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The Hounds Of God
When Don Pedro is shipwrecked off the Cornish coast and captured by the formidable Lady Margaret Trevanion, he expects trouble. What he doesn’t expect is to fall in love and run away with Lady Margaret, only to be pursued by his own countrymen. And he certainly hadn’t expected that the officers of the Spanish Inquisition would be so ruthless that Don Pedro and Lady Margaret are forced to enlist the help of the Queen of England herself.
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1928
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98 people want to read
About the author
Rafael Sabatini
703 books541 followersRafael Sabatini (1875 - 1950) was an Italian/British writer of novels of romance and adventure. At a young age, Rafael was exposed to many languages. By the time he was seventeen, he was the master of five languages. He quickly added a sixth language - English - to his linguistic collection. After a brief stint in the business world, Sabatini went to work as a writer. He wrote short stories in the 1890s, and his first novel came out in 1902. Sabatini was a prolific writer; he produced a new book approximately every year. He consciously chose to write in his adopted language, because, he said, "all the best stories are written in English. " In all, he produced thirty one novels, eight short story collections, six nonfiction books, numerous uncollected short stories, and a play. He is best known for his world-wide bestsellers: The Sea Hawk (1915), Scaramouche (1921), Captain Blood (1922) and Bellarion the Fortunate (1926). Other famous works by Sabatini are The Lion's Skin (1911), The Strolling Saint (1913) and The Snare (1917).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 10, 2018
Margaret Trevanion has been raised with an unusual amount independence and self-reliance which leads to her spurning the neighbor we suspect she loves and taking a survivor of the Spanish Armada as her prisoner. Who we do not trust, though that distrust is based on very little. (Heavens, I might as well be Elizabethan with that attitude!)
Others have commented on how different the second half of the book is from the first. The Spanish Inquisition and royal rulers are a large part of that difference. I actually really enjoyed both parts. Elizabeth I's note to King Philip made me laugh out loud and these two self-centered rulers are perfect foils. Likewise, we are shown several contrasts within the Inquisition and these are both entertaining and give food for thought about motivations and the result of lying to oneself (Brother Luis, I'm lookin' at you!).
Others have commented on how different the second half of the book is from the first. The Spanish Inquisition and royal rulers are a large part of that difference. I actually really enjoyed both parts. Elizabeth I's note to King Philip made me laugh out loud and these two self-centered rulers are perfect foils. Likewise, we are shown several contrasts within the Inquisition and these are both entertaining and give food for thought about motivations and the result of lying to oneself (Brother Luis, I'm lookin' at you!).
December 8, 2016
3.5 stars
A bit less memorable than some, but still good. Gervase Crosby, the hero, has to both win the heart and the freedom of Lady Margaret, who was abducted and then imprisoned by the Inquisition for "bewitching" the man who abducted her. Definitely a wild adventure, from first to last!
A bit less memorable than some, but still good. Gervase Crosby, the hero, has to both win the heart and the freedom of Lady Margaret, who was abducted and then imprisoned by the Inquisition for "bewitching" the man who abducted her. Definitely a wild adventure, from first to last!
July 10, 2024
Another example of great writing and exceptional dialogue by Sabatini.
Felt a little less satisfying and comprehensive than some of his other books, but still was an enjoyable read.
Felt a little less satisfying and comprehensive than some of his other books, but still was an enjoyable read.
November 16, 2011
After Gervase Crosby earns a knighthood, he expects to return home and marry. His intended, Margaret Trevanion, is an independent woman who's unsure if she wants a husband. Before they can settle their relationship, they're interrupted by a shipwrecked enemy with his own designs on Margaret. Also, there's the Spanish Inquisition.
From the moment he enters the scene, it's obvious that the villain is going to cause problems. But since every character behaves pretty badly early on, he seems sympathetic right up until the moment when he isn't. The next antagonist's behavior is a little too erratic. The book jumps between all these viewpoints and more, so I never settled in with the hero and heroine.
