Book Description
A masterpiece of historical Þction—and a ferociously gripping adventure tale. Oliver Tressilian, a Cornish gentleman who helped defeat the Spanish Armada, is betrayed by his half-brother, throwing him into circumstances where he becomes a Barbary pirate and a follower of Islam. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A melodrama, not a swashbuckling adventure
The book is a melodrama.The first part consists of the main character wanting to marry a 17 year old girl but her brother objects.Lots of talking.Very little action.A duel is almost literally described as "in a few minutes it was over".The second part consists of a woman urging her husband to dislike the main character.Scene after seen of this.

If you just read the plot it reads like a swashbuckling adventure.But the book expands the drama scenes and barely mentions any action.It is well written if you like melodrama.The characters are not all that deep but they are well written and distinct.

Escape Into Fascinating Characters
"Captain Blood" is adventurism with lots of action and good character studies."The Sea Hawk" is also adventure but with far less action and more fascinating character studies.Sabatini invents intriquing thought processes for the leading characters that lead to the unexpected .He is almost as good as Tolstoy in opening up heads.The translation is excellent as the words just flow making it difficult to put the book down.

Action from cover to cover
I find it hard at times to pick up novels written a century ago or so, the language can be archaic, the pace a little slow... Not so this novel. It amazed me how quickly I could adapt to Sir Oliver and his world. The heroes were larger than life, the villains deliciously captivating. I found it incredibly hard to put down. It's just nice to read about a hero that stands for something, a person true to their beliefs. Purists would say Sabatini relies on coincidence to move his plot forward, but the world he creates makes it all believable. If you are hesitant about reading the prose of classic swashbuckling literature, read the first three chapters, I guarantee you'll be hooked ;)

No Superficial Linguistic Dust Here
Having recently read several modern novels by contemporary authors, I was transported by THE SEA-HAWK back in time to an earlier style of writing and a distinctly different use of language.How many books, for instance, have you read lately that use the verb "trepan" very frequently?Didn't think so.

Having found modern authors' use of language to be pretty bland and, in a few instances, actually to violate grammatical convention, I was thrilled to encounter Sabatini's 1915 novel with its beautiful, effective use of the language.For a lad born and educated in Europe, Sabatini wrote in English with a felicity that usually eludes native-born American writers, and, dare I say, quite a few British authors, too.Thinking of the modern American authors I have read lately, I can say with pleasure that reading Sabatini is like taking a fresh, invigorating intellectual shower and thoroughly ridding oneself of the superficial linguistic dust lingering from their various works.

Of course, there is far more to THE SEA-HAWK than its sparkling use of language.Sir Oliver, or, to use his Muslim name, Sakr-el-Bhar, is a complex character who responds to his changing fortunes as a real person who wishes to survive and even prosper, yet who retains his dignity in the face of undeserved adversities that could have easily crushed a lesser man. The plot is truly gripping, and the reader eagerly pursues the story to learn what will befall Sir Oliver next and whether he can somehow extricate himself from this new quandary and perhaps even turn the situation to his advantage.

All is believable.The settings in which the plot unfolds are exotic but realistic.Though he knows it is fiction, the reader can easily accept the reality of the setting, the characters, and the action. While certain fortuitous coincidences do occur from time to time, no miraculous escapes or incredible rescues are foisted upon the hapless reader.Nothing untoward jars him from his vicarious participation in this great adventure.

Enjoy THE SEA-HAWK for its wonderful use of language. Enjoy it for the variety and depth of its characters.Enjoy it as a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas.(One simply cannot write about Sabatini without using the word "swashbuckling" at least once.)Enjoy it for the reality of its settings and events.There are critics who say that THE SEA-HAWK does not reach quite the same degree of excellence as do some of Sabatini's other novels, such as CAPTAIN BLOOD and SCARAMOUCHE.However, I beg to disagree with them.If you have enjoyed any of Sabatini's other novels, do not hesitate to read this one, for it is equally enjoyable.If you are coming to Sabatini for the first time, you will find THE SEA-HAWK to be a fascinating introduction to his work, and you will be as motivated as I to follow it with several of his other novels.Once begun, Sabatini is habit-forming!

