The French Orphan

The French Orphan #1

by Michael Stolle

alternate cover edition of ISBN: 9781478232278

The year is 1640, and Louis XIII is on the French throne. However, as far as you’re concerned, this is all pretty meaningless. After all, as a teenage orphan living in a monastery school in Reims, all you have to worry about is dodging the unpleasant advances of a few unsavoury monks and looking forward to a life of penniless and celibate servitude in a religious order.

After a childhood and adolescence plagued by a constant longing to know who he really is, orphan Pierre has not the slightest idea that his questions are about to be answered. But you know what they say – be careful what you wish for…

Suddenly finding out who you are can bring with it not only happiness and fortune, but danger, friendship and the sort of swift education that the monastery could never have provided! The discovery of who Pierre really is affects not only Pierre and his friends, but has ramifications for the French nobility, the English crown, and most dangerous of all, the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu and his fierce ambition for the Church and for himself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, France, Historical, Young Adult, Adventure, 17th Century

388 pages, Paperback

First published June 12, 2012

About the author

Born and educated in Europe, Michael has always been intrigued by the historical setting and the fact that what makes us human was as true in the 17th century as it is now.

He has been reading and writing about history for longer than he cares to recall...

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This may sound a little harsh, but there is a lot to dislike about this book. I almost quit reading so many times, and probably should have the first time I felt the urge because it never got any better. The number one problem with this book: I'm not sure who would like it.

Normally if I read something that I don't like, I can at least determine who the target audience is. Maybe it's got too much romance for me, but other people are into that. I like a lot of historical details, others find that dry. This book is written at the reading level of a sixth grader but includes several disturbing sexual scenes and topics that I wasn't even comfortable reading.

Most of this book reads like YA fiction. It is full of beautiful people whose luck always holds out. They go on unlikely adventures and are miraculously kept safe by an ever-growing circle of secret confidants who don't actually have any reason to help them. The bad guys are despicably evil and the good guys are lovable and beyond reproach. This all gets a little bland, but possibly entertaining to a 12 year old.

Except that I would never let my 12 year old read it because within the first several pages we encounter the first mention of pedophilia which is quickly followed up by male on male rape. I wish I could tell you that these were isolated occurrences. The book is filled with threesomes, sex between partners of varied genders, and boasting of sexual prowess among the teenage main characters.

This book also ends with nothing truly resolved. It is as if the proper number of pages was reached so everything else was left for the planned sequels. Unfortunately, even with the story left hanging completely open, I have no desire to read on.

If I could get beyond these issues to be taken in by some nicely described scenes and interesting historical information, I may have enjoyed the book a little bit more. The bland storyline speckled with creepy sex scenes was just too distracting from what was good about this novel.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This book was a pleasant surprise, since I had expected it to be a book for young readers. For young readers, it is Not.This is the first entry in a trilogy, about 2 young men, who were students together in a monastery in Rheims, circa 1640 during the reign of Louis Xlll. One is a poor orphan, the other a younger son of a rich member of the nobility. As the story unravels, we are led through an exciting, sometimes harrowing and dangerous journey. The orphan Pierre learns that his family history is not what he thought at all. The two friends learn their friendship bonds actually began generations before. Pierre is actually the heir to 2 fortunes in France and England and this is the story of him trying to win it back from a devious, sadistic relative, who has ties to the corrupt French court and Cardinal Richelieu, who has his own reasons for preventing Pierre from succeeding in claiming his inheritance. Both Richelieu and the evil relative want Pierre dead. Along the way, there is plenty of romance too, since Pierre falls in love with a beautiful cousin of his friend. This volume ends with a complication in the love story and the plot to kill Pierre escalating. I am eagerly awaiting the next entry in the trilogy, "The Secrets of Montresor".

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The French Orphan is an enjoyable story with colorful characters skillfully brought to life. The protagonist is lovable and the villains despicable. The story is exciting and the plot contains a few surprises. Overall all a great read. Looking forward to the second book in this series!

If you're offended by male/male sex scenes, this book is not for you. If you are bothered by too many exclamation marks, this book is not for you. If you're looking for a good read, dive right in.

[Jade Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in January in a first reads giveaway. This is the first book I have ever won as part of a giveaway so I didn't really know what to expect.

From the first few paragraphs I was hooked, the main characters of Pierre and Armand are brilliantly written and I instantly wanted to know their story. The story is fast paced with lots of exciting twists and turns. There are some really funny bits that had me laughing out loud too - for instance how Pierre stops an amorous monk in his tracks and Armand's ingenious plan to smuggle Pierre out of the city of Reims.

