Description
Praise for Captain Alatriste “Equipped with a quick-witted, charismatic hero and much to provoke and goad him, Mr. Pérez-Reverte has the makings of a flamboyantly entertaining series. Captain Alatriste ends with a wicked flourish, an evil laugh, and a strong likelihood that the best is yet to come.” — The New York Times “Pérez-Reverte’s moody, wounded semi-hero—part cantankerous mercenary, part man of honor in a roiling society of pomp, pistols, and provocation—is a whole-cloth invention out ofa17th-century Madrid that has led to a 21st-century literary phenomenon....The clash and dash are thrilling; the swordplay is a bonus.” — Entertainment Weekly “High-level intrigue and double-dealing in the tradition of Alexandre Dumas.”— Los Angeles Times Book Review “Though Pérez-Reverte fills the swashbuckling story with nonstop action, Captain Alatriste is also a contemplation of life and death, which adds depth to the good, unclean fun.”— The Miami Herald “Pérez-Reverte’s pacing is swift and suspenseful, the narrative voice both crisply cinematic and true to the setting of seventeenth-century Spain...a feast of dark historical detail and believable danger.”— The Denver Post Arturo Pérez-Reverte ’s novels have captivated readers around the world and earned him a reputation as “the master of the intellectual thriller” ( Chicago Tribune ). Originally a war correspondent, he now writes fiction full-time. His novels include the Captain Alatriste series, The Flanders Panel, The Club Dumas, The Fencing Master, The Seville Communion, The Nautical Chart, The Queen of the South , and What We Become . His books have been published in fifty countries.He is a member of the Spanish Royal Academy. He lives near Madrid, Spain. From Booklist Spanish writer Perez-Reverte already has generated an eager readership for his historical thrillers; the latest is The Queen of the South (2004). Now, his earlier five-novel sequence (each title a phenomenal best-seller in Spain) featuring swordsman-for-hire Diego Alatriste, set in Spain's quickly tarnishing seventeenth-century golden age, is being published in the U.S. for the first time. The individual volumes will appear over the course of the next few years, beginning with this first installment. The Alatriste series defines the term swashbuckling . Captain Alatriste, a veteran of Spain's Flemish wars, deploys his sword for anyone who will pay, which inevitably leads him into some dicey situations; the one detailed here is a commission to assassinate, under the cover of darkness, two Englishmen on a visit to Madrid. At the last moment, Alatriste decides against running them through and spares their lives--which turns out to be fortunate on a diplomatic level, since his intended victims are revealed to be the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Buckingham, in Spain to attempt to arrange a marriage between the prince and the Spanish king's daughter. From first word to last, this novel, sure to be a hit in this country as well, fairly drips adventure off every page. Brad Hooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Bookmarks Magazine If you read The Queen of the South (***1/2 Sept/Oct 2004), you already know what a sure, confident writer Pérez-Reverte is. In fact he is one of the few authors about whom the appellation "international best-seller" actually means something. Captain Alatriste , which has sold over a million copies in Spain, is just now being released across the ocean. Reviewers seem confident that American readers will gobble it up as well. The historical detail is engaging, but never heavy-handed. The characters (some, like the painter Velázquez or poet Francisco de Quevedo, real) are well-rounded. The prose is taut and the pace quick. Captain Alatriste is sure to both delight and whet your appetite for the second in the series, Purity of Blood , due out next January. The film starring Viggo Mortensen probably won’t hurt either. Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. 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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From AudioFile 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 --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. "A twenty-first century literary phenomenon . . . The clash and dash are thrilling; the swordplay is a bonus. A-." — Entertainment Weekly "Written with courtly panache and contagious enthusiasm." — The New York Times "A pleasure of swash, buckle, and atmosphere." — Kirkus Reviews "A winning swashbuckler . . . Popular entertainment at its best." — Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the paperback edition. Read more
Features & Highlights
- The first action-packed historical adventure in the internationally acclaimed Captain Alatriste series, featuring a Spanish soldier who lives as a swordsman-for-hire in
- 17th century Madrid
- .
- Needing gold to pay off his debts, Captain Alatriste and another hired blade are paid to ambush two travelers, stage a robbery, and give the travelers a fright. “No blood,” they are told.
- Then a mysterious stranger enters to clarify the job: he increases the pay, and tells Alatriste that, instead, he must murder the two travelers. When the attack unfolds, Alatriste realizes that these aren’t ordinary travelers, and what happens next is only the first in a riveting series of twists and turns, with implications that will reverberate throughout the courts of Europe...
