Dumas's tale of swashbuckling and heroism follows the fortunes of d'Artagnan, a headstrong country boy who travels to Paris to join the Musketeers - the bodyguard of King Louis XIII. Here he falls in with Athos, Porthos and Aramis, and the four friends soon find themselves caught up in court politics and intrigue. Together they must outwit Cardinal Richelieu and his plot to gain influence over the King, and thwart the beautiful spy Milady's scheme to disgrace the Queen. In The Three Musketeers, Dumas breathed fresh life into the genre of historical romance, creating a vividly realized cast of characters and a stirring dramatic narrative. The introduction examines Dumas's historical sources, the balance between fact and fiction, and the figures from history that formed the basis for the central characters of The Three Musketeers. Editorial Reviews "I do not say there is no character as well-drawn in Shakespeare [as D'Artagnan]. I do say there is none that I love so wholly." -Robert Louis Stevenson - From the Publisher How thorough Mr. Raby has been in his recapitulation of Dumas' plot...This is a piece of master carpentry, with special skill in the dovetailing - Toronto Globe & Mail Peter Raby has adapted the Dumas text into a sprawling, multi-scented extravaganza written mostly in purple ink--the only color for this kind of tale. - Toronto Telegram Dumas's 1844 swashbuckling chestnut gets overhauled by master translator Pevear and includes Pevear's introduction to Dumas, describing his life and times, and scholarly notes on the text. The story probably has been done to death in numerous, mostly bad, movies, but how many books have a candy bar named after them? Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - Library Journal 10/10/2016 The picaresque adventures of the young d'Artagnan, who strives to become a musketeer in service of the king, unfold in a visually vibrant adaptation of Dumas's novel. It's no easy task to condense such a sprawling story into a picture book, and readers may have trouble keeping up with the swerves of the plot. French artist André uses airy, watercolor like effects to create dramatic visuals suggestive of stills from an animated action film. It's an ambitious retelling, but most readers will probably benefit from outside research or conversations with adults to better understand the context and stakes of the story. Ages 8-11. (Oct.) - Publishers Weekly "When Dumas wrote The Three Musketeers in 1844 he upped Shakespeare's ante. The author's mold-breaking use of short paragraphs and abundant dialogue provided a template for the modern page-turner. Though Dumas was accused of playing fast and loose with history, he actually brought it thrillingly alive. A rip-snorting new translation of The Three Musketeers by the American Lawrence Ellsworth captures all the excitement and flair of Dumas's great historical adventure that spawned several sequels and numerous films, TV series and cartoons. Ellsworth does a wonderful job of communicating the energy, humor and warmth of Dumas's work. Ellsworth's snappier approach, which included putting back all the racier scenes elided from the Victorian translations, suits Dumas much better. It also helps to put an end to the lie, persistent in the English-speaking world, that Dumas's brand of popular fiction does not deserve the same attention as more 'serious' works." - The Wall Street Journal "Lawrence Ellsworth provides a vibrant, modern-day English translation of the classic high adventure. Ellsworth's rendition is addictively readable in this lengthy but fast-paced novel. He masterfully captures Dumas's distinctive voice and humor. Highly recommended for readers of literary classics who have not yet read or would like to reacquaint themselves with the tale." - Historical Novels Review "Newly translated, a sequel to The Three Musketeers is as fresh as ever. In Lawrence Ellsworth's excellent, compulsively readable translation, The Red Sphinx is just the book to see you through the January doldrums. And maybe those of February, too." - Michael Dirda "The classic French epic in a new translation by Lawrence Ellsworth brings freshness to the story of d'Artagnan and his pals." - The New York Times Book Review "There is swash and buckle aplenty, and even plumage if that's what does it for you. And it is great fun." - The Spectator [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] "A royal treat for fans of historical fiction. I am confident that librarians and English literature teachers around the world are leaping for joy at the publication of The Red Sphinx, and I join them in this excitement." - Book reporter [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] "As far as I can tell, Lawrence Ellsworth is responsible for one of the biggest literary projects happening right now in the English language. Ellsworth is working on a massive and daunting scale. He's translating the entirety of Alexandre Dumas's stories of The Three Musketeers (1844), all 1.5 million words of it. The third volume, Twenty Years After, appeared late last year. In Ellsworth's hands, these stories of swashbuckling and all-for-one-and-one-for-all friendship feel new again. The Three Musketeers is an enormously entertaining tale for the ages." - The Brooklyn Rail "The Red Sphinx is wonderful. There's plot and counter-plot, duels, passion, murder, romance, disguises, poets and assassins. Readable and compelling." - Historical Novels Review [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] "The Red Sphinx sparkles and shines in a new translation. Races along with pointed humor and broad quips. Fun permeates this big book. The rest of 2017's fiction will have to look sharp: An old master has just set the bar very, very high." - Christian Science Monitor [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] "Fans of The Three Musketeers can rejoice in the 800-page English translation of this largely forgotten sequel." - Newsday [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] "The test of a translator is his capacity to capture this characteristic interplay of the heroic and the ribald; the sincere and the ironic; the vanished past and the approaching present. And at this task Ellsworth succeeds, giving us a Three Musketeers with more clarity, energy, and simplicity than any previous English edition." - Open Letters Review Newly translated, a sequel to The Three Musketeers is as fresh as ever. In Lawrence Ellsworth's excellent, compulsively readable translation, The Red Sphinx is just the book to see you through the January doldrums. And maybe those of February, too. - Michael Dirda - The Washington Post [praise for 'The Red Sphinx'] The Red Sphinx is a vivid and beautifully-crafted story dense with colorful characters and an irresistible charm." - Tony Cliff 12/01/2016 Gr 2-5--Told in first person from d'Artagnan's point of view, this very complex story is compressed into a typical picture book. If children already know the tale of the Musketeers well, then this edition will be fairly easy to follow and will not disappoint. However, considering that even abridged chapter book adaptations usually exceed 300 pages, this one is quite ambitious. For those unacquainted with the original novel, it will take a knowledgeable adult to help sort out the numerous intricate relationships, characters, and events that are packed in tightly with little contextual explanation to ease the transition from one fantastic feat to the next. For example, American children may be unfamiliar with the historical role of a cardinal and, given the lack of context and details, may question why he is cast as nefarious throughout this version but at the end is hosting an event where Rochefort announces to everyone that d'Artagnan is now an official Musketeer. What is not lacking is the characterization of d'Artagnan as an overconfident, rambunctious, I-can-do-anything personality that shines through from the opening page right to the end, when he shouts the well-known "One for all and all for one!" André's illustrations are lush and full page, with an abundance of black and amber tones that convey much of the sinister goings-on, but they are also somewhat romantic in style and punctuated by occasional swaths of color. VERDICT A suitable purchase if one is in need of a brief, fully illustrated run-through of the major events of this classic.--Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID - School Library Journal Buckle-your-swash and get ready for a rousing action-adventure, courtesy of Alexandre Dumas and Simon Vance. When hapless d'Artagnan arrives in Paris, his Gascon pride is wounded, and he takes on duels with each of the king's best swordsmen, the three musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Admiring the courage of the green youth, the four become inseparable. The story revolves around the musketeers' attempts to thwart Cardinal Richelieu as he plots the undoing of the King Louis XIII and Queen Anne. Simon Vance's performance is period-perfect. His characterizations are passionate, full-blooded, and memorable. Vance turns historical events into the background for romance and derring-do, sprinkled with healthy doses of irreverence, wit, and irony. Friendship, loyalty, and honor make this all-for-one-and-one-for-all listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine - FEB/MAR 08 - AudioFile