagem, rather than sheer guts and brawn alone. Even the villains are portrayed almost sympathetically as real human beings with real motivations. Throughout the novel Sabatini demonstrates his thorough mastery of the genre as well as his expert knowledge of Italian history. And leave it to an Italian to write so well in English! Sabatini had his potboilers, but this is not one of them. While not his best, it is still among his better novels.

An awesome book by a great author. It amazes me that this incredible story is out of print! It is one of the few books that shows Christians and Muslims on the same level, without playing the Arabs down. This historically correct story tells a tale of a Genuese captain in a fight against the Arab pirates of the mediterranean. He is torn between the loyaltyto his family, to his land, and to an oath to avenge his father death, inflicted on him by a fellow genuese, the best admiral of his time. The story is breathtaking and impossible to put down. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in history, in adventure and just in a good read.

The Sword of Islam is middle-of-the-road Sabatini--certainly not one of his worst, but nowhere near the heights of Scaramouche or The Sea-Hawk. Prospero Adorno is a leading naval mercenary in Renaissance Italy whose feud with Admiral Andrea Dorea and his family leads to all sorts of complications. Prospero realizes this may all stem from a misunderstanding, but other forces--including pressure from his own family for revenge--keep that misunderstanding from being cleared up.

The Sword of Islam is the Barbary corsair Dragut, mentioned in passing in The Sea-Hawk (written much earlier). He really doesn't come into play until late in the book, but his raids play a role in resolving the conflict between Prospero and Doria.

The other reviewer mentioned the respectful treament of followers of Islam in this book; that's true of many of Sabatini's works, in which the greater criticism is leveled at hypocritical Christians who don't live what they preach (though I've not read his book on Torquemada, it seems from his other novels that Sabatini was contemptuous of the Inquisition, and Captain Blood contains a passage or two on the problems of a "Christian country" punishing those who practice "Christian charity).

Recommended with three of five stars.

The title of this book is somewhat misleading. The scenery is not the Empire of the Caliphs, but Genoa at the times of Andrea Doria and the Emperor Charles V.
The story is a bit more romantic and it's pace a tick slower than an 'average Sabatini', still I think it is one of his best books.

A lot of the artwork here is reminiscent of your independent black and white style stuff, which, I suppose, is not too surprising in a case like this.

The text is of course what is supposed to feature.

The highlight would be the work on Zane Grey's Tigre.

The cartoon style on the Brigadier Gerard and Captain Blood stories is nifty, as well.

The twelfth volume in the "Adventure Classics" series of graphic novels and short story collections, the reader is treated to some of the finest adventure writing by some of the most talented authors, and adapted to the graphic novel format by illustrators and artists of matching caliber. The stories comprising this issue include: "In the Valley of the Sorceress" by Sax Rohmer, ill. by J. B. Bonivert; "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, ill. by Michael Manning; "Two Men Named Collins" by Damon Runyon, ill. by Noel Tuazon; "Tigre" by Zane Grey, ill. by Don Marquez; "Blood Money" by Rafael Sabatini, ill. by Kevin Atkinson; "The Stolen Story" by Johnston McCulley, ill. by Chris Pelletiere; "Gunga Din", by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Mary Fleener, and more. Thrilling tales of the past century brought to life in a wide variety of bold, black-and-white styles make Adventure Classics Volume 12 as exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors.

The mysterious desert. The high plains. The stormy seas. The dense jungles. These are the places where actions speak louder than words, where the sharp retort of a six-gun decides who is right and who is dead, and a blind tiger stalks with preternatural senses and determination. These are the settings for Adventure Tales, a genre of literature prominent in the 1900's, in which many of the finest authors of the period plied their trades.

In this, their 12th volume, Graphic Classics has assembled an anthology of some of the greatest adventure stories of the time, full of hot blood and cold nights, mystery and magic. These classic tales have been interpreted by a host of talented illustrators, lending their own unique insight into the authors original stories. This is their second anthology book, like Volume 10 "Horror Classics," combining many workers in the genre rather than focusing on a specific author.

