The Brethren: Fortunes of France 1

'Game of Thrones meets The Three Musketeers' Mariella Frostrup, BBC Radio 4

'A lively adventure' Telegraph

'France's modern Dumas' Sunday Times

The million copy bestseller

The Périgord of sixteenth-century France is a wild region on the borders of royal authority - its steep, forested valleys roamed by brigands and divided by religious conflict.

In this beautiful but dangerous country, two veterans of the French king's wars - The Brethren - come to build a prosperous community. But civil war looms, famine and plague stalk the land, and they must use all their wits to protect those they love.

This exhilarating blend of adventure and romance became an instant classic on publication and has sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Part of the Pushkin Press Classics series: timeless storytelling by icons of literature, hand picked from around the globe.

Translated by T. Jefferson Kline

Robert Merle (1908-2004) was born in French Algeria, before moving to mainland France in 1918. Originally an English teacher, Merle served as an interpreter with British Expeditionary Force during the Second World War, and was captured by the German army at Dunkirk, the experience of which served as the basis for his Goncourt-prize-winning Weekend at Zuydcoote. His novel The Brethren became an international bestseller and has sold more than one million copies worldwide.