The ‘Angélique’ series written by Sergeanne Golon was translated from the original French and sold by William Heinemann from the mid-1950s. Publication and sales of the series ceased abruptly, without warning, in the late 1970s.

As recently as 22.05.2014 the novels were highlighted in the UK in a published letter to the Daily Mail. In France the books have been given a new lease of life, primarily as film tie-ins, following the release of the 2013 re-imagined film starring Gérard Lanvin and Nora Arnezeder in the principal roles of Joffrey and Angélique de Peyrac.

The English-speaking fan base has once again entertained high hopes of an English translation through the emergence of the new film and re-publication of the original books in French. Many have already bought the new DVD in the hope of realising their dream to discover more about the eponymous heroine still being re-written by surviving author Anne Golon. Just recently it has been announced that amazon.ca have provided English sub-titles to the newly released DVD.

This fan base has existed since the early 1990s when the Internet brought them together for the first time to discuss and campaign for the missing translations. Readers who were in their mid-20s/30s in the sixties are still clamouring for a conclusion in 2014 – the longevity of the desire and passion to read the conclusion of these books speaks for itself.

There are tribute web-sites to the books in English and other languages and most of the web-owners are working together to share and disseminate information. Facebook has several pages devoted to author, Anne Golon and her oeuvre; the official English-speaking page is run by the team that inherited the dream from the late Harvey J Adkins who brought the group together. The original Yahoo discussion group is still active for those who prefer not to partake in social media.

It is not only important for the many who are still seeking out the conclusion, but it is equally important to remember two of the original members, including the man who brought us all together, who will never realise their desire to read the conclusion.

New readers, including second generation fans who have inherited the passion from their parents, are constantly joining the ranks of the established fan base despite it becoming ever more difficult to source the books from libraries.  They can be found (in all languages, including English), on internet auction sites and second-hand book shops but command vastly inflated prices.

Historically, Heinemann’s cited ‘lack of interest’ as their reason for not ‘commissioning any further translations’ in response to a query sent to them in 1984 (source Mrs. J A. Piper).  Three further books in the series are known to have been written and pan-global translations with the exception of English are still regularly being published today. Fans worldwide are denied these very popular novels without an English translation being available.

This statement does not refer only to native English-speakers being denied the opportunity to read the conclusion of the saga; but also to the many who prefer to read the novels in English rather than in their own native language or the original French and who, together with the English-only speakers have waited decades in the hope of an English translation and publication of the remainder of the series.

The three existing books are: ‘Angélique à Québec’, ‘Angélique, La Route de L'Espoir’, ‘La Victoire d'Angélique’ and the projected fourth book, which will complete the series, is to be called ‘Angélique et le Royaume de France’.