Yes, I let my daughter pick another book for me. I'm a sucker. What else can I say?
So, what's the first thing you think of when you hear the name Arthur Conan Doyle? Is it...a French soldier sitting around telling war stories? No?
This book is a collection of stories told by an old soldier talking about his glory years when he was the best soldier on the field and everyone knew it. We're talking the early 1800s, so our "hero," Etienne Gerard, is serving his Emperor, Napoleon. We learn how fearless, brave and vital he is to the cause, and at one point, he wonders if Waterloo could have been won if he'd been part of the battle.
I can't help but make some comparisons with Sherlock. Both characters are annoying in their "I'm better than everyone around me" attitude, but I think here it was more annoying because it didn't mean anything most of the time. I did enjoy a few of the stories, but overall, it felt like a dude bragging about how awesome he was and how everyone knew it.
While Gerard is an interesting character at times, I wouldn't be interested in hearing more of his exploits. He was just a bit too much for me. Sorry, Etienne.
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