In my opinion, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's greatest work

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The White Company” is nothing short of a masterwork of historical fiction. After finishing “The White Company” I added it to my mental list of best books in the world. (Others on the list include ,David Copperfield, The Age of Innocence, and Les Miserables.) After a bit of time to reflect I don’t think it is quite in that league, but it remains a GREAT adventure story with enough in depth historical context that you can actually learn a lot while being very much entertained.

Winston Churchill was known to have commented that he liked Doyle’s historical fiction better than Sherlock Holmes. That may a more ringing endorsement than I give here and I thought I would include it as a point of interest.

This review will reveal details about the book’s plot

“The White Company” is set in medieval England/France. England is going to war with France and Sir Nigel Loring is ordered to raise a company of mercenaries and lend a hand. Among his troupe is young Alleyne Edricson, son of a socman. ( I don’t know what a socman is except that they mention that he has no feudal master and owes fealty only to the king himself). The socman died while Alleyne was young and his mother had already passed. Seeing that his older son, who was to inherit the land and title, had a cruel and churlish streak the socman made arrangements in his will for Alleyne to be raised by the Cistersian monks. On his 20th birthday the monks turn him out according to his father’s wishes. Alleyne must make his way in the world for one year before he may decide to make his Own way in the world or return to the abbey.

Alleyne embarks on a series of adventures to excite the imagination. “The White Company” has valor, trials, excitement, love, and the characters are developed in a way that has you sympathizing with them and cheering for them, as they are in all good books. All of this is set against backdrop that could double as a history lesson. Doyle doesn’t just say monks, he talks of the Cistersian monks, one of whose ruined abbeys I have myself visited. You are educated on the ways of chivalric knights, and learn about the duties of their squires. Doyle shows you how England while a land of laws, was brutal without a lot of people to enforce them. Many of the people need someone else to look for their safety because might was the real rule of the land (which is how the feudal system started to begin with, work for me and I will feed and protect you.) Doyle’s story of the contest between the English longbowman and the French crossbowman had the same lessons and conclusions as a program I saw on the history channel comparing those very weapons. The difference is the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle teaches in the context of a riveting story instead of a lecture. This is a classic tale of knights and maidens, with some intellectual value to boot.

The subject matter may be a tad frivolous for me to rate this among the best books of all time but this remains one of the most fun and entertaining books I have ever read. In typical Doyle style it is also easy to read, with the exception of the dialogue. Being an accurate work of historical fiction the dialogue can be a bit alien and adds some difficulty to the read. I can assure you it is well worth the trouble.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s works of historical fiction were hugely popular at the time of their writing but have not have the staying power of his Sherlock Holmes character. After reading two of them I simply cannot see why. I consider “The White Company” a hidden gem of the highest quality. If you are in the mood for an adventure story with a hero you can love then I highly recommend “The White Company”. I hope you enjoy it as I have.