The historical aspects of this book are really fascinating and well researched. I had heard of Cardinal Richelieu before reading this book but didn't know much about him. The author paints a great image of his manipulative mind and describes him as a poisonous spider at the heart of a European web of power. A great read, I would highly recommend.

I will definitely have to read the next one and see how it ends.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

The prose is geared at a yongster level (12 - 14-ish, maybe?), however the anal rapes and general BDSM make me feel that the author should have defined a target reader market and then stuck to it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the, sprawling and adventurous, first in a series of books about a young man named Pierre. When we first meet our hero, he is a young pupil at a monastery school in Reims. Although befriended by Armand de Saint Paul, the youngest son of an old and noble family, his future looks bleak. Although the boys from noble families are preparing for careers as high-ranking members of the clergy, Pierre is only likely to spend his time teaching, or in a lowly parish and fighting off the unwanted attentions of the creepy Brother Hieronymous. However, that is before Armand discovers his secret. Pierre is really the son of a Marquis and has been hidden away to protect him from his relatives, who are hoping to inherit the title and family fortune.

What follows is an old fashioned adventure story – rather like a homage to Dumas – where Pierre and Armand set out to prove he is the real Marquis and evade the clutches of his evil cousin, Henri de Bouvoir, as well as the machinations of the wily Cardinal Richelieu. There are travels to England, to visit the family of Pierre’s mother, romance, the involvement of the Knights Templar, kidnappings and coded messages. This is an enjoyable historical novel, but the book does not really stand alone and you need to read on with the second book to discover what happens to the characters. Overall, I found this pleasant enough, but I did struggle to maintain interest in the plot at points and felt it would have been better if the ending had been more conclusive – giving the novel a more complete feel in itself.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.

[Ceillie Simkiss · Rating 1 out of 5]

Got 40 pages into the novel, there had already been mentions of pedophilia that I'm under the assumption will be touched on later, and there had already been a male-male rape.
I am so not interested in finishing this book.

[Tammie Painter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because it sounded like a great story set in a time period I love. That said, the story is good, at least the 200-ish pages I read of it. But it's not great. Things seem to happen a bit too conveniently, the good guys seem bland and too nice, the bad guys seem stereotypical and too evil. I just found myself bored and not interested enough in the characters to keep going.

The author also uses exclamation points WAY too much...to the point of distraction. Exclamation points should be saved for adding true emphasis to a snippet of dialogue, not for the end of nearly every revelation or action-filled paragraph.

[Mariama Lei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also read this review on my blog, Behind The Secret Bookshelf.

I received this copy as part of a Goodreads ARC giveaway

The French Orphan is a historical novel based in um, France in the 17th Century during the reign of Louis VIII. Pierre, who is around 17 years old or so at the beginning of this book has believed all of his life that he is a lowly orphan an has lived most of his life in an monastery. The monastery is also the current home/school of Pierre's best friend, Armand, who is part of quite an important family in France, the de Saint Pauls. While in the monastery, Pierre and Armand discover that Pierre is actually nobility- the future Marquis de Beauvoir- and that he is being hunted down by his cousin Henri because it is Henri who wants to be the future Marquis; Henri will do anything to kill Pierre to ascend to the throne. Pierre, Armand, and Marie, Pierre's love interest, journey throughout both France and England and have many adventures in Pierre's quest to gain the title that was rightfully his at birth but they encounter numerous challenges. But what is adventure without the chase?

I thought that this book was extremely well written and I quite enjoyed the both the plot and the characters. This book had everything that I look for in a historical novel and I really appreciate that. If I had to have any complaints though, it would have to be that some scenes were a little drawn out and a bunch of them could have taken out, but I guess that those scenes did eventually paint a more accurate picture of French aristocracy. The book started out a bit slow and lagged in some places, but maybe that was my fault for not paying attention. However, I did enjoy the book immensely and hope to read more of Pierre and Armand's excursions in The Count of Montresor!

[Mary Yarde · Rating 5 out of 5]

“So the game can commence…And we shall make sure that there will be only one winner our Holy Mother, the Church…”

Cardinal Richelieu may well be as poisonous as a snake, but one cannot help but admire his obstinate determination to get the job done. But, be warned, when that determination is focused upon you, then it might be wise to start thinking about ordering your own tombstone.

