Product Description
Alexandre Dumas was already a best-selling novelist when he wrote this historical romance, combining (as he claimed) the two essentials of life--"l'action et l'amour."The Man in the Iron Mask concludes the epic adventures of the three Muskateers, as Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D'Artagnan, once invincible, meet their destinies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

The third in the trilogy of the Three Musketeers
This is the third in Dumas' trilogy of historical novel about the three musketeers, all situated in France. In this one the three Musketeers became four.

It is the imaginative adventure tale centered on the closely held royal secret that the queen of Louie XIII, finally able to conceive, was presented with the royal misfortune of having identical twins. This presented an impossible quandary for royal succession. The quandary was solved by attempting to conceal, and never to be revealed that there were two instead of just one son. Only one of the twins' existence was ever acknowledged, and he was raised to become King of France (King Louie IV) while the other one, whose existence was kept a royal secret, was jailed for life in the prison of the Bastille.

He remained there until he was sprung by a plot hatched by one of the musketeers. who pulled off a daring switch with the unwitting assistance of his comrades. The plan, to have the brothers switch places, went off without a hitch, with on one the wiser. That is until the queen was force to come face-to-face with her two sons. Her motherly weakness for them both revealed that both boys were hers, and her secret was thereafter exposed.

Here is where the tale goes off its rails and the misadventures began. The second son was returned to jail with the stipulation that he would forever wear an iron mask so that no one would ever again see the resemblance between him and his brother, the King. However, the Musketeers, two of whom were exiled to the isle of St. Margaret, and the third remained council to the King, hatched still another plan to spring the brother in the iron mask. This plans went awry, and was never to be realized, as the King got wind of it and hunted them down before they could leave the isle of exile.

Although all but one escaped the royal onslaught of the isle, their careers as adventurers was over. One died on the battle field in Holland as a field general for the King and the other lived to a ripe old age. Three stars.

Beautifully tragic
Unfortunately, I read this book before reading the Three Musketeers and I have yet to read Twenty Years Later. Nonetheless, I loved this book and suspect it is the best of the three.

Not my first time reading this book

I first read this book at the tender age of 14 and am now 40+.I tend to read it every 2 to 3 years or so and I always manage to find something new or enjoy a familiar passage even more.The book is so full of history and so many stories (some liberties are taken) that many movies could be made out of just this one book and still be informative and entertaining.It started my life-long love affair with history when I was a teenager and that fire is still burning bright almost 30 years later.I am somewhat of an expert on 16th and 17th century France and England and I owe it all to Mr. Alexandre Dumas.

Not as good as The Three Musketeers
I was actually a bit disappointed.I absolutely loved The Three Musketeers.I thought this book would be as adventurous but it is not.We never know much about the man in the iron mask, his part is very small in the entire book and there is no ending for him.I was also disappointed in the end as I felt the political conversation of the king went on and on while the characters that we have grown to love get little attention.Also near the end there were so many characters that I either don't remember or never heard of that it became very confusing.Some reminder or introduction would have been helpful.I have not seen the movie so I cannot compare the two.
The kindle version does have one continuous typo, the title of "superintendent" is very confusing at first as it is incorrect for much of the book.Part of the way through it is corrected then it goes back to the incorrect spelling again.With so many French words throughout I was unsure of the title until it finally was stated correctly.Normally the typos don't make too much difference but this one was confusing and continued through most of the book.

Still love Dumas but this one disappointed me.

Conclusion of the Three Musketeers series
Many people don't realize that Dumas wrote (or, to be more specific, co-wrote with Auguste Maquet) an entire series of "Three Musketeers" novels; "The Man in the Iron Mask" is the last of them, and based on a genuine historical mystery. It's a great story, with a riveting plot, but it concludes the careers of D'Artagnan and the other Musketeers, and some elements may sadden some readers.

There are a few novels in between the original Three Musketeers and this one, of varying quality. _Three Musketeers_ and _Ten Years After_ are worth reading but you may want to skip _The Vicomte de Bragelonne_ and _Louise de la Vallière_ -- the writing isn't up to snuff, and the main reason to read them is so you won't be lost when you pick up _Iron Mask_. ... Read more

Product Description
D'Artagnan and his companions--Athos, Porthos, and Aramis--once again embark on a series of action-packed adventures, in an swashbuckling sequel to The Three Musketeers. Read by Christopher Cazenove. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

fantastic
I loved to read the three musketeers books but, could any one tell me which books are 1,2,3,4,5,6.I dont want to start untill i got the right order. thankyou

There was a six book
A reviewer says there are 5 books to the English translation series starting with 'The Three Musketers'. There is, or rather there was a sixth. Titled 'The Son of Porthos'. I have a very old copy of this book, but have never seen it printed in over 50 years I have been looking for it. Why? For adventure and pleasure in reading, you cannot beat Alexander Dumas and his Musketers. (The movies dont hold a candle to the books.)

The Corrected Series
For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga: I was thoroughly confused by the placement of Ten Years Later in the series and the reviews listed on this page. In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. That's it - no more. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!).

So the reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series!

I highly recommend the Oxford University Press': Oxford World's Classics editions - which has the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books...

