The Crimson Heirlooms - Softcover
The Crimson Heirlooms. One tangible – a priceless necklace called the Cross of Nantes. The other ephemeral – a secret hidden within the lyrics of a song. Each holds the power to change the course of history. But together, the price of ownership is death or salvation.
1832, Paris. Jake Loring is an American student living in the city during the turbulent march to revolution. Torn between the safety of going home to America and the passionate adventure of joining the Resistance, Jake foolhardily follows Paris into violent madness and soon finds himself being blackmailed by the Sphinx-like Monsieur Tyran to search for the Crimson Heirlooms... or die trying.
1776, France. The Heirlooms are born out of the drama unfolding in and around the dying manor of the Traversier Family and the Guerriers of Saint-Domingue. Furious betrayal, religious passion, illicit love and faltering honor between the men and women of both clans forge the Heirlooms and determine the fate of each family.
Past and present intersect as Jake outruns the dangerous forces trying to stop him while sifting through the rubble of this half-century-old drama in order to find the clues that will lead him to the current location of the Heirlooms and to freedom.
But at what cost to France? And his soul?
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Hunter Dennis comes from a distinguished military family and has lived in three countries and across America. He has been a scriptwriter since 1998. The Crimson Heirlooms is his first novel.
Review:
-- Publisher's Weekly -- "Meticulous research, sharp historical detail, and a deepening mystery results in an exciting story."
-- Kirkus Reviews (a Kirkus Recommended Review and Great Book offering) -- "A formidable, ambitious debut novel with the tantalizing promise of a follow-up."
-- Online Book Club 4/4 Stars -- "It could easily become one of my favorite historical series... an intelligent and complicated but satisfying story."
Readers' Favorite 5/5 Stars -- SILVER MEDAL AWARD CONTEST WINNER 2018 -- " The reader is transported into a world where history comes alive.... (Dennis's) exotic range of characters is so well developed that it's hard not to know them, to identify with them and fall into their stories wholeheartedly."
Seattle Book Review 5/5 Stars -- "A sweeping saga spanning decades... Part mystery, part history... a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy."
-- Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman, writer/directors of over thirteen feature films -- "...a secret tour of late 18th and early 19th century France... And like a great movie, many of the story's scenes and images linger in the mind's eye."
Publisher's Weekly Full Review
Dennis's debut is an ambitious, sweeping epic of French history between 1776 and 1832 that follows two men decades apart who are loosely connected through two elusive, fabled heirlooms--a priceless necklace called the Cross of Nantes and lyrics to the devil's song, said to contain a secret.
Set mainly in France and Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), the story begins with Xavier Traversier, French heir to a failing dynasty in Nantes, who goes into shipping and the African slave trade to restore his family's fortune. The Guerrier family of Saint-Domingue were in possession of the Cross of Nantes; years later, a fateful meeting between Estelle Guerrier and Xavier forged a connection between the families and the missing necklace. Decades later, Jake Loring is an American studying in Paris who leads a foiled rebellion against the king and is arrested. A stranger frees him on the condition that he find both artifacts, called the Crimson Heirlooms, a journey that takes him around France and to Ireland, culminating in Jake's discovery of a shocking secret that connects the two heirlooms, and a newfound suspicion that his involvement is not a coincidence.
In this remarkable, webby tale, Dennis uses the heirlooms as the link to weave Xavier, Jake, and many other story lines into the politics, religion, social issues, culture, and ideas of the time. Meticulous research, sharp historical detail, and a deepening mystery results in an exciting story. A cliffhanger ending ensures a sequel.
Kirkus Full Review
This historical novel offers a smorgasbord that includes Freemasonry, aborted revolutions, slavers, family dynasties, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Enlightenment--while also telling a tale of a far-ranging treasure hunt.