Marvelous
I hate to be another person to write a glowing review of "The Sea Hawk," but I can't help myself. Sabatini is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books by him. It's the sweeping saga of an English gentleman's transformation into a Muslim pirate circa 1590, and its themes of family betrayal, religious revenge, and tormented love are worthy of a Verdi opera.Sir Oliver and Rosamond are familiar Sabatini character types, but I personally feel they have more depth and vitality here than, say, the leads in "Captain Blood."

"Hawk" does have a few problems though, shared by other books in the Sabatini canon.Like "Scaramouche," there's the slightly awkward three act structure."Hawk" gets off to an exciting start, then bogs down a bit when it introduces the North African setting and the Muslim characters, and in Act 3 finally careens to a terrific and breathless finish.Also, as another reviewer pointed out, the Muslim characters, especially compared to their English counterparts, are not particularly convincing.In fact, their overly stilted and archaic dialogue bears an amusing resemblance to the historical speechifying satirized by Thackeray in his 1850 burlesque "Rebecca and Rowena."But all in all, these are minor complaints."The Sea Hawk" is a ripping read by one of the 20th century's masters of historical fiction.

From beginning to end, "The Sea Hawk" is also irresistably cinematic, from the initial descriptions of Sir Oliver's mansion to the final shipboard embrace.However I don't expect that this will be remade into a movie any time soon, given today's political climate.I read this shortly after the Madrid bombings, and it was decidedly unsettling reading about a Western guy who converts to Islam and takes up a jihad against the wicked Spanish.Yes, times have certainly changed since "Hawk" was written in 1915.One wonders what Sabatini would make of John Walker Lindh... ... Read more

Book Description
At first he had protested against the extravagance of the entertainment. But his protests had been laughed aside with good-humoured scorn. His hostess knew a gentleman when she saw one, he was assured, and knew how a gentleman should be entertained. Unsuspicious of the designs upon him, he never dreamed that the heavy debt he was incurring was one of the coils employed by this cunning huntress in which to bind him. -from "Chapter 1: The Hostess of the Paul's Head"Often spoken of in the same breath as Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexandre Dumas, Rafael Sabatini wrote thrilling tales of swashbuckling derring-do that were tremendous bestsellers in his day and have delighted generations of readers since. This 1922 novel, set in Reformation-era England, follows the misfortunes and misadventures of Randal Holles, a former soldier adrift without a war to fight... though the one threatening to erupt with Holland may be his grim salvation. Replete with intrigue, kidnapping, regicide, and plague, this is a captivating must-read for fans of adventure fiction.Novelist RAFAEL SABATINI (1875-1950) was born in Italy but traveled extensively throughout Europe as a child and eventually settled in England. His best-known works are The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), and Captain Blood (1922). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

For lovers of historical romance.
Although not the best, Fortune's Fool (1922) might be ranked among the author's better novels (of which, fortunately, there are many). A real page-turner, the plot is tight and engrossing, swiftly pulling the reader through Sabatini's typical labyrinthine twists and turns.The characters are human and believable-- the author was especially adept at bringing historical figures and events to life. Fortune's Fool lacks much of the swashbuckling action that made Sabatini a household name over 80 years ago (there are no sea battles and little swordplay), but it is surely among his most romantic novels. Set in plague-stricken Restoration London (1665), the novel traces the story of a down-at-heels soldier of fortune Col. Holles and the beautiful actress Sylvia Farquharson, who find themselves inexorably caught in a web of aristocratic intrigue. In every way the author shows himself to be a master of the genre, with sparkling dialogue, realistic description and period settings. The highly romantic denouement might be a bit over the top, even for some Sabatini fans, but the rest of the book still crackles with wit and excitement. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1685, Irish physician Peter Blood is happily settled in a small English town when the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth interrupts. After saving the life of a wounded nobleman who turns out to be a rebel, Blood is charged with treason and sentenced to ten years as an indentured slave in the Caribbean colonies.