Book 4 in the Three Musketeers series
A fairly good book.However, very little is seen of D'Artagnan and his friends.This particular book focuses more on the court intrigues of Louis XIV.If you are a great fan of the series (six books in all), you shouldadd this book to your collection.If you are a casual reader, you mightnot be as interested. ... Read more

Product Description
The Regent's Daughter is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Alexandre Dumas pe¿re is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Alexandre Dumas pe¿re then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Long out of print in America, Alexandre Dumas’s most daring narrative is now available in this major new translation by Tina A. Kover. Filled with intrigue, romance, and deadly vengeance, Georges is the story of a wealthy mulatto boy who is driven from his island home by racist landowners. Returning to Mauritius as an accomplished young man, Georges pits his strength against a powerful plantation owner, leading a dramatic slave uprising and claiming the heart of a beautiful white woman. Georges stands apart as the only book by Dumas that explores the potent subject of race.

Praise for Georges:

“A rousing and vivid adventure . . . packed with action and atmosphere.”
–The Columbus Dispatch

“A remarkable discovery . . . We are indebted to Werner Sollors and Jamaica Kincaid for providing us with a critical lens for the journey Dumas has created out of his own generous and expansive imagination.”
–Rudolph P. Byrd, Emory University


“As compelling and relevant today as it was back in the 1840s, when it was first published.”
–Adrienne Kennedy, author of Funnyhouse of a Negro ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Dumas tackles race relations with mixed success
Dumas gives us a swashbuckling adventure set in the colony of Ile de France.What makes this novel intriguing - and why we read it today - is the title character's mixed racial heritage, an added dimension that sets this book a notch above standard adventure fare.As a study in racial prejudice, and how one exemplary young man attempts to deal with that prejudice, Dumas has given us a powerful document, almost a blueprint for living in a multiracial society: family first, be true to yourself, and be the very best that you can possibly be.

But as entertainment this reviewer found the book somewhat lacking.Perhaps too much is made of what an amazing young man Georges Munier is - it's hard to identify with someone who's so perfect in every way.And certainly the pace of this book is problematic; the first half of the book was painfully slow, then the second half almost seemed to move too quickly.Yes, there's no shortage of adventure: a horse race, a prison break, a native uprising, a wedding, a betrayal, an execution, a sea battle, surprisingly little man to man swordplay... but without the emotional engagement that should have made us really care about the characters, this reviewer felt the book fell a little flat.The easy-to-read prose of this translation makes it accessible enough for young people, but not all will find it much to their liking.Highly recommended for students of the history of race relations.For casual readers: 3.5 stars.

A note on the cover of the hardback edition: a very dark-faced Georges is shown holding hands with two white women, although Dumas makes it pretty clear that Georges is actually light-colored enough to "pass".One presumes this cover was designed to emphasize Georges' ancestry, and not just to generate controversy.

A great lesson on tolerance, even today!
I enjoyed this book very much!The translation was perfect, not an emotion or imaginary description was lost.This is a perfect lesson on tolerance, an old story with a timely message. A Must READ!!!

Lesser known, but not necessarily lesser (at least not by much)
I have been a big fan of Alexander Dumas ever since I first read an abridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo back in high school.I followed that up a couple of years ago with an unabridged version of the same novel, which I now consider my favorite novel of all time, and with the first two volumes of the d'Artagnan series, which is also excellent.However, I've been reluctant to start any other works by Dumas recently mainly because most are extremely long and I haven't had much free time, so I immediately one-clicked a copy of Georges once I stumbled upon this little gem.At less than 300 pages, it presented a much less imposing option versus continuing the d'Artagnan series (which I will do at some point), and I'm glad I picked it up.

Georges follows the exploits of the young mulatto Georges Munier and is set on the Ile de France, a small French (and later English) colony located in the Indian Ocean.While the population of Ile de France is racially diverse, it is not exactly tolerant, as the economy is based upon slavery and the large mulatto (and other free non-white) population can never achieve the upper echelon of society (can't marry a white woman, can't attend certain social events, can't march with the white regiments into battle, etc.).Georges, after his father sends him to Europe as a young teenager in order to complete his education, returns to Ile de France as a young man in his twenties in order to undertake the Quixotic task of eradicating prejudice from the island - a task which he is determined to either accomplish or die trying.

I won't get into the plot in any more detail in order to avoid spoiling any of it, but the novel is very enjoyable, although it could have used a bit more swashbuckling action.The characters are well crafted, with the vindictive young Georges very much resembling the somewhat more developed Edmond Dantes (Georges was released one year before The Count, and from reading both I get the impression Dumas experimented with the character in Georges before perfecting and recasting it as Dantes, although for all I know the release dates may not coincide with the timing of when the bulk of each was written, so I could be completely wrong).Georges' character doesn't quite achieve the depth of the excellent Dantes or d'Artagnan, but that's a given due to the much shorter length of this novel.The real antagonist isn't a man but rather an idea (prejudice), and Dumas does a good, though not quite perfect, job of personifying this via the characters it embodies.

The translation, in my opinion, is pretty good.I don't speak French and haven't read any other translations of this work so I can't give a very good review of the translation, other than to say it is easy to read yet for the most part it doesn't lose too much of the "feel" of the 19th century French speaking civilization.The writing itself isn't quite as enthralling as some of the other Dumas works I've read, although I can't say whether this is due to the translation or the original work.

In short - if you haven't yet discovered Dumas, read The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers (in unabridged form!).If, on the other hand, you're already familiar with Dumas' writing and are merely wondering whether Georges lives up to the standards of his better known works, or if you don't have the guts to undertake a 1,000+ page tome, then I would whole heartedly recommend picking this up.For the latter group, reading Georges is by far a preferable option to reading an abridged (read: gutted) version of one of his longer works.

In my opinion, Georges isn't *quite* as good as the two works mentioned elsewhere in this review, but it's pretty damn good nonetheless.If half stars were allowed I'd give Georges 4.5 stars, as I consider it excellent though not quite perfect.

