Its an enjoyable bit of chivalrous nonsense (Sir Nigel - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Member Name: darren55

Product:	Sir Nigel - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Date:	16/10/09 (19 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Rolls along at a good pace

Disadvantages: has little or no basis in historical fact

Sir Nigel is a stand alone novel written by the creator of Sherlock Holmes Arthur Conan Doyle. It was written in 1903 and goes back to the 14th century and a time in the middle of the 100 years war between England and France. In truth its a bit of a morality tale, with the character of Sir Nigel very much in the same catergory as Mallories Arthurian nights.

Sir Nigel is a minor aristo who manages to persuade Edward the third to take him with him when he invades Brittany in and around 1380. Sir Nigel is loyal, a bit dim and not too disimilar to Dr. Watson in the original Sherlock Holmes adventures, he also has the good doctors need to be conservative, adventurous and chivalrous and has a particular eye for pretty young things.

This novel is in essence good clean fun, French spies, doomed castles, heroic battles, shining knights, dastardly enemies (always the snivelling French) and above it all the integrity of Sir Nigel. Sir Nigel has lots of adventures in the French countryside and always fights for truth and honesty, how that squares with invading a foreign country and laying waste to the populace is never even touched upon. Oh no in this novel, the english are endlessly gallant and the French chronically in need of a good lesson in manners, education and better government (through English rule naturally).

The English as history tells had largely won the war in this period before the French found their soul when Joan of Arc appeared on the scene and the spoils of war are there for whoever wants it, Sir Nigel returns a rich man and therefore gains a rich and powerful wife. Sir Nigel as a character is likeable but if you spent a long time in his company I suspect you'd soon desire a companion who could hold a conversation and had more skills than those residing in his sword arm.

This book is an enjoyable read and perhaps is nothing more than that, trying to tie the novel to larger influences in Europe at the time I think is folly and ACD wrote the book as a bit of escapist fluff for the readers at the time.

Summary: Enjoyable but forgettable