On the islands, Blood is recognized for his knowledge as a physician, and thus he develops a romance with a young lady. But their attachment is ill-fated, as her father is the owner of Blood’s servitude. When Spaniards attack the colony, Blood and his fellow convicts take advantage of their victory celebration to steal their ship, sailing off to become the boldest and most fearless pirates on the Spanish Main.Download Description
Short Description: Peter Blood, an Irish physician and soldier in England in the 1680's, is wrongly convicted of treason and sentenced to indentured slavery in the Caribbean. He escapes and becomes the most feared pirate captain on the Spanish Main, but all the glory of his adventures cannot help him, for the woman he loves cannot love a "thief and pirate." Even when he destroys England's enemies, even at his most triumphant...but wait! What's that... Long Description: Peter Blood, an Irish physician and former soldier is happily settled, in the 1680's, as the doctor in an English town, when the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth catches him by accident. He saves a man's life, as a doctor must try to do, but the man is a rebel and the hanging Judge Jeffreys sentences him to ten years as an indentured slave in the Caribbean colonies. Once there, his knowledge as a physician is recognized, and thus he meets and falls in love with the daughter of the man who own his servitude; not likely to be a successful love story! A Spanish ship attacks the town, and while the Spaniards celebrate their victory he boldly steals their ship, and he and his fellow convicts sail off to become the boldest and most fearless of pirates among the islands and on the Spanish Main. But all the glory of his adventures cannot help him, for the woman he loves cannot love a "thief and pirate." Even when he destroys England's enemies, even at his most triumphant...but wait! Is that... The classic novel of adventure and romance, and one of Sabatini's best. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Free SF Reader
Captain Blood is a classic pirate romp, entertaining and with plenty of action.

Blood, the main character, helps the wrong guy, and earns the enmity of the authority types.He becomes a slave in the Carribean.

He finds a hot chick, and escape to become the pirate Captain Blood.

This has become one of my favorite books!
This book is great. Rafael Sabatini did really weaved a grand plot. The first chapter is a bit difficult to get through, but after that you are swept along in the ever moving story. You feel the tenseness of the some of the ship battles. You laugh at the wit, charm, and geniusness of Captain Blood in the most impossible odds. Rafael Sabatini knew how to use the english language in a way that keeps you interested. There is also a depthness in the way human emotions are described that sheds light on the human mind.
This is a book I will read again in the future.

Captain Blood is a great book
I was assigned to read this book for my language arts class.I am in the 6th grade, but my reading level is about at the 5th grade level.My Mom and I both agree that this book is above the level of understanding and vocabulary for most middle school students.There are several other students in the class having difficulty with this book.My Mom has been reading the book aloud to me and I think that the plot is great and the charaters seem real.Quality stories like Captain Blood always give you a lot to think about!I would recommend reading this book.

Great Swashbuckler
Our hero encounters tyranny, injustice, slavery, cruelty, rapine, vengeance, piracy, war, treachery and towering over them all... romantic love at a distance.His superior morality and quick wit allow him to conquer all.Reads fast and is great escapist fun!

Leave This World Behind...
Remember when you were a kid and first discovered the time machine-like power of a book to transport you to distant centuries and places?Remember the hours you spent gloriously lost in its magical pages?Well yes, you CAN go home again and will when you enter the world of Rafael Sabatini, a historical fiction writer's writer if ever there was one.

CAPTAIN BLOOD is old-school adventure with a modern sensibility.By that I mean, Sabatini understands that romantic swashbuckling heroes must be realistic, too, and that his plot and fiction must be leavened with the truth of history for it to come off just right.In reading this book, then, you will learn something about the useful role of piracy and buccaneering in the Caribbean during the 17th century.No mere pawns on an oceanic chessboard, these pirates and privateers were players of substance in the war games and skirmishes between the nautical heavyweights of those days -- England, France, and Spain.

In addition to a completely engaging hero and a plot even short-attention spanned young readers can embrace, CAPTAIN BLOOD offers outstanding characterization and insight into mankind's cupidity, ambition, and thirst for power.Sabatini shows the so-called "respectable"nobles of the European countries to be every bit as bloodthirsty and criminal as the pirates they hunt down and despise, and CAPTAIN BLOOD is the perfect vehicle with which to do it.

