Doyle: The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard

By: Arthur Conan Doyle

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

With a horse between his thighs and a weapon in his grip, the dashing Brigadier Etienne Gerard, Colonel of the Hussars of Conflans, gallops through the Napoleonic campaigns on secret missions for his beloved Emperor and his country. He encounters danger and hair-breadth escapes but never loses his bravado, his eye for a pretty girl, his boastfulness or his enormous vanity.

Gerard is Conan Doyle’s most lovable character. At times hilarious, at times touching, these stories are amongst Conan Doyle’s most popular.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2010 Naxos Audiobook

Conan Doyle writing style of 1890 - 1910 ish

A gentler, comic, rendition of the Napoleonic Wars from the point of view of a man of those times. "Gerard is modeled on the real-life Baron Jean Baptiste Antoine Marcellin de Marbot, a noted French light cavalry officer during the Napoleonic Wars" (Wikipedia).

Rupert Degas does a good job of hinting at the hubris of Gerard, who is very loath to mention his qualities, unless given the chance. His accents, oral caricatures, are just right; women histrionic, heroes manly. Yet, he does so leaving dignity to them.

Writing of its time; simple, lite and enjoyable.

awesome adventure, great narrator

At first, I thought it would be annoying to listen to a French accent for 18 hours, but it really grew on me and made the story seem more authentic. The narrator did an awesome job and at the very end, when the most important character in the book congratulates the titular character, the voice he uses for the congratulatory words is so sincere and heartfelt, you can't help but smile knowing how proud the fictional character to whom the words were directed would have been. I hit the rewind button many times, because certain sections were so well written and well performed that they deserved to be memorized. I often listen to books to fall asleep, and will have to rewind to a point where I was still awake. With this book, when I would rewind back to the points I had already heard, they had left such an impression on me that I could sometimes recite them word for word, after only having heard them one time while half asleep. This is definitely a good book, and I'll be purchasing another Doyle title to continue with this sense of adventure I've had for the last week.

A superb narration of Doyle’s great Napoleonic hero’s exploits.

Rupert Degas’ narration is fantastic and immersive. A great listen and wonderful fun. Brigadier Gerard is a triumph and a treat for any fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Great Conan Doyle Historical stories

Fun character in interesting stories set in the Napoleonic Wars. Reminds me of why I love the Holmes stories.