I LOVED it.
Wow, what a great, exciting book!Love, betrayal, duels, revenge!Sea battles and hurricanes and slave riots!I read the whole book in one sitting.I liked it even more than The Three Musketeers.A must-read! ... Read more

Product Description
The Conspirators - The Chevalier d'Harmental is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Alexandre Dumas pe¿re is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Alexandre Dumas pe¿re then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
A story of romantic love in Holland during the Renaissance, this historical novel describes the murder of John de Witte and his brother Cornelius under the hands of tyrants. And the black tulip? A symbol of justice and the end of oppression. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

A Bit Slow at the Outset But Still a Wonderful Affordable eBook Classic
If you've read any of Dumas' other novels you'll probably like this one. It begins rather slowly and without drama but the intensity quickly builds as does the intrigue and violence. Writing reviews about mysteries is challenging because I don't want to give too much away but I do want to encourage fans of Dumas' other works, Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, and those who just enjoy period literature to read this book because it really is a good one.

The characters are lively and there is even a strong secondary female character. Dumas' writing, while not overly emotional in and of itself, definitely provokes emotion in defense of his strong characters. The villian is repulsive and unlikeable while the soon to be identified hero is awkwardly charming and by turns wiley.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, but in the spirit of full disclosure I was an English major that primarily dealt with British literature so perhaps that's why I enjoyed this book so much. For non-English majors this book might be too stilted or old timey but for anyone who enjoys mysteries, suspense, or gardening this book is a great one to download.

The Black Tulip is a minor classic form the pen of Dumas !
Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) will forever be known as a great French novelist. His greatest work is The Three Musketeers followed closely by The Count of Monte Cristo and countless other works. One of his last great novels is "The Black Tulip" of 1850. In this short, tense and excciting novel we learn much about Holland, tulips and the power of love.
The novel is set in the seventeenth century when Holland was in chaos due to the war between the Republicans and supporters of the House of Orange. The de Wette brothers are executed by a mob of Orangemen. Cornelius the namesake of Cornelius de Wette and his godson is accused of being in league with the De Wette brothers (accused of being in cahoots with the French enemies of the Dutch Republic). He is a naive, intellectual doctor who has no interest in politics preferring, like Voltaire, to tend his garden at home!
. Tulipmania was rife in seventeenth century Holland. His next door neighbor an evil man named Boxel is envious of Cornelius' ability to grow prize winning tulips. He turns him over to the authorities claming he is a traitor who received secret letters from the recently murdered De Wette brothers. Cornelius is condemned to death as a traitor to the Dutch Republic.
Cornelius has his head placed on the executioner's block but is reprieved at the last minute by William the new ruler of Holland. He is imprisoned quickly falling in love with Rose a young Frisian girl whose father is the notorious jailor Gryphun. He and rose seek to grow a pure black tulip which will, hopefully, win them $100,000
in prize money at the great Haarlem flower fair.
After a series of adventures the brave Rose wins a pardon for Cornelius. The couple are wed. The evil Boxel dies
and all is well. The novel is reminiscent of a fairy tale story where good is rewarded and evil is punished.
The Black Tulip is a short novel of 200 pages. It is exciting as we read to see what will develop with Rose and Cornelius as they grow the tulip and fall in love. At one juncture, Rose is angry at Cornelius for loving the tulip more than he does her! This lover's quarrel ends happily as the joyous couple receive the award for their amazing black tulip and triumph over adversity. Rose and Cornelius are both loving characters for whom we care and hope for as the pages are rapidly turned leaving us on the edge of our seats!
Alexandre Dumas was a deft author of countless adventures and intriguing political tales which will always be enjoyed for their romanticism, suspense and pure escapism. As a 21st century reader you will enjoy this booksaluting Dumas for his literary genius! The Black Tulip is a flower to be savored as the reader is transported to a long ago and far away Holland! Enjoy!

The Song of the Flowers
The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

This book is a thing of beauty, perhaps the tulip itself is a simple microcosm of the book, to start off it appears to be nothing special, but in the hands of someone who is aware of its true worth it is as priceless as the world itself.

17th century setting
This purchase was made mainly because of my interest in the DeWitt brothers, -and even more so, the 17th century. It is well written, for the time.It rather reminded me of Abbott's history books, insomuch as it was simply put, but still a good story.This, of course, is fiction based on facts, as I understand it. It was just something I wanted, and I read it, and plan to keep it in my library. It does deliver a climate of that time and place, mixed with some fairly intriguing suspense about tulips. I would like to have met the (well-known) author.Mickey

Still a hit
I bought this book for my daughter, who rarely reads fiction. I recall The Black Tulip as light,humorous and of historical interest. This edition is very attractive. ... Read more

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PAPERBACK 296 PAGES ... Read more

Product Description
Alexandre Dumas was already a best-selling novelist when he wrote this historical romance, combining (as he claimed) the two essentials of life--"l'action et l'amour."The Man in the Iron Mask climactically concludes the epic adventures of the three Musk3ateers: here, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D'Artagnan, once invincible, meet their destinies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