Locked away in one of the most prestigious schools in France, Pierre’s most pressing concern is how to avoid the unwanted advances of the vile Brother Hieronymus. Pierre knows nothing of his past or his parents. He is resigned to the fact that he will spend the rest of his life in a monastery, like his best friend, Armand de Saint Paul. But unlike Armand, he will probably remain a lowly Brother, for he does not have wealth or privilege to expect anything more.

Armand, however, is not convinced by Pierre’s humble status. If Pierre was just another poor orphan boy, then how did he end up here? This is the school where the French nobility send their sons. Determined to discover the truth, Armand seeks answers, but what he finds will change the course of Pierre’s life and his own, forever…

From a conniving Cardinal to the grandeur of the French court of Louis XIII, The French Orphan by Michael Stolle is a book that swept me away in all of its brilliance.

With a vast cast of characters, a dramatic backdrop of two very different countries, and enough political intrigue to keep a reader turning those pages long into the night, The French Orphan has an awful lot to recommend it. This is a novel that captured my imagination in the prologue and continued to hold it right until the last full stop. Stolle has written a story in which realism is almost tangible. I did not read this book—I lived it. I was a part of it. I witnessed it. I lost track of time while I read this novel. I forgot where I was, who I was, even. When historical fiction is written in such a way, there is certainly no such thing as too much.

As I have already mentioned, there is a huge cast of characters in this novel, and Stolle even allows us to glimpse into the minds of some seemingly inconsequential members of the cast. When there are so many characters, so many points of view, it can be very easy for a reader to lose the thread. I always think it is a gamble to write in this way, but in this case, Stolle’s gamble has undoubtedly paid off because it made this novel all the richer. It also clearly demonstrates that Stolle has a novelist’s understanding of human nature—both the dark side and the light.

This novel is a tale of two kingdoms. In France, it is the Church who holds the reins, but in England, there is a battle brewing between the anointed king and his parliament. These troubled and conflicting times are the perfect setting in which to place Pierre and his friends. Coming from a closeted and controlled world to discovering freedom for the first time is a liberating experience for Pierre, and yet he does not stray from claiming what is legitimately his. Pierre is a young man of great honour, and yet there are moments when he stumbles, when he gets swept away by the events that are happening around him, which I thought made him realistic in the telling. But his inherent goodness makes him immensely likeable. Pierre is the kind of protagonist that a reader can easily get behind and root for. I thought Pierre’s portrayal was absolutely fabulous.

17th Century France—a time of romance, musketeers, and Cardinal Richelieu. Alexandre Dumas may well have immortalised the Cardinal in Les Trois Mousquetaires as a seemingly unstoppable villain, but there is so much more to the historical Cardinal Richelieu. The Red Eminence was a man who consolidated royal power and transformed France into a strong centralised state, but he was not, as I am sure he wished he were, infallible. Stolle introduces us to a Cardinal who is dying, but one who is determined to continue to hold the strings of those he wants to control and influence. The fear and the hatred that this man inspired, especially from the French aristocracy, is very easy to understand as this novel progresses. Still, his capability to govern, even when he was so ill, cannot be overlooked. I thought Stolle’s depiction of Cardinal Richelieu was brilliant—and it was precisely how I imagined him to be. He was someone who could manipulate events any way he wanted, and he always made sure that he, and the Church, came out on top, no matter what the outcome. To pen a good antagonist takes a great deal of skill and diligence, which is something that Stolle most certainly has. I really enjoyed reading about the Cardinal.

With one eye on the historical controversy of the era and the other on what makes an enthralling read, Stolle has presented his readers with an unashamedly impressive book. Add to this the historical detail, the political uncertainly, and the influence of the Church during this period means that this novel is something very special indeed. The confident use of word building, the crystalline prose and the vibrant storytelling brought this era back to life in all of its splendour and, of course, its ugliness. France and England were two very different kingdoms—one had unwittingly submitted to Cardinal Richelieu, and the other found herself facing a battle with her own parliament. King Louis may have been happy to hand over the reins to Richelieu, King Charles, however, was not so easily persuaded by his parliament. The contrast between these two countries could not be more apparent, from the way it was governed, to the way the houses were furnished. I thought Stolle had captured the era and the fashions of both these countries during this time. The historical detailing of this book has to be not only commended but admired. The hours of research that have gone into this book are evident throughout.

As The French Orphan is the first book in the series, do not expect a tidy ending, for there is obviously far too much story to fit into one book. Thankfully, the following four books in the series are already published!

The French Orphan by Michael Stolle is an emotionally driven story that is not only bold in its delivery but extraordinarily successful. I cannot wait to get my hands on Book 2, so I can continue this incredible adventure with Pierre and his friends.

