From Publishers Weekly
International bestseller Pérez-Reverte (
The Club Dumas) offers a winning swashbuckler set in 17th-century Spain. Hooded figures, apparently acting on the behalf of Fray Emilio Bocanegra, "president of the Holy Tribunal of the Inquisition," hire famed soldier Capt. Diego Alatriste to murder two Englishmen who have come to Madrid. One of the hooded figures, however, begs Alatriste (out of earshot of the others) only to wound the pair. When Alatriste and his fellow assassin, an ill-humored Italian, surprise the British, the captain is impressed by the fighting spirit they show, and he prevents the assassination from taking place. (The Italian, infuriated, swears eternal revenge.) When the Englishmen turn out to be on an important mission, Alatriste suddenly finds himself caught between a number of warring factions, Spanish and otherwise. Splendidly paced and filled with a breathtaking but not overwhelming sense of the history and spirit of the age, this is popular entertainment at its best: the characters have weight and depth, the dialogue illuminates the action as it furthers the story and the film-worthy plot is believable throughout.
Agent, Howard Morhaim. (May 5) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Set in 1600s Spain, this historical novel has it all--a noble but imperfect hero, royalty, treachery, and sword fights, as well as a history lesson. Perez-Reverte weaves a tale that is engaging, exciting, and filled with twists. Scott Brick's reading falls short of the author's skill, however, as he overacts from the start, making descriptions of setting sound as dire and suspenseful as duels and treachery. Brick's narration improves during action scenes and surprise revelations, but he fails during slower moments and historic overviews. His characters all have the same Spanish accent, with the exception of the narrator, but the writing is clear enough to compensate. In spite of the lackluster performance, the novel is thoroughly enjoyable, with a solid plot and great action. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.