The Red Sphinx
Or, The Comte de Moret; A Sequel to The Three Musketeers
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Narrated by:
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John Lee
About this listen
For the first time in English in over a century comes a new translation of the forgotten sequel to Dumas' The Three Musketeers, continuing the dramatic tale of Cardinal Richelieu and his implacable enemies.
In 1844, Alexandre Dumas published The Three Musketeers, a novel so famous and still so popular today that it scarcely needs introduction. Shortly thereafter he wrote a sequel, Twenty Years After, that resumed the adventures of his swashbuckling heroes.
Later, toward the end of his career, Dumas wrote The Red Sphinx, another direct sequel to The Three Musketeers that begins not 20 years later but a mere 20 days afterward. The Red Sphinx picks up right where the The Three Musketeers left off, continuing the stories of Cardinal Richelieu, Queen Anne, and King Louis XIII - and introducing a charming new hero, the Comte de Moret, a real historical figure from the period. A young cavalier newly arrived in Paris, Moret is an illegitimate son of the former king and thus half-brother to King Louis. The French Court seethes with intrigue as king, queen, and cardinal all vie for power, and young Moret soon finds himself up to his handsome neck in conspiracy, danger - and passionate romance.
Dumas wrote 75 chapters of The Red Sphinx for serial publication but never finished it, and so the novel languished for almost a century before its first book publication in France in 1946. While Dumas never completed the book, he had earlier written a separate novella, The Dove, that recounted the final adventures of Moret and Cardinal Richelieu.
Now for the first time, in one cohesive narrative, The Red Sphinx and The Dove make a complete and satisfying story line - a rip-roaring novel of historical adventure, heretofore unknown to English-language listeners, by the great Alexandre Dumas, king of the swashbucklers.
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Not Weir's Best
- By Joshua on 01-08-13
By: Alison Weir
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The Betrothed
- A Novel
- By: Alessandro Manzoni, Michael F. Moore - translator, Jhumpa Lahiri - afterword
- Narrated by: Ari Fliakos, Susan Vinciotti Bonito
- Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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The Betrothed is a cornerstone of Italian culture, language, and literature. Published in its final form in 1842, The Betrothed has inspired generations of Italian readers and writers. Giuseppe Verdi composed his majestic Requiem Mass in honor of Manzoni. Italo Calvino called the novel “a classic that has never ceased shaping reality in Italy” while Umberto Eco praised its author as a “most subtle critic and analyst of languages.”
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How to ruin a masterpiece
- By McMurrab on 10-31-22
By: Alessandro Manzoni, and others
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The Lady Elizabeth
- A Novel
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England's most intriguing and powerful queen. Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time - whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness.
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An unbelievably extraordinary tale about a girl!
- By Zhao on 12-31-11
By: Alison Weir
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The Three Musketeers (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: Alexandre Dumas, William Robson - translator
- Narrated by: Guy Mott
- Length: 27 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Young nobleman d’Artagnan has arrived in Paris intent on joining the guardians of King Louis XIII. He befriends the regiment’s most formidable musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and together they unite in their commitment to uphold justice. Soon, a royal indiscretion thrusts them into an audacious escapade of courtly intrigue, thwarted romance, and daring rescue. But it’s the Machiavellian schemes of a powerful enemy and the wicked seductions of an ingenious female spy that will be their greatest challenges.
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terrible narrator. every comma is a 3 second pause
- By Anonymous User on 09-21-21
By: Alexandre Dumas, and others
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The Tudor Crown
- By: Joanna Hickson
- Narrated by: Karen Cass, Oliver J. Hembrough
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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When Edward of York takes back the English crown, the Wars of the Roses scatter the Lancastrian nobility, and young Henry Tudor, with a strong claim to the throne, is forced into exile. Recently widowed and vulnerable, his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, forges an uncomfortable alliance with Edward’s Queen, Elizabeth Woodville. Swearing an oath of allegiance to York, Margaret agrees to marry the King’s shrewdest courtier, Lord Stanley. But can she tread the precarious line between duty to her husband, loyalty to her son, and her obligation to God and the King?
