Most Helpful Customer Reviews
73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Book was great, but other reviewers please know your subject, June 3, 1998
By A Customer
This book, like most of Dumas' work is wonderful. His adventure stories still evoke a sense of wonderment and raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Most movies of the same titles do not portray the events as he wrote them, but I have found that most accomodate the tempo or the 'feel' of his novels. I would additionally like to set the record straight on the trilogy argument that I see in most of the reviews in this page. The series was originally published as a trilogy, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and Vicomte de Bragelonne. The Vicomte de Bragelonne is now published by most in three volumes: Vicomte de Bragellone, Louise de la Valliere, and finally The Man in the Iron Mask. I have seen it split into four parts with Ten Years Later being placed in between the Vicomte de Bragellone and Louise de la Valliere. This splitting was done because when the three are combined, or rather not split, the novel is large and cumbersome to read. I hope that all this literary information does not detract one from the greatness of this series however, it is truly a wonderful tale to read about, and the story endures through to modern times with the same ferver in which it was released.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining, Lots more history, maturity, May 5, 2004
It is twenty years after the first Musketeers saga and Athos, Aramis, Porthos and d'Artagnan have all gone their separate ways. Midlife has mellowed the musketeers and definitely complicated their perceptions. Porthos has been indulging himself with his widow's money and working himself up the caste ladder but is still not entirely accepted but the upper crust he wants to become. Aramis has gone into the church and, although he dreams wistfully of the days that he was a musketeer, his scheming has become more of a way of life than a troublesome quirk. Athos is the only one who still closely resembles the man he was in his youth. Even the hot tempered, rambunctious D'Artagnan has settled in to his career as a professional soldier. He is now a musketeer for the paycheck instead of the glory. Yet all deep down reminisce of `the good old days' - the only question is what will they do to recapture them. Mazarin has replaced Richelieu as Cardinal and the queen, once persecuted by the previous Cardinal, is now in league (or at least in bed) with the despised Italian Mazarin. Though Mazarin is popularly hated by the people, D'Artagnan jumps at the opportunity for advancement when Mazarin commissions him to reassemble the foursome ostensibly for the protection of the prince regent and queen. But the others have their own ideas about working for Mazarin and Dumas maintains a delicate balance as the four eventually do come to work together though not entirely on the same side. Twenty Years After is more grounded in history than the first and I highly recommend this particular book for the notes in the back. For all the criticism that Dumas plays fast and loose with history, it depends on where you place your yardstick. He moves events around a bit with people coming back from exile a year or two early and a battle being fought several years later but, over all, this is really grounded in history. The bulk of the plot is the siege of Paris by the Queen (and Mazarin) in the late 1640's. The death of Charles I and the peasant revolt are more substantial historical events than the retrieval of the Queen's diamonds in the first novel so expect a lot more complicated plot as far as people and events. Dumas knew his history (judging by the degree of deviation suggested by the notes) and though he might move or bend it, he still tried for plausibility. We also have a new arch enemy in this one - Lady DeWinter's son, Mordaunt, who has come to seek revenge on the men who executed his mother in the first book. While still a superb adventure story, this is a more adult tale with more emphasis on psychological motivations and the effect of time on a man's ideals and motivations. I enjoyed the first one more because of the less complicated plot and swift action but that is not to suggest that Twenty Years After is lacking in any way. When taken in conjunction with the first, the idea is brilliant and brings out many more elements that a simple `more of the same' sequel just couldn't do.
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Musketeers at Middle Age, January 4, 2005
At the end of the Three Musketeers, the reader is left with the feeling that these young heroes can only go on to greater heights. As this book opens, twenty years have passed since the death of Milady. The Musketeer's youthful dreams have not quite panned out. They are now in their forties and the world is much more complicated.
The most brilliant of the four friends D'Artagnan, is still only a lieutenant in the Kings Musketeers. His talents have never been recognized. Although wealthy, Porthos is unhappy because his neighbors do not hold him in high esteem. Although now an abbe, Aramis still is drawn to the world of the sword. Only Athos seems to have found some peace as a country squire.
The four close friends have gone their separate ways. They have not spoken or seen eachother for many years. However, France is on the verge of a civil war. D'Artagnan's desire for recognition and fortune leads him to bring the four old friends back together again for one more grand adventure.
I thought the Three Musketeers was one of the great adventure stories. It is hard to believe but Twenty Years After is an even better book. Dumas has the advantage of creating four great characters in the Three Musketeers. Twenty Years After, gives Dumas another 800 pages to develop these memorable adventurers. What made Dumas such a genius, is that he knew how to build a story to a high pitch and keep that high level of tension and excitement going for hundreds of pages. This is truly a remarkable book. The only down side to Twenty Years After is that I now have another 2100 pages to go before I end the five part Musketeer series.
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