An Excellent Read
The entire Musketeer series is a great read mixing adventure, comedy, and history. It tells the story of the lifetime friendship of four heroes and how that friendship is tested by ambition and conflicting loyalties. The Man in the Iron Mask is the book in this series. In this book the four musketeers have aged considerably and engage in their last adventure.
The story takes place in 1661 in France, and as usual Dumas creates an intricate plot. Aramis is not content with his position of bishop and knows a hidden secret of the Royal family of France, which he tries to use to become Cardinal.Aramis knows that King Louis has a twin brother suffering in the Bastille or prison, and he attempts to switch the two. The novel details his fascinating and rather intriguing plan to try to pull this off. In this plot Aramis acts alone except for some help from Porthos, who has no idea what he is involved in. The twins are successfully switched for a short period of time, but then the plan falls apart as the real King is rescued. Aramis and Porthos flee for their lives, although Porthos is still not sure what is going on. The `fake king' to the throne is left to fend for himself by Aramis and is imprisoned in a new location with the iron mask added to his figure.
Aramis does not come across in this book as a hero but rather an enemy to the crown of France and in many respects this story is darker than its predecessors. Another conflict occurs King Louis XIV of France has his minister of finances, Nicolas Fouquet, arrested for misappropriations. Also, Louis successfully falls in love with a young handmaiden named Louise, which causes a stir, as she is not royalty. One of d'Artagnan's friends also loves this handmaiden.
As is always the case, Dumas' writing style is superb and is filled with historical fact. He can be quite wordy, drawn out, and his books are often much longer than necessary. However even with this slight drawback, he is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. In this book Dumas closes out the careers of his most popular characters, and he does it well.If you love literature, if you love stories with a complex plot, and especially if you love the Four Musketeers, you have to read this book!

- Garrett Rodrigue
Age: 15

Forget the movie, read the book!!
Oh wow, what a great end to an incredible ride, the story of the Musketeers.I haven't been so engrossed in a series of books since I picked up Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. Athos, Raoul, Porthos, Aramis and of course D'Artagnan are going to be in my thoughts and dreams for some time, I hate to let them go.

If you are expecting the story as told by Hollywood, forget it. While I haven't seen the latest version with Leonardo DiCaprio (forgive me if I spell it wrong), I looked at the reader reviews and was quite surprised at how different the book is from Hollywood's version.I also recall a movie done in the late 70's/80's that is nothing like the book as well.I would pick it apart point by point, but that would include spoilers. The Man in the Iron Mask is actually the last third of a huge novel by Dumas originally titled The Vicomte de Bragelonne. Because of the size of the book, English publishers have divided into three books, The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Oxford World's Classics), Louise de la Vallière (Oxford World's Classics), and The Man in the Iron Mask.

Suffice it to say that TMITIM is the final chapter of our heroic Musketeers, as well as Raoul, the son of Athos.While we all know the story of Louis XIV's twin and the plot to substitute him, that is a minor part of the whole story, as the action then becomes centered on the aftermath of that plot and Louis' revenge.It has been a grand, glorious ride reading this series, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere and The Man In the Iron Mask.And do have your box of tissue handy for the last 20-30 pages. You'll need it.

One side note, some people are purchasing this as a stand-alone book, which it is not.You could probably get away with that, but you'll spend so much time looking back at the footnotes trying to figure who is who I doubt you will enjoy the story as much.Also, this version didn't have the list of characters that the VDB and LDLV did.Go for broke and read the whole thing, it's well worth it.

The Final Bow of the Musketeers
Before you start this book you should know that any resemblance between the book and the movies that Hollywood has turned out is completely accidental. The names of the main characters are about the only similarity that I could find and as is the norm, the book was much better.

This, the last installment in the Musketeer series, gives us the story of the final acts of our heroes, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan. Unlike many literary characters our Musketeer friends have aged as the story progresses and have all retired but D'Artagnan who is still the Captain of the King's Musketeers. Athos and Porthos are quite wealthy and Aramis has attained the rank of Bishop. Aramis is not content with his station however and knows a secret that he thinks he can use to become Pope. This secret is the knowledge that Louis XIV has a twin brother who is hidden away in the Bastille and Aramis is quite sure that this brother would make a better King than the current monarch. Aramis is also pretty sure that the new King in gratitude will nominate his liberator for the office of Cardinal and then will scheme to make the new Cardinal Pope.

In this plot Aramis acts alone except for some help from Porthos who has no idea what he is involved in. The twins are successfully switched for a short while but then the plot falls apart and Aramis and Porthos flee for their lives although Porthos is still not sure what is going on. The "pretender" to the throne is left to his own devices by Aramis and is imprisoned in a new location with the iron mask added to his discomfiture. Aramis does not come across in this book as much of a hero and in many respects this story is much darker than it's predecessors.

Given the advanced age of the Musketeers, there are not nearly as many swashbuckling adventures as one is accustomed to but on occasion Porthos in particular will rise to the challenge. The political intrigues of the Court of Louis XIV and the decline of the Musketeers are in fact the main plot lines of this story. In the end, only one of the four is left and to find out which one you will just have to read the book. Athos, by the way, only seems to play a side role in this story and is neither involved in the plot against the King or in his rescue.

As is always the case, Dumas' writing style is superb and is filled with historical fact. He does tend to be a bit wordy and his books are often much longer than necessary but even with this slight drawback he ranks as one of my all-time favorite authors. In this book Dumas closes out the careers of his most popular characters and he does it with style.

No One Can Write a More Thrilling Story than Dumas
Having just spent the last few months reading all five books in the Three Musketeer series, the following are my suggestions.

1.Read all five books in order.The Man in the Iron Mask is probably enjoyable on its own but reading the four books that proceed it help place the story in its proper context.Think of the Man in the Iron Mask as the dessert in a five course meal.Dessert is great but the four proceeding course are also enjoyable.Getting to the end of the book was especially enjoyable knowing that I was finishing a 3,500 page experience.

