Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best historical novels ever written., October 24, 2002
This is the first (and probably, the best) in Druon's excellent series, Les Rois Maudits (The Accursed Kings), dealing with the demise of the Kapetian dynasty and the beginning of the 100-year War. The legend has it that after King Philippe the Fair (Philippe Le Beau) disbanded (and destroyed) the Order of the Templars, their Master, Jacques Molais, cursed Philippe and his seed as he was burned at the stake. At the time of the curse, Philippe was in great health and had three grown sons. Less than a quarter of a century later, the Kapetians ceded the throne to their cousins Valois--for the lack of male issue to take up the throne and the inability of female issue to do so (prior to Philippe's death, a woman could techincally rule France). What happened? That is precisely the subject of Les Rois Maudits--and the first book deals with the family from the last months of Philippe's reign and until the ascention of his oldest son, Louis X. I read this book in one day. I was awed by the characters, particularly Philippe and his gorgeous daughter Isabelle, Queen of England (remember Braveheart--the pretty French princess?), and of course, Robert D'Artois and his evil cousin Magot. The only problem with it is that it definitely leaves you hanging in the end, simply making you go and read the second book--the Prisoner of Chateau Gayard. I would highly recommend it--it is gripping, well-written, historically accurate.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It is a vivid and brilliantly written historical novel., July 1, 1998
By A Customer
If you are looking for a book that would be rewarding to read in the original French, you could not do better than "Le Roi de Fer," first in a 7-volume sequence, "Les Rois Maudits," or "The Accursed Kings." Read it in translation if necessary. Philip the Fair, no pretty boy but a strong monarch, stamps out the Knights Templars and is cursed by DeMolay (their chief) when he burns him at the stake. The curse seems to be working, as poisoning, strangling, the forced election of a Pope, and the beginnings of the Hundred Years' War are described in one dramatic scene after another. Sex is handled far more adroitly than in most historical novels; Nevin's "1812" seems almost crude by comparison. We get the flavor of fourteenth-century life, but subtly, not forced down our throats. Continuity is achieved when characters reappear after absence. They make difficult decisions, with ironic consequences.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read!, August 9, 2005
Thumbs up! Six stars! Sure this series ranks as one of the best (perhaps the best) historical novels I have read. From the first book to the seventh one, it is impossible to stop reading. The books are historically accurate and M. Druon depicts the events in the most amazing and gripping way. Read the whole series (seven books).
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