The Lion of St. Mark
About this audiobook
Francis, an English lad, lives in fourteenth-century Venice, during a period when the city’s strength and splendor were put to the severest of tests by a war with Hungary, Padua, and Genoa. This young hero displays wisdom and manliness in the face of conflict, and such traits carry him safely through an atmosphere of intrigue, crime, and bloodshed. He contributes largely to the Venetian victories at Porto d’Anzo and Chioggia, and he even finds himself drawn into a little romance.
“I have laid my story in the time not of the triumphs of Venice but of her hardest struggle for existence—when she defended herself successfully against the coalition of Hungary, Padua, and Genoa—for never at any time were the virtues of Venice, her steadfastness, her patriotism, and her willingness to make all sacrifice for her independence more brilliantly shown. The historical portion of the story is drawn from Hazlitt’s History of the Republic of Venice, and with it I have woven the adventures of an English boy endowed with a full share of that energy and pluck which, more than any other qualities, have made the British Empire the greatest the world ever saw.”—G. A. Henty
About the author
Dubbed the "Prince of Storytellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian," George Alfred Henty is considered a Victorian literary phenomenon. His realistic historical fiction novels, which have been recognized by scholars for their accuracy, have engaged children and adults alike for years. Henty's courageous heroes regularly encounter prominent historical figures, including Titus, Sir Francis Drake, Robert E. Lee, and Cortez, while conquering evil empires, fighting wars, discovering land, or searching for gold. Drawing on his own experiences fighting in the Crimean War and reporting as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa, Henty fashioned novels that encompass most historical periods, from Ancient Egypt to the Boer War. He was born on December 8, 1832, in Trumpington, England, and lived during the reign of Queen Victoria. He was educated at Cambridge but left without a degree to serve in the Crimean War. Later, after several failed attempts at various careers, he found success in journalism, writing for newspapers and magazines. Henty was hired as a special correspondent to cover the Austro-Italian, Turkish-Serbian, and Franco-Prussian Wars. He narrowly escaped death during the Italian conflict. After being found by Italian troops, he was thought to be an Austrian spy and was sentenced to be hanged. Fortunately, he was able to convince the commanding general that he was not a spy, and the sentence was overturned. Henty also participated in Garibaldi's Tyrolean campaigns and accompanied the Prince of Wales in his travels through India. During this time, he combined his war experiences with his adventure-writing skill and produced several novels a year. Henty loved the sea and spent at least six months a year aboard his yacht during the last years of his life. He died on the yacht in 1902, in Weymouth, England.
Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) was a stage actor and an award-winning narrator. He recorded more than 100 audiobooks in his lifetime and won the prestigious Audio Award for Best Narration and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.
