A series of seventeen short stories written by P.C. Wren, famed author of Beau Geste, about life in the French Foreign Legion.

Percival Christopher Wren is best known as a novelist, publishing twenty-eight novels from 1912 to 1941, the most famous of which being Beau Geste (1924). Wren also published seven short story collections: Stepsons of France (1917), The Young Stagers (1917), Good Gestes (1929), Flawed Blades (1933), Port o' Missing Men (1934), Rough Shooting (1938), and Odd-But Even So (1941). These short story collections contained a total of 116 stories. There were also two omnibus collections published, Stories of the Foreign Legion (1947) and Dead Men's Boots (1949), containing stories taken from Stepsons of France, Good Gestes, Flawed Blades, and Port o' Missing Men. In addition to the 116 stories published in Wren's short story collections there are some additional items in The Collected Short Stories. "At Oxford: Innocent Ernest and Artful Eintz" is a short story originally published in 1919 in an obscure fiction magazine. "The Romantic Regiment" and "Twenty-Four Hours in the Foreign Legion" are "factual" articles originally published in magazines. "Wonderful Egypt" is an article (more a photographic essay) originally published in The Strand Magazine. The article "I Saw a Vision " originally appeared in a rare psychic magazine, Prediction. There is also an article found in an Australian newspaper, "Meaning of Dreams," where Wren relates a couple of dreams he had experienced. Finally there is "Broken Glass," an unpublished short story. Each story has introductory comments by the editor, John L. Espley. Volume five of The Collected Short Stories has a total of twenty seven items: nine stories from Rough Shooting (1938), fifteen stories from Odd-But Even So (1941), one previously unpublished story, one article from an Australian newspaper, and another article from a psychic magazine.

Percival Christopher Wren is best known as a novelist, publishing twenty-eight novels from 1912 to 1941, the most famous of which being Beau Geste (1924). Wren also published seven short story collections: Stepsons of France (1917), The Young Stagers (1917), Good Gestes (1929), Flawed Blades (1933), Port o' Missing Men (1934), Rough Shooting (1938), and Odd-But Even So (1941). These short story collections contained a total of 116 stories. There were also two omnibus collections published, Stories of the Foreign Legion (1947) and Dead Men's Boots (1949), containing stories taken from Stepsons of France, Good Gestes, Flawed Blades, and Port o' Missing Men. In addition to the 116 stories published in Wren's short story collections there are some additional items in The Collected Short Stories. "At Oxford: Innocent Ernest and Artful Eintz" is a short story originally published in 1919 in an obscure fiction magazine. "The Romantic Regiment" and "Twenty-Four Hours in the Foreign Legion" are "factual" articles originally published in magazines. "Wonderful Egypt" is an article (more a photographic essay) originally published in The Strand Magazine. The article "I Saw a Vision " originally appeared in a rare psychic magazine, Prediction. There is also an article found in an Australian newspaper, "Meaning of Dreams," where Wren relates a couple of dreams he had experienced. Finally there is "Broken Glass," an unpublished short story. Each story has introductory comments by the editor, John L. Espley. Volume two of The Collected Short Stories contains eighteen short stories and two non-fiction articles originally published between 1928 and 1933. Twelve of the eighteen stories come from the collection, Good Gestes (1929), and the remaining six from Flawed Blades (1933). One of the articles was originally published in a fiction magazine, Soldiers of Fortune (December 1931), and the other article first appeared as a BBC radio broadcast.

This volume has two of the early novels of P.C. Wren, the author of the famous Beau Geste soldier of fortune series. "Cupid in Africa" - Bertram Walsingham Greene is a clever and studious young man who is a sad disappointment to his father, Major Walsingham Greene. Bertram, who worships the Major, resolves to go to war and enlists as a Second-Lieutenant in the Indian Army Reserve. He does his training (such as it is) in India but is soon sent to Africa to take part in the bloody fighting there. He changes from a wet-behind-the-ears, but thoroughly nice man into a battle-hardened fighter and learns a lot about himself as he goes along. The early stages of the story are rather funny, but as Bertram battles his way through the jungle and swamp of Africa, leading his men, things become much more serious in tone. The descriptions of the fighting between the mostly native troops under British command and the askaris who, under their German leaders, oppose them are wonderfully done. * * * * "Snake and Sword" is a powerful book. A pregnant woman, terrified of poisonous snakes, is stuck in a dark room with one trapped under her foot. The mental shock is so great that she transmits it to her unborn child. The child, Damocles de Warrenne, or Dam, as everyone calls him, grows up the typical all around British empire builder, except that he collapses in a "fit" at the sight of any snake. This causes people to think he is a coward. Instead of becoming an officer in the army he becomes a private and hides his identity, losing, he fears, the respect and love of the woman he loves. With a large touch of realism it is the story of a "fallen gentleman" who remains a "British" gentleman even in the adversity of the private ranks. Wren is very forthright and critical of the life of a private soldier-he describes it as being unnecessarily cruel and tough-and after quite adequately describing the difficulties of a private in the British cavalry, he mentions that the only worst military life is the French Foreign Legion. * * * * This volume includes the complete text of both books, published in 1920, and 1914, respectively. * * * * Check our other Children's, Juvenile, and Adult books at www.FlyingChipmunkPublishing.com, or Like us on Facebook for our latest releases.

The collected Gestes-volume two of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
This second volume contains Beau Sabreur and three short stories: What's in a Name, A Gentleman of Colour & David and His Incredible Jonathan.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The collected Gestes-volume four of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
This final volume contains Spanish Maine and four short stories: The Devil and Digby Geste, The Mule, Presentiments, & Dreams Come True.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The collected Gestes-volume four of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
This final volume contains Spanish Maine and four short stories: The Devil and Digby Geste, The Mule, Presentiments, & Dreams Come True.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The collected Gestes-volume three of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
This third volume contains Beau Ideal and three short stories: The McSnorrt Reminiscent, Buried Treasure & If Wishes Were Horses....
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The collected Gestes-the first volume of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The collected Gestes-volume two of a four volume set
There are some works of fiction and their characters, that are familiar to practically everyone-whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon's Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. Cinema, television, radio and even comics have all played a part in ensuring that books such as these and their central characters have become cultural icons that are forever part of the collective consciousness. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers. Wren, more than any other author, was responsible for bringing an awareness of the French Foreign Legion to the public. Having served in the Legion he knew it well, and through his popular and romantic novels, his tales of regiments of mercenaries comprised of the dregs of society, thieves, murderers and professional soldiers of fortune, it quickly captured the public imagination. So too did one of the Legion's most infamous battlegrounds-the burning sands of colonial North Africa. Wren created a legend of the most potent kind-an image of a straggling line of tired, sweating men upon the endless dunes of the desert, all wearing the famous kepi-blanc with its familiar neck flap. These 'heroes' would battle their despotic officers as readily as the marauding Bedouin tribesmen and knew what it was to 'march or die ' It is often the case that modern readers know of the best known character or most famous work of an author but remain unaware that, at the time they first published, the public demanded more such adventures. There are, in fact, four full length novels and a number of short stories featuring the Gestes and the Foreign Legion and all have been gathered in this special four volume Leonaur collection for readers to own and enjoy.
This second volume contains Beau Sabreur and three short stories: What's in a Name, A Gentleman of Colour & David and His Incredible Jonathan.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.