PONSON DU TERRAIL'S COMPLETE ROCAMBOLE SAGA

IN NEW, UNABRIDGED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

ROCAMBOLE 1 – LEGACY OF BLOOD (L’Héritage mystérieux)

In this first series of the saga, Rocambole appears towards the end as a young teenager, already well versed in evil and crime.

The saga starts in the steppes during Napoleon’s Army’s retreat after the Russian Campaign.

A despicable crime is committed, which will eventually cause two half-brothers to fight each other: one for Evil and one for Justice.

Twenty years after the event, a disputed inheritance will see bloodshed and despair until Evil is defeated…but for how long?

This volume includes a new unabridged English translation of the original French text:

“L’Héritage mystérieux”

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Text translation and layout, artwork, introductory notes, author’s biography, synopses and chronology:

© 2023 Roland Radaelli and IP Rights Ltd

THE COMPLETE SAGA IN NEW

UNABRIDGED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

The Rocambole Saga

The Rocambole adventures were first published in instalments in various French feuilletons, as supplements to newspapers.

This was an extremely popular format in 19th Century France as well as in other countries.

Novels such as Dumas’ “The Count of Montecristo”, Sue’s “The Mysteries of Paris” and Feval’s “Le Bossu” (“The Hunchback”) were first published in instalments and later reprinted as books.

From 1857 to 1870, the year before the author’s death, Ponson du Terrail wrote thousands of pages chronicling Rocambole’s adventures, first as a master criminal, then as a defender of justice.

The novels also offer an eye-opening account on how society was structured in 19th century France with stark divisions between nobility, rich businessmen and the working classes.

Far from being outdated, these novels feel as fresh today as when they were written over 150 years ago.

About the Author

Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail was born in France in 1829.

From 1850 he started writing serials for several newspapers and in 20 years will write over 200 novels! In 1857 he created the character of Rocambole, which will go on to achieve great success all over the world. The word “rocambolesque” is still used nowadays in many languages to describe fantastic, incredible adventures and scheming plots.

With Germany’s invasion of France in 1870, Ponson du Terrail joins the resistance but a sudden illness strikes him and he dies in January 1871.

The ROCAMBOLE SAGA in our catalogue

includes the following ebooks:

Series 1 - Legacy of Blood

Series 2 - Knaves of Hearts

Series 3 - Adventures of Rocambole

Series 4 - Rocambole's Redemption

Series 5 - Rocambole's Resurrection

Series 6 - Rocambole's Last Word

Series 7 - Rocambole in London

Series 8 - Rocambole in Prison

Series 9 - Rocambole and the Hangman's Rope