The Three Musketeers is arguably Alexandre Dumas’s most popular novel. Growing up, I love the mid 90’s Chris O’Donnell (I know I know I know, cheesy) film version of the Three Musketeers and while I have not read the Dumas classic, I know he writes wonderful adventure stories for the ages. I read his other well known novel The Count of Monte Cristo which also has swashbuckling adventure so naturally I would assume that The Three Musketeers has the same.
The Count of Monte Cristo wrapped up rather nicely, but from what I understand, The Three Musketeers leaves a few optional stories untold making way for an exciting follow up novel. So what happens after The Three Musketeers ends? What becomes of some of the most beloved characters of the book you ask? Well enter Between Two Kings. Dumas wrote the serialized, Le Vicomte de Bragelonne as a follow up to The Three Musketeers and it’s first volume has now been translated by Lawrence Ellsworth!
I am so excited to bring you guys all the details of this newly translated novel today! If you love classic adventure stories or want to know what happened to the young d’Artagnan after the events of The Three Musketeers then this book will help fill in some of those gaps. This new translation is out now and I have all the details for you below!
Summary
For years d’Artagnan shared his adventures with his three comrades—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis—but now, in Between Two Kings, the First Musketeer returns to the forefront. This is truly d’Artagnan’s novel, bringing to a dramatic climax the story that began when he first arrived in Paris thirty years earlier in The Three Musketeers.
This brand-new translation of Between Two Kings immediately picks up the story and themes of Blood Royal, whered’Artagnan tries to thwart destiny by saving England’s Charles I; now, he will be instrumental in the restoration of his son, Charles II, the first of the two kings of the title. Disappointed in the irresolution of young Louis XIV, d’Artagnan takes a leave of absence from the King’s Musketeers and ventures to England with a bold plan to hoist Charles II onto his throne, a swashbuckling escapade in which he is unwittingly assisted by his old comrade Athos. D’Artagnan returns triumphant to France, where he is recalled to service by the second king, Louis XIV, who is now finally ready to take full advantage of the extraordinary talents of his officer of musketeers.
This newly translated volume by Lawrence Ellsworth is the first volume of Alexandre Dumas’s mega-novel Le Vicomte de Bragelonne, the epic finale to the Musketeers Cycle, which will end with the justly-famous TheMan in the Iron Mask. This marks the first significant new English translation of this series of novels in over a century. (summary from Goodreads)
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