The engine of the plot in Dennis' tale is a search for the "crimson heirlooms": the Cross of Nantes, an almost mystically stunning creation that makes its bearer "merchant royalty," and a "less tangible" heirloom: "the words of the devil's song, as he danced across the blood-drenched hills of the Vendée Militaire." Whoever finds these heirlooms will inherit the holdings of the wealthy Traversier family and be rich as Croesus. There are several pivotal characters and forces in this densely packed novel that's set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and chief among them is Xavier Traversier, the heir to his family's mercantile enterprise in the city of Nantes in western France. The business is in decline during his childhood, but by book's end he will have taken the Traversier fortunes to incredible heights. Jake Loring is an American student in 1832 Paris and a budding revolutionary who's forced by a man named Monsieur Tyran into searching for the heirlooms. By a circuitous route, the story arrives in 1783 Saint-Domingue (later known as Haiti), which brings in the Guerrier clan, including father Feroce, mother Seonaidh, and the children, Guillaume and Estelle; the kids, when grown up, figure in the story at crucial junctures. Freemasonry also undergirds the intellectual history of the era along with the ideas of philosophers Rousseau and Montesquieu. Revolution is in the air as the story alternates between different time periods. The end presents a semiconclusion to the action followed by the phrase "To Be Continued."
Dennis knows how to spin a yarn, although the reader may be forgiven for not keeping all the characters straight over 400-plus pages; indeed, an initial list of the various players might have been helpful. The intellectual discussions sometimes make things drag a bit unless one is already a keen student of political and intellectual history, but when Dennis is good, he's very good--especially when it comes to description. The details of Traversier's first voyage as captain of his slave ship are particularly horrifying. Likewise, the particulars of Jake's frontline actions as a revolutionary and Guillaume's earlier exploits, also as a revolutionary (Plus ça change...), are well-handled. One curious chapter, "Jérémie," stands out as an eloquent testimony on the plight of the country peasants of the time; revolution should come as no surprise at all, even if it does start in the cities. Dennis has certainly immersed himself in the era of his novel, and he has clearly done his homework. The result is a book in which readers can certainly lose themselves, in the best sense of the term. And although it would be a long stretch to compare this novel to those of Leo Tolstoy or Victor Hugo, the flavor of their works is certainly present.
A formidable, ambitious debut novel with the tantalizing promise of a follow-up.
Online Book Club Full Review
The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis tells the story of an American student studying abroad in France in 1832. The student is involved in a secret society determined to start a revolution, but the student soon finds himself choosing to be blackmailed by a millionaire over losing his life. The millionaire is looking for two heirlooms: a necklace, the Cross of Nantes, and the lyrics to a song "the devil sang as he danced across the blood-drenched hills of the Vendée Militaire." However, before the student can start his search for the missing heirlooms, the author takes us back in time to show us how they were lost in the first place.
The Crimson Heirlooms is one of the best-written historical novels I've ever read. The time leaps between 1832 and the mid- to late-1700s showed the reader two completely different French landscapes. Dennis obviously has done his research, gently introducing background information and history to readers without overwhelming them, guiding them through historical events with a firm hand on their backs, making them feel as if they had been there themselves and were just reading another person's view on things.
My knowledge of French history extends to Les Misérables and the little bits of high school Literature and History classes that I can actually remember. Despite that, I had no trouble at all immersing myself in the world that Dennis created, slipping into the time periods like I was slipping on silk gloves. Every new town thrilled me, every new character spilled their secrets and inner thoughts little by little, pulling me into their secret societies and making me feel like their closest confidant. The entire time I was reading, I kept wondering if this was a lost classical manuscript. I had a hard time believing that Dennis could emulate authors from decades and even centuries before his time with such consistency.
I caught just a handful of typos throughout the entire novel, things like "arouse" versus "arose." Overall the editing was superb. Dennis can be wordy at times, making me grateful for the ability to look up words with a single touch on my Kindle, but it suits the style of the book. The book was so well-rounded that I wouldn't be able to think of any suggestions even if I tried.
