Editorial Review:

In 1386, a few days after Christmas, a huge crowd gathers at a Parisian monastery to witness what will become the nation's final "trial by combat"--a court-ordered duel intended to let God determine which of the two men was telling the truth. The dramatic true story of the knight, the squire, and the lady unfolds during the devastating Hundred Years' War between France and England, as enemy troops pillage the land, madness haunts the French court, the Great Schism splits the Church, Muslim armies threaten Christendom, and rebellion, treachery, and plague turn the lives of all into toys of Fortune. Bringing to life a colorful, turbulent age and three unforgettable characters caught in a fatal triangle of crime, scandal, and revenge, The Last Duel is at once a moving human drama, a captivating detective story, and an engrossing work of historical intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

Great Tale:

People today look upon the custom with contempt. Not completely unjustly. But everybody's worldview is ultimately based on unprovable premises and the contempt is usually based on the equally assumption that either God doesn't exist or doesn't care about the fate of a woman wronged. Under this assumption trusting justice to randomness is folly. As the opposite of that premise was generally held in those times, there is a superficial logic. It was not intended to be "might makes right" but "right gives... more info

Gripping tale of Medieval Europe:

Eric Jager does a marvelous job bringing the late middle ages to life. He uses the story of the infamous duel between Carrouges and Le Gris as a backdrop for an in-depth look at civil life during the period, which is surprisingly similar to our own. In addition, Jager masterfully builds the suspense and makes you care about the outcome like any good crime writer should. This book is a lot of fun and you'll learn something too.

Jealous, friendship and a climax right out of Hollywood -- but it really happened:

Watched by the King of France, and an avid audience, two men in armor are enclosed in an arena. Armed with their wits, strength and skill, they will fight to the death, with only one man to leave the arena alive. Above, on a scaffold, a woman dressed entirely in black stands. If her champion dies, she will be taken be burnt alive at the stake for the crime of prejury.
Is this a Hollywood film, perhaps? Or a segment on the History channel?
No, it's the very last trial by combat in France, in the... more info

A Fabulous and Rivetting Read:

The last paragraph of the book pretty well says it all:
"In its private and illegal later form, the 'duel' only dimly reflected the solemn grandeur of its medieval golden age, when angry nobles challenged each other and threw down the gauntlet, then sheathed themselves in armor, swore heavy religious oaths before priests, and spurred their warhorses onto a walled field to fight it out before thousands of witnesses with lance and sword and dagger, putting at risk their word and their honour, their... more info

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