Romain Sardou
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Romain Sardou is a successful French novelist born near Paris in 1974. He is the son of the very popular singer and songwriter Michel Sardou. His first novel Forgive us our Sins (2002, translated in 15 languages) is a thriller set in the High Middle Ages. It sold more than 300 000 copies only in France. Since then Romain Sardou wrote two more pieces: The Spark of God and One Second Before Christmas.
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[edit] Biography
Romain Sardou began life on 6 January 1974 at Boulogne-Billancourt. Born of a long line of artists, singers, actors, writers, he developed a passion at an early young age for opera - he was just ten years old when he discovered his fascination for Richard Wagner. This precocious love led him to the discovery of the theatre, then literature. His infatuation for reading quickly gained precedence over his love of music. He grew up among the works and lives of great authors whom he cherished. This passion is almost all-encompassing and was to stay with him for life.
He left high school in the year before graduation with the firm intention of becoming a playwright. He enrolled in theatre classes - which he followed for three years - in order to better understand the mechanics involved in the art of stage craft and more clearly discern the acting profession. In parallel he engaged in numerous “writing exercises”, all aimed at the theatre. Unsatisfied, he settled in the country for four years during which he built up his book collection and read voraciously the works of historians. He then left the country to work for two years in Los Angeles, where he wrote scripts for children.
He eventually came back to France where he got married and wrote a successful first.
Romain Sardou, 32, is the father of two children. He wrote the beautiful tale entitled One Second before Christmas for them…
[edit] Bibliography
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- Pardonnez nos offenses (Forgive us our Sins) (2002 XO éditions)
- L'Eclat de Dieu (The Spark of God) (2004 XO éditions) (2005 Pocket)
- Une Seconde avant Noël (One second before Christmas) (2005 XO éditions)
- Personne n'y échappera (No One will get out) (2006 XO éditions)
- Sauver Noël (Save Christmas) (2006 XO éditions)
[edit] Forgive us our Sins
1284.
The “chill winds of the Devil” isolate from the rest of the world the small diocese of Draguan, in the county of Toulouse.
Before the sight of the statue of the Virgin Mary broken by the cold, Romée de Haquin, its bishop, is not far from thinking that a curse is wreaking havoc on his parishes. Everything started when two young girls found the remains of tortured bodies in the river…
The savage murder of Haquin leaves the village in prey to the most irrational fears. It is at this point that a mysterious priest, Henno Gui, makes his entrance. Accompanied by a young boy and by a hideously ugly man, he had been summoned by Haquin to take charge of the thirteenth parish of the diocese, Heurteloup. After three days of walking in a forest which is as dark as it is inextricable, the group reaches the entrance of a deserted village. The church is in ruins and many houses are abandoned… Surrounded by foul-smelling marshlands and suspected of carrying the plague, the third parish has lived in oblivion for decades. Nobody knows what has happened to its inhabitants…
The cursed parish, the thirteenth of the bishropic, is so isolated that its name is often omitted from the maps of the provostship, but it does however interest the highest echelons in Rome. The Holy See is full of rumours, and agitations in the most secret inner circles of the Vatican have had repercussions as far afield as the kingdom of France. Maybe the key to these mysteries can be found in the troubled life of Romée de Haquin, or with Henno Gui, the priest with the strange methods, or found at the very heart of the thirteenth parish?
[edit] Historical Characters in the Novel
[edit] The Spark of God
Deep beneath Jerusalem, from the beginning of time, lies an object that could change the world: the Spark of God.
At least that is what nine knights, willing to risk their lives in the attempt to recover it, believe. And when, in 1099, the long-awaited news of the liberation of Jerusalem comes at last, the knights promise their aid and protection to the thousands of pilgrims who set off for the Holy Land. They set about organising a vast pilgrimage, which will enable them to conceal their true aim.
But just before they set off, one of them is murdered. Whether by accident or by design, he leaves a packet of letters about the secret buried deep in the Holy Land - a secret known to King Solomon – for his nephew Cosimo to find. Soon the young man discovers that his uncle had organised everything as if in the knowledge that he would never return from the Holy Land. Why?
