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About this book

What happens when a young man's perfect code of honor meets the rough business of war?

Nigel Loring has noble standing, little money, and a fierce wish to win his name. In Arthur Conan Doyle's Sir Nigel, England under Edward III offers him a path toward knighthood through war with France. But first, his pride brings him into conflict with a powerful abbey near his home.

The arrival of King Edward and Sir John Chandos opens a wider world. Nigel becomes Chandos's squire and travels toward the fighting with Samkin Aylward, a practical English archer. Between Nigel's lofty courtesy and Aylward's earthy humor, adventure tests what courage and honor mean when ambition meets violence.

What you’ll discover

  • Honor without wealth Follow a young gentleman who refuses to let powerful opponents turn poverty into humiliation.
  • A soldier's hard lessons Enter Chandos's service with Nigel, where the pursuit of distinction means learning the work of warfare.
  • Companions with contrasting outlooks Enjoy the contrast between Aylward's practical skills and Nigel's strict devotion to courtesy.
  • Bravery with a comic edge Find humor in Nigel's lofty manners without losing sight of his genuine courage.
  • Love behind the ambition Meet Mary Buttesthorn, whose place in Nigel's heart gives his quest a personal purpose.

Is it for you?

Readers who enjoy medieval campaigns, spirited companions, and earnest heroes with a comic edge will enjoy Doyle’s adventure beyond Sherlock Holmes.

What’s inside

The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary

Who’s who

  • Nigel LoringA young gentleman with little money pursues knighthood through courage, strict courtesy, and service in war.
  • Samkin AylwardA resourceful English archer brings practical skill and earthy humor to Nigel’s adventures.
  • Sir John ChandosAn experienced commander takes Nigel into his service and offers him a path toward military distinction.
  • Mary ButtesthornThe woman Nigel loves gives his pursuit of honor a personal purpose.
  • Lady ErmyntrudeNigel’s proud grandmother preserves the family’s fierce sense of rank, duty, and honor.

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Paperback
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Adventure

Sir Nigel

by Arthur Conan Doyle· 1906

A young English gentleman seeks knighthood during the Hundred Years’ War.

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Sir Nigel by Arthur Conan Doyle, the cover

From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 5

Nigel Loring lives in England during the reign of Edward III, when war with France offers an ambitious young man a chance to win a name. His family has noble standing but little money. Raised by his formidable grandmother, Lady Ermyntrude, Nigel measures himself against the old rules of chivalry. He wants to prove that a small body and an empty purse need not keep a man from great deeds.

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The author

Arthur Conan Doyle

1859–1930 · British detective novelist

Arthur Conan Doyle was a British writer and physician born in Edinburgh in 1859. He practised medicine in England and wrote novels, short stories and histories. His Sherlock Holmes stories began with A Study in Scarlet in 1887. He also wrote The Lost World in 1912. He died in Crowborough, England, in 1930.

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Questions about Sir Nigel

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What is Sir Nigel about?

Sir Nigel follows Nigel Loring as he seeks to become a knight during England’s war with France. His adventures combine military danger, love, and comic encounters, with his strict ideas of honor repeatedly tested by people who view life more practically.

Is Sir Nigel a sequel to The White Company?

Sir Nigel is a prequel to Arthur Conan Doyle’s The White Company, although Doyle wrote it later. It follows the younger Nigel Loring and includes Samkin Aylward, showing their earlier lives before the events of the other novel.

Is Sir Nigel based on a true story?

Sir Nigel is historical fiction, not a factual account of one young knight’s career. Doyle places his invented adventures among real rulers, commanders, and conflicts of the fourteenth century, including Edward III, Sir John Chandos, and the Hundred Years’ War.

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