Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman by Pamela Aidan (2003, Paperback)

This is the second in a trilogy of books by Pamela Aidan, called "Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman". This book is extraordinarily hard to find, but well worth the hunt. The entire trilogy concerns Jane Austen's classic, "Pride and Prejudice", written from Mr. Darcy's point of view. Ms. Aidan takes us into the world of Mr. Darcy and shows us the other side of P&P that we never knew. It is superbly written and is sure to appeal to all P&P fans. It is wonderful to finally see what Mr. Darcy thought throughout all the events, to see it from his perspective: his initial dislike for Elizabeth, his growing fascination with her, and finally, his fully-acknowleged love for her. Book 1 is titled "An Assembly Such As This", book 2, "Duty and Desire", and book 3, "These Three Remain". Book 2 (the one being reviewed here) takes us into the middle part of P&P, where Mr. Darcy was mostly absent, and tells us what he was doing all that time. It is enchanting and will leave you hungry for more, so you should find book 3 almost as soon as you get a copy of book 2. I highly recommend this series; it is sure to be placed lovingly on your "keep" shelf, right beside the Austen original.