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    The Scarlet Pimpernel: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Book 1
    The Scarlet Pimpernel: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Book 1
    The Scarlet Pimpernel: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Book 1
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Scarlet Pimpernel: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Book 1

    Written by Baroness Orczy

    Narrated by B. J. Harrison

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Paris: September 1792. At the West Barricade, the bloody guillotine continues her ghastly work. And word has gotten round that the mischievous Englishman who delights at ferrying off French Aristocrats to England is somewhere among them. For today, the Citoyen Fouquier-Tinville, on his way to the Committee of Public Safety , received another enigmatic calling card. It was signed with a symbol of a red flower - the mark of the Scarlet Pimpernel.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherB.J. Harrison Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2010
    ISBN9781937091927
    The Scarlet Pimpernel: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Book 1
    Author

    Baroness Orczy

    Baroness Emmuska Orczy was born in Hungary in 1865. She lived in Budapest, Brussels, Paris, Monte Carlo, and London, where she died in 1947. The author of many novels, she is best known for The Scarlet Pimpernel.

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    Reviews for The Scarlet Pimpernel

    4/5

    1,888 ratings92 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A classic, and for a good reason.The Scarlet Pimpernel is a daring tale set during the French Revolution. A mysterious Englishman, known only as the Scarlet Pimpernel, is devoted to rescuing those that the revolutionaries have condemned to the guillotine. A ruthless French agent is just as determined to find the Scarlet Pimpernel and send him to his execution. And it all hinges on the actions of one woman...Oh what fun! A smashing good read!Experiments in Reading
    • 4/5
      Defined at its most basic level, a superhero is a vigilante with a secret identity and a gimmick that sets them apart from ordinary vigilantes. Hungarian-born British playwright Baroness Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orci’s The Scarlet Pimpernel features as its titular main character a British aristocrat who uses disguises to conceal his identity as he aids nobles in their escape from the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, signing his notes to his accomplices and his taunts to the French authorities with a scarlet pimpernel flower (Anagallis arvensis). Baroness Orczy based this 1905 novel on her original 1903 play, with her superhero predating Johnston McCulley’s Zorro by 14 years and Walter B. Gibson’s The Shadow by at least 25 years (depending on if one begins with the play or novel and counts The Shadow’s first radio appearance or the first magazine story), though the first superheroes as most know them wouldn’t appear until 1938 and ’39 with Superman and the Batman, respectively. Baroness Orci published five further novels and one short story collection before the appearance of Zorro in 1919, an additional four novels and short story collection before the appearance of The Shadow, and three more novels before the first appearance of Superman, with her final Scarlet Pimpernel novel, Mam’zelle Guillotine, appearing in 1940. In total, Baroness Orczy’s superhero appears in eleven novels and two short story collections, with the series also including two novels about his ancestor and one about his descendant.The basic plot revolves around Sir Percy Blakeney, a baronet who uses the guise of the Scarlet Pimpernel to rescue French aristocrats. Like the Batman years later, Sir Percy Blakeney acts “the lazy nincompoop, the effete fop, whose life seemed spent in card and supper rooms” so as to throw off those who would discover the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel (pg. 128). Madame Orczy describes Sir Blakeney’s mansion in terms that similarly recall Wayne Manor, all of it a further part of his disguise as a vain aristocrat (pg. 129). Citizen Chauvelin pursues the Pimpernel on behalf of the Committee of Public Safety, seeking to discover his identity and prevent him aiding aristocrats in their escape. Meanwhile, Marguerite Blakeney, the wife of Sir Percy, stumbles across and inadvertently reveals his identity after Chauvelin’s attempts to blackmail her by threatening her brother, Armand St. Just, who still resides in France and is threatened by the republican forces currently orchestrating the Reign of Terror. In many way, the various aristocrats’ discussion of the Scarlet Pimpernel coupled with the misunderstandings between Marguerite and others reflect some of the drawing room farces popular only a decade prior to the novel’s publication in the Victorian era. Like any proper superhero story, the Pimpernel’s adventures continued as Baroness Orczy published a sequel, I Will Repay, one year later in 1906. The third act does have some alarming ethnic stereotypes reflective of the period in which Baroness Orczy wrote, but the rest is entertaining and the work itself is worthy of study for its place in genre fiction. This edition, part of ImPress’s “The Best Mysteries of All Time” series, reprints the original 1905 text in its entirety with a red leather cover. It makes a lovely gift edition for fans of the original work or book collectors looking to add to their shelves.
    • 1/5
      I have no idea why some people classify this novel as a classic piece of literature. Just because it was written over a hundred years ago doesn't automatically make it a great novel. Orczy is not in the same league as Tolstoy or Dickens or Shakespeare. She did not write a number of brilliant works that hold up to the passage of time and remain relevant. She did, I think, write the first superhero novel. I read that the creators of Batman were influenced by The Scarlet Pimpernel and I totally see that. At times I felt like I was reading the pulpy novelization of an action movie. I'm sure at the time of the release of this book (and the accompanying play) the plot seemed fresh and daring. Now, of course, it's just one long cliche and common trope. The comparisons to a Scooby Doo episode are not far off the mark.The plot is extremely far-fetched and the characters one dimensional. I kept waiting for a supernatural element to be introduced in order to explain the disguises the S.P. used. I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough - there is no way he could turn himself into a petite elderly woman. Just....no. He's supposed to be huge. How does he hide his height and girth? Hmmmm. And Marguerite -the cleverest woman in Europe! - spends hours with him while he is disguised and doesn't notice? Hmmm. The S.P.'s superhuman strength is also over the top. He is beaten so severely he loses consciousness yet he is still able to walk a mile and a half in the pitch dark through the rough countryside carrying Marguerite? Hmmmm. Orczy is a mediocre writer. If I read the word "inane" one more time I was going to scream. Were thesauruses