Length: 400 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 7, 2014)
Blurb
The last thing Jean Rombaud expects upon being summoned to
behead Anne Boleyn is to dedicate his life to her. But the ill-fated queen has
a mysterious request for her executioner: that after taking her life he also
take her infamous six-fingered hand and bury it at a sacred crossroads in
France. His oath will set Jean on the most dangerous journey of his life.
In The French Executioner, C.C. Humphreys once again
brings the past to life in all its glory and peril. This thrilling novel
captures the breathtaking story of how courage, love, and loyalty bound Anne
Boleyn to the man who ended her life―and saved her legacy.
My Review of The French Executioner
I am a sucker for historical fiction novels about or involving Anne Boleyn. I have been intrigued and awed by her since I was 10 and came across one of the older novels about her and read it. I fell in love with her story right then, and have read every book I could find about her since then. The French Executioner is not exactly about Anne Boleyn, but it definitely does deal with her life. The premise of this novel is that when Anne was ordered to be executed by her husband, King Henry VIII, because of her supposed adultery with many men, including (supposedly) her brother (in reality the king just wanted to get rid of her so he could marry Jane Seymore). Anne's executioner, Jean Rombaud, was requested from France, where he was known for his ability to execute criminals cleanly and quickly with his sword. As a last act of "kindness", Henry VIII allowed her to be executed by Jean, rather than by the regular executioner and his ax or being burned at the stake. Anne requests that her hand with six fingers (some historians say that she had six fingers, but I believe it was a smear campaign by those who hated her) be buried at a sacred crossroad in France. Jean pledges to Anne that he will follow through with her request, and after her execution he sets out on a journey to fulfill his promise. The journey is, of course, filled with danger, mystery, adventure, and intrigue. It started out a little slow for me, but once I got into it I definitely enjoyed it. I love historical fiction from the time period of King Henry VIII and his wives, so this novel fit right in with my preferred genre. The book is the first of a set of two, with the second novel called The Curse of Anne Boleyn. I have read both, and really liked both of them. Unfortunately, I read them out of order, and I would suggest reading this book prior to book 2.
I would definitely recommend this novel to historical fiction fans. It's an interesting read, and the author is an excellent writer. The descriptions of scenery, people, and life during that time period take you right there with the characters. The characters are well-rounded, and likable, which is huge for me when it comes to enjoying a novel.
I give this novel a FOUR out of FIVE stars.
Reviews for The French Executioner
"Humphreys has fashioned a rollicking good yarn that
keeps the pages turning from start to finish."―Irish Examiner
"A wonderful saga of magic and heroism. If you can find
a first impression, hoard it and wait till it rises in value like a first
edition of Lord of the Rings. This is as good."―Crime Time, UK
"A brilliant, brutal, and absorbing historical thriller
on the real-life figure of Jean Rombaud, the man who beheaded Anne
Boleyn."―Northern Echo
"Set against the backdrop of the Protestant Reformation, his superbloody
Princess Bride-like adventure is, at its heart, a tale of redemption, well
earned and hard-won." --Library Journal
"Humphreys (Jack Absolute) breathes life into 16th century Europe with this fascinating tale of adventure and mystery...Humphreys's characters are well drawn and deeply empathetic, and Rombaud's mission remains entertaining throughout. " --Publishers Weekly
"Humphreys (Jack Absolute) breathes life into 16th century Europe with this fascinating tale of adventure and mystery...Humphreys's characters are well drawn and deeply empathetic, and Rombaud's mission remains entertaining throughout. " --Publishers Weekly
Sequel to The French Executioner
Length: 416 Pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (May 5, 2015)
Blurb
From the masterful C.C. Humphreys comes the captivating
sequel to The French Executioner
Nearly twenty years have passed since Anne Boleyn died at
the hands of her slayer and savior, Jean Rombaud. All he wants is to forget his
sword-wielding days and live happily with his family. Yet her distinctive
six-fingered hand, stolen at her death—and all the dark power it
represents—still compels evil men to seek it out.
When Jean's son, Gianni, joins the Inquisition in Rome and
betrays all his father worked for, Jean discovers that time alone cannot take
him—or his son—far from his past. But he never expected his whole family,
especially his beloved daughter Anne, to become caught up once more in the
tragic queen's terrible legacy.
From the savagery of way in Italy to the streets of London
and Paris and the wilds of North America,The Curse of Anne Boleyn sweeps
readers into a thrilling story that puts love, loyalty, and family to the
ultimate test.
My Review of The Curse of Anne Boleyn
Give me a novel about Anne Boleyn, and I am a happy reader!