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Another excellent book by Ms. Hickson
- By C. Abbott on 09-26-18
By: Joanna Hickson
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The Boleyn King
- Boleyn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Laura Andersen
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Just seventeen years old, Henry IX, known as William, is a king bound by the restraints of the regency yet anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics sowing the seeds of rebellion at home, William trusts only three people: his older sister Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by William’s mother, Anne Boleyn.
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Great idea, bad story
- By S. D. Ristick on 09-22-14
By: Laura Andersen
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Equal of the Sun
- A Novel
- By: Anita Amirrezvani
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Iran in 1576 is a place of peace, wealth, and dazzling beauty. But when the Shah dies without having named an heir, the court is thrown into tumult. Princess Pari, the Shah's daughter and closest adviser, knows more about the inner workings of the state than almost anyone, but the princess's maneuvers to instill order after her father's sudden death incite resentment and dissent. Pari and her trusted servant, a eunuch able to navigate the harem as well as the world beyond the palace walls, are in possession of an incredible tapestry....
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A Woman in a Man's World
- By JGrace on 06-26-13
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The First Elizabeth
- By: Carolly Erickson
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson
- Length: 18 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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In this remarkable biography, Carolly Erickson brings Elizabeth I to life and allows us to see her as a living, breathing, elegant, flirtatious, diplomatic, violent, arrogant, and outrageous woman who commands our attention, fascination, and awe. With the special skill for which she is acclaimed, Carolly Erickson electrifies the senses as she evokes with total fidelity the brilliant colors of Elizabethan clothing and jewelry, the texture of tapestries, and even the close, perfumed air of castle rooms. Erickson demonstrates her extraordinary ability to discern and bring to life psychological and physical reality.
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Well Researched Book
- By JustBill on 03-13-15
By: Carolly Erickson
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First of the Tudors
- By: Joanna Hickson
- Narrated by: Tom Clegg, Non Haf
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Jasper Tudor, son of Queen Catherine and her second husband, Owen Tudor, has grown up far from the intrigue of the royal court. But after he and his brother Edmund are summoned to London, their half brother, King Henry VI, takes a keen interest in their future. Bestowing earldoms on them both, Henry also gives them the wardship of the young heiress Margaret Beaufort. Although she is still a child, Jasper becomes devoted to her and is devastated when Henry arranges her betrothal to Edmund.
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War of the Roses, Again
- By Laurel on 03-27-17
By: Joanna Hickson
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The Betrothed
- By: Alessandro Manzoni
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton
- Length: 24 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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After the jealous tyrant Don Rodrigo foils their wedding, young Lombardian peasants Lucia and Lorenzo must separate and flee for their safety. Their difficult path to matrimony takes place against the turbulent backdrop of the Thirty Years War, where lawlessness and exploitation are at their height. Lucia takes refuge in a convent, where she is later abducted and taken on a nightmarish journey to a sinister castle, while Lorenzo goes to Milan, where he witnesses famine, riots, and plague - all evoked through meticulous description and with stunning immediacy.
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Fantastic reading of a great work of literature
- By Pia Crosby on 03-25-19
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The Crown
- By: Nancy Bilyeau
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In this debut historical thriller, an aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father’s life and preserve all she holds dear. When novitiate nun Joanna Stafford learns her rebel cousin is condemned by King Henry VIII to be burned at the stake, she makes the decision to break the sacred rule of enclosure and flee her Dominican order in Dartford to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, Sir Richard Stafford, is sent to the Tower of London.
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Torture
- By S. Wells on 03-24-13
By: Nancy Bilyeau
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terrible narrator. every comma is a 3 second pause
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The four dauntless comrades in arms from The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask are reunited in this extraordinary tale. Dumas brilliantly weaves the story into the tapestry of both French and English history. In Paris the four protect Queen Anne and the young Louis XIV from swelling revolution. In England they take on the ambitious Oliver Cromwell. Once again we are treated to the ring of swords, hearts are won or lost, and revenge is sweet.
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Alexandre Dumas Collection
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The Alexandre Dumas Collection, with its deep roots in French history, sheds light on the innate sense of honor, duty, responsibility, and love felt by those who lived during the time. Listen as the author takes you on a historical journey to a time when men fought to the death for what they believed in, when executions were a public event, and jewels were traded for secrets! Join us for a reading of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers and where you will be enchanted by the adventure, danger, and vengeance that these two tales depict.
