{"product_id":"fools-and-mortals-9780062792020","title":"Fools and Mortals","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author Bernard Cornwell makes a dramatic departure with this enthralling, action-packed standalone novel that tells the story of the first production of \u003cem\u003eA Midsummer Night's Dream\u003c\/em\u003e--as related by William Shakespeare's estranged younger brother.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLord, what fools these mortals be . . .\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William's star rises, Richard's onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal which threatens not only his career and potential fortune, but also the lives of his fellow players, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime . . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eShowcasing the superb storytelling skill that has won Bernard Cornwell international renown, \u003cem\u003eFools and Mortals\u003c\/em\u003e is a richly portrayed tour de force that brings to life a vivid world of intricate stagecraft, fierce competition, and consuming ambition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCornwell, Bernard:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eBERNARD CORNWELL is the author of the acclaimed \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling Saxon Tales series, which includes \u003cem\u003eThe Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, Lords of the North, Sword Song, The Burning Land, Death of Kings, The Pagan Lord\u003c\/em\u003e, and, most recently, \u003cem\u003eThe Empty Throne \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eWarriors of the Storm\u003c\/em\u003e, and which serves as the basis for the hit television series \u003cem\u003eThe Last Kingdom\u003c\/em\u003e. He lives with his wife on Cape Cod and in Charleston, South Carolina. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper Large Print","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50923898863890,"sku":"9780062792020","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_3913de00-9610-4fe2-9689-5083f32fb42a.jpg?v=1738964395","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/fools-and-mortals-9780062792020","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}