Love-at-Arms (Dodo Press) (Paperback)

~ Rafael Sabatini (Author) "From the valley, borne aloft on the wings of the evening breeze, rose faintly the tolling of an Angelus bell, and in a goat-herd's hut..." (more)
Key Phrases: armoury tower, wounded knight, gold florins, Gian Maria, Monna Valentina, Count of Aquila (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A splendid romance...The whole thing is so spirited, so full of the air of romance, so delightfully touched with flashes of wit and humour that it reaps into a high place among the tales of knightly doings and damsels in distress'- Daily Telegraph --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

Rafael Sabatini (1875 - 1950) was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages. By the time he was seventeen, he was the master of five languages. He quickly added a sixth language - English - to his linguistic collection. After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. He consciously chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, "all the best stories are written in English." In all, he produced thirty one novels, eight short story collections, six nonfiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. He is best known for his world-wide bestsellers: The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), Captain Blood (1922) and Bellarion the Fortunate (1926). Other famous works by Sabatini are The Lion's Skin (1911), The Strolling Saint (1913) and The Snare (1917).

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Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Dodo Press (June 29, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1406542660
• ISBN-13: 978-1406542660
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,584,139 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One of the best of Sabatini's early works., March 10, 2008

By	volodyovsky "volodyovsky" - See all my reviews

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.

2.0 out of 5 stars Almost a self-parody, December 29, 2007

By	Flash Sheridan (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sabatini romance and intrigue, September 25, 2007

By	Vic (Issaquah, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love At Arms (Paperback)

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.