If you haven't tried Sabatini, you're denying yourself.This is the book!Watch a common man of uncommon ability and charisma match wits and strength, guile and subterfuge, and words of love and hate with nefarious admirals, despicable villains, a bold and beautiful woman, and high-placed European snobs all in the accurately-rendered setting of the sunny Caribbean.It'll make you feel young again (even if you're only 12), I promise! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sabatini meets the Inquisition!
This is not one of Sabatini's better known novels nor is it in the same class as Captain Blood, Scaramouche, or Master at Arms.But if, like me, you love Sabatini, or if you are simply a fan of the historical swashbuckler, you will enjoy The Hounds of God (1928).It has the same careful attention to historical detail, sparkling dialogue, humor, action, and surprising plot twists that once made the author a household name.The protagonists, young naval hero Gervase Crosby and fiercely independent Lady Margaret Trevanion, are caught up in the groundswell of events surrounding the failed invasion of England by the Spanish Armada.Abducted and brought to Spain by shipwrecked grandee Don Pedro, both Margaret and her abductor, much to their surprise, both become grist for the mill of the notorious Inquisition. The author's portrayal of Elizabeth I is comic but pitch-perfect. Like many of Sabatini's villains, the urbane Don Pedro is a sympathetic and thoroughly human character, swept up by his own lust and emotions.Even the Dominican inquisitors are portrayed as deeply zealous and well-meaning, though purblind, creatures--which is what makes them so frightening and real, for their aseptic deliberations lead them to the most appalling conclusions and wicked acts. Perhaps the novel's greatest strength is in demonstrating so realistically how human beings can be led to such inhumanity by a fanatical devotion to the Truth.Sabatini was certainly capable of writing a potboiler or two, but I would not class this one among them. Although not his best, the novel is tight, well-written and suspenseful, with often fascinating insights into historical events and characters. ... Read more

Book Description
*Download Description
He whom they called the Tavern Knight laughed an evil laugh - such a laugh as might fall from the lips of Satan in a sardonic moment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Flawed second novel
Set during the English Civil War, this novel lacks the craftsmanship of both Sabatini's first novel and of his mature works.The setup (treachery, revenge, and an unsurprising surprise revelation) has the potential for classic Sabatini treatment, but from that point on the plot collapses.The main dramatic interest from that point on is how Sabatini will get himself out of the corner he's painted himself into.Minor spoiler warning:He doesn't.The ending, driven by coincidence (as is not uncommon in Sabatini) fails to satisfy the reader, and is completely unsatisfactory by Sabatini's later standards.

Well written
The Tavern Knight is a classic adventure story well written from the first to the last page. Rafael Sabatini has written better books but I can find no fault with this one.
If you're already familiar with Sabatini - just read it. If you are not, I'd recommend reading one of his more popular books such as 'Scaramouche' first. ... Read more

Product Description
Graphic Classics: Rafael Sabatini features the origin of Sabatini's famed gentleman pirate "Captain Blood", adapted by Rod Lott and Carlo Vergara. Also, a great selection of mysteries and adventure tales illustrated by Stanley Shaw, Rich Tommaso, Roger Langridge, Jackie Smith, Milton Knight, Gerry Alanguilan and Hunt Emerson. With a comics bio of Sabatini by Mort Castle, and cover depiction of Captain Blood by Joel F. Naprstek. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Recommended as an introduction to Sabatini's timeless tales of high adventure
The thirteenth volume in a series of impressive graphic novel anthologies drawn from classic stories and illustrated by various artists, Graphic Classics: Rafael Sabatini is a black-and-white compilation of tales of pirates, princesses, love, murder, hypnotism, extortion, and much more. The stories and their illustrators are "Captain Blood" by Carlo Vergara, "The Dream" by Rich Tommaso, "The Plague of Ghosts" by Gerry Alanguilan, "The Fool's Love Story" by Milton Knight, "The Spiritualist" by Roger Langridge, "The Valet Mystery" by Stanley Shaw, "The Risen Dead" by Jackie Smith, and a comic biography of Rafael Sabatini written by Mort Castle and illustrated by Kevin Atkinson. An eclectic range of tales with a common theme of excitement and intrigue, Graphic Classics: Rafael Sabatini is recommended as an introduction to Sabatini's timeless tales of high adventure.

