The Three Musketeers (audio)

This historical romance, perhaps the greatest cloak-and-sword story ever written, relates the adventures of four fictional swashbuckling heroes who loyally served the French kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV. When the dashing young d’Artagnan arrives in Paris from Gascony, he becomes embroiled in three duels with the musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. But when he proves himself by fighting with, not against, the three Musketeers, they form a quick and lasting friendship. The daring escapades of the four pit them against the master of intrigue, Cardinal Richelieu, and the quintessential wicked woman, Lady de Winter. Alexandre Dumas’s swashbuckling epic has embroidered upon history a colorful world of swordplay, intrigue, and romance. “Get ready for a rousing action-adventure, courtesy of Alexandre Dumas and Simon Vance … 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.” “Full of irresistible elements: swordplay, guns … intrigue, derring-do, loyalty, romance, famous historical names … A can’t-miss storytelling proposition.” “One of the finest adventure novels of all time. It has sword fights, espionage, significant jewelry, wonderfully devious villains, and all manner of high jinks. If you’ve been put off by one of the (many) lackluster film adaptations, do give the book a try—it’s wittier, livelier, cleverer, and more charming than any of its imitators.” “Remains compelling and timeless.” “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.”