I Highly Recommend.

Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway.

I really enjoyed this book, the first in a trilogy, about Pierre, a young orphan in a monastery school in France in 1640. We soon learn that Pierre is not the penniless, orphan he has always been presented as - as he has always believed himself to be. This knowledge, though, catapults Pierre into a fight for his life against the scheming of a cousin who wants Pierre's inheritance and title for his own. With the help of his good friend from the monastery school, Armand, and Marie, a young woman of the minor aristocracy, Pierre escapes to England pursued by his cousin, Henri. New friends rally to help Pierre's cause and new twists are added to his story. The web of intrigue becomes stickier as the plot continues and we discover many influential members of society are taking a keen interest in the potential success or failure of Pierre to survive and claim his rightful place in society.

I am looking forward to reading the second in the trilogy!

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided with a free copy to review and give my honest opinion. This is no quick read, but it's worth the effort. Stolle walks you through an interesting period in French history beautifully due to good research. Some of the phrasing is 21st Century but that is not worth dissing the book over. The characters are rich and interesting. The story covers about a one year period, thus leaving the book open for a sequel. At times the plot is a little complex but that is due to the depth of the research. Looking forward to downloading and reading the Secrets of Montresor (book 2).

[John Naylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.

I had no real expectations of this book when I started it. I had skimmed a few reviews and noted some people hated and had given up on it early but I would never use that as an indication of how good a book is. As it turns out I enjoyed this book.

It has some classic themes. Good guys, bad guys, love interests, wealth and power are all involved heavily. I enjoyed the reading pace and although the language might seem a little simplistic to some I think it fit the story. The time period suits it. All the main characters have their own voice and there are some good supporting characters.

I cannot think of anything I really disliked about the book but I also do not feel it deserves 5 stars. There is something missing in it but I don't know what. I will read the sequels if I get chance. I also could see the story as a Sunday night BBC1 drama.

I would recommend the book to those who enjoy the time period or those looking for a book that is a little different.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fits and Starts. Something kept me reading the book, but something else kept me from reading it for more than thirty minutes at a time. I call that thing 'fits and starts'. The mechanics of good writing were fine. My specially priced copy from Amazon was relatively error free. I liked the historical characters and setting. This book could have been a five star book but for the fits and starts.

Thank you, Mr. Stolle, for a good read.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

Silly, immature writing. I cannot imagine how anyone would get past the first 40 pages.

[Ivana S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Stolle is the author of this great novel: The French Orphan. This book is an action packed tale written for a general audience. It is a fast, amazing and really satisfying story about Pierre, a French orphan who struggles through life. He fights against the French nobility, the English crown and, most dangerous of all, the machinations of Cardinal Richelieu.
It is set in the year 1640 when Louis XIII was on the French throne. The story is narrated in third person. One of the best things about the book is the way the author depics how people thought in those days.

Each chapter is more exciting than the last one, but if I have to choose one I would say that the last one is my favourite.

If I have to describe this book, I would say that it is perfect for nowadays. You can enjoy it in these quarantine’s nights with a delicious cup of coffee and a bar of chocolate. I would gladly recommend you all, no matter what age, to read this amazing book.

[Liviu]

interesting concept but a writing style that did not work for me - very modern atmosphere and character actions/thoughts etc; reading this book you have the impression it takes place in the 21st century with costumes

[Karyn H · Rating 5 out of 5]

The French Orphan
An excellent novel with historical background
In this era where people rarely explore historical ideas in storytelling, this story is coming in just at the right moment. Michael Stolle with his power of a detailed narrative did a good job in The French Orphan.
The book is moderately paced which makes it easy to read and follow up with. He predates the story to the time of Luis XIII and tells a story of a boy who spent all his boyhood life in the monastery not knowing who he really was.
Finally, he figures out who his father is and this had a great impact on his life. He finds out that he was not just anybody but rather, the son of a very powerful personality.
He embarked on an adventure to reclaim what he feels is his legacy. His quest, however, was not as smooth as he expected. The thing became unsafe and strange events began to pop up.
This book contains the theme of adventure, suspense, love, and mystery. The book throws some light on the customs and practices of the people of the period.
It is also a book of entertainment and a fun one to read. I really enjoyed this book and I’m sure you will as well.

[Suzanne Arnaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and active, this book kept you wanting to know..,...what',s next????!!!