Captain Blood and the Plague of Ghosts
I knew next to nothing about Rafael Sabatini before I picked up this latest volume of Graphic Classics.I always did love a good swashbuckler though, and I figured the creator of Captain Blood and Scaramouche was worth a look. Graphic Classics hasn't let me down yet, and this certainly won't be the last time they introduce me to a fantastic writer.

Remembered primarily for the slate of Errol Flynn films adapted from his works, such as "Captain Blood" and "The Sea Hawk," Sabatini is credited with the literary creation of the anti-hero, a rogue who's heroic nature is made heroic only by striving against those more villainous than himself.A host of pirates, charlatans and highway robbers manage to ingratiate themselves to the reader under Sabatini's guiding hand.

"Graphic Classics: Rafael Sabatini" is clearly a labor of love for editor Tom Pomplun, and he has put extra care into its quality.There is not a weak piece in this volume, and the artists are especially well-matched to the stories.

This volume contains:

"Captain Blood" - From a doctor, to a slave, to a free-booting pirate, Peter Blood's story is a bloody swath of adventure.Illustrated in a straight-forward but suitable style, Sabatini's most famous story comes dramatically to life.This one definitely makes me want to get the book and read the full story.

"Desperately Seeking Sabatini" - A hunt for the author,written by a college professor who wonders why Sabatini is not better remembered.Sabatini's story is an eye-opener.I had thought of him as a contemporary ofAlexandre Dumas, not someone who was able to go see his own movies.

"The Valet Mystery" - A clever short story in the Sherlock Holmes vein, tense and with an interesting twist.

"The Spiritualist" - A comedic tale of a charlatan and the worlds beyond.Great illustrations to compliment the story.

"The Plague of Ghosts" - Another mystery, where a former con man hires his services to the police to uncover other con men.This time, a haunted castle and a bullet-proof ghost with a blazing skull.Classical art on this one really brings out the mystery.

"The Fool's Love Story" - Artist Milton Knight brings his personal flair to this story of the courage of ugly people, and how their love is no less powerful than the beautiful's.

"The Risen Dead" - A no-account rogue is finally brought to trial, although it is for a crime he didn't commit.A miracle grants him a second chance, but it is up to him to make something of it.

"The Dream" - An creepy tale of a mesmerist seeking to enforce his will upon a young lady of fortune. Her true love intervenes best he can, but the mesmerist's powers are strong. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Sabatini at his best.
The Strolling Saint (1913) is among Sabatini's earlier novels but, sadly, not among his best. Purporting to be the confessions of Agostino Anguissola, 16th-century tyrant of Mondolfo, the book starts rather ploddingly, then accelerates and ends rather abruptly, as though the author knew (after over 400 pages) that he needed to wrap things up. As a result the ending seems contrived. Writing in the first person in the style of St. Augustine's Confessions, Agostino traces his spiritual journey from his repressive childhood under the tyranny of his mother, a religious zealot, to his reclaiming his true self as a man of action. Here Sabatini deals extensively with themes he would return to frequently in his later novels: religious hypocrisy, law v. grace, and the excesses of the Inquisition (whose history the author deplored). It is not a book I would recommend to first-time readers of the author, but there are flashes of brilliance which Sabatini fans will both recognize and appreciate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Black Swan
I have yet to read a Raphael Sabatini novel I didn't enjoy.I would rank this book among my favorites (the others being The Sea Hawk, Love-at-Arms and The Sword of Islam). Set when Henry Morgan, governor of Jamaica, is charged with clearing the Caribbean of the pirates that used to be his brethren, The Black Swan is the story of Henry's trusted lieutenant who, supposedly en route to his retirement, runs into the last pirate at large, and finds himself and the beautiful governor's daughter traveling on board at his mercy. To save his life (and hers) he convinces the pirate that he's turned against Morgan and that the lady is under his protection.What follows is an adventure fraught with peril and suspense as our hero tries to balance his story and actions against a pirate determined to double-cross him at the first chance he gets, for the treasure and the girl.

