Monaco: A Novel [Paperback]

Eric Robert Morse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 2008

In Monaco, 1937, life is ideal. Palm trees sway, celebrities shine, and the Grand Prix thrills spectators from around the world. With war on the continental horizon, billionaire auto tycoon, Jacques Tourangeau, looks to Dash Bradford, a visiting American businessman, to help him protect the regal principality's way of life. Hesitant to get involved, the young Bradford is drawn in irreversibly when he saves the life of Tourangeau's beautiful daughter, Margaux. The new couple seems destined for what the press increasingly lauds as the 'perfect romance,' but when Tourangeau Auto begins to compete with the dominant Germans, unexpected challenges threaten the happy ideal. 

In his debut novel, seasoned essayist Eric Robert Morse brings to life the warm allure of Monaco and the explosive world of golden-age auto racing through the eyes of a young dreamer striving for success against all odds. In an age of quick fixes and strained relationships, Morse offers a story of permanence and justice to show us that love, redemption, and even perfection are not only still possible but, ultimately, necessary for the good life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 612 pages
• Publisher: Code Publishing; 1 edition (May 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600202012
• ISBN-13: 978-1600202018
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,870,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eric Robert Morse is a writer, publisher, painter, illustrator, web programmer, philosopher, theologian, economist, and historian. His published works include a theory of political economy (Juggernaut), an historical fiction novel (Monaco), a book on the psychology of storytelling (The 90-Minute Effect), a pamphlet on love (Love Is Justice), a political philosophical dialogue in the style of Plato (Justice and Equality), and sociological sketch of the early 21st century (Amazement).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a Warm Summer Breeze, June 11, 2008

By 

Grace Leigh (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monaco (Hardcover)

Just like the French Riviera in the 1930s, the setting of this new and perfectly summery novel, Monaco is warm and breezy, lush and tropical, and full of celebrities, royalty, and dreamers, and author Morse brings them all brilliantly to life.

When Dash Bradford turns a brief business trip to Monaco into a more permanent stay in order to help auto parts tycoon Jacques Tourangeau put a car in the Grand Prix--and win the heart of Tourangeau's beautiful young daughter, Margaux--the idealistic American suddenly has everything he has ever dreamed of. But when Dash finds himself up against power-hungry Nazi Germany, he soon realizes that his dreams come with a very high cost, and that pursuing them may mean risking the loss of all he holds dear.

Featuring race scenes that pulsate with all the energy and excitement of a Grand Prix course; a whimsical, romantic, and heartbreakingly beautiful love story; and an exploration into the philosophical questions upon which man has dwelled throughout history, Monaco truly has something for everyone, and Morse brings it all together with skill. With careful attention to detail, he expertly conveys the vibrant coastal setting, the lavish parties, and the gripping Grand Prix races, and his engaging dialogue draws the reader into engaging discussions of faith, tradition, family, enterprise, art, justice, love, and much, much more.

Monaco has the retro feel of a vintage travel poster, the classic action of an old Hollywood film, and the soul of a Russian novel. At the heart of this book is the belief that perfection is possible, and that life and love are worth striving against all odds for. Romantic, hopeful, and full of energy, Monaco provides a welcome alternative to the bitterly discouraging works that tend to populate the contemporary fiction shelves.

Reading Monaco is like treating yourself to a breath of fresh, warm, life-affirming Rivieran air.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great historical fiction, September 16, 2008

By 

David Palomino "David Palomino" (La Jolla, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Monaco: A Novel (Paperback)

A great read in historical fiction based in 1937 Monaco. This is one of those books that gets better as it progresses. Very entertaining and fun to read, and yet thought-provoking. Morse does a wonderful job in presenting some deep philosophical issues throughout the book and artistically presents opposing sides through the main characters. If you want a good entertaining book with romance, energy, and intrigue, this book is for you. Within the context of the excitement and drama of 1937 Monaco and the Monaco Grand Prix, the reader is ultimately prompted to explore what makes us human.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Randy (Ottawa, Canada)

Vastly overrated., August 2, 2010

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monaco (Kindle Edition)

I can't help but believe that the three previous reviewers are all relatives of the author! But to each his own.

This book is a self indulgent mess. The author tries to impress with his command of a thesaurus and his tedious attempts at flowery prose.

The plot is entirely unbelievable as are incidents within and as are the, OH TOO PERFECT, characters. And their names! - Dash? (our hero), Dudley Doolittle? and the best - Vin de Sac? (translates to Bagged Wine). I would have thought the author was playing a joke if it weren't for all the pretentious dime store philosophy we had to endure - skip over- to finish this tome.

Oh, then there is the romance between Dash (hee hee) and Margaux. I have never read Harlequin Romances but this saccharine gag inducing tripe would fit right in. And it goes on forever, yuk.

Last, there is this bizarre fairy tale of how the world will look in 70-80 years from the 1937 setting ie today, that is dropped in out of the blue with no relevance to the story (and no relevance to today). Just weird.

The only reason I finished at all is that I am a Grand Prix fan and was interested in the take on that. As bad as the rest of it, totally unbelievable. Imagine ripping out a temperature gauge to solve an overheating problem but hey it worked for Dash , (chuckle).