not invented when she wrote the book? She tells the reader, she doesn't show the reader. Don't tell me Marguerite is "the most clever woman in Europe" over & over & over. Show me! Instead, Marguerite is incredibly dense throughout the book. I couldn't get over how she kept forgetting people - forgetting her husband, forgetting her brother, forgetting that guy that helped her get to France. Where was the cleverness? The romance between Marguerite and her husband befuddled me. They got secretly married after a whirlwind courtship because he was sexually attracted to her and she really enjoyed how much he desired her. She didn't love him but loved that he loved/wanted her so much. Then, after the marriage, they almost immediately have a falling out and never talk about it because both are too proud. Marguerite suddenly decides she passionately loves her husband because.....um, that wasn't totally clear to me. Because she found out he was secretly the S.P.? Or something like that.Finally, that crazy antisemitic chapter of the book "The Jew" - what the hell!?!? That came out of no where. It was like talking to someone at a party, thinking they are cool, when suddenly they start talking about n*ggers and f*ggots. Whoa! Didn't realize how horrible you were! Thanks for sharing that tidbit about yourself! It wasn't just that Orczy was showing some of her characters to be bigoted towards Jewish people. She, the third person narrator, was writing these horrid descriptions."His red hair, which he wore after the fashion of the Polish Jews, with the corkscrew curls each side of his face, was plentifully sprinkled with grey- a general coating of grime, about his cheeks and chin, gave him a peculiarly dirty and loathsome appearance. He had the habitual stoop, those of his race affected in mock humility in past centuries, before the dawn of equality and freedom in matters of faith, and he walked behind Desgas with the peculiar shuffling gait which has remained the characteristic of the Jew trader in continental Europe to this day.""She felt as if he held Percy's fate in his long, dirty hands.""The eyes of the Jew shot a quick, keen glance at the gold in his interlocutor's hand.""With a final, most abject and cringing bow, the old Jew shuffled out of the room."Talk about a buzz kill. I was already having issues with the book and that chapter was like the final nail in the coffin. I give the book 2 stars because it does have a historical interest in the sense that Orczy created a Batman/Superman sort of hero and that is intriguing. Also, I am a sucker for books set in that time period. Even mediocre books like this one.
    • 3/5
      Great history, from both the classic sense of history and also in the sense of history of plotting in a mystery. The historical landscape is carefully described. It is also counterintuitive in terms of underdog/favorite dynamics. And the plotting itself is very clever, particularly so when you place it early on the development of mystery plotting. The chapters are short so it is also easy to pick up and set down.
    • 3/5
      Justly famous for it's theatrical style, outrageous intrigue and less-than-2-percent-body-fat plot. I enjoyed it despite the florid writing and simplistic, one-sided view of historic events. Still, I must say, if the French secret police were really this dense, I too could have duped them as often and with equal panache.
    • 5/5
      WOW!! This book was amazing! A classic and a must read! I am not going to write a real review because it would be all spoilers anyway, so just know that you should read this! Some parts were hard from me to get through (lotttts of description!) but I am glad I kept at it, and in the end, this is now one of my favorite classics!
    • 5/5
      Lady Blakeney is a bit of a disappointment, considering she was written by a woman. However, the story being told through her point of view is a very interesting device. They are the proto-couple for Nick and Nora Charles (of the movies). Sir Percy himself is fantastic, and despite the slow-start to the book, the writing is exciting and story very captivating.
    • 4/5
      Well, this was really fun. The unknown man known as the Scarlet Pimpernel is a master of disguise. His creative plots to save members of the nobility from the French revolutionaries were tremendously entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The narration by Ralph Cosham of the audio book was very good.
    • 4/5
      I remember reading an abridged version of this book when I was about 10 or 11 years old because I liked the title, but I didn't remember the story at all so it was a delightful surprise adventure for me to the time of the Reign of Terror. I loved it and usually Classics are not my forte.The Scarlet Pimpernel is an adventurer who risks his life to free the terrified royalists who are awaiting execution during the Reign of Terror. We hear of the exploits of this courageous man as he smuggles men, women, and children out of France before their date with guillotine. He is threatened with exposure and yet manages to continue his mission.What surprised me most about this book is the story - not the main plot but the underlying tale of rescue of Frenchmen by a band of Englishmen. First, you have Englishmen trying to free Frenchmen which is unusual given the animosity between the two countries that had existed since the time of Henry V, then you have the fact that the English had tried 10 years earlier to prevent the Americans from freeing themselves from England, and last the Key point for me, was the major difference between the American Revolution and the French Revolution. Seeing the violence of the French Revolution and the overthrow of the government as the chief point in that Revolution, makes me appreciate more the struggle that the American colonists undertook to gain their own freedom.
    • 5/5
      I don't know how or when I learned about this story, but I've known the basic plot for a long time. It's never been part of my reading plans because I thought it just wasn't for me, that it would be just a silly melodrama. And yes, it is kind of silly, with Lady Blakeney being so clever, such tiny exquisite hands, so perfectly beautiful. The writing isn't great, with much repetition - the word "merrily" is used often, very often. Despite all this, I loved the book. It's a swashbuckling adventure story, a romance. It has a fabulously brave, clever, handsome hero, and of course the aforementioned beauty of Lady Blakeney. All this and a setting of the French Revolution as a bonus. Excellent!
    • 3/5
      There's something about books you read when you're very young, the ones that transport you away. Even if they're embarrassing or not up to snuff when you re-read them later, they're still enjoyable due to the young feelings they re-kindle.
    • 4/5
      That was good fun.
    • 4/5
      Surprisingly readable and enjoyable, even when it was being predictable. And I was on tenterhooks wondering how it would end.
    • 4/5
      Because I originally read this in high school English class, I always had the idea that this book was considered capital-L Literature, but I've since realized that it's actually rather trashy. It goes down smooth--quick and very easy to read.

