Fortune's Fool - Sabatini, Rafael

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Résumé :
At first he had protested against the extravagance of the entertainment. But his protests had been laughed aside with good-humoured scorn. His hostess knew a gentleman when she saw one, he was assured, and knew how a gentleman should be entertained. Unsuspicious of the designs upon him, he never dreamed that the heavy debt he was incurring was one of the coils employed by this cunning huntress in which to bind him. -from Chapter 1: The Hostess of the Paul's Head Often spoken of in the same breath as Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexandre Dumas, Rafael Sabatini wrote thrilling tales of swashbuckling derring-do that were tremendous bestsellers in his day and have delighted generations of readers since. This 1922 novel, set in Reformation-era England, follows the misfortunes and misadventures of Randal Holles, a former soldier adrift without a war to fight... though the one threatening to erupt with Holland may be his grim salvation. Replete with intrigue, kidnapping, regicide, and plague, this is a captivating must-read for fans of adventure fiction. Novelist RAFAEL SABATINI (1875-1950) was born in Italy but traveled extensively throughout Europe as a child and eventually settled in England. His best-known works are The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), and Captain Blood (1922).

Biographie:
Rafael Sabatini (1875 - 1950) was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages. By the time he was seventeen, he was the master of five languages. He quickly added a sixth language - English - to his linguistic collection. After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. He consciously chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, all the best stories are written in English.

Sommaire:
Rafael Sabatini (1875-1950) was an Italian-English author best known for his swashbuckling historical novels filled with adventure, romance, and intrigue. Born in Jesi, Italy, to an Italian father and an English mother-both opera singers-Sabatini was raised in a multilingual environment, becoming fluent in several languages. This diverse cultural background influenced his literary style, marked by a blend of English wit and Italian passion. Sabatini began his writing career in the late 19th century, initially producing short stories before gaining widespread recognition with his novels. His most famous works include Scaramouche (1921), Captain Blood (1922), and The Sea-Hawk (1915), all of which were adapted into successful films. These novels are characterized by their vivid historical settings, complex characters, and fast-paced plots. Sabatini's works often explore themes of honor, loyalty, and the conflict between personal desires and larger societal forces. His protagonists are typically dashing, morally complex heroes who navigate turbulent political landscapes with a blend of cunning and courage. Despite his success, Sabatini lived a relatively private life, dedicating himself to writing until his death in 1950. His legacy endures as one of the great storytellers of historical fiction....