Beau Sabreur

I love this book, as well. When I was about 13 my mother brought home a book from the library and said, "It is time you read Beau Geste." I had no idea it had sequels until I stumbled upon "Beau Sabreur" in a used bookstore and recognized the word "Beau" and grabbed it. The heroine is particularly likeable. The battle scenes are a little dull for me, but once they are out in the desert I grinned the whole time reading. I would like to point out that the "spunky" heroine is a pretty common depiction of American women, in the first couple of decades of the 20th century in pop literature (and the last decade of the 19th c.). There is an idea that women back then didn't get to do anything outside the home, but actually they were going to college, working, and travelling. Perhaps it has to do with what ethnic group or economic class they were from. The women of my family have many good stories from this time period (my great aunt travelled half-way around the world with a friend in 1919), but I talk to other women whose grandmothers and mothers seem to have had more limited lives. I also think that American women were not as constrained as European women of the 19th and earliest 20th centuries. There are many depictions in pop literature of American women being outspoken, active, refreshingly positive, etc. If it is a stereotype, what a great stereotype to embrace!

I completely agree with the other reviewers who have given this story high marks. In some ways the "Beau" books are not the easiest to complete...the novels are fairly thick, and reference a way of speaking and pop culture that was familiar to readers of the early 1920's but not so familiar to readers in the 21st century. However, they are well worth reading...the stores and the characters are absolutely fascinating - you will not read anything like them in modern fiction - and will remain with you long after you've finished the books. It is very pleasant to see that the heroine in this circa 1920's novel shows a great deal of spunk, and Beaujolais is a marvelous character (it is interesting that he seems a more "youthful" Beaujolais in this sequal than he did in the original Beau Geste). I also suggest reading Beau Geste first, to learn how we are introduced to some of the major charcters in this story.

Not to contradict (too much), but "Beau Sabreur" WAS made into a movie in the early 1920s. I don't know if it survives. Also, read the trilogy in the order written and published -- otherwise the "mystery" in Beau Geste is too easy to solve, since Wren gives some of the answers in BS (sorry) and clears up (almost) everything in Beau Ideal. Overall, this second book of the Geste Trilogy moves a little slower than Beau Geste, and serves in large measure to set the stage for the final denoument (did I spell that right?) in Beau Ideal.

This is my favorite novel. Percival Wrens tale is a sequal to Beau Geste which should be read first. It has so many suprises, suspense, and action that modern readers will be left speechless. I have read many books but none has ever compared. Why anyone hasn't made the movie is beyond me. In case your wondering I haven't written much about the plot or storyline. Just read it. Trust me you'll like it. If you even remotely are interested in mystery, action, and suspense read it. It is so fresh and new and unique I want to teach liturature to introduce others to this authors writing style. It is truly different. Read the book, the email me your comments. You won't be sorry.