This might sounds like an exaggeration, but I have been reading novels about
Anne Boleyn's life, every book I can find, for well over 10 years. "The
Curse of Anne Boleyn" by C.C. Humphreys is another great novel that is
related to Anne Boleyn’s fascinating story. I like how the author wrote a book
that is not really about Anne, but more so about the legacy she left, and how
her life, and her death in this novel, affected those who had any connection
with her. This novel is the story that follows C.C. Humphrey's first novel, The
French Executioner. It is a continuation of Jean Rombaud's story, as he
attempts to follow through with a promise he made to Anne Boleyn prior to
executing her at the King's order. The author takes the reader on a fast paced
journey through many parts of the world. The amount of research that had to
have gone into this novel is astounding, however the reader is never bogged
down with lists of facts. There is intrigue, adventure, and several twists that
will surprise the reader. It is definitely a book that I recommend reading if
historical fiction, especially during the time period of the Tudors in England,
is a genre you enjoy. Several others have suggested reading the first novel,
The French Executioner, before this novel. I would have to agree, because there
are details that might be lost to the reader if they have not read the first
book. It is possible to read this as a stand-alone, but I think the reader will
enjoy it more if they read both novels.
I give this novel a FIVE out of FIVE stars, and I definitely
recommend reading The Curse of Anne Boleyn, as well as The French Executioner
by C.C. Humphreys.
Reviews for The Curse of Anne Boleyn
"Humphreys is a master of the sweeping epic, merging the battles of an Errol Flynn movie with all the intrigues of the Borgias. Fans of good old-fashioned adventures will adore this ambitious novel." - RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
"C.C. Humphreys stays true to his adventurous style and flair and treats his audience to another great read in his latest book: The Curse of Anne Boleyn... What a treat to read yet another engaging adventure penned by the likes of Mr. Humphreys" - Feathered Quill Book Reviews
"Great for readers who are looking for an action story with a little bit of mystery included." - A Bookish Affair
"Humphrey's attention to historical detail, his deftly crafted characters, combined with a storyline replete with unexpected twists and turns, makes for an engaging and thoroughly entertaining read from beginning to end. " - Midwest Book Review
About the Author - C.C. Humphreys
Chris (C.C.) Humphreys was born in Toronto and grew up in
the UK. All four grandparents were actors and since his father was an actor as
well, it was inevitable he would follow the bloodline. He has acted all over
the world and appeared on stages ranging from London’s West End to Hollywood’s
Twentieth Century Fox. Favorite roles have included Hamlet, Caleb the Gladiator
in NBC’s Biblical-Roman epic mini-series, ‘AD – Anno Domini’, Clive Parnell in
‘Coronation Street’, and Jack Absolute in Sheridan’s ‘The Rivals’.
Chris has written eight historical novels. The first, ‘The
French Executioner’ told the tale of the man who killed Anne Boleyn, was runner
up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers 2002, and has been optioned for the
screen. Its sequel was ‘Blood Ties’. Having played Jack Absolute, he stole the
character and has written three books on this ‘007 of the 1770’s’ – ‘Jack Absolute’,
‘The Blooding of Jack Absolute’ and ‘Absolute Honour’- short listed for the
2007 Evergreen Prize by the Ontario Library Association, all currently being
re-released in the US by Sourcebooks. His novel about the real Dracula, ‘Vlad,
The Last Confession’ was a bestseller in Canada and his novel, ‘A Place Called
Armageddon’ was recently published in Turkish. All have been published in the
UK, Canada, the US and many have been translated in various languages including
Russian, Italian, German, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese, Czech, Serbian, Turkish
and Indonesian.
He has also written a trilogy for young adults ‘The
Runestone Saga’. A heady brew of Norse myth, runic magic, time travel and
horror, the first book in the series ‘The Fetch’ was published in North America
in July 2006, with the sequel, ‘Vendetta’ in August 2007 and the conclusion,
‘Possession’, August 2008. They are also published in Russia, Greece, Turkey
and Indonesia. His latest Young Adult novel ‘The Hunt of the Unicorn’ was
released by Knopf in North America in March 2011 and also published in Spain.
His new adult novel ‘Shakespeare’s Rebel’, about William
Shakespeare’s fight choreographer at the time of ‘Hamlet’, was released in the
UK in March 2013 and in Canada August 2011.
He has recently signed to write two books for Century in the
UK and Doubleday in Canada. ‘Plague’ and ‘Fire’ are tales of religious
fundamentalist serial killers set against the wild events of 1665 to 1666,
London. They will be published in 2014 and 2015.
Chris lives on Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada, with his wife
and young son.
Visit Author's Official Web Site
Purchase The French Executioner
Purchase The Curse of Anne Boleyn
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