It's a great story.The Maureen O'Hara - Tyrone Power movie is a toothless, fluffy version of the story. A better movie to compare the feel of this story to would be "The Glass Key" with Alan Ladd.Our hero is as cool-headed and calculating, and never loses sight of his ultimate goal.

Lighter than his usual fare, but still very good
I collect Sabatini novels, and when I occasionally re-read a few, The Black Swan is one of the first I'll revisit. It bears almost no resemblance to the Tyrone Power/Maureen O'Hara film; in fact, it's much better. While traveling from a British Caribbean colony to England, Priscilla Harradine and family friend Major Sands encounter Sir Henry Morgan's lieutenant (and former buccaneer) Charles de Bernis just before they are all captured by the notorious pirate Tom Leach. While de Bernis sets about convincing Leach he's on his side, Priscilla quietly falls for the Frenchman and Sands reveals himself to be a pompous old fool. In the end, of course, the hero de Bernis has something up his sleeve and things work out in typical Sabatini fashion.

The plot isn't as complex as most of Sabatini's other works, and it is one of his later books. But while it's a bit lighter, it's still an entertaining read. One interesting difference from the author's other works is the near absence of the misunderstanding between the male and female lead characters that keeps them apart for a while.

This is definitely one I'd recommend.

Later Sabatini but still good
Rafael Sabatini was scoffed at by many critics of his day who did not enjoy his melodramatic historical novels but remained popular with the public. (Just goes to show that sometimes the public is right. His best working period were the teens and early twenties of the twentieth century during this time he wrote the Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, Bellarion and Scaramouche. His later books have not quite the ramantic charm but they are still quite a lot better than your average modern historic novel.

The plot is basically a contest of wills on a south sea island between a French corsair who is defending a lady passenger and a rather nasty English pirate. The suspense is well portrayed and there is a rather good suprise ending. (It's not giving anything away to say that no one could forget the severed head scene) I found the heroine to be somewhat dim-witted at times but I really liked the hero, Charlie.

The movie version of this book does not follow it at all (it only borrows a few characters names) so viewing is no substitute for reading the real thing.

A saga of ships, swords, sea battles, and sweeping romance.
Rafael Sabatini's The Black Swan takes you through the jadegreen waters and tropical islands of the Caribbean into the violent,adventurous world of pirates and buccaneers.Priscilla Harradine is on her way to England after her father's recent death, accompanied by Major Sands, a devoted but pompous and dull-witted friend of her late father.Just before the Centaur, the ship on which they are traveling casts off, a tall dark stranger bound for Guadeloupe boards.Major Sands resents the presence of the dashing Frenchman, especially after learning that he is a former buccaneer.Priscilla however, much to the indignation of the Major who hopes to marry her, is fascinated by Charles de Bernis.She and the mysterious adventurer enjoy each other's company in the short time before he is to be put ashore at Sainte Croix.But the tranquility of the voyage is soon shattered when Monsieur de Bernis sights a dark image from his past on the morning horizon... The Black Swan is an intriguing, well written book that will keep your attention riveted to its pages.Readers who enjoy it will also like The Sea Hawk and Captain Blood by the same author.

A reader's book, joyful, gripping, great vocab, style.
Perhaps the best pirate novel ever written, Sabatini takes you right there, to feel the salt and sun, the fear and the joy, the fearsome loyalty. A classic adventure, magnificent wordcrafting and verbal choreography.When Sabatini describes a swordfight, you hear and see every clash, grunt and splash. They don't write like this anymore. Only George McDonald Fraser comes close these days. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Scaramouche the King Maker
Poor. Doesn't hold a candle to the original. Characters seem wooden and puposeless. Especially Aline. In the original she had personality and an edge. In this one she seems bland and banal.

Bill Oakey

It ain't Scaramouche, but it's good.
Scaramouche the Kingmaker was written a decade after Scaramouche, and is a sequel that never quite reaches its predecessor's brilliance, but is quite satisfying to the Sabatini completist. The story continues where theoriginal novel left off, with Andre-Louis Moreau now embracing the royalistcause to hasten his marriage to Aline.It's a good, rousing, adventurestory, but it's no Scaramouche.

