The Brethren - (Pushkin Press Classics) by Robert Merle (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A stunning new edition of the first novel in worldwide, bestselling historical fiction epic, filled with war, romance, and adventure in 16th-century France.

"A master of the historical novel." - The Guardian

The Périgord of 16th century France (the modern-day Dordogne) is a wild region on the edge of the reaches of royal authority. Its steep, forested valleys are roamed by bands of brigands and travelers. The region's communities are now divided in bitter conflict between Catholics and converts to the new Protestant faith, the Huguenots.

To this beautiful but dangerous country come two worn veterans of the French king's wars, Jean de Siorac and Jean de Sauveterre, together known as The Brethren. They are 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. Enemies are on all sides, invisible. Religious tensions are mounting and a hideous civil war looms on the horizon. The horrors of 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 a lusty, exhilarating blend of adventure and romance set against the backdrop of France during England's Tudor period. This is the novel that catapulted Robert Merle to fame and started what would become the bestselling, 13-volume Fortunes of France series.

Review Quotes

"There is a philosophical depth to the novel. . . one of the strengths of Merle's novels [is] his ability to evoke the feeling and texture of everyday life as well as high politics. . . [The Brethren] has a credibly human solidity, and whets one's appetite for the next volume, "City of Wisdom and Blood," which will be published in the fall." -- The Wall Street Journal

"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. . . If there is a pattern to the narration--a dependable vacillation between personal exploit and public machination--the chronicle is also seductively contorted, with adventures sowed into other adventures. . . Pierre, then, is the human demilitarized zone separating his mother and father. His voice can be self-congratulatory though also generous and gently philosophical, reminiscent at moments of Merle's colleague Sartre. . . Feudal life can hardly seem more vivid than when Merle leaves the religious war to describe, through a smart translation by T. Jefferson Kline, a soul-strengthening day of haymaking or the swagger of a barrel-chested wet nurse with 'milk for sale.' Merle the English teacher repeatedly bows to Shakespeare. . . [The Brethren] is wise and audacious, constantly nudging up against the extraordinary." -- The New York Times Book Review

"The compelling first in a series of French historical novels, deftly translated and published for the first time in English. Château Mespech is a fiefdom relentlessly imperiled by the weather, Gypsy bandits, royal and religious duplicity, and the plague . . . Merle peoples his tale with memorable characters: villains, maids, legionnaires and townsfolk . . . Merle's is a French epic, more genteel than Dickens' poor-child English tales and less doleful than Tolstoy's Russian sagas." -- Kirkus Reviews

"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

About the Author

Robert Merle (1908-2004) was born in French Algeria, before moving to mainland France in 1918. Originally an English teacher, Merle served as an interpreter with British Expeditionary Force during the Second World War, and was captured by the German army at Dunkirk, the experience of which served as the basis for his Goncourt-prize-winning Weekend at Zuydocoote. He published the 13 volumes of his hugely popular Fortunes of France series over four decades, from 1977 to 2003, the final volume appearing just a year before his death of a heart attack in 2004.

T. Jefferson Kline is professor emeritus of French at Boston University. He is editor of Agnès Varda: Interviews and coeditor of Bertrand Tavernier: Interviews and Bernardo Bertolucci: Interviews, all published by University Press of Mississippi. His translations of the first three volumes of Robert Merle's Fortunes of France series are all available from Pushkin Press.