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Product Description
When her uncle commands the young Valentina to marry the Duke of Babbiano she flatly refuses and steals away to her own estate, Roccaleone, the most impenetrable fortress in Italy, to defend at arms her right to choose her own destiny. Desperate for an alliance with her uncle, the Duke vows to take her by force. The Count of Aquila, intrigued by her sheer audacity, goes to Roccaleone and finds her behind fortress walls with a rag-tag group of mercenaries and traitors. Their armory is stocked with wine instead of arms. If Valentina is to succeed, the Count must win the loyalty of her men and use his wit against the Duke and his army.
Customer Review: One of the best of Sabatini's early works.
Even within his lifetime Sabatini was criticized by the literati for his stilted prose and melodramatic plots. The general public, however, paid little attention to the critics and soon made the author a household name. As a writer, however, Sabatini matured as he grew older; his prose grew more sophisticated and his plots more intricate. As a result he became somewhat abashed over the works of his "literary nonage."
Having been forewarned that his early novels lack both the polish and sparkle of his later works, I approached Love-at-Arms (1907) with a charitable mind. I was surprised, however, to find it much more polished and sophisticated than I imagined. His somewhat stilted prose suits well his subject matter, and even makes it a bit of a romp. The plot is tight and well-constructed, replete with those Sabatiniesque twists and turns.
In short, while it cannot be compared to later works of the author at his height, Love-at-Arms is still an enjoyable read, and fans of the author will find much to delight in.
Customer Review: Almost a self-parody
I've tried to read this early Sabatini novel twice, but couldn't tolerate it. Sabatini is always perilously close to a parody of pompous pseudo-archaic style, but his charm is that he usually avoids it, even in his earlier works. In _Love-at-Arms_, however, he seems to be trying to be over the top; I'm afraid I had to give up at "But when presently he came nearer and looked with more intentness" in chapter five.
Customer Review: Sabatini romance and intrigue
This is another great Rafael Sabatini book. Full of romance, witty dialog, clever plot and thrilling adventure. If you've never read Sabatini before, try some of his stories.
Book Categories:
Books / Subjects / Literature & Fiction / Contemporary
Books / Refinements / Binding (binding) / Paperback
Books / Refinements / Format (feature_browse-bin) / Printed Books
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