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Rafael Sabatini

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Kveto from Prague
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Rafael Sabatini

Post by Kveto from Prague » Wed December 1st, 2010, 8:40 pm

havent read anything by him, but hes always looked interesting. It looks like hes cover a wide range of subject matters.

any experiences with his work?

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donroc
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Post by donroc » Wed December 1st, 2010, 11:42 pm

I read him in my teens -- enjoyed all I read and re-read:

Scaramouche, Captain Blood, the Black Swan to name a few -- all made into swashbuckler films. You can read some of his stories for freee on the site Full Books.
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Bodo the Apostate, a novel set during the reign of Louis the Pious and end of the Carolingian Empire.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZthhY6 ... annel_page

Ash
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Post by Ash » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 12:52 am

Is that the same Black Swan that's coming out as a film? I read Scaramouche decades ago, can't remember it very well.

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donroc
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Post by donroc » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 12:59 pm

The 1940 Black Swan starred Tyrone Power as a pirate. I have not heard anything about a remake. Cashing in on the P of the C craze?

Sabatini also wrote non-fiction and did a pretty good job on the Inquisition.
Image

Bodo the Apostate, a novel set during the reign of Louis the Pious and end of the Carolingian Empire.

http://www.donaldmichaelplatt.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZthhY6 ... annel_page

Ash
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Post by Ash » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 1:09 pm

Hee, no, apparently. The movie Black Swan is about two ballerina's competing for the same prize. A very dark Swan Lake.

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Ludmilla
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Post by Ludmilla » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 2:02 pm

Captain Blood and Scaramouche seem to be Sabatini's most enduring books. I think you can still find those in print (as well as in the public domain). I have a special fondness for his books set in Italy. I wrote about Bellarion in this thread. I also really enjoyed Love-at-Arms (which you can find at Gutenberg). The Marquis of Carabas (aka Master-at-Arms) is another that doesn't get much attention these days, but I thought it was quite good (takes place during the tumultuous days of Republican France). Minor historical figure, Comte de Puisaye, has an interesting supporting role in it.
Last edited by Ludmilla on Thu December 2nd, 2010, 2:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Misfit » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 2:07 pm

I read Scaramouche a few months ago. I did enjoy it, but not quite a four star read. My feeble brain doesn't recall why I didn't rate it higher though :p :o
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Post by Ludmilla » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 2:10 pm

Misfit, I would hazard to guess that the plot twist has been imitated so many times in bodice rippers and modern romances that came after Sabatini that it doesn't seem as fresh now.

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Post by Misfit » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 3:24 pm

[quote=""Ludmilla""]Misfit, I would hazard to guess that the plot twist has been imitated so many times in bodice rippers and modern romances that came after Sabatini that it doesn't seem as fresh now.[/quote]

I looked up my old review. Apparently I found the first part a bit sluggish and had issues with the use of old letters to move the story along.
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Kveto from Prague
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Post by Kveto from Prague » Thu December 2nd, 2010, 6:50 pm

[quote=""Ludmilla""]Captain Blood and Scaramouche seem to be Sabatini's most enduring books. I think you can still find those in print (as well as in the public domain). I have a special fondness for his books set in Italy. I wrote about Bellarion in this thread. I also really enjoyed Love-at-Arms (which you can find at Gutenberg). The Marquis of Carabas (aka Master-at-Arms) is another that doesn't get much attention these days, but I thought it was quite good (takes place during the tumultuous days of Republican France). Minor historical figure, Comte de Puisaye, has an interesting supporting role in it.[/quote]

thanks to all. i might give him a try. I might gravitate towards Italian settings as well. (he was English/Italian right?) but it looks like he has quite a catalouge to choose from. are his books more swashbucklish or serious?

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