Constantine Phaulkon, a famous Greek adventurer of the 17th century, who had a meteoric rise in King Narai's Siam (former name of Thailand) and an equally dramatic end, seems to continue attracting the interest of historians and writers of various nationalities. The story is so appealing that it can be, and has been, told from many angles -- with negative bias, with hagiographic exaggerations or with a concern for objectivity.
The most recent entry is the 275-page book "Falcon" by John Hoskin, published in Bangkok by Asia Books. Unlike many other writers, Hoskin's approach to Phaulkon's rise from an ordinary Greek man to King Narai's favorite courtier achieves something original and different.
Hoskins' sources that are given due acknowledgment at the end of the book are worthy of scrutiny, as works of this nature are bound to reflect the merits or demerits of their basic sources. In "Falcon" we find no fault with what is mentioned but perhaps with what is left out.