The Brotherhood of Book Hunters
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
The Da Vinci Code meets Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve in this erudite adventure story set at the dawn of the printed book about the outlaw poet François Villon and the power of words to change the world.
François Villon, the world's first poet of modernity, was born in Paris in 1431. He was arrested and condemned to death by hanging in 1462 and exonerated in 1463. Shortly after his release from prison, as far as history is concerned, he disappeared forever.
In Raphaël Jerusalmy's thrilling novel, to ensure his release, Villon has accepted a shady deal offered by the Bishop of Paris at the behest of Louis XI. All Villon has to do to earn his freedom is to convince a printer and bookseller to move from Mayence to Paris, telling him that by doing so he'll be better able to circulate progressive ideas that aren't approved of in Rome. Not surprisingly, Villon's task becomes more complicated that it first seemed. With this riveting tale of plots and counterplots involving secret organizations in Jerusalem, intrigue in France, and brigands in Italy, Raphaël Jerusalmy leaves readers with their hearts racing and their imaginations stirred. The Brotherhood of Book Hunters is an irresistible read for lovers of books, adventure, and fine writing.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
It is 1462 and the poet Fran ois Villon sits in a filthy Parisian prison waiting to be executed. Records show that his sentence was changed to banishment, and after 1463, he disappears from all record. Jeruslamy (Saving Mozart) picks up at this point and spins a wild story that has Villon being pardonded by King Louis XI in exchange for some favors that could very well bring the Papacy to its knees. His first mission is to convince a bookseller to print and disseminate some banned works for the French diocese in order to tilt public favor against the Vatican. The deal is not as straightforward as it seems, however, and in order to complete his mission, he must travel to Jerusalem, "a city not so much built of stone and bricks as fashioned out of words and dreams." So begins his great voyage across the sea and into the Holy Land, where he and his traveling companion, Colin, are introduced to Christian monks, rabbis, and a mysterious group of rebels called the Brotherhood of Book Hunters. Fran ois's mission becomes more convoluted than ever, and although the plot is cinematic and full of twists, the novel trips over its erratic prose, which can be hackneyed and difficult to follow. This is an ambitious second novel that never quite lives up to its potential.
