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    For the King: A Novel
    For the King: A Novel
    For the King: A Novel
    Audiobook11 hours

    For the King: A Novel

    Written by Catherine Delors

    Narrated by Steven Crossley

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    For her first novel, Mistress of the Revolution, which the Associated Press dubbed one of the "best reads of the year," Catherine Delors earned comparisons to Tracy Chevalier and Philippa Gregory. In For the King, she again demonstrates her matchless ability to illuminate key turning points in history while weaving a gripping story about a man caught between his heart and his integrity.

    The Reign of Terror has ended, and Napoleon Bonaparte has seized power, but shifting political loyalties still tear apart families and lovers. On Christmas Eve 1800, a bomb explodes along Bonaparte's route, narrowly missing him but striking dozens of bystanders. Chief Inspector Roch Miquel, a young policeman with a bright future and a beautiful mistress, must arrest the assassins before they attack again. Complicating Miquel's investigation are the maneuverings of his superior, the redoubtable Fouche, the indiscretions of his own father, a former Jacobin, and two intriguing women.

    Based on real events and characters and rich with historical detail, For the King takes listeners through the dark alleys and glittering salons of post-revolutionary Paris and is a timeless epic of love, betrayal, and redemption.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJul 12, 2010
    ISBN9781400187744
    For the King: A Novel

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    Reviews for For the King

    3.5/5

    36 ratings5 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I read this for the Just For Fun Challenge which encourages reading one book that has been on the TBR shelf for a long time and without doing a review. I still rated this book though and I loved it.
    • 3/5
      Another intelligent and well-researched novel based on historical events from Catherine Delors. On Christmas Eve 1800, three royalist agents plotted to assassinate Napoleon Bonaparte, then First Consul and soon to be Emperor of France, by blowing up an 'infernal machine' in a busy Paris street. Bonaparte, supposedly warned by a prophetic dream, escaped harm, but blamed the explosion and the resulting massacre of innocent citizens on extremist Jacobins, and had 130 'suspects' rounded up and imprisoned. Catherine Delors seamlessly blends fact with fiction by placing her own detective, Chief Inspector Roch Miquel, in the centre of the investigation to find the bombers and clear the name of his own father into the bargain.More political intrigue than traditional detective novel, the real strength of For the King is how flawlessly Delors translates documented history into a dark thriller, and the atmospheric detail with which she brings post-Revolutionary Paris to life. Roch is very similar to Susanne Alleyn's Inspector Ravel, or Parot's Nicolas Le Floch, and his proud, priggish persona adds little sympathetic charm to the mix. Basically, he is a fictional point of focus in a cast of historical figures, but his dalliance with a married woman not only takes Roch down a peg, but also creates a surprise twist to the established course of events. His lover Blanche Coudert, based on the beautiful and enigmatic Juliette Recamier, is a strong, enigmatic heroine, yet long-suffering Alexandrine, Roch's childhood sweetheart, is far more believable.Overall, despite the obvious lack of mystery and an abrupt, convenient ending, I was able to lose myself in the story, and enjoyed being transported back to Paris in the winter of 1801. Delors occasionally goes overboard in translating French place names and terms - I think it's fairly obvious that Rue Paradis means Paradise Street - and the modern dialogue is perhaps the weakest part of the novel, but she has a remarkable talent for cleverly adapting complex political situations into intriguing novels.
    • 4/5
      I truly enjoyed this fictional account of the attempt to assassinate Napoleon Bonaparte. Catherine Delors has a talent for creating compelling and well-developed characters as well as merging history and fiction together in a believable story.
    • 4/5
      I really loved this book! It had tons of suspense, history and romance which is perfect! Highly recommend
    • 4/5
      On December 24, 1800, an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Napoleon brutally massacres several innocent bystanders. Chief Inspector Roch Miquel must rush to find the guilty party before another attack is attempted. His efforts are thwarted by internal politics and corruption within the police force. His work is also hindered by his superior, Minister of Police Fouche, who arrests his father when Miquel’s investigation leads him in a direction Fouche finds undesirable. His father’s fate and life are held in the balance. Can Miquel reveal the identies of the guilty parties and preserve the life of his dear father?Delors paints a very vivid setting. For the King combines two of my favorite genres: history & thrillers. Although the reader knows of the identities of the bombers early on in the book, their motives and incentives for the bombing are carefully and intricately revealed throughout. What I really enjoyed about this book is the amount of historical detail. It’s not only an investigation to find and put to justice three individuals, but a history lesson as well. The reader also learns a great deal about the politics and turmoil of France at this time.Initially, not very much about Miquel is known, but Delors provides a bit of history about this character through flash-backs to his childhood. Miquel is an extremely likeable and compelling character. Unlike others in his station, he did not come from a wealthy family. His promotion to such a high level within the police force shows his dedication to this cause. I highly recommend For the King to readers of historical/political thrillers.