Overall, I would give The Crimson Heirlooms a hearty 4 out of 4 stars. It could easily become one of my favorite historical series. When I reached the cliffhanger at the end of the book, I almost screamed out of frustration. I am highly looking forward to the next installation in the series, to see where the heirlooms will find themselves next, and whether the student being blackmailed will be able to out-trick his blackmailer as he gets closer to finding the mysterious heirlooms. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed Les Misérables, who are looking for an intelligent and complicated but satisfying story. Once you start reading, I doubt you'll be able to put it down.
Reader's Favorite Full Review
The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is set in France from 1776-1832, and in the West Indies. The story centers on two characters, Xavier and Jake, born at different times but loosely connected through their heritage. Xavier Traversier's family had once been the most important in Nantes, but had since fallen on hard times. His mother had become a recluse and Xavier's first venture into high society was a disaster. From that moment on, he vowed to rebuild their fortunes and, through sheer hard work and an excellent brain, he succeeded. However, one of the ways he achieved this was by transporting slaves. Jake was at school when he first took part in the riots in Paris and was only released from prison on the promise of finding the Crimson Heirlooms, one a valuable cross called the Cross of Nantes and the other the words to the devil's song as he danced across the hills of France.
When I chose to read and review The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis, I was expecting a historical tale of finding hidden treasure, but this is a completely different book. Firstly, I needed to brush up on the gaps in my French history as it's not a straightforward account of the usual storming of the Bastille and Madame Guillotine. Both major characters, Xavier and Jake, become involved with the Freemasons and much is described about their organization and outlook. There are extensive discussions of philosophers, especially Rousseau and Montesquieu, and the ideas which underpinned the newly liberated American constitution. Part of the story takes place in the West Indies as the thread of the whereabouts of the Cross of Nantes is transported across the Atlantic. Jake also visits Northern Ireland and learns the history of those who were persecuted by the occupying English forces.
This book is literary, thought-provoking and covers the major social issues of the times, especially pertaining to the French clergy who paid no taxes yet received huge payments from a variety of tolls levied on the poor and middle classes, which were often gambled away at the tables in the chateaux owned by the noble ruling class. I was getting worried as I approached the end of the book as to how all the characters would tie up, and if the cross was found and with what ramifications... The quality of the writing, the excellent characterization, the food for thought, the extensive research and the informative and helpful maps throughout won't allow me to give it anything else but 5 stars.
Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman Full Review
Reading Hunter Dennis's first novel, The Crimson Heirlooms, is like being treated to a secret tour of late 18th and early 19th century France, where philosophy, theology and politics were life and death matters to be argued with words, swords and cannon fire. His wide-ranging cast of characters stride the earth fiercely -- if not ferociously -- and are so busy working out their own salvation (or damnation) that they seem largely unaware of their own roles in the great events of their age. This effect is deliberate; full understanding is reserved for the reader alone. And like a great movie, many of the story's scenes and images linger in the mind's eye long after the last page has been turned. I can't say enough good things about this book.
Seattle Book Review Full Review
Star Rating: 5 / 5
A sweeping saga spanning decades. The hunt for a treasure worth millions. Part mystery, part history, The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy.
Spanning the decades between 1776 and 1832, the majority of the story follows Xavier Traversier (18th century) and Jacob 'Jake' Loring (19th century). This story explored concepts of socialism and fascism as they were intended. Sadly, even the best of philosophies are often corrupted by those who don't fully understand what they stand for. The entirety of this tale is a rich medley of philosophic ideas, most especially of Rousseau.
It is a wide-ranging tale, exploring notable events and practices of the time. Jake is right in the middle of the French Revolution, and the American Revolutionary War is referenced often as is life in colonial areas, such as Le Cap Francias in Sainte-Domingue. As the story progresses, Xavier's timeline becomes populated with other characters, who get their own chapters. Some, like L'Oublie, are one-shots, as he merges into Xavier's. Estelle and Guillaume get many chapters, preparing to take center stage in the next book. Xavier's first meeting with L'Oublie is terrifying. Worse though, is the story of Xavier's trip as captain of a slave trader. They overstuff 275 human beings into the cargo hold. The conditions were horrid, and slaves fell sick and died. They were treated little better than animals. The consequences of rebellion were truly horrific. L'Oublie himself is a rather enigmatic character and happens to be one of my faves. Once his loyalty is given, he is bulldog tenacious. Loyalty is a prime value for me. He's also kinda scary. I'd certainly feel safe with him at my back!