The right touch of romance, suspense and intrigue,this book kept you wanting to discover what was around the bend for these friends!! Hard to put down...this book had joining in their frustrations and triumphs in each adventure. Henri's cold heartedness is sometimes hard to take but it only unveils what hides behind the mask of seems to be civil society..!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to loved this book...when reading the back of it.. you're hooked and intrigued. This novel just wasn't for me. The sexual aspects were stuff that I understand in the beginning may have been crucial for the story and to drive the plot point but after that... wasn't necessary. Also read a few reviews once I started this book and realized it wasn't anything like I was expecting, and people were very upset that the author uses exclamation points so often. Which is the truth, the exclamation points were kind of driving me crazy by half way through the book. I did enjoy the atmosphere of the novel, being set in past France and England. I really liked that the author left things open to try and hook you into this series. Unfortunately I won't be continuing on.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story

Everything I look for in a book, interesting, well written, excellent characters! Really looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

[Keira Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

exciting adventure with lots of action

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave up with this book as it really wasn't working for me. I thought the writing was poor and I was struggling to engage with it.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It's one of my favorite time periods and Stolle does an incredible job sucking the reader in. Highly recommend!

My Rating: 5 stars

[Erin Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot was predictable and the pacing poor. Timeline was not clearly evident (as others have noted). Dialogue was flat and stilted, and reminiscent of dialogue I'd expect to find in a book geared at middle school aged students. It's obvious that little research was put into socioeconomic and cultural norms. Just because someone is poor or not of the nobility doesn't mean that they don't have complex thoughts or emotions. Supporting characters were single dimensional and the whole thing just felt like a whitewashed, cherry-picked version of rich white man's history. There's so much GOOD historical fiction out there that I know that it's possible to have a complex, well-researched, well-written and engaging book. Unfortunately, none of those things apply to this work. It needs an editor and a serious consult with a historian or two.

I think the most disturbing thing is that the reading level is so low, but the content includes sex scenes. If you're writing YA historical fiction, that's fine! Cool! Do that! Do not include graphic sexual content, though.

I got this book for $0 when there was a deal on during July 2016. The premise oversold and the book under-delivered.

I'm about 50% through the book at the moment and I wanted to know how it ends. But I have to continue to wade through all above problems in order to know what happens, which annoys me to no end.

[Mary]

The book ends with unresolved major problems affecting the main characters, so it is necessary to get the sequel to find out what happens next.
A good book, overall, and very much a page turner. There are a few minor grammatical errors, such as missing words, for example: page 343, 'You cannot ignore forever a Queen who has borne the heir to throne,' which should surely be 'the heir to the throne'. Or on page 284, "You're a Duke now," in one bit of dialogue and 'well he was a duke now,'in a later sentence, which may be an inconsistent use of capital letters. These errors are few and do not stop the book being a good read.
Michael Stolle has a unique style and does his own thing. Strangely enough, it works. For example, where all the writing manuals say 'show not tell' he tells how his characters feel, some of the time.For example 'A suddenly joyful Jean Baptiste.'page 303. It is refreshing to find such an individual style. Sometimes, however, the writing reminds me of Dennis Wheatley, with the excellent Roger Brooke series.I think this is because of the historical explanations made by some of the characters and the fact that there is always an unresolved problem to keep readers turning the page.
There are some excellent descriptions of the everyday life of the period, which I love. The author shows his love of history and, since I am fascinated by the period, I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of dress, food and so on.
I would recommend the book, as I found it difficult to put it down, until I had finished it. Then I found out I needed the sequel!

[Kyla Corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, much to my own amazement (I generally read crime or horror books). The storyline is original and very well thought out. One automatically falls in love with the main characters Pierre & Armand and despises the greedy Henri & Cardinal Richelieu. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next volume to discover what happens next.

I give this book 5 stars :)

[Kantata · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won this book through goodreads giveaways*
I enjoyed this book to some degree it was very fast-paced which i didnt really enjoy, the plot was cool, could have been a little bit better executed. The characters were sweet, i like them, but each person they mention in the book is somehow perfect. for the main characters, everything seems laid out for them, no real trials and it just didnt really feel like it came together.
2.5 out of 5 stars
could have been better

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free as part of the goodreads first reads giveaway. This was a great book, it had all the right amounts of romance, intrigue, and historical accuracy that I love. My only issue with it would be that at times the characters could be a bit too simple and alike. Overall though I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys French history and adventure books.

[Timmothy J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an intriguing tale through the history of the French Monarchy under Louis XIII. At time the conversations repeated themselves in different scenes and could have benefited from editing. It ended very abruptly and left the reader hanging, wondering what became of the characters. I hope there is a sequel to know what become of them.