2.Read the Oxford University editions.There are wonderful end notes that help the reader keep track of the characters and events.When you read 3,500 pages you need that type of assistance to keep things straight.The Introductions are also very well written and help the reader get back into focus before beginning the next chapter.

3.If you really like any one book in particular, go to the internet and purchase a well illustrated used hardback edition for your collection.I purchased a used Three Musketeers with illustrations by Maurice Leloir.The three hundred plus illustrations make that edition especially enjoyable.

Along with Sir Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas created the genre of the historical adventure novel.I have been reading these types of novels my entire life.Beyond a doubt, Alexandre Dumas is the master virtuoso of this genre.

The end of a trilogy
The Man in the Iron Mask is not actually a book -- it is the last volume of a very large book entitled Le Vicomte du Bragalonne or Ten Years After.Le Vicomte is divided into three parts, typically called "Le Vicomte du Bragalonne," "Louise de la Valliere", and of course, "The Man in the Iron Mask."

Thus, if you read only this book, don't be surprised that it sometimes seems you are catching only the end of a conversation.

The larger work, Le Vicomte, is named after Athos's son, and it follows the young vicomte through his life and love -- taking large detours to a young Louis the XIV's court.Our heroic musketeers, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan make only small appearances throughout, but these scenes are the most memorable of the musketeers series.

The Man in the Iron Mask brings our four fast friends together again, for one last adventure.This time, though, they are at odds with one another, divided by their own key character traits.

I have personally seen several movie versions of the Man in the Iron Mask, and I have never seen one I liked.Skip the movies -- read the book.And if you find yourself entranced, go get the first two volumes, and enjoy! ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: True Crime / General; Social Science / Criminology; Social Science / Criminology; True Crime / General; True Crime / Murder / General; ... Read more

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Two decades have passed since the famous swordsmen triumphed over Cardinal Richelieu and Milady in The Three Musketeers.Time has weakened their resolve, and dispersed their loyalties.But treasons and strategems still cry out for justice: civil war endangers the throne of France, while in England, Cromwell threatens to send Charles I to the scaffold.Dumas brings his immortal quartet out of retirement to cross swords with time, the malevolence of men, and the forces of history.But their greatest test is the titanic struggle with the son of Milady who wears the face of evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

Twenty Years After
This is the second book of the series involving the Three Musketeers, which starts with The Three Musketeers and ends with The Man In The Iron Mask.The book begins with d'Artagnan being sent for by Mazarin, the successor of Cardinal de Richelieu, in the middle of riots in Paris.It has been twenty years since the four young men, now mature, have seen each other.Mazarin gives instructions to d'Artagnan that cause him to attempt to reunite the Musketeers.Porthos is now the wealthy landowner Porthos du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds and he dreams of becoming a baron; Athos has returned to his family estate and his real name of le Comte de la Fère, and he is raising his illegitimate son Raoul, Viscount de Bragelonne; and, Aramis has returned to the place of the younger son of a noble family and is the Abbé d'Herblay of a Jesuit convent, who sneaks from the convent to spend time with his lady friend the Madame de Longueville.D'Artagnan soon discovers that his friends are divided between the factions of the Queen Anne of Austria and the Fronde -- or is it the factions of Oliver Cromwell and King Charles?It is a very good book and I am looking forward to reading the third in the series.

Great Dark Sequel
Twenty Years After is a GREAT follow up to The Three Musketeers. I actually enjoyed it more than The Three Musketeers! This book is not like the first book where there is humor and light-heartedness shown through on every page. The plot is much darker and deeper relationships are formed when you begin to find out how the past 20 years have treated these men. Some good, others bad. The 4 musketeers find themselves to be hardened against each other, according to their respective political views. The best of friends begin to become enemies. I highly recommend this book to all those wishing for a raw turn of events which will keep you turning the pages. Very heavy on the politics but in a way that binds the story together. Again, a great dark sequel!

Great book, awful editor
The Three Musketeers is one of my favorite books and Twenty Years After is practically just as good. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because the editor, David Coward, gives away the ending of The Man in the Iron Mask. He tells you what happens in the last chapter of the last book in a footnote! DON'T read any of the footnotes in the last 20 pages of the book unless you want the story spoiled, in that case just go to wikipedia.

Maturity, Friendship, Adventure
Thoroughly entertaining, "Twenty Years After" is a fulfilling sequel to a classic swashbuckling masterpiece.

Twenty Years have passed since D'Artagnan and the Musketeers triumphed over Cardinal Richelieu, preserved the Queen's honor, and brought justice upon the face of evil, Milady. The wave of time has carried the four friends down very different paths of life, and they have not been in contact for many years. D'Artagnan, looking for fortune and lost glory, offers his services to the wildly unpopular Cardinal Mazarin. The Cardinal accepts, and commissions D'Artagnan to unite the quartet for the service of France. What follows is a plot filled with twists, turns, surprises, and adventure. Many characters return from "The Three Musketeers," while several new characters play significant roles in "Twenty Years After." One such character, the son of Milady, has a twisted soul intent on the "revenge" of his mother.

Readers of "The Three Musketeers" who loved Dumas' four heroes for their youth, energy, and courage, will now love them for their maturity, wisdom, and honor. Undoubtedly, these are not the same four men we were left with at the end of the first book. The beauty of "Twenty Years After" is Dumas' ability to age the characters appropriately, and show the effect of time on their nature. In doing so, we see that while time has changed much, it has not changed their undying loyalty to each other.

