Aspiring Writer Rises to Stardom with Stolen Manuscript in Unique NYC Adventure

Chivalry by Patrick Girondi

Chivalry is a compelling novel about the importance of always doing what’s right in life, even though a lot of the characters in the book do the wrong things.

When aspiring writer Bob Herman finds a manuscript accidentally lost on the streets of New York City, he publishes it as his own book and becomes a best seller. Herman then must make agonizing decisions about his future which will dramatically change his life forever — for better and for worse.

This is the third book by Patrick Girondi that I have read and reviewed, and they have all been very different. Girondi is a unique writer, to say the least — and he particularly excels in his fiction with the ability to express his own strong views to the reader on real-life political and other current issues.

Flawed Cast of Characters

The theme of Chivalry becomes clear from the opening sentence when Girondi says: “In today’s reality, where selfishness has been deemed virtuous and decency a crime, I dedicate this book to the chivalrous beings of humanity, our last hope.”

There is also a dramatic moment when Herman — who works for a big publishing house and is under intense pressure to come up with a follow-up bestseller — meets the homeless man and tries to convince the man to give him another manuscript. Herman offers him money, co-authorship of the next book, anything he wants for that manuscript. Instead, the homeless man tells Herman: “You must do something for me. You must start being a man of honor.”

The homeless man turns out to be a Gulf War veteran named Isa who lives namelessly on the streets of New York — hiding a terrible secret. He is wanted for murder because, as a U.S. sergeant during the war, he silenced a snitch in Iraq to save the rest of the men in his platoon from being convicted of a war crime. In gratitude, some of those men — now New York police officers — look out for Isa and do their best to protect him from being exposed as a wanted man.

Again, we encounter the theme of honor and doing the right thing — even if that involves committing a heinous crime like taking another man’s life like Isa did in Iraq to save the lives of others.

Becoming People of Honor

As for Herman, along with becoming a best-selling author, he finds what he believes is the girl of his dreams — and hopes that his new status as a literary superstar will help him win her heart.

But instead, the seemingly chance encounter with Isa and the discovery of the manuscript — which happens on a New York City bus — sets in motion a dizzying series of events for both of them and a host of other characters in the book.

There’s Herman’s “dream girl” Lucia, who has her own secrets she’s hiding; Gael, an ambitious, cut-throat woman at Herman’s publishing firm who wants to cash in on his success; Jennifer, another woman he works with who wants to help him; Mark Koss, the devious owner of the publishing company who will do anything to get another best-seller from Herman; and Ted Basle, a security operative who turns out to be a grave danger to Herman.

All of these characters collide — and the stories for each of them unfold in a fascinating way — in the dramatic climax to Chivalry, where Herman, Isa and others are challenged to do the right thing, the chivalrous thing, and truly become people “of honor.”

Fast-Paced with Surprising Twists

Chivalry is a nicely done quick read, a fast-paced story that you will find yourself racing through — filled with surprising twists and shocking revelations right until the end.

One other intriguing thing about this book: there’s also a screenplay included. The first half of the book is in novel form, then you can read the story all over again as a screenplay and imagine it playing out on a screen.

It seems unusual at first to come across a screenplay like this after you’ve finished a novel. But Girondi did the same thing in his last book, Faded Genes.

Like I said, Patrick Girondi is a very unique author!