o we’re into the third book of the Ten Years After saga. We’ve seen the corruption of Louise in Court (a corruption that she, I have to say, willingly embraced – after all, it was her incessant babbling of how sexy the king was that brought his attentions around to focus on her). And then there’s Raoul, youthfully proud and making pretty much the same mistakes I, myself, made at that age. And through it all, the Musketeers (all advancing in age and power) flit about in the background (and occasionally get to make impacts to our story).

Overall, I rather liked this part of the triad and was sad to see it end. Aramis is growing increasingly distant (which I recall becoming even more pronounced in Man in the Iron Mask), and Athos, my favorite, has a wonderful scene where he confronts the King on what he’s done and tells him just what a dickwad he’s become. Yeah, the Count de la Fere, with his line, “Honor is the consideration of what is due to others, and particularly what is due to oneself.” d’Artagnan still gnaws his mustache and still plays fast and loose with the rules. As he puts it in some nice dialog, “I! Oh, no! Certainly not; of course not. What you do for heroism, I should have done from obstinacy.” That’s our Gascon.

So that finishes the cycle and leaves me thinking about Iron Mask, because, after all, there are hints all over these three books about a fellow in the Bastille who bears an uncanny resemblance to…! I vaguely remember that story from years ago and look forward to reading it. But first, there are some other books I’ve promised to read and review (though my review is not, it seems, looked forward to by some). So stay tuned and see what sorts of trouble I stir up.

>>>AND IF YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR MY NEXT POST, YOU CAN GET HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF MY WRITING IN MY OWN NOVELS. RIGHT HERE, DOWN THIS LINK!<<<