Cosimo determines to find out. Unbeknownst to everyone, he insinuates himself into one of the groups of pilgrims.
What will they be searching for in Jerusalem?
And now, imagine that the story of this novel is situated either in the past or in the future. But is it really the past and the future? And if it is, then why does everything happen in the same way? Through the Spark of God, Romain Sardou depicts something extraordinary: the secret of time.
[edit] Historical Characters in the Novel
- Bernard of Clairvaux
- Hughes de Payens
- Baldwin II of Jerusalem
- Robert de Craon
- Geoffrey de St. Omer
- Andre de Montbard
[edit] Historical Places in the Novel
[edit] See also
[edit] One Second before Christmas
A magical, enchanting Christmas tale that grows out of the questions.How does Santa Claus deliver all his packages at once?.... Where is his factory?… Who makes the gifts?… How does it all really work? These questions about the wonderment and mechanics of Christmas are the furthest thing possible from the thoughts of young Harold on the 16th of October, 1851. Harold is an orphan and street urchin in the sad, grey industrial never-town of Cokecuttle, in Lancashire, England – and he does not suspect the exceptional adventure awaiting him….
Indeed, Harold is about to be called to duty as the new Santa Claus, delivering presents and happiness to his fellow children around the world. He’s given the familiar red suit and a big white beard, too. And he’s set to task.
But… how does Santa Clause deliver all those packages in one night? What about the elves and reindeer? Our little Harold will have to find a very quick answer to those questions after all.
[edit] Places in this Christmas Tale
[edit] See also
[edit] Reviews
[edit] Forgive us our Sins
"A remarkably mature first novel - Romain Sardou expertly orchestrates the suspense. Like a detective story, “Forgive Us Our Sins” invites us to follow the careful work of two inspectors, I mean, two clergymen. The first, Henno Gui, investigates the case from the ‘scene of the crime’; the second, Brother Chuquet, follows the clues from Paris to Rome… What follows is an enthralling voyage to the heart of the Middle Ages, its secrets, lordly orgies, apocalyptic delirium, and the battles between science and religion – happily reminiscent of “The Name of the Rose”. A guaranteed thrill…" Elle
"A spirited leap into the world of historical fiction: a rich, meticulously-researched, well-written novel... The result is a medieval fresco, completely believable, and with characters that are anything but dry... Romain Sardou’s tour de force manages to pull us into the lives of his far-off characters. Riveting." Pèlerin Magazine
"In this portrait of the the 13th century and its religious upheaval, Romain Sardou explores how far man can go in “playing God”. But this question is really just a pretext, a good way to keep us mesmerized and eager to know what will happen on the next page… Romain Sardou is at work on his next novel, but he refuses to talk about it. Thanks to this captivating historical detective story, he has already found a gateway into our hearts." Le Point
"The story shows all the verve of its young author. This medieval thriller cannot but inspire comparisons with Umberto Eco’s bestseller, “The Name of the Rose”. But whereas the author of “Baudolino” enjoys losing his reader, Romain Sardou goes straight to the heart." Le Parisien
An excellent novel – mature, masterly from end to end…. With great brilliance, Romain Sardou has written a captivating story which reads as easily as a comic book but has the depth of an erudite and learned work. Le Figaro
[edit] The Spark of God
“With the Spark of God, the author adds to this historical thriller a dose of science fiction and philosophical thought, which is very surprising and pleasant.” Le Parisien, Aujourd’hui en France
“Some suspense, some action, a universe close to science fiction. A pure entertainment.” France-Soir
“Forgive us our Sins was a good book, The Spark of God is a great one.” Le Figaro
[edit] One Second before Christmas
"Written by Romain Sardou for his own children, this story of One second Before Christmas will strike a chord with anyone who has believed in Santa Claus, which might as well be all of us fiction lovers." Le Figaro
“A real Christmas tale, pleasant, full of magic, mystery and emotion.” Nord Éclair
“Between Dickens’ darkness, the Grimms’ fairytale world and Lewis Caroll’s fancy, a beautiful tale that makes you believe in Santa Claus!” Télé Loisirs
“A very pleasant journey in a fairytale world, full of surprises and new developments.” Vers l’avenir
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