Overall, I found the book well-researched and quite enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!
-- Kirkus Reviews (a Kirkus Recommended Review and Great Book offering) -- "A formidable, ambitious debut novel with the tantalizing promise of a follow-up."
-- Online Book Club 4/4 Stars -- "It could easily become one of my favorite historical series... an intelligent and complicated but satisfying story."
Readers' Favorite 5/5 Stars -- SILVER MEDAL AWARD CONTEST WINNER 2018 -- " The reader is transported into a world where history comes alive.... (Dennis's) exotic range of characters is so well developed that it's hard not to know them, to identify with them and fall into their stories wholeheartedly."
Seattle Book Review 5/5 Stars -- "A sweeping saga spanning decades... Part mystery, part history... a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy."
-- Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman, writer/directors of over thirteen feature films -- "...a secret tour of late 18th and early 19th century France... And like a great movie, many of the story's scenes and images linger in the mind's eye."
Publisher's Weekly Full Review
Dennis's debut is an ambitious, sweeping epic of French history between 1776 and 1832 that follows two men decades apart who are loosely connected through two elusive, fabled heirlooms--a priceless necklace called the Cross of Nantes and lyrics to the devil's song, said to contain a secret.
Set mainly in France and Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), the story begins with Xavier Traversier, French heir to a failing dynasty in Nantes, who goes into shipping and the African slave trade to restore his family's fortune. The Guerrier family of Saint-Domingue were in possession of the Cross of Nantes; years later, a fateful meeting between Estelle Guerrier and Xavier forged a connection between the families and the missing necklace. Decades later, Jake Loring is an American studying in Paris who leads a foiled rebellion against the king and is arrested. A stranger frees him on the condition that he find both artifacts, called the Crimson Heirlooms, a journey that takes him around France and to Ireland, culminating in Jake's discovery of a shocking secret that connects the two heirlooms, and a newfound suspicion that his involvement is not a coincidence.
In this remarkable, webby tale, Dennis uses the heirlooms as the link to weave Xavier, Jake, and many other story lines into the politics, religion, social issues, culture, and ideas of the time. Meticulous research, sharp historical detail, and a deepening mystery results in an exciting story. A cliffhanger ending ensures a sequel.
Kirkus Full Review
This historical novel offers a smorgasbord that includes Freemasonry, aborted revolutions, slavers, family dynasties, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Enlightenment--while also telling a tale of a far-ranging treasure hunt.
The engine of the plot in Dennis' tale is a search for the "crimson heirlooms": the Cross of Nantes, an almost mystically stunning creation that makes its bearer "merchant royalty," and a "less tangible" heirloom: "the words of the devil's song, as he danced across the blood-drenched hills of the Vendée Militaire." Whoever finds these heirlooms will inherit the holdings of the wealthy Traversier family and be rich as Croesus. There are several pivotal characters and forces in this densely packed novel that's set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and chief among them is Xavier Traversier, the heir to his family's mercantile enterprise in the city of Nantes in western France. The business is in decline during his childhood, but by book's end he will have taken the Traversier fortunes to incredible heights. Jake Loring is an American student in 1832 Paris and a budding revolutionary who's forced by a man named Monsieur Tyran into searching for the heirlooms. By a circuitous route, the story arrives in 1783 Saint-Domingue (later known as Haiti), which brings in the Guerrier clan, including father Feroce, mother Seonaidh, and the children, Guillaume and Estelle; the kids, when grown up, figure in the story at crucial junctures. Freemasonry also undergirds the intellectual history of the era along with the ideas of philosophers Rousseau and Montesquieu. Revolution is in the air as the story alternates between different time periods. The end presents a semiconclusion to the action followed by the phrase "To Be Continued."
Dennis knows how to spin a yarn, although the reader may be forgiven for not keeping all the characters straight over 400-plus pages; indeed, an initial list of the various players might have been helpful. The intellectual discussions sometimes make things drag a bit unless one is already a keen student of political and intellectual history, but when Dennis is good, he's very good--especially when it comes to description. The details of Traversier's first voyage as captain of his slave ship are particularly horrifying. Likewise, the particulars of Jake's frontline actions as a revolutionary and Guillaume's earlier exploits, also as a revolutionary (Plus ça change...), are well-handled. One curious chapter, "Jérémie," stands out as an eloquent testimony on the plight of the country peasants of the time; revolution should come as no surprise at all, even if it does start in the cities. Dennis has certainly immersed himself in the era of his novel, and he has clearly done his homework. The result is a book in which readers can certainly lose themselves, in the best sense of the term. And although it would be a long stretch to compare this novel to those of Leo Tolstoy or Victor Hugo, the flavor of their works is certainly present.
A formidable, ambitious debut novel with the tantalizing promise of a follow-up.
Online Book Club Full Review
The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis tells the story of an American student studying abroad in France in 1832. The student is involved in a secret society determined to start a revolution, but the student soon finds himself choosing to be blackmailed by a millionaire over losing his life. The millionaire is looking for two heirlooms: a necklace, the Cross of Nantes, and the lyrics to a song "the devil sang as he danced across the blood-drenched hills of the Vendée Militaire." However, before the student can start his search for the missing heirlooms, the author takes us back in time to show us how they were lost in the first place.
The Crimson Heirlooms is one of the best-written historical novels I've ever read. The time leaps between 1832 and the mid- to late-1700s showed the reader two completely different French landscapes. Dennis obviously has done his research, gently introducing background information and history to readers without overwhelming them, guiding them through historical events with a firm hand on their backs, making them feel as if they had been there themselves and were just reading another person's view on things.
My knowledge of French history extends to Les Misérables and the little bits of high school Literature and History classes that I can actually remember. Despite that, I had no trouble at all immersing myself in the world that Dennis created, slipping into the time periods like I was slipping on silk gloves. Every new town thrilled me, every new character spilled their secrets and inner thoughts little by little, pulling me into their secret societies and making me feel like their closest confidant. The entire time I was reading, I kept wondering if this was a lost classical manuscript. I had a hard time believing that Dennis could emulate authors from decades and even centuries before his time with such consistency.
I caught just a handful of typos throughout the entire novel, things like "arouse" versus "arose." Overall the editing was superb. Dennis can be wordy at times, making me grateful for the ability to look up words with a single touch on my Kindle, but it suits the style of the book. The book was so well-rounded that I wouldn't be able to think of any suggestions even if I tried.
Overall, I would give The Crimson Heirlooms a hearty 4 out of 4 stars. It could easily become one of my favorite historical series. When I reached the cliffhanger at the end of the book, I almost screamed out of frustration. I am highly looking forward to the next installation in the series, to see where the heirlooms will find themselves next, and whether the student being blackmailed will be able to out-trick his blackmailer as he gets closer to finding the mysterious heirlooms. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans, especially those who enjoyed Les Misérables, who are looking for an intelligent and complicated but satisfying story. Once you start reading, I doubt you'll be able to put it down.
Reader's Favorite Full Review
The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is set in France from 1776-1832, and in the West Indies. The story centers on two characters, Xavier and Jake, born at different times but loosely connected through their heritage. Xavier Traversier's family had once been the most important in Nantes, but had since fallen on hard times. His mother had become a recluse and Xavier's first venture into high society was a disaster. From that moment on, he vowed to rebuild their fortunes and, through sheer hard work and an excellent brain, he succeeded. However, one of the ways he achieved this was by transporting slaves. Jake was at school when he first took part in the riots in Paris and was only released from prison on the promise of finding the Crimson Heirlooms, one a valuable cross called the Cross of Nantes and the other the words to the devil's song as he danced across the hills of France.
When I chose to read and review The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis, I was expecting a historical tale of finding hidden treasure, but this is a completely different book. Firstly, I needed to brush up on the gaps in my French history as it's not a straightforward account of the usual storming of the Bastille and Madame Guillotine. Both major characters, Xavier and Jake, become involved with the Freemasons and much is described about their organization and outlook. There are extensive discussions of philosophers, especially Rousseau and Montesquieu, and the ideas which underpinned the newly liberated American constitution. Part of the story takes place in the West Indies as the thread of the whereabouts of the Cross of Nantes is transported across the Atlantic. Jake also visits Northern Ireland and learns the history of those who were persecuted by the occupying English forces.
This book is literary, thought-provoking and covers the major social issues of the times, especially pertaining to the French clergy who paid no taxes yet received huge payments from a variety of tolls levied on the poor and middle classes, which were often gambled away at the tables in the chateaux owned by the noble ruling class. I was getting worried as I approached the end of the book as to how all the characters would tie up, and if the cross was found and with what ramifications... The quality of the writing, the excellent characterization, the food for thought, the extensive research and the informative and helpful maps throughout won't allow me to give it anything else but 5 stars.
Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman Full Review
Reading Hunter Dennis's first novel, The Crimson Heirlooms, is like being treated to a secret tour of late 18th and early 19th century France, where philosophy, theology and politics were life and death matters to be argued with words, swords and cannon fire. His wide-ranging cast of characters stride the earth fiercely -- if not ferociously -- and are so busy working out their own salvation (or damnation) that they seem largely unaware of their own roles in the great events of their age. This effect is deliberate; full understanding is reserved for the reader alone. And like a great movie, many of the story's scenes and images linger in the mind's eye long after the last page has been turned. I can't say enough good things about this book.
Seattle Book Review Full Review
Star Rating: 5 / 5
A sweeping saga spanning decades. The hunt for a treasure worth millions. Part mystery, part history, The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy.
Spanning the decades between 1776 and 1832, the majority of the story follows Xavier Traversier (18th century) and Jacob 'Jake' Loring (19th century). This story explored concepts of socialism and fascism as they were intended. Sadly, even the best of philosophies are often corrupted by those who don't fully understand what they stand for. The entirety of this tale is a rich medley of philosophic ideas, most especially of Rousseau.
It is a wide-ranging tale, exploring notable events and practices of the time. Jake is right in the middle of the French Revolution, and the American Revolutionary War is referenced often as is life in colonial areas, such as Le Cap Francias in Sainte-Domingue. As the story progresses, Xavier's timeline becomes populated with other characters, who get their own chapters. Some, like L'Oublie, are one-shots, as he merges into Xavier's. Estelle and Guillaume get many chapters, preparing to take center stage in the next book. Xavier's first meeting with L'Oublie is terrifying. Worse though, is the story of Xavier's trip as captain of a slave trader. They overstuff 275 human beings into the cargo hold. The conditions were horrid, and slaves fell sick and died. They were treated little better than animals. The consequences of rebellion were truly horrific. L'Oublie himself is a rather enigmatic character and happens to be one of my faves. Once his loyalty is given, he is bulldog tenacious. Loyalty is a prime value for me. He's also kinda scary. I'd certainly feel safe with him at my back!
Overall, I found the book well-researched and quite enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series!
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherA-R-B Books
- Publication date2018
- ISBN 10 0999493604
- ISBN 13 9780999493601
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Number of pages470
- Rating
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The Crimson Heirlooms
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ISBN 10: 0999493604
ISBN 13: 9780999493601
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Stock Image
The Crimson Heirlooms
Published by
A-R-B Books
(2018)
ISBN 10: 0999493604
ISBN 13: 9780999493601
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published 1.5. Seller Inventory # 353-0999493604-new
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