      This rereading left me with the idea of The Scarlet Pimpernel as the Twilight of its time, only with an adventure/historical fiction theme instead of fantasy. Between the melodrama and angst, the sweeping mysteries and secrets, the excessive physical descriptions, the sometimes lolarious writing...I'm sorry to say that I caught a resemblance.

      That said, I really like The Scarlet Pimpernel. The late-night scene between Percy and Marguerite after the Lord Grenville's ball is a favorite. I have a hard time picturing Marguerite as a blue-eyed strawberry blonde, despite what Orczy has to say about it.
    • 5/5
      An underrated classic. A definite must read for young adults especially.
    • 2/5
      If you are older and like detailed books then this would be for you, I did not like this because I am a bad age to read it. This is a action/mystery/suspense book about a man who saves nobles from the french revolution's guillotene.
    • 4/5
      A classic worth re-reading! It has everything: adventure, romance, intrigue, history, humour and a happy ending! What more could you ask?
    • 5/5
      After loving the musical for so long, I decided to dive into the book before I watched a film adaption.Overall, I loved the book. The only things I was disappointed with was the extreme lack of Percy, who is the most enigmatic character in the whole series. Instead we're left with Marguerite's point of view. And honestly, she isn't the sharped crayon in the box. Also, no sword fighting! Thank God the movies and musical added that bit.Really can't get enough of Sir Percy that I'm definitely continuing with the series.
    • 5/5
      We seek him here, We seek him there,Those Frenchies seek him everywhere!Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?That demmed elusive Pimpernel!So goes the rhyme written about the secretive Englishman who stealthily smuggles French royals into his country to escape their fates at the guilletine. A master of wit and clever disguise, none know the identity of The Scarlet Pimpernel who takes his name from the flower he signs his letters with. Filled with love and adventure, this story is a charming tale and a delightful read for all ages.
    • 4/5
      A rousing adventure story that's by turns suspenseful, romantic and funny. Our hero fights to save folks condemned to the guillotine during the French Revolution.
    • 2/5
      How this book wound up in the Folio Society's catalogue is beyond me. This childish (not child-like) book adopts an inanely simple viewpoint on the French Revolution, altering facts and faces as it sees fit in the interests of the, ahem, "plot". Said plot is burdened with various ludicrous devices, contradictions, and a dramatis personae with an average (or is it total?) IQ of under 100. The writer, we learn, was Hungarian nobility, transplanted to England and burdened with excess admiration of all things upper class. The sin is compounded with appalling racism directed at, amongst others, Jews and Frenchmen.Not content with one go at the genre, she spent the rest of her sorry career writing more in the life of the Pimpernel. Fortunately, we are forewarned by an introduction that is not kind to the author.
    • 5/5
      The movie based on this book is my father's favorite. It combines a little of everything: swordfighting, wild disguises, narrow escapes, love, passion, and saucy humor. Apparently there's a whole series of books about Sir Percival Blakeney, Baronet--I need to find them.
    • 4/5
      I read this many year ago and it was a favorite back then. It's still excellent - although I can tell my tastes have changed over time. I don't remember it being quite so - sappy. But then, I think I read it during a sappy time. My favorite trivia about this book is it is generally considered to be one of the main sources of inspiration for Batman/Bruce Wayne. And considering how clever Blakeney is, one has no trouble believing that. With humor, love, adventure, and much daring-do, this is an fine read, perfect for rainy days on couch or sunny beaches by the water. Highly recommend, particularly if you enjoy light literature or need a break.
    • 3/5
      Yes, I realize this is a novel *against* the French Revolution (as my publisher so helpfully pointed out). Orczy's writing is gripping and the plot moves along quickly, reminding me of a reverse-Dickens novel.
