The Complete Brigadier Gerard

<p>“The finest historical short stories ever written” is Conan-Doyle expert Owen Edwards’ verdict on the <em>Brigadier Gerard</em> series.  In this new complete edition which includes 55 original illustrations by W B Wollen the aged Brigadier tells all his tales of Napoleonic <em>gloire</em> quite unhindered by any sense of false modesty.  He was he tells us "the finest horseman … and the best swordsman in the entire <em>Grande Armee”</em> an outstandingly brave<em> </em>hot-blooded hussar who was of course beloved by any woman fortunate to cast her eyes upon him.<em> </em> Nor was the Emperor unaware of Etienne Gerard’s accomplishments and sought him out for a variety of secret or especially dangerous assignments.  And so we are told of wild adventures from the Peninsular War Waterloo the retreat from Moscow Gerard's imprisonment in England and even an attempt to rescue Napoleon from St. Helena.</p><p>As we listen we gradually realise that the bold Hussar’s brain was perhaps not quite as sharp as his sword.  Gerard regularly misconstrues orders and has the most preposterous ideas on the sporting ideals of his favourite enemy the English who he mistakenly believes to be in awe of his prowess at both pugilism and fox-hunting.</p><p><em> </em>An inspiration for the<em> Flashman</em> series George MacDonald Fraser describes <em>Brigadier Gerard</em> as “a splendid catalogue of secret missions escapes love affairs duels disguises pursuits triumphs and occasional disasters” narrated in “inimitable mock French style.”</p>