Customer Reviews

Sir Percy Hits Back

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Fleurette is a simple girl who delights in her fiancee, 'M'sieu Amédé', and her darling but eternally absent father Bibi. The revolution seems far away, until a neighboring aristocratic family is threatened. Suddenly, Fleurette is swept up in a power play which condemns her for a traitor.

With his innocent daughter inextricably trapped by the system he had helped to create, Armand Chauvelin must turn to his bitter enemy, the Scarlet Pimpernel . . .

Although I have not read very many of the sequels at this point (only four), this is by far my favorite. Orczy's Chauvelin is much more of a villain in the books than he has been in the films and the musicals. Sir Percy Hits Back is the first book, and perhaps the ONLY one, which allows Chauvelin to be a real, compassionate man with a personal life. His devotion to Fleurette is beautiful, and the novel really won my sympathy for a character who is often merely a dastardly and dangerous villain. One of the reasons I loved this book so much, was that it showed a completely different side of my favorite SP villain. Chauvelin is a man of many emotions and loves. Does he love Fleurette as much as the revolutionary cause? Baroness Orczy writes a story of a wonderful man unfortunately warped by obsession and revenge. It is only when the most precious person in his life is in danger, do we see a pitiful, scared side of a fabulously written villain. This book is highly recommended.

Chauvelin, the arch-enemy of the Scarlet Pimpernel is ruthless and merciless, but he does have a tender spot in his heart. He loves his daughter Fleurette more than anyone else in the world.
When he is speaking to her, he is almost another person. It is really touching to see how gentle and caring he is. Baroness Orczy describes Chauvelins love for Fleurtte as "pertained to that of a wild beast for its young." "If she was destined to perish, then it would be by his own hand, not as a spectacle for the rabble to gloat on." He loves her in a fierce way tigerish way, fitting to his character.
This book lets you have an insight in to Chauvelins earlier and family life. The audacious Sir Percy plays only a small part in this book, but a important one. Chauvelins's devotion to Fleurette is something you never thought existed in the man, whose heart you thought was made out of stone.

When Fleurette is condemed as a traitor to the country, and is sentenced to death by the same laws Chauvelin helped to make, he has to try to save her, or at least die with her. Only when he has suffered intense, mental anguish for weeks does he realize that he must turn to his bitter enemy for help; the Scarlet Pimpernel, the only one who can save his beloved child.

This is by far my favorite of the sequals to The Scarlet Pimpernel. It's a pity it's so hard to find. This is the best pimpernel book for any of you out there who, like me, are raving Chauvelin fans. Read it.

Well. I wouldn't've thought Chauvelin had a heart, judging by the other stories about SP. But then, there are always two sides to a coin, and this was a definate quirk.

So after trying and trying and trying (and failing) to capture the Pimpernel, he finally goes to him for help. Maybe he finally had to concede that there was only one person who could do so.

His humanity is rather touching, you know, with his devotion to Fleurette and all (I mean, really. When you go to your arch-enemy for help...), and all the way to the end, you're wondering if he was really all that evil to begin with.

This is definately my favorite of all of Orczy's books that I've read- I think that I've read most (8) of the Scarlet Pimpernel series, and this is the one that I keep coming back to reread. It is one of the most amusing and gives more information on Chauvelin than all of the other books combined. Yes, I'll admit it, I'm a Chauvelin fan! I love learning more about him!

I suppose I should say from the start that I am a fanatic Chauvelin fan, and that is probably the reason why I love this book. It is the only one of the Pimpernel series which I have read more than once. It's really the only one in which you get to see the human side of Chauvelin. There is one line in particular, when Percy, having heard the unnamed Chauvelin discribed by a suitor to Fleurette, remarks on what a fine man it must have taken to win the devotion of such a daughter. All you other Chauvelin fans should read it too. Actually, the people who hate him should also read it and remodel your image a little.

if you want Sir Percy and Lady Blakeney love, read this book. It recaptures the danger and romance of the first novel and shows a bit of Chauvlin's human side.

The Scarlet Pimpernel series is a must read. Many people do not know that there are other books in the series besides the well known Scarlet Pimpernel. Sir Percy Hits Back is a great read for those of us waiting for a certain nemesis to get his just rewards. Great read and a must read for Sir Percy fans.

The goings on in Sir Percy Hits Back are a little bit different to the rest. Chauvelin features as a major character in a different way.

His daughter, Fleurette, is involved in an incident that brings her under suspicion of the committee. He realises that with the zealousness shown so far, and the number of innocent people murdered that she is likely doomed, even if he can try and sway the court.

There is not much hope that she can be saved, unless he turns to his bitter enemy, The Scarlet Pimpernel.