Rocambole: Volume 1 - the Dark Side

Rocambole is a mystery adventure epic by the French author, Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail (1829 - 1871). It is the story of an adventurer and criminal who started life on the wrong side of the law, redeemed himself, and then devoted his life to doing good. The Rocambole saga has been acknowledged for transitioning the old-fashioned gothic novel to modern heroic fiction thus starting the genres of adventure crime fiction novels. Before there was a Sherlock Holmes, Scarlet Pimpernel, Hercule Poirot, the Saint, Arsene Lupin, and James Bond, there was Rocambole. The stories take the reader back to the nineteenth century, an era of elaborate styles and extravagant wealth as well as extreme poverty and ghetto life. Most of the stories take place in nineteenth century London and Paris with their cobblestone streets, carriage traffic, gas-lit narrow streets, and shadowy characters. Other stories take the reader to imperial Spain, tsarist Russia, revolutionary Ireland, exotic India, and pioneering Australia. The epic itself is the personal account of a young boy who grew to become an old man and who led in evil and good lives in stories full of interesting characters, creative plots, heroic adventures, and exciting cliffhangers. It will be hard not to dislike Rocambole?s early life despite his charismatic personality just as it would be hard not to admire him when the innocent love of one who thought he was her brother transforms him to embracing a nobler life. The original Rocambole stories filled seventeen books. This is the only English adaptation of the full story. It will be published in three volumes. The first volume, The Dark Side, tells of Rocambole?s sinister life and introduces all the characters who were Rocambole?s enemies, several of whom became life-long friends after his redemption. It will be followed by the second volume, Redemption, and the third volume, Crusade. This adaptation maintains all the major plots of the original saga but eliminates minor subplots and characters and replaces them with original material to bridge the gaps. A short video trailer can be seen on YouTube under the title: ?Rocambole Lives?.