The Vicomte de Bragelonne - Alexandre Dumas

The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Dumas, 1847-1850)

It is hard to review this book, because it was not meant to stand alone. It comprises the first volume of the third novel in the Musketeers trilogy, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, or Ten Years After, a sprawling, generous opus of around 2,000 pages and 266 chapters. The last 500 pages are usually published as a standalone novel, The Man in the Iron Mask, which I had read before and thoroughly enjoyed. After reading the last unread Hugo on my shelf, I felt it only natural to acquaint myself with the rest of the Musketeers saga.

It is the year 1660.  At the dawn of the reign of young King Louis XIV, the four friends are scattered. D'Artagnan resigns his post as lieutenant of the musketeers in search of adventure more noble than chaperoning the king's love affairs, but when he goes to seek his three friends, he can find none of them. Athos has already set out alone on the same quest as D'Artagnan - great minds think alike - but Aramis is engaged in a secret and possibly treasonous plot. Having enlisted Porthos to fortify an island belonging to M. Fouquet, the king's powerful minister of finance, he finds he has to keep the loyal D'Artagnan at a distance. But for Raoul de Bragellone, son of Athos, all thoughts of adventure, intrigue, or advancement prostrate themselves before Louise de la Valliere, the girl he loves and wants to marry, in spite of his father's disapproval.

Dumas balances several excellent plot lines with his epic style and refreshing sense of humor. The adventures are gripping, the twists and turns enthralling, and the portraits of characters, both fictional and historical, are rendered with dashing flair and instant relatability. Though easily the most rambling of his novels that I've read, and perhaps the most readily identifiable as a serial publication, the rambles are perfectly entertaining, and a larger picture and theme emerge. We see the heros of yesterday growing obsolete with few good outlets for their seasoned power, while the next generation falls prey to pragmatic modernization at the expense of chivalry. There is plenty to enjoy in this first section, although it does end abruptly at nothing resembling a stopping place.  Be sure to have the second volume ready at hand.

Arbitrary rating:  4.5 out of 5 noble adventures