Captain Tempesta (original title: Capitan Tempesta) is a historical adventure novel written by Italian author Emilio Salgari, published in 1905. Set against the backdrop of the Siege of Famagusta during the Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) it features the first female swordswoman in Italian popular fiction, the Duchess Eleanora d'Eboli, better known as Captain Tempesta.

Captain Tempesta
English Cover
AuthorEmilio Salgari
Original titleCapitan Tempesta
TranslatorNico Lorenzutti
Cover artistMad
LanguageEnglish, Original: Italian
SeriesCaptain Tempesta
GenreAdventure fiction
Young adult literature
PublisherROH Press (first English translation)
Donath (first Italian publisher)
Publication date
  • English 2019
  • Italian 1905
Publication placeItaly
Media typePaperback, Ebook
ISBN978-1-987886-59-7
Followed byThe Lion of Damascus 

The novel and its sequel The Lion of Damascus were adapted for the big screen in 1942. The films were directed by Corrado D'Errico and starred Carla Candiani as Captain Tempesta.

In 2009 it was selected by Julia Eccleshare as one of the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up.[1]

Plot introduction

edit

A warrior in disguise. A lover to be rescued. A city under siege.

Cyprus, 1570. An island at war. The powerful Ottoman army has taken every city save one, Famagusta, a Venetian port and stronghold. Besieged by a force of 80,000 men, the city has valiantly fought back with its small force of warriors and mercenaries. The greatest among them is Captain Tempesta, a young noble unmatched in bravery and swordsmanship. Few, however, know the captain's secret... that she has donned armour and passed herself off as a man in order to search for her beloved who has been imprisoned by the Turks. Will she triumph? The odds are overwhelmingly against her. The Turks are preparing to storm the city and slay all those within it, and still there has been no word of her beloved's whereabouts...

Characters

edit
  • Captain Tempesta -The Duchess Eleanora D'Eboli, master swordswoman
  • The Viscount Le Hussière - her beloved
  • Sir Perpignan - her lieutenant
  • El-Kadur - her loyal Arab servant
  • Master Rako - a Venetian quartermaster
  • Nikola Stradioto - a Greek ship's captain
  • The Lion of Damascus - The greatest warrior in the Ottoman Empire
  • Haradja - A pasha's daughter and master of Cornaro Castle
  • Metiub - Captain of the Ottoman Naval Infantry and Haradja's right-hand man

Other novels by Emilio Salgari

edit

Novels in the Sandokan Series:

Novels in The Black Corsair series

References

edit
  1. ^ 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
edit