Otto of The Silver Hand

A Hand Of Silver Is Better Than A Hand Of Iron

The story of Otto Conrad, the son of Baron Conrad, a German robber baron of Castle Drachenhausen (Dragon’s House).  The book follows Otto as his fortunes rise and fall, always with a sense of adventure.

First published in 1888, the book is set during the Middle Ages. Howard Pyle intended to show the realities behind the chivalric ideal of popular literature.  The book reveals that chivalry was not always glorious and portrays many of the unpleasant aspects of medieval life.