Some of the best authors are on display here. Robert Louis Stevenson, author of "Treasure Island," Sax Rohmer, creator of Yellow Peril villain Fu Manchu, Alexander Dumas, creator of The Three Musketeers, renowned cowboy author Zane Grey, Damon Runyon, author of "The Idylls of Miss Sarah" which was adapted as the musical "Guys and Dolls," Rafael Sabatinin master of Pirate Tales and creator of Captain Blood, Johnston McCully creator of the swashbuckling Zorro, Sherlock Holme's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling, author of "The Jungle Books."

Finally, there is O. Henry, whom if it weren't for Graphics Classics, I might have known nothing more of than the sweet Christmas fable, "The Gift of the Magi," rather than met him as a scribbler of dark cowboy adventures.

This volume contains:

The Wind Blew Shrill and Sharp - A lusty sea poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. Skot Olsen provides an excellent and strong sailor to accompany the compelling verse.

In the Valley of the Sorceress - Egypt was a mysterious and magical place at the time, and Sax Rohmer weaves a web of desire and danger. An archaeologist attempts to open the hidden tomb of Sorceress Queen Hatasu, but finds his efforts daunted, and his soul beguiled by a beautiful Arab maiden. Illustrator JB Bonivert brings a unique and fanciful style to this classic adventure.

The Masked Ball - By Alexander Dumas. A short and dark tale of heartbreak and desire, accompanied by a hedonistic masked ball where people seek to drown their loneliness and hide their faces. Michael Manning provides a dark atmosphere, heavy with black spaces, as an appropriate accompaniment.

Tigre - The jungles of Mexico are the setting for this tale of lust and revenge. By Zane Grey, an old farmer is a master of wild animals, particularly his blind brutish tiger named Tigre. The only thing he can't tame is his young and pretty wife. Who stalks who in the dense jungle? A straight-forward but perfect comic book adaptation by Don Marquez, particularly of the lovely Senora.

The Shooting of Dan McGrew - A popular cowboy poem by Robert W. Service, adapted with humor and pathos by Hunt Emerson. A lonely miner, a dangerous gambler, and the lady that's known as Lou.

Two Men Named Collins - Damon Runyon gives us a sad and silently heroic of two soldiers who share the same name. On is lonely and ugly, one is popular and handsome. But the one holds the secret of the other, and nobility is not always what it seems. Illustrator Noel Tuazon does a spectacular adaptation of this tail, lending even more weight and atmospher to the yarn.

Blood Money - An adventure of Rafael Sabatinin's celebrated rouge Captain Blood. A straight-forward comic book adaptation by Kevin Atkinson, this is a clever celebration of the key to Captain Bloods success. Pure luck.

Gunga Din -Rudyard Kipling gives us a blood-rousing poem of an Indian water bearer and the Thuggee wars. The prose is amazing. "But when it comes to slaughter, you will do your work on water, an' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it." Great illustrations by Mary Fleener, this was the first time I had read this classic poem.

The Man without a Shadow - An Irish short story author, this is a companion piece to "A Day-Dream" which appears in "Horror Classics." A whimsical adaptation by Milton Knight of a clever tale.

The Mystery of the Semi-Detached - I always knew Edith Nesbit as the author of the children's tales "The Boxcar Children," but little did I know she had this tale of murder and ghosts in her. With excellent Victorianesque illustrations by Antonella Caputo.

The Stolen Story - Johnston McCully is best known for swashbuckling, but this tale of fictional theft is equally gripping. A man's dreams are met, although they turn into a nightmare. With appropriately grotesque illustrations by Chris Pelletiere.

The Crime of the Brigadier - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had many characters, one of them Brigadier Gerard, a teller of tall-tales and adventurer in Napoleon's army. This funny yarn is comically adapted by Nick Miller is a suiting style.

The Roads We Take - Another black tale of cowboys by O. Henry, a story of betrayal, and a man's true character. Outlaw Shark Dodson saw two roads ahead of him, both leading to the same ending. A bleak story, with a perfect adaptation by Pedro Lopez. So good I immediately read it again after finishing it.

Don't let the ugly cover put you off. Here again, Sabatini puts the Duke of Monmmoth's failed overthrow of King James II to good use. But this time the man of the hour is hopelessly in love with a woman who has refused his offer of marriage.

