Quentin Duward

By Sir Walter Scott

Book Overview

"Quentin Duward" is a classic historical novel set against the vibrant and turbulent backdrop of 15th-century Europe. The story follows a young, impoverished Scottish nobleman who travels to France in search of fortune and adventure. Upon his arrival, he enters the service of King Louis XI as a member of the elite Scottish Guard. Quentin soon finds himself entangled in a high-stakes power struggle between the cunning King and his formidable rival, Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.

As a romantic adventure, the work expertly blends historical fact with compelling fiction, showcasing the decline of chivalry and the rise of modern political maneuvering. Through the eyes of its protagonist, the narrative explores themes of honor, loyalty, and the complex moral choices faced by those serving powerful rulers. Quentin's journey involves daring escapes, courtly romance, and a quest to protect a beautiful countess, all while navigating a world of spies and shifting alliances.

Authored by Walter Scott, a pioneer of the historical novel genre, "Quentin Duward" remains a definitive example of nineteenth-century literature. It offers readers a vivid portrait of the Middle Ages, capturing the tension between old-world traditions and the dawn of a new political era.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025482476
• ISBN13: 9781025482477
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 552 Pages
• Weight: 1.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Timeless Classic for Generations

When I was 13, I asked my father what his favorite book was when he was my age. He told me "Quentin Durward". The next time we were in a bookstore together, I found a paperback copy of this book and bought it...for 75 cents! When I read this book, I entered the medieval world of knights, kings, lovely medieval ladies, and chivalry. I later learned that Quentin Durward is about fighting to preserve moral order in a changing world. What book could be more relevant today? I just bought this book for my 13 year old son, and he has it on his list of books to read this summer. The generations in my family will be connected by this book and the themes it addresses. p.s. When going through my father's library, I discovered the old copy my father had read. It had his father's name written on the first page, and his grandmother's name on a bookplate inside the front cover!

Somewhat Borgesian

This is the first Sir Walter Scott novel I've read since 1975. I was struck by how modern -- or even post-modern -- its structure is. For one thing, the novel is a narrated by fictitious narrator named Sir Walter Scott, honest, who stumbles into a private library salvaged from pre-revolutionary France; for another, its annotations reference sources which may or may not exist, but which the fictitious narrator claims he read in the private library referenced above. Further, with the exception of the heroine (dish-water dull, I agree), the characters all behave as modern people would. Yet, as far as I can tell, Borges never wrote about Sir Walter Scott. Go figure.

One of Scott's finest

I read this novel forty years ago in the Modern Library edition and I am amazed that it is out of print except in expensive library editions. It is one of Scott's finest novels, full of action and with a fine portrait of King Louis. It was the first novel to use a gypsy as a character. It was made into a movie in the 1950's. Scott of one of the most neglected geniuses in literature and the world is the poorer for it.

Excellent historical fiction with rich characterization

Quentin Durward is good reading, right up (almost) to the very end. It's excellent historical fiction with very rich characterization, especially of Louis XI. Excellent, that is, except for the women. While two of the minor female characters are interesting, the female lead is as dull as dishwater. My real complaint is that the ending is bungled. After the tremendous buildup full of exciting action and convincing sets, you turn the page and...it's just over! Misses the crecendo and the denoument. Still, I enjoyed it, and recommend checking it out of the library, as I did.