A sequel worth reading, but...
This book was worth the two-decade-long search it took me to find it, but more for completeness's sake than for the book itself.The story picks up where Scaramouche left off: Andre-Louis Moreau and Aline de Kercadiou have escaped from the Terror, and Moreau has renounced his revolutionary ways. Even more, his love for Aline has made him espouse the royalist cause, and he goes back into danger and adventure to help it.But will he be betrayed by the less-than-worthy nobles he seeks to help?The story is pure Sabatini, but doesn't come near the brilliance of the original _Scaramouche_.But you find out what happens.

Classic swordfighting adventure
Scaramouche an overlooked classic. The story is better than The Three Musketeers! Get a copy and read it to your kids. ... Read more

Book Description
Captain Blood: His Odyssey (1922) by Rafael Sabatini is just possibly the novel that gave rise to the modern definition of a gentleman pirate.

Peter Blood, an honest man of true character and a humane doctor, is wrongfully imprisoned for treason under the laws of King James, and deported from Britain to a tropical colony at Bridgetown where he is sold as a slave at auction.Soon he encounters romantic inspiration, conflict, injustice, and ultimately finds himself in charge of an armada of pirate ships of various flags and national alliances, becoming the famous and invincible Captain Blood, the most honorable and remarkable buccaneer throughout the South Seas.

This classic romantic pirate tale has been immortalized in a dashing movie starring Errol Flynn. ... Read more

Product Description
Adventure Classics is the second multi-author anthology in the Graphic Classics series. The book presents thirteen stories and poems of danger, horror, comedy and romance; all told in new comics adaptations. Included are "The Valley of the Sorceress" by "Fu Manchu" author Sax Rohmer, "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, and "Tigre" by Zane Grey. Plus a classic war story by Damon Runyon, a saga of Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini, and a noir crime tale by "Zorro" author Johnston McCulley. Also more stories from O. Henry, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert W. Service, Edith Nesbit, Robert Louis Stevenson and Fitz-James O'Brien, as illustrated by Hunt Emerson, Michael Manning, Mary Fleener, Don Marquez, Mark A. Nelson and more great contemporary artists. With a dramatic cover painting by Chris Moore. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Graphic SF Reader
A lot of the artwork here is reminiscent of your independent black and white style stuff, which, I suppose, is not too surprising in a case like this.

The text is of course what is supposed to feature.

The highlight would be the work on Zane Grey's Tigre.

The cartoon style on the Brigadier Gerard and Captain Blood stories is nifty, as well.

Ripping good stuff! Tales of pirates, desert sorceresses, lusty women and dangerous men
The mysterious desert.The high plains.The stormy seas.The dense jungles. These are the places where actions speak louder than words, where the sharp retort of a six-gun decides who is right and who is dead, and a blind tiger stalks with preternatural senses and determination. These are the settings for Adventure Tales, a genre of literature prominent in the 1900's, in which many of the finest authors of the period plied their trades.

In this, their 12th volume, Graphic Classics has assembled an anthology of some of the greatest adventure stories of the time, full of hot blood and cold nights, mystery and magic. These classic tales have been interpreted by a host of talented illustrators, lending their own unique insight into the authors original stories. This is their second anthology book, like Volume 10 "Horror Classics," combining many workers in the genre rather than focusing on a specific author.

Some of the best authors are on display here. Robert Louis Stevenson, author of "Treasure Island," Sax Rohmer, creator of Yellow Peril villain Fu Manchu, Alexander Dumas, creator of The Three Musketeers, renowned cowboy author Zane Grey, Damon Runyon, author of "The Idylls of Miss Sarah" which was adapted as the musical "Guys and Dolls,"Rafael Sabatinin master of Pirate Tales and creator of Captain Blood, Johnston McCully creator of the swashbuckling Zorro, Sherlock Holme's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling, author of "The Jungle Books."

Finally, there is O. Henry, whom if it weren't for Graphics Classics, I might have known nothing more of than the sweet Christmas fable, "The Gift of the Magi," rather than met him as a scribbler of dark cowboy adventures.

This volume contains:

The Wind Blew Shrill and Sharp - A lusty sea poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. Skot Olsen provides an excellent and strong sailor to accompany the compelling verse.