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A Timeless Tale of Revenge and Friendship
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The Last Cavalier
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The story of France from the Renaissance to the 19th century, as Dumas vibrantly retold it in his numerous enormously popular novels, has long been absent one vital, richly historical era: the Age of Napoleon. But no longer. Now dynamically, in a tale of family honor and undying vengeance, of high adventure and heroic derring-do, The Last Cavalier fills that gap.
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a word of warning
- By Mary on 12-24-10
By: Alexandre Dumas
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The Count of Monte Cristo
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On the eve of his marriage to the beautiful Mercedes, having that very day been made captain of his ship, the young sailor Edmond Dantès is arrested on a charge of treason, trumped up by jealous rivals. Incarcerated for many lonely years in the isolated and terrifying Chateau d'If near Marseille, he meticulously plans his brilliant escape and extraordinary revenge.
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This is the one to spend 50 hours listening to!
- By james on 03-05-13
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The Three Musketeers (AmazonClassics Edition)
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Young nobleman d’Artagnan has arrived in Paris intent on joining the guardians of King Louis XIII. He befriends the regiment’s most formidable musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and together they unite in their commitment to uphold justice. Soon, a royal indiscretion thrusts them into an audacious escapade of courtly intrigue, thwarted romance, and daring rescue. But it’s the Machiavellian schemes of a powerful enemy and the wicked seductions of an ingenious female spy that will be their greatest challenges.
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terrible narrator. every comma is a 3 second pause
- By Anonymous User on 09-21-21
By: Alexandre Dumas, and others
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- Length: 79 hrs and 3 mins
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The Alexandre Dumas Collection, with its deep roots in French history, sheds light on the innate sense of honor, duty, responsibility, and love felt by those who lived during the time. Listen as the author takes you on a historical journey to a time when men fought to the death for what they believed in, when executions were a public event, and jewels were traded for secrets! Join us for a reading of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers and where you will be enchanted by the adventure, danger, and vengeance that these two tales depict.
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A Timeless Tale of Revenge and Friendship
- By Ryleigh Jones on 11-12-24
By: Alexandre Dumas
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The Last Cavalier
- Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon
- By: Alexandre Dumas
- Narrated by: Simon Prebble
- Length: 35 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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The story of France from the Renaissance to the 19th century, as Dumas vibrantly retold it in his numerous enormously popular novels, has long been absent one vital, richly historical era: the Age of Napoleon. But no longer. Now dynamically, in a tale of family honor and undying vengeance, of high adventure and heroic derring-do, The Last Cavalier fills that gap.
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a word of warning
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This is the one to spend 50 hours listening to!
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Dashing young Edmond Dantès has everything: a fine reputation, an appointment as captain of a ship, and the heart of a beautiful woman. But his perfect life is shattered when three jealous friends conspire to destroy him. Falsely accused of a political crime, Dantès is locked away for life in the infamous Chateau d'If prison. But it is there that Dantès learns of a vast hidden treasure.
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A true Time-machine
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In 1785, a sensational trial began in Paris that would divide the country and captivate Europe. A leading Catholic cardinal and scion of one of the most distinguished families in France stood accused of forging the queen’s signature to obtain the most expensive piece of jewelry in Europe: a 2,800-carat diamond necklace. Known as the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, it contributed to the French populace’s disillusionment with the monarchy and precipitated the French Revolution. The Queen’s Necklace, loosely based on the Affair, is Dumas’ take on the royal scandal.
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A great story of intrigue, betrayal and romantic adventure, with some thievery thrown in for spice.
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By: Alexandre Dumas
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The Black Tulip
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When tulip-grower Cornelius van Baerle is framed for treason and sentenced to death, he is powerless against the brutal factional politics that put him in prison. But Rosa, the jailer’s daughter, is beautiful and strong-willed, and when they fall in love she determines not only to save him but also to grow the near mythical flower: the black tulip.S et in the savage turmoil of Holland’s late 17th century, this intimate novel celebrates the power of integrity over obsession, and tolerance over violence; and it creates in the black tulip a symbol of humanity’s potential.
