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Knight Prisoner
A hilarious romp through an alternative 15th century, where two great literary minds meet and pull off a jailbreak of legend.
In 1470, in the great City of London, the great French poet, François Villon, was in trouble. He had a talent for it. Carted off to Newgate prison, he is thrown into the company of that master of English crime and prose, Sir Thomas Malory.
This humorous medieval alternative history tale is told by Fremin—Villon’s put-upon secretary -- who has never had an adventure of his own. He tells the story of the meeting of these two masters of writing and crime, while looking back at their early criminal adventures. Both men’s lives curiously echo their literary work. It also becomes the story of Fremin himself, as he grows from being the servant of two great men, into his own manhood.
The legal and romantic situations go from bad to worse until there is only one man they can turn to, the old Knight in the prison.
Knight Prisoner is a delightful tale of adventure through the dark alleys and filthy taverns of pre-Renaissance London, infused with a warmth and humor worthy of Chaucer himself. Mark J. Mitchell’s Knight Prisoner is an ageless comedy, filled with clever insight into humanity, whatever the century.
In 1470, in the great City of London, the great French poet, François Villon, was in trouble. He had a talent for it. Carted off to Newgate prison, he is thrown into the company of that master of English crime and prose, Sir Thomas Malory.
This humorous medieval alternative history tale is told by Fremin—Villon’s put-upon secretary -- who has never had an adventure of his own. He tells the story of the meeting of these two masters of writing and crime, while looking back at their early criminal adventures. Both men’s lives curiously echo their literary work. It also becomes the story of Fremin himself, as he grows from being the servant of two great men, into his own manhood.
The legal and romantic situations go from bad to worse until there is only one man they can turn to, the old Knight in the prison.
Knight Prisoner is a delightful tale of adventure through the dark alleys and filthy taverns of pre-Renaissance London, infused with a warmth and humor worthy of Chaucer himself. Mark J. Mitchell’s Knight Prisoner is an ageless comedy, filled with clever insight into humanity, whatever the century.
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First published June 25, 2013
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About the author
Mark J. Mitchell
20 books4 followersAbout the Author:
Mark J. Mitchell was born in Chicago and grew up in Southern California.
He was raised Catholic, and studied writing and Medieval Literature at UC Santa Cruz under Raymond Carver, George Hitchcock, Robert
M. Durling and Barbara Hull.
His poetry has appeared in hundreds of periodicals over the last thirty-five years, as well as the anthologies Good Poems, American Places (edited by Garrison Keillor), Hunger Enough, Retail Woes, and Line Drives. It has also been nominated for both Pushcart Prizes and The Best of the Net. He is the author of two full-length collections, Lent 1999 (Leaf Garden Press) and Soren Kierkegaard Witnesses an Execution (Local Gems) as well as three chapbooks, Three Visitors (Negative Capability Press, Detective Movie (Fermata Publishing) and Artifacts and Relics, (Folded Word). His historical novel, Knight Prisoner, is available from Vagabondage Press.
He lives in San Francisco with his wife, the documentarian and activist Joan Juster. He makes a living showing people pretty
things in his city.
Mark J. Mitchell was born in Chicago and grew up in Southern California.
He was raised Catholic, and studied writing and Medieval Literature at UC Santa Cruz under Raymond Carver, George Hitchcock, Robert
M. Durling and Barbara Hull.
His poetry has appeared in hundreds of periodicals over the last thirty-five years, as well as the anthologies Good Poems, American Places (edited by Garrison Keillor), Hunger Enough, Retail Woes, and Line Drives. It has also been nominated for both Pushcart Prizes and The Best of the Net. He is the author of two full-length collections, Lent 1999 (Leaf Garden Press) and Soren Kierkegaard Witnesses an Execution (Local Gems) as well as three chapbooks, Three Visitors (Negative Capability Press, Detective Movie (Fermata Publishing) and Artifacts and Relics, (Folded Word). His historical novel, Knight Prisoner, is available from Vagabondage Press.
He lives in San Francisco with his wife, the documentarian and activist Joan Juster. He makes a living showing people pretty
things in his city.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 28, 2019
When I read the description of this book on Amazon, I thought it was going to be funny. It wasn't funny, but it was so much better than I hoped.
Fremin is Villon's faithful sidekick. Taking all of Villon's abuse and staying his loyal friend.
One night during a night of drinking, Fremin falls in love. It is all made complicated by the fact that she is a whore and Fremin can't find her again.
Also during all of this Villon manages to land himself in jail twice. While in jail Villon and Fremin meet Sir Thomas Malory and a fast friendship emerges.
Fremin busily rewrites all of Malory's books. Fremin loves books and writing out the retelling of King Arthur was a gift to him.
The second time Villon gets arrested, Fremin finds his lady love arrested too. They both are to be hung for their crimes. So backwards little Fremin has to save them.
I adored this story so much. I fell in love with Fremin and I have to hope that his Margot fell in love with him too.
The ending was a little surprising. I thought that it had been put to bed so to speak, and it went right around again. Not in a bad way though.
Everyone should have a Fremin in their lives and most of the characters in this story are much better off for having him in theirs.
Fremin is Villon's faithful sidekick. Taking all of Villon's abuse and staying his loyal friend.
One night during a night of drinking, Fremin falls in love. It is all made complicated by the fact that she is a whore and Fremin can't find her again.
Also during all of this Villon manages to land himself in jail twice. While in jail Villon and Fremin meet Sir Thomas Malory and a fast friendship emerges.
Fremin busily rewrites all of Malory's books. Fremin loves books and writing out the retelling of King Arthur was a gift to him.
The second time Villon gets arrested, Fremin finds his lady love arrested too. They both are to be hung for their crimes. So backwards little Fremin has to save them.
I adored this story so much. I fell in love with Fremin and I have to hope that his Margot fell in love with him too.
The ending was a little surprising. I thought that it had been put to bed so to speak, and it went right around again. Not in a bad way though.
Everyone should have a Fremin in their lives and most of the characters in this story are much better off for having him in theirs.
August 14, 2020
Very amusing. Seemed like a realistic recreation of 15th century London. Could almost smell it. Well paced and with interesting characters.
Very amusing. Seemed like a realistic recreation of 15th century London. Could almost smell it. Well paced and with interesting characters.
Very amusing. Seemed like a realistic recreation of 15th century London. Could almost smell it. Well paced and with interesting characters.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews