Sabatini Rafael. Love-at-Arms

Like most of Sabatini's early work this is a fun read but it lacks the depth of Scaramouche or Bellarion. Notably, there is no development of character that sets those novels apart, but it is still a very enjoyable read. It has no historical characters although Cesare Borgia is mentioned, but never actually appears as a character in the novel. It is basically the story of soldier of fortune who is offered the dukedom of a principality in Italy at the time of the Borgia's. He declines because he doesn't want to be tied down. His cousin is the duke and when the duke recognizes the fact that the people want our hero to replace him as duke, he banishes our hero from the state. The hero is promptly given an opportunity to rescue a damsel in distress, which he, of course, undertakes with great relish, but is surrounded by seemingly impossible odds on every side, including the fact that the damsel in distress is the intended bride of his cousin, the duke and the marriage is essential to saving the duchy from the grasping arms of the Borgias. The end is resolved in typical Sabatini delightful, and almost amazing, fashion.