Years ago, I purchased all of the Allen French books that Bethlehem Books had available: The Red Keep, Rolf and the Viking Bow, and The Lost Baron. I listened to the John Lee audio version of Rolf and the Viking Bow one summer when I was gardening, but for some reason, I never came back to read The Red Keep or The Lost Baron.

This week our internet was completely down, so I enjoyed a reading vacation of sorts, and I read a number of fantastic books, including The Red Keep. In my lending library, Plumfield Living Books Library, I have a young patron who loves the Middle Ages. I reached for The Red Keep to preview before I put it in her “holds” box. I spent two days with my head in this exciting 370-page story of adventure and honor, and I am delighted to be able to recommend it to families. I loved it, and I am sure that my pre-teen and teens will love it as well. As I was reading, I kept saying to my John Flanagan Rangers Apprentice-loving readers: this is the story that Horace deserves! 

The subtitle of this book is “A story of Burgundy in year 1165.” At the end of the story, Bethlehem Books has included a short note about the author indicating that Allen French spent his life writing serious works of history but, in the words of his wife, “his imagination fired his mind to the point where it blazed and he would take to fiction to let off the heat!” Bethlehem Books rates this 370-page novel as for readers aged 10 and up. I completely agree. I think that it could be enjoyed by younger readers in a family read-aloud setting but that it may be too long to hold their attention in something like an audiobook. This novel feels historically and culturally authentic and it is exciting. 

Fifteen–year–old Conan, the son of a baron, is living in a neighboring fief and training to become a knight under the patronage of Sir Roger. When the story opens, Sir Roger and his party are en route to the Red Keep, another neighboring castle and fiefdom where they will join with friends to do some hunting. Once the Red Keep comes into view, however, the party sees that it and the castle are on fire. They rush to the rescue, but nearly all inside have been murdered by a raiding party. A valet emerges from the fire reporting that the baron, his wife, and his son are dead, but that he believes the daughter Anne still lives. Conan rushes into the fire to save the girl. Sir Roger brings Anne home to his castle, and with her, many of her women, soldiers, and peasants. 

Three years later, Conan and Anne are now young adults. Conan, a fourth son, desires to head off to the Crusades to make a way for himself in the world. Poor Anne, as she is called by the courtiers and peasants, cannot retake the Red Keep because the laws prohibit a woman from owning land and administering a fiefdom. The Red Keep is in limbo until Anne is old enough to marry a nobleman who can claim it for her. The peasants of the Red Keep are undyingly loyal to Anne, and they cherish a hope that young Conan will become a knight and marry Anne so they may return home and rebuild the Red Keep. 

In the meantime, the robber barons Odo and Aymar Sauval, who destroyed the Red Keep, have grown in strength and power. They have aligned with evil factions.

When Conan’s father and two of his brothers are murdered by the Sauval brothers, Conan realizes that he cannot go to the Crusades, but must, instead, go home to render aid to his only remaining brother. But Anne has been working on the problem of the Red Keep. She talks with the merchants and the tradesmen to gain a better understanding of the political landscape. She understands that rebuilding the centrally-located Red Keep and restaffing it with soldiers is the best defense against evil schemes. Anne persuades Conan to talk with the tradesmen and to travel with them on his way home so that he can better understand the bigger picture and the help the merchants and tradesmen can provide. 

This story may be many pages. But it moves very quickly. There is some light and straightforward courtly romance. There is a lot of action. There are a number of battle scenes and duels. And there is intrigue. The good characters are noble and virtuous. The bad characters are evil. And one character has a surprising conversion at the end. There are bad priests and one really good one. Published in 1938, this one is a traditional high adventure novel for boys and girls. 

The Bethlehem Books reprint is very well done. After the story, there is a glossary of French and medieval terms and a short note about the author and illustrator, Andrew Wyeth. The audiobook with John Lee is a joy to listen to, but be sure to get the print version as well so that you don’t miss out on the illustrations. I am really glad I finally read this, and wish that I had read it sooner!

You can purchase this book at Bethlehem Books. You can learn more about Allen French at Biblioguides. You can find more of our Bethlehem Books reviews here.