In the Valley of the Sorceress - Egypt was a mysterious and magical place at the time, andSax Rohmer weaves a web of desire and danger.An archaeologist attempts to open the hidden tomb of Sorceress Queen Hatasu, but finds his efforts daunted, and his soul beguiled by a beautiful Arab maiden.Illustrator JB Bonivert brings a unique and fanciful style to this classic adventure.

The Masked Ball - By Alexander Dumas.A short and dark tale of heartbreak and desire, accompanied by a hedonistic masked ball where people seek to drown their loneliness and hide their faces.Michael Manning provides a dark atmosphere, heavy with black spaces, as an appropriate accompaniment.

Tigre - The jungles of Mexico are the setting for this tale of lust and revenge.By Zane Grey, an old farmer is a master of wild animals, particularly his blind brutish tiger named Tigre.The only thing he can't tame is his young and pretty wife. Who stalks who in the dense jungle?A straight-forward but perfect comic book adaptation by Don Marquez, particularly of the lovely Senora.

The Shooting of Dan McGrew - A popular cowboy poem by Robert W. Service, adapted with humor and pathos by Hunt Emerson. A lonely miner, a dangerous gambler, and the lady that's known as Lou.

Two Men Named Collins - Damon Runyon gives us a sad and silently heroic of two soldiers who share the same name.On is lonely and ugly, one is popular and handsome.But the one holds the secret of the other, and nobility is not always what it seems.Illustrator Noel Tuazon does a spectacular adaptation of this tail, lending even more weight and atmospher to the yarn.

Blood Money -An adventure of Rafael Sabatinin's celebrated rouge Captain Blood.A straight-forward comic book adaptation by Kevin Atkinson, this is a clever celebration of the key to Captain Bloods success.Pure luck.

Gunga Din -Rudyard Kipling gives us a blood-rousing poem of an Indian water bearer and the Thuggee wars.The prose is amazing. "But when it comes to slaughter, you will do your work on water, an' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it."Great illustrations by Mary Fleener, this was the first time I had read this classic poem.

The Man without a Shadow - An Irish short story author, this is a companion piece to "A Day-Dream" which appears in "Horror Classics."A whimsical adaptation by Milton Knight of a clever tale.

The Mystery of the Semi-Detached - I always knew Edith Nesbit as the author of the children's tales "The Boxcar Children," but little did I know she had this tale of murder and ghosts in her.With excellent Victorianesque illustrations by Antonella Caputo.

The Stolen Story - Johnston McCully is best known for swashbuckling, but this tale of fictional theft is equally gripping. A man's dreams are met, although they turn into a nightmare.With appropriately grotesque illustrations by Chris Pelletiere.

The Crime of the Brigadier - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had many characters, one of them Brigadier Gerard, a teller of tall-tales and adventurer in Napoleon's army.This funny yarn is comically adapted by Nick Miller is a suiting style.

The Roads We Take -Another black tale of cowboys by O. Henry, a story of betrayal, and a man's true character.Outlaw Shark Dodson saw two roads ahead of him, both leading to the same ending.A bleak story, with a perfect adaptation by Pedro Lopez.So good I immediately read it again after finishing it.

As exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors
The twelfth volume in the "Adventure Classics" series of graphic novels and short story collections, the reader is treated to some of the finest adventure writing by some of the most talented authors, and adapted to the graphic novel format by illustrators and artists of matching caliber. The stories comprising this issue include: "In the Valley of the Sorceress" by Sax Rohmer, ill. by J. B. Bonivert; "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, ill. by Michael Manning; "Two Men Named Collins" by Damon Runyon, ill. by Noel Tuazon; "Tigre" by Zane Grey, ill. by Don Marquez; "Blood Money" by Rafael Sabatini, ill. by Kevin Atkinson; "The Stolen Story" by Johnston McCulley, ill. by Chris Pelletiere; "Gunga Din", by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Mary Fleener, and more. Thrilling tales of the past century brought to life in a wide variety of bold, black-and-white styles make Adventure Classics Volume 12 as exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors.
... Read more