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Terrific
- By Ruth Jensen on 10-07-11
By: Alexandre Dumas
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The Count of Monte Cristo
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The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (père) completed in 1844. It is one of the author's most popular works, along with The Three Musketeers. Like many of his novels, it was expanded from plot outlines suggested by his collaborating ghostwriter Auguste Maquet. The story takes place in France, Italy, and islands in the Mediterranean during the historical events of 1815–1839: the era of the Bourbon Restoration through the reign of Louis-Philippe of France.
By: Alexandre Dumas
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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
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In Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, Raoul Duke (Thompson) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (inspired by a friend of Thompson) are quickly diverted to search for the American dream. Their quest is fueled by nearly every drug imaginable and quickly becomes a surreal experience that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. But there is more to this hilarious tale than reckless behavior, for underneath the hallucinogenic facade is a stinging criticism of American greed and consumerism.
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Ron McLarty?
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Shōgun, Part One
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After Englishman John Blackthorne is lost at sea, he awakens in a place few Europeans know of and even fewer have seen—Nippon. Thrust into the closed society that is seventeenth-century Japan, a land where the line between life and death is razor-thin, Blackthorne must negotiate not only a foreign people, with unknown customs and language, but also his own definitions of morality, truth, and freedom. As internal political strife and a clash of cultures lead to seemingly inevitable conflict, Blackthorne’s loyalty and strength of character are tested by both passion and loss.
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Great book poor marketing
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By: James Clavell
What listeners say about The Red Sphinx
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Liesl
- 09-01-22
Great Narrator
This book was awesome. The narrator used his voice in the best way ever.
I am really struggling to get through the 3 Musketeers. The narrator is... a bit dull.
(in my opinion)
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- KayWA
- 04-07-17
A wonderful story but too many details
A wonderful story but too many detailed and long-winded side stories and recitations of lineage and power trails for me. But if you like details, this is a good book for you.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Alex
- 08-22-24
Which part of sequel don't I understand?
One might expect that a sequel to the novel highlighting D'artagnan and The Three Musketeers might actually contain said characters. But you would be wrong.
One might also think a sequel to a book that paints the Cardinal Richelieu as the key antagonist might consistently carry the same stigma. But again, you would be wrong.
But somehow, even with the missing musketeers and the hero as the Cardinal (it took me a couple hundred pages to accept that), it all worked. And all the political espionage, the intrigue, the duels, the action, and all the witty dialogue made this a fun book to read.
The final struggle was how the original novel (which was never finished - as the novel) was brought to completion with the addendum of The Dove, a short novella written years before. As The Dove is written in letters between two characters, it took some time to transition to that change in style. I will say at the very end that Dumas' stylistic writing brought it to a gripping end with me nearly biting my nails on how it would end.
In all, while it wasn't the book I expected, it was a great book, after all.
Now, onwards to the next in the sequel. I'm scared to have any expectations at this point as I'm sure Dumas will make me abandon those from page one. 😁
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- DFK
- 09-27-17
Rather disappointing; stick with D’Artagnan series
The Red Sphinx is promoted as a “sequel” to The Three Musketeers. Though it might be placed in sequence to it as far as the timing of it, you will not meet any of the delightful four musketeers, nor will you be entertained as you might expect, especially if you read the full D’Artaganan set of books, culminating in The Man with the Iron Mask. We have a lot of Richelieu and Louis XIII and hear a lot about the intrigue in the court. But that’s the problem - we hear a lot: a lot of narrative, some dialog and conversation (way too much), we hear about way too many characters, but there is little action. The opening seems promising, but then the book gets bogged down and it takes a long time to revive interest, which occurs more than half way in, with the military campaign in Italy. Though the translator’s notes try to justify completing the story of the Comte de Moret with the novella The Dove, I found it totally unconvincing. Until that point, the Comte de Moret is a womanizer, being attracted to (and more) every pretty woman he meets. It was not at all convincing that he would become so besotted with Isabelle de Lautrec, be willing to take vows if they do not come together again, etc. Come on, this guy had the hots for every woman he saw. Further, The Dove was a drawn out presentation of an obvious conclusion, given the path that it started (which, as I said, did not seem characteristic of de Moret). The letters sent between the two lovers are repetitive and boring. We get it already. Move on. And that brings me to the narration. I found the narrator too machine-gun sounding in the way he read, and when it got to The Dove, the tone of Isabelle de Lautrec was grating - we know she is desperate, we know she is anxious, but it was just overdone and irritating to listen to.