But Mr. Wilding seizes the opportunity to force her into accepting him to save her brother, a coward and drunk who challenged Wilding to a duel thinking the challange would not be accepted because Wilding would fear to anger his love and forever lose her.

Within an hour of their wedding the fireworks begin, both between husband and wife and the Duke and the King. I'd love to be able to read this for the first time again. Buy it with Captain Blood by the same author and you'll have a great weekend of reading.

Chronicling the fortunes of Anthony Wilding as he attempts to woo his lady and help the Duke of Monmouth in his uprising against King James, this book was an entertaining read. There's romance and adventure, intrigue and suspense. It was also interesting to have a story that kind of overlapped with the story of Captain Blood, who was wrongly condemned for involvement in the Monmouth uprising... for those of you who are ridiculously obsessed with Captain Blood, like myself : ) Overall, I'd recommend this though, if you can get your hands on it.

Although written in the 1920s, Sabatini's most prolific and successful decade during which he wrote many of his greatest novels, The Carolinian (1924) does not quite rise to the same level. A brilliant student of the Italian Renaissance and British history, the author shines in his other novels set in those earlier centuries. But here the author enters the world of American history and (at least from an American perspective) seems just a bit awkward and out of his element. On the whole, the book fails to sparkle or convince, drags and even falls a bit flat at points, lacking the clever dialogue, suspense and unending plot twists throughout that made Sabatini a household name. He does not seem to get the American dialect right (in fact, one wonders if he had even been there at all!). Much of the suspense is thwarted since the author reveals more to the reader than perhaps he should. The ending, however, is true Sabatini.

A romance of Old Charles Town during the American Revolution, The Carolinian is not short of magnolias and palmettos, but the issue of slavery is almost conspicuous by its absence. (This is odd, since Charleston was the main slave-trading port for the Colonies.) House slaves are merely referred to as "servants." Understandably, perhaps the author found slave-holding as inconsistent with swashbuckling heroism, and mentioning that his hero was a slave-owner might have reduced the readers sympathy.

Although a bit disappointed in this novel, as a voracious Sabatini reader, I still found The Carolinian worthwhile, despite the problems mentioned. It does delight at several points and, while I would not recommend it to first-time Sabatini readers, it should be on the reading list for fans of the author.

Another gem by Rafael Sabatini.

If you're not familiar with Sabatini's books, he was a prolific writer of adventure novels, some of the most famous being Captain Blood and Scaramouche. Although Sabatini was exceptionally popular in the early part of the 20th century, many of today's readers are not familiar with his works. That's a shame as few have ever matched his ability to tell a gripping tale. Since most of his work was historical fiction, it has aged exceptionally well.

Like the now more famous "The Princess Bride" , Sabatini's books almost always feature "Fighting, Torture, Swordfights, Betrayal, Chases, Escapes, and True Love." The Carolinian is no exception.

The Carolinian is a great read. The book is set at the start of the revolutionary war as a young wealthy planter in Charleston, South Carolina realizes that morality demands that he align himself with the Patriot cause. However by doing so, he will risk everything he holds dear-- especially the affections of his fiercly royalist fiance and prospective father-in-law. Adventure and Tempestuous romance ensues...

If you're a fan of adventure novels in the tradition of The Three Musketeers or The Princess Bride, you'll love this great introduction to the world of Rafael Sabatini.

If you're already a Sabatini fan and wondering if it's as good as Captain Blood-- well, I'm not sure if anything will ever be as good as Captain Blood, but The Carolinian is in the same spirit and is really, reallly, really good. You owe it to yourself to track down a copy.

The Black Swan (1932) is among the author's later works, not the best, but certainly among his better novels. Although perhaps more sophisticated and better written than his earlier and more popular works, The Black Swan also lacks much of the swashbuckling action and intricate plot twists that made Sabatini a household name in the 1920s. Oddly for a pirate novel, most of the story takes place on an isolated Caribbean isle, where the hero and villain try to outwit each other. The ending is a surprise, however, and there are no slow spots throughout. Sabatini is particularly good at bringing historical figures to life, and his portrait of Sir Henry Morgan, buccaneer turned colonial governor, is no exception. A recommended, easy and thoroughly enjoyable read.