This short novel tells the tale of a few highwaymen in the 10th century. It's a tale of adventure, cunning, and loyalty; and I can't believe I read it. I'm no fan of adventure tales. I generally like stories that take place in current time. And this book is light on character development and heavy on action--not my thing.
But I started reading it this past rainy Sunday and I didn't put it down until I'd finished, some 5 hours later.
Chabon is such a stylist that he can make things that don't interest me interest me. That's my view of an excellent writer.
I don't want to give away any of the surprises, so I'll leave it at this. If you want to read a short novel that could have been a fantastic script for Xena:Warrior Princess--look no further. That might not sound like a huge compliment, but it is.
