“Who is this man, this Scarlet Pimpernel?” Each day this question grew more pressing to the rulers of the French Revolution. Only this man and his band of followers threatened their total power. Only this maddeningly elusive figure defied the vast network of fanatics, informers, and secret agents that the Revolution spread out to catch its enemies.
Some said this man of many disguises, endless ruses, and infinite daring was an exiled French nobleman, returned to wreak vengeance. Others said he was an English lord, seeking sheer adventure and supreme sport in playing the most dangerous game of all. But of only one thing could those who sought him be sure. They knew all too well the symbol of his presence, the blood-red flower known as the Scarlet Pimpernel.
This timeless historical adventure is an irresistible blend of romance, intrigue, and suspense.
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"The Scarlet Pimpernel is a very clever book. The book follows Marguerite who gets into a predicament where she can either save her brother Armand or the Scarlet Pimpernel. The book feels almost like a play, with each chapter having a different setting and the ending is very witty. Although eventually the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel is eventually found out, I found it more exciting not knowing while reading than knowing. The only downside to the book is sometimes it drags on when discussing the emotions of Marguerite, and eventually you're like, "I get it, you're scared and worried and nervous, now get on with it!" Other than that this is a very witty book with a terrific ending."
— Alex (4 out of 5 stars)
“Ralph Cosham delivers a fine performance of this entertaining classic about an Englishman who rescues French aristocrats from danger during the French Revolution. Cosham gets to play with a range of French and English accents and does an excellent job of coloring voices with character. He even manages to make the somewhat overwrought writing flow so well that the extravagances go unnoticed. This is huge fun.”
— AudioFile“It is something distinctly out of the common, well-conceived, vividly told, and stirring from start to finish.”
— Daily Telegraph (London)“An excellent novel…There is real ingenuity in the plot, and human interest in the characters, and it is an artistic piece of work, thoroughly readable and commendable.”
— Church Times (London)“A swashbuckling adventure tale of epic proportions…an exciting, fast-paced story that is engrossing to read.”
— Large Print Reviews" I wasn't sure what to expect of this book but I absolutely loved it. I would recommend it to everyone and my only regret is that I didn't read it earlier in my life. It is just such a fun adventure. "
— Gemma, 2/19/2014" I really enjoyed this book - different ending from the old classic movie, though. Still plenty of danger, suspense, and brilliant disguises. "
— Sarah, 2/17/2014" I thought I had read this book years ago, but I really didn't remember how much it is about Lady Blakeney and so much less about the title character himself. Still, love the style and the language of this period of fiction. "
— Jess, 2/16/2014" This was a great story. I have to admit that half way through I peeked at the ending just to calm myself. The old English was a little difficult to understand in some parts. And I guess it was custom to call a person Citizen back then but it was annoying. Overall really a great read. "
— Diane, 2/15/2014" This is another one of my, "How did I make it almost 40 years without reading this classic" books. Having seen the movie (with Jane Seymour) years ago, I knew I would love the story and it did not disappoint. Glad to have finally read it. "
— Janice, 2/13/2014" Thrilling tale...couldn't put it down! "
— Star, 2/12/2014" Really a treat. Loved it from the beginning. A little lovey-dovey 3/4 of the way through, if I could I would have given it 4.5 stars because the Twilight-esque "longing" drew on a bit, but it was great, and finished with an ending that surprised me...much like an NCIS, CSI, SVU, or other alphabet soup twisty-ending kind of show. "
— Jamey, 2/11/2014" Decent-- slow for the most part but a good ending; despite its being a classic, I knew very little about it to still be surprised by how it ended. One of those books that could have been longer, but I am glad that it wasn't. "
— Rob, 2/9/2014" I had no idea what it was about. I thought it was going to be a Jane Austen type book. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a feel-good book. "
— Kay, 2/9/2014" I mean, I understand that I can't have unrealistic expectations or whatever, but I was hoping and hoping that the female protagonist would do something, anything, useful, rather than just have emotional reactions and create nuisance and danger for her husband. The beginning was so promising! The character was strong, supposedly intelligent, independent, but then she turned out to be foolish, blind, and poor under stress. "
— Gabriel, 2/8/2014" OOPS! I read the BOOK, not the Kindle Krap. The book was swashbuckling, and I couldn't stop picturing Anthony Andrews. Damn TV! "
— Amy, 2/8/2014Baroness Orczy was a Hungarian-born British novelist and artist. She is best known for her novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.