Welcome back to the whirlwind! If you're jumping into Tome 4, you already know the drill: this isn't a straightforward march from A to B. It's a glorious, tangled web of stories.

The Story

Roland, the greatest knight of Charlemagne's court, has completely lost his sanity over his love for Angelica. He's roaming the countryside, a force of pure, destructive chaos, tearing up trees and throwing rocks at shepherds. Meanwhile, the brave Bradamante is still fighting to prove herself and win her love, Ruggiero. Angelica, the woman at the center of so much drama, is just trying to escape everyone. Their paths—and the paths of a dozen other knights, sorcerers, and kings—crisscross in battles, escapes, and magical misadventures across Europe and mythical islands.

Why You Should Read It

I love this book because it never takes itself too seriously, even when the stakes are high. Ariosto winks at you through the pages. The characters are deeply human—driven by love, jealousy, pride, and honor—but placed in the most fantastical situations. Reading it feels like binge-watching the best kind of genre TV: every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, and you just have to know what happens to that character who just fell off a cliff or got kidnapped by a sea monster.

Final Verdict

This is for the reader who loves foundation-shaking fantasy and historical adventure. If you enjoy the sprawling worlds of George R.R. Martin or the mythical quests in classic poetry, but wish they had a bit more humor and romantic mischief, this is your origin story. Francisque Reynard's translation (from the 1800s) has a great rhythm that makes this 400-year-old epic feel surprisingly fresh and fast. Just be ready to keep track of a lot of names!