It is 1536, and the expert swordsman, Jean Rombaud, has been brought over from France by Henry VIII to behead his wife, Anne Boleyn. But on the eve of her execution Rombaud swears a vow to the ill-fated queen - to bury her six-fingered hand, symbol of her rumoured witchery, at a sacred crossroads. Yet in a Europe ravaged by religious war, the hand of this infamous Protestant icon is so powerful a relic that many will kill for it...From a battle between slave galleys to a black mass in a dungeon, through the hallucinations of St Anthony's Fire to the fortress of an apocalyptic Messiah, Jean seeks to honour his vow.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
C.C. Humphreys was born in Toronto and grew up in Los Angeles and London. A third generation actor and writer on both sides of his family, he is married and lives on Salt Spring Island, Canada. www.cchumphreys.com
From AudioFile
The pursuit of Anne Boleyn's severed, six-fingered hand, a talisman with magic power, spurs the action in this historical romance, set in the days of Henry VIII. The various warriors, corrupt church fathers, Vikings, alchemists, comic sidekicks, and sullied noblemen vie for the prize between carefully orchestrated orgies, sea battles, enslavements, brawls, hangings, chases, and liaisons. An actor as well as writer, the author reads well enough, though for this reviewer's taste his repetitious cadences are annoying. Y.R. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
An original historical mystery but difficult to read,
By
This review is from: The French executioner (Loose Leaf)
It is the intention of C.C. Humphreys to write more of an adventure novel filled with "swashbuckling and derring-do" rather than a true historical novel. There is, nonetheless, much research that went into this epic work. However, the sheer size of the book weighs down the excessively lengthy plot.In 1536, Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, is to be beheaded. The King brings over from France a renowned executioner to do the job properly. Jean Rombard is the executioner. Anne, just prior to the execution asks one favor of Jean-- that her hand (the one with six fingers) is buried at a sacred crossroad in France. Jean agrees but an eyewitness, Archbishop Giancarlo Ciba, sees him cut off the hand and arranges that Jean be robbed and left for dead. Jean, remembering his oath to Anne, is determined to get back the hand and bury it at the sacred location. The rest of the book concerns his quest to fulfill that promise. C.C. Humphreys admirably attempts to write a novel reminiscent of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. However, in spite of his attempt to concentrate more on the entertaining side of the story, he seems to get bogged down in the historical detail. There are many parts of the book that will remain with the reader long after the book is closed-- such as the humanity and tragedy of Anne Boleyn's execution or the scenes aboard a warship in which the main characters are slaves relegated to rowing. The plot is multifaceted and quite complex. Yet, the story does not move smoothly enough through the many pages. The end result is a book that is overall difficult to read yet filled with impressively written episodes. It is, nonetheless, an original work.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Action-packed adventure with original plot,
By
This review is from: French Executioner (Paperback)
I was originally interested in this book because of my fascination with Anne Boleyn. The Anne Boleyn in this book is quite an intriguing character, even though she is technically dead for most of the novel. This is an exciting episodic novel, with the "heroic" characters much more interesting than the villians, who are rather one-dimensional. Be warned, though, there are many graphic and rather bloody scenes. If this were a movie, I'd have to turn away many times. I found it to be a fairly quick read, considering its length.
4.0 out of 5 stars
All For The Love Of The Six Fingered Hand,
By Suhainah (Malaysia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: French Executioner (Paperback)
`' Bury my six fingered hand...'' When the accursed second wife of Henry The Eighth spoke those words to her executioner Jean Rombaud, the Frenchman solemnly pledged that he would fulfill this royal request. Soon after he embarks on his quest, Jean finds himself locked in a gibbet cage while the Archbishop of Siena, Giancarlo Cibo and his trusted guard, Heinrich Von Solingen rides off with the Queen's hand. The gibbet keeper releases him with the promise that he would be Jean's partner in the expedition.. Along the way, Jean and Fugger are joined by a loyal and devoted Norseman, a stone throwing Beck whose secret identity would only be revealed when romance creeps in for the widowed Jean and the pleasant Muslim mercenary, Januc.. Their journey takes them to a life of slaves in the galley, a heart pounding escape through the public square in Siena in the middle of the chaotic Palio, to a village infested with St Antony's fire, to the midst of holy war in a German town, and culminates at a crossroads in Pont St Just, near Tours - as Jean Rombaud faces the man who stole not only from him, but from the revered and dead Queen of England. A thunderous and action- rich novel, Hollywood producers should take a look at this fine work of drama adventure and consider turning it into a movie- it would surely give blockbuster hits such as Kingdom of Heaven and Braveheart a run for their money. Author's prose was easy and smooth, allowing readers to enjoy each and every word like a sip of dark black coffee running through a red, sore throat. The descriptions of events were so vividly detailed that one is able to envision it in front of one's very eyes - every single act, every single spoken word, each flicker of the eye, the arc of a scimitar sword, the sharp heavy blade gliding through a neck- it is all opulently depicted that no disgruntled reader would turn the last page in frustration. - Suhainah Wahiduddin -
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