Product Details
The Elusive Pimpernel (Dover Value Editions)

The Elusive Pimpernel (Dover Value Editions)
By Baroness Orczy

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Product Description

It's the early days of the French Republic, and Robespierre's revolutionaries find their wicked schemes repeatedly thwarted by the cunning and heroic Pimpernel — in reality, Sir Percival Blakeney. In this thrilling sequel, the terrorist Chauvelin devises a vile plot to eliminate the Pimpernel and his beautiful wife, once and for all.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #367074 in Books
  • Published on: 2007-02-27
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 272 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Johanna Ward brings suspense and wit to this story of intrigue set in the days following the French Revolution....She makes good use of her native British and superb French accents to help create vivid and complex personalities. Ward's great sense of mood and timing carry listeners through to the very end...." --AudioFile

About the Author
Baroness Orczy was born in Hungary in 1865, the daughter of Baron Felix Orczy, a landed aristocrat and well-known composer and conductor. Shemoved with her parents from Budapest to Brussels and then Paris, where she was educated. Orczy alsostudied art in London and exhibited work atthe Royal Academy. Later sheMontagu Barstow and together they worked as illustrators and jointly published an edition of Hungarian folk tales. Fame came in1905 with the publication of The Scarlet Pimpernel, which was originally a play co-written with her husband. Its background of Revolution in France and swashbuckling hero, 'Sir Percy Blakeney', was to prove immensely popular. Sequels followed and many years later film and TV versions are enduringly popular, with new productions from time to time. However, Orczy alsoalso wrote detective stories which have a following today amongst those intersted in the genre. She died in 1947.

From AudioFile
Fans of the classic original, as well as those who like a rich historical novel, will enjoy this sequel to The Scarlet Pimpernel. Johanna Ward brings suspense and wit to this story of intrigue set in the days following the French Revolution. The author makes no secret of a bias for the aristocracy and a prejudice against the leaders of the French Republic, but Ward treats all of her characters with respect. She makes good use of her native British and superb French accents to help create vivid and complex personalities. Ward's great sense of mood and timing carry listeners through to the very end and keep them wondering how the Scarlet Pimpernel can possibly unravel the deadly trap that has been sprung. J.E.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

Fairly good sequel...4
"Elusive" isn't my favorite Pimpernel sequel, but it's not bad at all either.

First, the bad: While I can understand that Marguerite is a woman in love, some of her stupidity at the beginning bordered on unbelievable (I don't mean this as an offense to Margot, who is one of my favorite characters, but if you read this book, you'll understand what I mean when I say she makes a bad decision). As usual, Percy becomes a secondary character in his own books, and that bothers me. Lastly, the choice Chauvelin gives Marguerite and Percy gets to be a little too much.

The good:
When Percy is around, he really shines. He has some really great moments in this book (which I won't spoil). The reader gets an idea of some of the emotions that are going on behind the facade. Also, "Elusive" has much more of a climax than some of the other Pimpernel books, which is a nice relief. Lastly, Desiree Candeille is an interesting character.

In all, I would recommend Eldorado between Elusive Pimpernel, but it's still a good read anyway.

The Best Pimpernel Book5
I've read the first four SP books, and this is my favorite. It doesn't have as confusing a plot as some of the others do (Namely Eldorado...) Plus I think that Percy and Chauvelin are perfectly matched up enimies, and they show it off better than anywhere else in Bouloge. This is the most swashbuckling version of the one's I've read, where Chauvelin tries to win by brains and Percy beats him out with brawn. Beautiful!

Great Action + Wonderful Romance5
This is the sequal to "The Scarlet Pimpernel." It is a truely wonderful book that any action lover would like. Chauvelin is as crafty as ever and Marguerite is as beautiful and devoted to Sir Percy Blackeney, her oh so fashionable dandy and wealthy husband. If you have seen A&E's version this is the book you will find closest to it. Good reading!