The second half of the book gets into larger scale politics between England and Spain, and it includes a heavier use of high-profile historical figures than I'm used to seeing from Sabatini. The hero from The Sea-Hawk also appears. The main story after that point revolves around the Inquisition, but they don't seem as threatening as they should. (I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition, and I certainly didn't expect them to be on the dull side.)
In the end the day is saved, but it's thanks to the machinations of the people in power. Gervase's role is mostly as a courier. While there are some interesting parts, it feels like Sabatini was trying to tell too many different stories. The adventure novel plot and political intrigue are both fine on their own, they just don't mesh together all that well.
This is worth reading for fans of the author, but I don't think it's representative of what he's capable of.
From the moment he enters the scene, it's obvious that the villain is going to cause problems. But since every character behaves pretty badly early on, he seems sympathetic right up until the moment when he isn't. The next antagonist's behavior is a little too erratic. The book jumps between all these viewpoints and more, so I never settled in with the hero and heroine.
The second half of the book gets into larger scale politics between England and Spain, and it includes a heavier use of high-profile historical figures than I'm used to seeing from Sabatini. The hero from The Sea-Hawk also appears. The main story after that point revolves around the Inquisition, but they don't seem as threatening as they should. (I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition, and I certainly didn't expect them to be on the dull side.)
In the end the day is saved, but it's thanks to the machinations of the people in power. Gervase's role is mostly as a courier. While there are some interesting parts, it feels like Sabatini was trying to tell too many different stories. The adventure novel plot and political intrigue are both fine on their own, they just don't mesh together all that well.
This is worth reading for fans of the author, but I don't think it's representative of what he's capable of.
February 27, 2023
Far superior to the nuptials of corbal which I finished reading before I started on the hounds of god!! I still couldn’t award it four stars. Three and a half if it was available would be my mark.
The pen portraits of Bess of England and Philip II of Spain are the best of the book. The way the author interweaves them both into the plot of the book is the best aspect of the book.
A mass of detail. In the end maybe too much detail. Don Pedro is in the end a moustache twirling villain from melodrama. Sir Gervase is the hero capable of anything in the defence of his lady. Lady Margaret is heroine/ damsel in distress.
The hounds of god is the people of the Spanish Inquisition. It is Don pedro, Spanish grandee who calls them that!
The pen portraits of Bess of England and Philip II of Spain are the best of the book. The way the author interweaves them both into the plot of the book is the best aspect of the book.
A mass of detail. In the end maybe too much detail. Don Pedro is in the end a moustache twirling villain from melodrama. Sir Gervase is the hero capable of anything in the defence of his lady. Lady Margaret is heroine/ damsel in distress.
The hounds of god is the people of the Spanish Inquisition. It is Don pedro, Spanish grandee who calls them that!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2023
3.5 stars for the dialogues and style which make up for a rather simple adventure part of the novel.
January 3, 2017
This one twists more than any other Sabatini's novel at least for me. That's all I will say for now.
I forgot to add this one. I think it is a four star book as I remember it. Once again Sabtini makes a call for liberal religon. This novel is a prequel to The Sea Hawk. Which is it only problem. It is hard to match up the events that happen in this novel with what happens in the Sea-Hawk. Oliver Tressilian is on target. Oliver's neighbor in Sea-Hawk and The Hounds of God doesn't seem though to be the same person. Good arguement for writing sequel and prequels close together rather the years stretch between these two books.
On its own The Sea-Hawk and The Hounds of Gods are very good though. I am giving Hounds of God three stars for not matching up to The Sea-Hawk. If you can read it as it own story than it is four stars.
I forgot to add this one. I think it is a four star book as I remember it. Once again Sabtini makes a call for liberal religon. This novel is a prequel to The Sea Hawk. Which is it only problem. It is hard to match up the events that happen in this novel with what happens in the Sea-Hawk. Oliver Tressilian is on target. Oliver's neighbor in Sea-Hawk and The Hounds of God doesn't seem though to be the same person. Good arguement for writing sequel and prequels close together rather the years stretch between these two books.
On its own The Sea-Hawk and The Hounds of Gods are very good though. I am giving Hounds of God three stars for not matching up to The Sea-Hawk. If you can read it as it own story than it is four stars.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews