The French Executioner by C.C. Humphrey

By Carrie Anne


The last thing Jean Rombaud expects upon being summoned to behead Anne Boleyn is  to dedicate his life to her.  But the ill-fated queen has a mysterious request for her executioner:  that after taking her life he also take her infamous six-fingered hand and bury it at a sacred crossroads in France.  His oath will set Jean on the most dangerous journey of his life.  (taken from Amazon description)

I expected this to be one man's story.  Sure, he was going to meet people along the way, but I didn't expect them to start questing with him.  And that's what it felt like:  a story about a quest, full of traveling and fighting, not one man's journey to some sort of personal fulfillment.  The beginning of the book got my attention and the interaction with Anne Boleyn was touching.  But, from there it was a swashbuckling adventure, not what I signed on for at all.

If you like your history spiked with a dash of derring do, this may be the book for you.  Nearly 400 pages and covering several locations, it's sure to keep you entertained.  The author is an accomplished actor, writer, swordsman, and fight choreographer, so you can expect quality action.  Unfortunately, it just wasn't the book for me.