The Lost King

Rating:
Summary: Intrigue Rewards Reader's Patience
Review: In contrast to Sabatini's most famous works, such as Scaramouche, The Lost King is no swashbuckler, but rather a novel of political intrigue and machinations that take decades to play out. I almost gave up early on, as the plot developed rather slowly and episodically. However, my patience was rewarded when Sabatini turned this novel on its head several times on its way to a very satisfying conclusion. Nearly every detail in the first half proved critical to understanding what transpired in the second, and I found myself referring back frequently and smiling at how neatly the author had set things up.

One word of caution: Sabatini was a bestseller in the nineteen teens and twenties, and his style seems a bit convoluted and dated, today. Stick with it, and the story and fascinating characters will repay you, and you may even add to your vocabulary along the way.