EXPLOITS OF BRIGADIER GERARD

Much to his own disappointment, it was Conan Doyle’s creation of the great detective Sherlock Holmes, rather than the historical fiction which he valued more highly, which secured his lasting fame. Among the works which he considered most unjustly neglected were the exploits of Brigadier Gerard, a swashbuckling hero who accompanies Napoleon in all his campaigns, witnessing both his rise and his fall from Marengo to Waterloo. Arguably Doyle’s finest work, the Gerard stories collected here have the master’s page-turning quality, but are soundly based on the author’s profound knowledge of the history behind his fiction. The stories follow the boastful, vainglorious but endearing Etienne Gerard from his enlistment in the Hussars around 1799. By 1810 our hero has risen to a Colonel’s rank, having served in Italy, the Peninsular War, Germany, and Russia. His career climaxes when he is promoted to Brigadier, decorated by the Emperor with the Legion of Honour and witnesses Napoleon’s final debacle at Waterloo. Originally published in the popular Strand magazine, Doyle’s favourite outlet, these are the complete stories of the outrageous Frenchman which will appeal to Napoleonic buffs, Sherlock Holmes fans and Doyle enthusiasts alike.