My only issue with "Twenty Years After," and I'm surprised to find myself saying this, is the lack of a romantic aspect. D'Artagnan's love for Madame Bonacieux in "The Three Musketeers" actually pulled the reader in, making D'Artagnan's loss the reader's loss. There is no such story in "Twenty Years After," which I found rather disappointing. Despite this, "Twenty Years After" is an excellent sequel and I recommend it to anybody who enjoyed the first book.

Super Reader
As the title says, it is twenty years after the events in the Three Musketeers. The four heroes are living their lives as they wanted, but are all slightly disaffected.

Cautiously, they agree to undertake a task for the Queen.

Complicating matters is the son of Milady de Winter, who is an anti-fan of these men, you could say.

The Musketeers must learn to work together again, even if their politics are aims are not all the same.
... Read more

Product Description
It is May 1660 and the fate of nations is at stake. Mazarin plots, Louis XIV is in love, and Raoul de Bragelonne, son of Athos, is intent on serving France and winning the heart of Louise de la Valliere. D'Artagnan, meanwhile, is perplexed by a mysterious stranger, and soon he learns that his old comrades already have great projects in hand. Athos seeks the restoration of Charles II, while Aramis, with Porthos in tow, has a secret plan involving a masked prisoner and the fortification of the island of Belle-Ile. D'Artagnan finds a thread leading him to the French court, the banks of the Tyne, the beaches of Holland, and the dunes of Brittany.

The Vicomte de Bragelonne opens an epic adventure which continues with Louise de la Valliere and reaches its climax in The Man in the Iron Mask. This new edition is the only one in print and is fully annotated with an introduction that sets Dumas's saga in its historical and cultural context. ... Read more

Product Description
The Three Musketeers is a novel by the French writer, Alexandre Dumas, first published in serial form in 1844. Set in the 17th century, it recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to become a guard of the Musketeers (a "musketeer" was a type of infantry soldier equipped with a musket). The poor d'Artagnan travels to Paris to join the Musketeers. He suffers misadventure and is challenged to a duel by each of three musketeers (Athos, Aramis and Porthos). Attacked by the Cardinal's guards, the four unite and escape. They become inseparable friends who live by the motto "all for one, one for all." The novel recounts their adventures as they become embroiled in various intrigues with the royalty of the day, including the French Queen, King Louis XIII, the Duke of Buckingham as well as other memorable characters, including Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter. The novel has earned a place in literary history and been adapted to stage and film. This publication of The Three Musketeers is part of the Qualitas Classics Fireside Series, where pure, ageless classics are presented in clean, easy to read reprints. For a complete list of titles, see: http://www.qualitaspublishing.com ... Read more

Customer Reviews (260)

Why!
I ordered this one translated by Richard Pevear(and publshed by Viking Adult), but came the book published by Quality Paperback Book Club. I can't believe it!

Awesomeness
Quite frankly, this novel is the best adventure story I've ever read. It's one of my top three favorite books of all time. If you like adventure, and friendship, and romance, and intrigue, and action, this is the book for you. My only advice to you is this: READ IT.

A Good Read
I decided to read this book because I loved Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo. The Three Musketeers was an heroic tale with excitement, action, and surprising twists. I found myself cringing while reading about the life styles of the Musketeers. One would always find the Musketeers gambling way anything they could get there hands on including their lives without a second thought. I found the book easy to read except for the beginning and middle parts with the actual historical events. I did really enjoy the book, but I did not relate with any of the character. Meaning, through out the book any decisions the characters would have to make, they would always choose the exact opposite one that I would. It was kind of like watching a horror movie.

A CLASSIC BOOK! LOVED IT!
I really enjoyed reading this book! I've saw a lot of the three Musketeers movies but none of them came as good as this book is! You should read the book to understand the real story. Its humorous, pleasant, adventurous and just elegant! I liked the story line its way better than any movie I've watched! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves the classic. Although I don't classic anymore but this book is really good and well written!

Thrilling if historically false....Yet a Can't Put Down.
Among the most thrilling novels I've had the pleasure to read in my lifetime, The Three Musketeers is just impossible to resist. I rather want the book to be re-titled as The Four Musketeers because d'Artagnan has much of a contribution to the whole tale as the three famous men of honor: Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. If you hear the famous saying, "All for one, one for all," it's only uttered once during the book, so that's a relief. It's been repeated countlessly elsewhere not associated with the book. You will not find a finer "cloak and sword" story than The Three Muskeeters because the qualities featured in the book are the finest examples of French Romanticism. Alexandre Dumas embodied the spirit and values of 17th Century livelihood: honor, virtue, love, and respect. When you read The Three Muskeeters, you get a great feeling that these examples are a lost art nowadays. The writing by Alexandre Dumas is beautiful and fulfilling. After you have finished the book, it's easy not to wait and go straight for the next four sequels: Twenty Years After, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere,, and The Man in the Iron Mask. And then again and again. All in all, The Three Musketeers is a must read and must cherished in the history of literature. It's just as thrilling as Bram Stoker's Dracula. ... Read more

Product Description
Louise de la Vallière is the middle section of The Vicomte de Bragelonne, or, Ten Years After. Against a tender love story, Dumas continues the suspense which began with The Vicomte de Bragelonne and will end with The Man in the Iron Mask.Set during the reign of Louis XIV and filled with behind-the-scenes intrigue, the novel brings the aging Musketeers and d'Artagnan out of retirement to face an impending crisis within the royal court of France.This new edition of the classic English translation is richly annotated and places Dumas's invigorating tale in its historical and cultural context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Historical Fiction at its best
"Louise de la Valliere" - the middle portion of Dumas' epic novel "The Man in the Iron Mask" - focuses on the intrigues of the court of Louis XIV, but is not less enthralling than its companions. If you find it difficult to follow more than one major plot, this is not the novel for you. If you want only to follow the tale of D'Artagnan and his companions, this is not your novel either.

