"Vive l'Empereur!" In the age of Napoleon Bonaparte, there is only one man who can truly be called the greatest swordsman, most accomplished horseman, bravest officer, and most gallant lover in all of France... and his name is Brigadier Etienne Gerard (should anyone possibly disagree with this assessment the Brigadier is more than happy to meet them with sabres at dawn by the old bridge). ** In the days after the presumed death of Mr. Sherlock Holmes at Reichenbach, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle began to release to the reading public the exploits and adventures of the French war hero Brigadier Gerard. Where Holmes was cold and analytical, Gerard is passionate and impetuous. Where Holmes sought to advance the science of deduction, Gerard seeks to carry the honour of France throughout the continent. Ranging from the canals of Venice to the moors of England, from the hills of Portugal to the frozen fields of Russia, Gerard fights and loves his way through the years. Along the way, Gerard repeatedly cheats death and meets some of the greatest individuals of the age, including the man who scrawled his name in red across the map of Europe... the Emperor Napoleon. All of this eventually leads Gerard to the final battle at Waterloo... and beyond. ** All seventeen of the original tales from The Strand Magazine are herein arranged in historic chronological order and fully annotated. This special two-volume edition (with Set Europe Shaking) also includes the details of how Brigadier Gerard came to tell his stories to Joseph Lacour, the early exploit of Joseph's uncle Alphonse in London (originally published as 'A Foreign Office Romance'), and the final days of Gerard's friend Gregory Brewster (originally published as 'A Straggler of '15'). Furthermore, this compilation includes four newly-unearthed, never-before published adventures... 'How the Brigadier Wrestled the Bear of Boulogne, ' 'How the Brigadier Faced the Firing Squad, ' 'How the Brigadier Duelled for the Despatch' and 'How the Brigadier Commanded the Emperor.' Together, these twenty-one adventures combine to tell the complete story of one of the most vivid men to ever liv