The Man-at-Arms; or, Henry de Cerons

Name: The Man-at-Arms; or, Henry de Cerons
Rating: 2.5 (5 reviews)

by G. P. R. James

First published 1840

Amazon EPUB

2.5(5)

Set during the French Wars of Religion in the late 1560s and early 1570s, The Man-at-Arms follows Henry de Cerons through a country where military service, noble honour and religious allegiance continually overlap. James carries the action through the era of the battles of Jarnac and Moncontour toward the atmosphere of suspicion that precedes the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. The protagonist’s private obligations become harder to separate from the factional violence surrounding him.

This is a France in which temporary peace settlements repeatedly fail and political murder can undo months of negotiation. James makes that instability central to the narrative: journeys are dangerous because territories are controlled by rival forces, friendships are tested by confession, and court politics can determine whether a soldier is honoured or hunted. The approach gives the novel the pace of adventure while retaining the escalating dread of a society moving toward massacre.