The Conscript

French authors Émile Erckmann (1822-1899) and Alexandre Chatrian (1826-1890) jointly wrote military fiction and tales of supernatural horror. Praised by Victor Hugo and Émile Zola and fiercely attacked in Le Figaro for their republicanism, they had trouble with censorship throughout their careers. The Conscript, set in the Napoleonic Wars, "begins their long, sustained, and eloquent sermon against war and war-wagers.