If, however, you are open to becoming involved with new characters and delve into their plots, you will not be disappointed. I have no great love for the character of de la Valliere and the pawn she allows herself to be, but the players that surround her hold up her personality inaddition to their own and make the plots rich.

"Louise de la Valliere" is not a fast paced action thriller, but does not bore either.

a soap opera
This book diverts from the earlier ones since it concentrates on the intrigues of court, rather than the adventures of the four musketeers.However, it is probably necessary to set up for the thrilling conclusion.Since this is the middle book, it is a must read, but be prepared to be bored. ... Read more

Product Description
Translated with an Introduction by Robin Buss ... Read more

Customer Reviews (188)

Perfect
Mystery, suspense, interesting characters, plot lines, and sub-plot lines. Fast-paced, adventure, love story, pirates, jail escape, what more can you possibly want in a book?! Perhaps jealousy? Check. Conniving? Check! Buried treasures? Check! Amazing book.

Excellent!
This is probably the best revenge story ever written. As the back cover of the story states, "On what slender threads do life and fortune hang." Edmund Dantes knows something about those threads. A promising sailor, he is arrested, thrown into prison, and succumbs to hopelessness. From there, he meets a friend, gains a boundless inheritance, and soon finds himself in a position to obtain his revenge on those who caused his predicament. The tone, like most Dumas books, is simple, elegant, and witty. Why I call it the best is that it is a revenge story, but it also involves the subtle emotions involved in going about revenge. How revenge can go wrong, who revenge forces you to leave behind, who you attempt to emulate in casting judgement on your fellow man.

1200 pages is quite a long novel, but it moves quickly, I'm currently reading it a second time, more to refresh background details and characters. There are plenty in this novel, who act like real people, with distinct personalities and flaws. The count himself lives a life of luxury which modern people can still be jealous of. Rome, Paris, and Marseille are visited with great detail, for those of us who like to travel on a budget.As the count begins to succeed in his vengance towards the end of the novel, you may be surprised about the outcome.

Dumas, a prolific writer, wrote many novels. Those that like this would do well to move on to The Three Musketeers and it's sequel, which supply similar historical action and quick dialogue.The investment there is even greater, probably working out to 3500 total pages of narrative. Exciting, yes, but not many have that sort of time to invest. Count of Monte Cristo is self-contained. If one was to read just one novel by Dumas, this would be it.This is a famous author at the height of his powers, telling a self-contained story about destitution, fortune, and the nobility between.

Relationships, human ambitions and moral reasoning..
"Only weak minds see the future in a black cloud" this is my favorite Count of Monte Cristo's remark, this and other similar pieces of wisdom kept me riveted to this great long read. Montecristo is a long consectrated piece of classic literature and for me is useless to rate it as good or bad, it is better to give a personal impression about what one felt after finishing its almost 900 pages. In my opinion this novel is about personal relationships, how can be fostered and then easily destroyed due to jeaulosy and personal ambitions. The ideas of spirituality, material ambition, fair revenge and Divine blessing and punishment hover over the plot all the time. The plot begins with one focus, the transformation of Edmond Dantes into the Count of Montecristo due to misfortune arising from a personal treason, and then shatters into small stories with many different characters, each and every one of them, related one to another due to events told throughout the storyline. On the final chapters the novel recovers the single focus, the idea of justice, in order to conclude in an ending based on moral reasoning. The story unfolds at the post-Napoleonic era in France.

Before you die you must read this book!
Among the best books I've ever read. It grabs you in the first pages and you're hooked. No wonder so many movies and plays and articles have been written about this book.

The Greatest Revenge Story Ever Told!
Alexander Dumas was fascinated by the concept of revenge.It formed the core of two of his earlier novels, but nowhere else did he devote to it so much study and development as he did in his mid-19th Century gothic romance, "The Count of Monte Cristo."Readers who choose abridged versions of this unsurpassed tale of vengeance short-change themselves, because it's only in the many sub-plots, the painstakingly depicted details of French elite society of France's Second Republic, and the subtle twists and interweaving of the activities of the novel's many characters that we truly come to appreciate this masterpiece in its in-depth exploration of what constitutes revenge in all its hideous terror and in all its glorious satisfaction.

Edmund Dantès suffers at the hands of brutal enemies, spends 14 years in one of the most awful prisons human perversity could devise, and through a series of suspense-filled circumstances gains his freedom - and a fortune - before spending an additional 10 years meticulously planning his revenge.He leaves nothing to chance.He watches.He waits.He is infinitely patient, and patience when wielded by skillful hands can be a weapon sharper than a sword.Edmund Dantès, through years of training and practice, becomes dispassionate, cold, supremely calculating, supremely confident and capable - and implacable.The Count of Monte Cristo is born, and slowly, inexorably, he brings down retribution on those who betrayed him or forgot him rotting in prison.Even his former fiancée, the lovely Mercédès (who certainly is no Homeric Penelope), does not escape unscathed.

