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daniel_faniel's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Maybe the translation doesn’t do it justice, but I found this book to be really boring. It’s only around 240 pages and yet feels like it drags on and on.
Every plot point can be summed up in a single paragraph. Not a summary/synopsis of the book. No, literally every single event that forwards the story. Almost nothing happens.
The very end of the book was good in all honesty. The conversation and dialogue was super enjoyable. The issue is that everything before that just felt like filler, and the ending is clearly building up to future installments.
And the characters are very flat. It also confusingly jumps between Inigo and Alatriste’s point of view at some parts I seriously didn’t know whose head we were in. I also don’t get the point of being in Inigo’s point of view since he does like literally nothing, and it seems clear Alatriste is the more interesting character and the author believes that as well.
Every plot point can be summed up in a single paragraph. Not a summary/synopsis of the book. No, literally every single event that forwards the story. Almost nothing happens.
The very end of the book was good in all honesty. The conversation and dialogue was super enjoyable. The issue is that everything before that just felt like filler, and the ending is clearly building up to future installments.
And the characters are very flat. It also confusingly jumps between Inigo and Alatriste’s point of view at some parts I seriously didn’t know whose head we were in. I also don’t get the point of being in Inigo’s point of view since he does like literally nothing, and it seems clear Alatriste is the more interesting character and the author believes that as well.
evgeorge's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is the first book I’ve read by Arturo Perez Reverte. He is a new favorite. The story is well paced, intriguing and exciting. The author crafted an engaging story and introduced of cast of characters that I am eager to follow on their next adventure.
alexbirsan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mfp's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
wintermute9's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
xoshea's review against another edition
3.0
Last month, I read Isabella: The Warrior Queen in preparation for our trip to Spain.
I picked up this book because I wanted to get a historical glimpse into the period AFTER Isabella. I went with a novel because, well, why not? This was enjoyable. Swordplay, back-stabbing (literally), and conniving manipulations by all involved, from royalty, to aristocracy, to clergy!
That said, I have since discovered that it would have been BETTER if I'd read about The Spanish Golden Age (1520-ish to 1680-ish) before I started reading this book. Because, hello: the author references REAL people! Who knew!
Anyway, I am now back-filling on historical details, and will THEN continue through the Alatriste series, better armed (!) with a smidge more knowledge on the Hapsburgs, the Inquisition, the Reformation, and so forth.
All in all, a fun diversion and a nice way to see history through a different lens.
I picked up this book because I wanted to get a historical glimpse into the period AFTER Isabella. I went with a novel because, well, why not? This was enjoyable. Swordplay, back-stabbing (literally), and conniving manipulations by all involved, from royalty, to aristocracy, to clergy!
That said, I have since discovered that it would have been BETTER if I'd read about The Spanish Golden Age (1520-ish to 1680-ish) before I started reading this book. Because, hello: the author references REAL people! Who knew!
Anyway, I am now back-filling on historical details, and will THEN continue through the Alatriste series, better armed (!) with a smidge more knowledge on the Hapsburgs, the Inquisition, the Reformation, and so forth.
All in all, a fun diversion and a nice way to see history through a different lens.
andgineer's review against another edition
5.0
Черт, читая такие книги хочется выучить испанский.
Русский перевод сумел передать звучность испанской речи, невообразимое сочетание высокой поэтики и понятий о чести и бытовой грязи того времени. Но понятно что это лишь слабое отражение оригинала.
Автор молодец - воспроизвел то время в его стилистике.
Читается легко и переключает вас на то, как жили и чувствовали в те времена и в той империи.
Русский перевод сумел передать звучность испанской речи, невообразимое сочетание высокой поэтики и понятий о чести и бытовой грязи того времени. Но понятно что это лишь слабое отражение оригинала.
Автор молодец - воспроизвел то время в его стилистике.
Читается легко и переключает вас на то, как жили и чувствовали в те времена и в той империи.
soniapage's review against another edition
3.0
I had a hard time getting into this book but it got better after the first chapter or so. I had given up reading it a while back because I found it boring, but that's just the beginning. Not much happens but I guess it's an introduction to the character of Captain Alatriste and the series of books the author has written about this character. A quick, easy read. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie version with Viggo Mortenson.
andrejt's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Reminiscent of The Three Musketeers, but the romantic youthful flair of d'Artagnan is replaced by the tired and fatalistic realism of Alatriste. No surprise here: the story is set in Madrid at a time when the Spanish Empire has already started its long decline. There are many literary references, but they're much less subtle than in Perez-Reverte's another famous book, The Club Dumas.