    • 4/5
      I liked this book so much more than I thought I would. It takes place during the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror. An English gentleman has taken it upon himself to rescue French aristocrats and take them to England. Everyone wants to know who he is.Quite a lot of fun.
    • 5/5
      This classic has it all: humor, romance, adventure. What more could you ask for?
    • 4/5
      One of the better romance/adventures. The book is more Marguerite's story than the Scarlet Pimpernel's, unlike every stage and screen adaptation (so far as I'm aware). It leans towards melodrama at moments- to be expected of a book that follows the Tale of Two Cities version of the French Revolution, with numbers of executions happening daily in 1792 which weren't reached except for the worst parts of 1794- but the original duel identity hero who has influenced everything from Zorro to Batman holds his own in the test of time.
    • 5/5
      I was first exposed to The Scarlet Pimpernel by my ninth grade English teacher whose approach to teaching ninth grade English seems to have been getting literature down the throats of teenagers by any means necessary. More often than not, this meant showing us the movie version of novels rather than actually requiring us to read them. One spring day, we watched the 1982 version of The Scarlett Pimpernel with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour.

      I was smitten.

      Shortly thereafter, I found a used copy for sell at my local public library and for just $0.25 the world of Sir Percy Blakeney and Marguerite Blakeney was mine! I devoured it.

      Twice smitten.

      The Scarlet Pimpernel is a cat and mouse tale of an English nobleman who is hell-bent on saving his French counterparts from the bloody blade of the guillotine during the French Revolution. He has the annoying habit of leaving the symbol of red flower (a scarlet pimpernel, get it?) behind as a calling card and this has made everyone curious about his identity. The English have put him on a pedestal; the French have put a price on his head.

      The book is filled with adventure, near-misses, secret identities, lies, espionage, shocking revelations, an arch-nemesis, and things that could/would never happen in real life, forcing you to suspend disbelief (just a tad). But that's why we read fiction, isn't it? I know there are a myriad of other reasons we read fiction, but sometimes it does come down to escapism, pure and simple.

      However, despite all of the high drama, danger and excitement, there is a part of me that sees The Scarlett Pimpernel simply as a love story. Not as a simple love story; maybe, and perhaps more accurately, a love triangle along the lines of the Clark Kent-Lois Lane-Superman love triangle.

      Marguerite is married to Sir Percy, but she is in love with the idea of another whose initials also are S.P. (hum...) Sir Percy seemed like a decent guy when she agreed to marry him but alas, now he seems doltish, and what's even worse, he seems quite indifferent to her. Sir Percy and Marguerite's marriage is in crisis. True, it's not as big a crisis as the French Revolution, but Baroness Orczy has skillfully juxtaposed one against the other. As the drama of the revolution plays out in the background and the world (well, France) falls apart, we can quietly explore the anatomy of a failing marriage (and possibly contemplate such questions as: How well can you really know the person closest to you? Do you only know what he/she chooses to reveal to you? Could you forgive the ultimate betrayal? Could those glasses really fool Lois Lane? Really?!)

      In the end, The Scarlett Pimpernel is a sweet and tender tale that proves you can never hide your true essence from the one who loves you best.

      Plus, it's about a hero. We can never have too many heroes. The Scarlet Pimpernel is one for the ages.



    • 4/5
      A great adventure story in the classic sense of adventure literature. Lots of "Zooks!" "Zounds!" and "Odds Fish!" in the dialog that, as far as I'm concerned, added to its charm. I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend this book!
    • 5/5
      This is quite possibly my favorite classic. I love books that take place during the French Revolution. The derivative works such as the musical and movies were good, but nothing beats the book.