And in the end, for revenge to be complete, it must be cathartic.Dumas, after much carnage and financial destruction, leaves us with a few green shoots of love rising from the ashes, closing his magnificent saga with the line, ". . . all human wisdom [is] contained in these two words - `wait' and `hope.''' ... Read more

Product Description
SynopsisAlexandre Dumas was one of the most prolific and celebrated writers in the nineteenth century. His best-known works are historical epics richly infused with romance, intrigue, passion, suspense, and swashbuckling adventure. This collection brings together three novels that are the cornerstones of his literary legacy - The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Man in the Iron Mask. Dumas excelled in the creation of heroes who are larger-than-life and whose thrilling exploits stem from their dedication to noble causes. The exotic sweep and exhilarating action of these stories are unparalleled in modern literature. Alexandre Dumas: Three Novels is part of Barnes & Noble's Library of Essential Writers. Each title in the series presents the finest works - complete and unabridged - from one of the greatest writers in literature in magnificent, elegantly designed hard-back editions. Every volume also includes an original introduction that provides the reader with enlightening information on the writer's life and works. ... Read more

Product Description
A swashbuckling novel by the author of The Three Musketeers

Set in the same period as his best-known novel, Alexandre Dumas’s "forgotten masterpiece" (Le Monde) features two steely and preternaturally modern heroines fighting on opposite sides of the wars that ravaged seventeenth-century France. An unabashed page-turner, humorous, dramatic, and crackling with panache, this new English translation—the first in more than 100 years—shows Dumas at the peak of his powers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

tired author
Having become facinated with Dumas after the 'Conte of Monte Cristo', I followed up with 'Madame deValois'
and now 'Womens Wars'. this one was written a long time after the previous two, and is sort of inane, dragging,confusing but predictable. Whether it's the translation, a qhost writer or a worn out author, I think i won't be finishing it.
I'll check out some of his others, like 3 Muskateers.

The Women's War is swasbuckling adventure, romance, intrigue and death in seventeenth century France
Alexander Dumas pere was born in 1802 in a French Village. Before he died in 1870 he had become world famous as author of over fifty novels and short stories. In "The Women's War" one of his lesser known but fine novels he focuses on the French Civil War of the seventeenth century called the Fronde Movement.
The novel is made more understandable due to the excellent historical and literary introduction provided for the Penguin Classics editon by Robin Buss a British professor.
The novel occurs following the death of Louis XIII. The young lad Louis XIV and his mother Anne of Austria rule the land. The Prince de Conde leads a revolt against him. Conde is imprisoned as his wife continues the war.
The chief characters are:
The Baron de Conolles who is a brave warrior fighting on the side of Louis XIV.
Viscontess de Cambes who falls in love with Canolles. She is a supporter of the Fronde.
Nanon de Lartigues is also in love with Canolles. She is a brunette with auburn hair while the Viscontess de Cambes is a blue-eyed blonde.
The most interesting character is Cauvignac brother of Nanon de Lartigues. He reminds the reader of one of the musketeers Dumas was so fond of writing about in his works. Cauvignac is a master of escapes, changing places with other charactersm disguises and battle. He is also adept at intrigue and trickery enabling him to stay alive in a world of danger due to a furiously fought civil war.
Much of the novel's actions occur near Bordeaux where the followers of de Conde had their headquarters. This book requires some knowledge of the period to make the interesting characters come alive. Dumas was great at setting dramatic scenes sparkling with bon mots from the actors in his drama. This novel deserves wider readership.

A Surprise
I didn't realize this book existed and what a delightful adventure in reading it was!I am very impressed with the dialogue, especially.It is full of witty repartee and I actually found myself chuckling at the tongue-in-cheek humor as well as the clever sarcasm it contains.It actually reads like a script at points and being a visual person I could 'see' it all happening.I would heartily recommend this to people who enjoy clever dialogue, twisting and turning plots, and history all combined.At points one can visualize entrances and exits much like a Moliere play.There is action but most of it involves the characters and their unfolding; the plot is secondary. ... Read more

Product Description
Historical fiction from the time of the bitter conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in France, after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre and before the reign of Henri of Navarre. According to Wikipedia: "Alexandre Dumas, père (French for "father", akin to 'Senior' in English), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (1802 — 1870) was a French writer, best known for his numerous historical novels of high adventure which have made him one of the most widely read French authors in the world. Many of his novels, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne were serialized. He also wrote plays and magazine articles and was a prolific correspondent. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Don't forget volume 2!
I agree with the review of TK below, but as for the ending leaving the reader "hanging", I know exactly what has happened.If one buys the Fredonia edition of the book, it comes in two volumes.For whatever reason, when searching the Amazon site and calling up the book, only volume one appears.It is possible to find volume two by typing in the ISBN number: 1589631714.After reading volume two, all those loose ends are tied up quite nicely and it makes it a very rewarding reading experience.The whole series of books in Dumas's Valois series:Queen Margot (Margaret de Valois), Chicot the Jester, and the two volumes of The Forty-Five Guardsmen are a wonderful story and deserve more attention.

Calling all history fans
Yes, I am absolutely crazy about 16th century French history. And Dumas has a whole series for this era. Though "La Dame de Montsoreau" is my favorite of the series, the Forty-Five does not lack young, handsome and rich gentlemen and beautiful and graceful ladies, not to mention the private lifestyle (humorous I found) of the King Henri III and his brother the duc d'Alençon. It was overall just captivating, I felt like I was reliving this time period. Again, I suggest you read the whole series, especially since this is the last book in the series. But I prefer this 'Valois' series to the 'D'Artagnan' or 'Marie-Antoinette' etc. series... It's more fascinating for me. The only thing is, that the end leaves a little something to be desired. I don't know if Dumas meant to write a fourth book in the series, cuz he seems to leave a few things hanging. But if you can ignore that, the rest of the plot is great! ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. This is the essay titled "Man in the iron mask", not the novel. ... Read more