I loved all the Musketeer books, I loved the Count of Monte Cristo. I will still read (or listen to) other books by Dumas. But this one was a huge disappointment, and I think the publishers and the translator try to make it sound much better than it is. Listening to the translator’s notes at the end, I felt this very much.
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22 people found this helpful
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- William
- 01-24-21
Read Dumas' major works before deciding on this.
This book, chronologically, picks up at the end of “The Three Musketeers” but before the other two books that are considered part of the Musketeer series and none of the Musketeers appear in this book. Instead there is more focus on Cardinal Richelieu, Queen Anne, and Marie de Medici, as well as King Louis XIII. However, it was written later as a serial in a newspaper and when the newspaper ceased publication, Dumas quit writing. Because it was unfinished, it wasn’t published as a book until much later and in an English translation even later. And, the English translation was very stiff and formal and didn’t sell well. This is from a new translation done in 2007 and feels more like a Dumas work.
The problem is that it is unfinished and ends abruptly in the middle of a scene. Even unfinished it is almost 700 pages, but it certainly would have been better if Dumas had given it some ending at least.
The translator believes that a reason that Dumas didn’t finish it goes beyond the fact that the paper ceased publication and posits that Dumas realized that a shorter story (“The Dove,” at around 100 pages) provided a suitable ending. I’m not a literary expert, but I just don’t see that. It does explain what happened to a central figure of the book, the Comte de Moret, the illegitimate son of King Henry IV, Louis XIII’s father.
It’s very typical Dumas with lots of scheming, political intrigue, extraneous detail, and a large number of characters. Cardinal Richelieu comes across in a bit more of a positive light and the Queen and Queen Mother more negative than in the Musketeer series of books. And, even though unfinished, it was still very interesting and fulfilling.
“The Dove” was so completely different, it almost felt like it couldn’t be from the same author. It occurs four years later and there is little connection, other than the two central characters. But even in that area, it doesn’t come across well. It doesn’t explain the huge change in loyalty for Moret, from fully supporting the king to turning to supporting the King’s younger brother, Gaston, in his rebellion, when Gaston comes across as an idiot and coward in “The Red Sphinx.”
Having said that, it was written so well and creatively that, even though you could soon guess the ending, it kept your attention riveted to the story and always waiting for what would happen next. It’s form is a series of letters between Moret and Isabelle, carried back and forth by a dove and it is worth reading by itself.
So, if you really like Dumas, you will probably enjoy “The Red Sphinx” and will enjoy “The Dove.” Certainly read his other books first and then decide.
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- Jryan117
- 12-12-20
Take a drink review
HOO BOY!
I'm glad I managed to get through this. I loved the Three musketeers but this was just so dry! The performance was amazing and the reader really put effort into the voices. I got a few chuckles out of this story but it was difficult to keep track of all the characters. This is called a sequel to the three musketeers but there was only a minor authors aside that references them but that's about it... Not what I was expecting. after the story there's a translators note that mentions how the story was translated in an even more bland way originally because the author was ahead of his time and they wanted the story to conform to the works of the time. disappointing!
Take a drink everytime Le comte de Moray is mentioned, every time someone says monsignor, and every time you wish you were listening to something else.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Robin
- 06-28-18
Part action, part gossip, part annoying
This book is made up of 2 different Dumas works. The largest part is a combination of swashbuckling, political intrigue and court gossip in the mold of the musketeer series. The musketeers don't appear but Richelieu, Mme de Chevreuse and others do. I enjoyed that, including the many digressions to tell stories about court figures. The unfortunate part is that the work was unfinished so the author stuck onto it a totally different piece by Dumas. That one is an epistolary novel in a very different style, flowery and long-winded. Theoretically the hero of that piece is the one who was fighting and flirting in the main book, but he has become a poetic wimp. John Lee does a good job and mostly pronounces the names and places right, but that makes it more jarring when some are wrong.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Scott
- 01-26-17
Scott
I enjoyed how the narrator brought the characters to life using different voices. He brought life and depth to the characters that I actually felt as if I were in the story.
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3 people found this helpful
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- MysteryFan
- 04-22-23
Red Sphinx
Pass over this book. Has nothing to do with the Musketeers. Dumas did not finish it for a reason. Not inspiring or entertaining. Wish I could get a refund.
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