The Brethren (Haggard novel)
| Author | H. Rider Haggard |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Cassell & Co (UK) McClure, Phillips (US) |
Publication date | 1904 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
The Brethren: A Tale of the Crusades is a 1904 historical novel by H. Rider Haggard set during the Third Crusade.[1][2][3] The Brethren features Saladin and the Order of Assassins as characters.[2]
Background
In the author’s note, Haggard writes that the work was inspired by his visit to the Hill of Hattin, near the Sea of Galilee, considering its importance as the site of both the Sermon on the Mount and where, a millennia later, Saladin defeated the Crusaders in the Battle of Hattin.[4]
Modern criticism
Robert Irwin dismissed The Brethern as "Haggard's preposterous farrago". Irwin also criticized the novel's depiction of chivalry, saying that in The Brethern "Chivalry and the public-school ethos are hardly distinguishable."[5]
References
- ^ "MR. RIDER HAGGARD". The Sunday Times. Sydney: National Library of Australia. 3 April 1904. p. 5 Section: The Sunday Times Magazine Section. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ a b "REVIEWS OF BOOKS". The Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 19 November 1904. p. 9. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ "MR. RIDER HAGGARD ON THE CRUSADES". Western Mail. Perth: National Library of Australia. 7 January 1905. p. 50. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ Ferber, Sandy. "The Brethren: Another doozy from H. Rider Haggard". fantasyliterature.com. Fantasy Literature's Fantasy Book and Audiobook Reviews. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
- ^ Irwin, Robert, "Saladin and the Third Crusade: A Case Study in Historiography and the Historical Novel". In Bentley, Michael, Companion to Historiography. London. Routledge, 2007 ISBN 9780415285575 (pgs. 140-142)
External links
- Complete Book at Project Gutenberg
- The Brethren public domain audiobook at LibriVox