G. K. Chesterton - Napoleon of Notting Hill

While the novel is humorous (one instance has the King sitting on top of an omnibus and speaking to it as to a horse: «Forward, my beauty, my Arab,» he said, patting the omnibus encouragingly, «fleetest of all thy bounding tribe»), it is also an adventure story: Chesterton is not afraid to let blood be drawn in his battles, fought with sword and halberd in the London streets, and Wayne thinks up a few ingenious strategies; and, finally, the novel is philosophical, considering the value of one man's actions and the virtue of respect for one's enemies. (Summary from Wikipedia)