Synopsis
Growing up in genteel poverty in seventeenth-century France, young d'Artagnan dreams of becoming a hero. With hopes for glory and adventure in his heart, he travels to Paris to join the elite company of King Louis XIII's trusted Musketeers. He achieves his aim partially, as he is accepted by another corps, his first step towards becoming a musketeer.
A series of misadventures brings him to a duel with none other than three of his heroes—the Musketeers Porthos, Athos, and Aramis. Impressed by the young man's spirit and with not a moment to lose in their struggle with the power-hungry Cardinal Richelieu, the three men enlist d'Artagnan to join them.
What follows this fateful encounter brings d'Artagnan all of the danger, intrigue, and glory that any Musketeer could ever hope for. Beautiful and deadly women, priceless treasures, scandalous secrets—all combine for a riveting tale of adventure and challenge that will put d'Artagnan to the test.
Book in Detail
Characters to Personalise
D'Artagnan - Is the hero of the novel. He is a young, impoverished Gascon nobleman who comes to make his fortune in Paris. Soon after he arrives in Paris, he inadvertently offends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, three of the King's Musketeers and ends up scheduled to fight three duels. D'Artagnan impresses the Musketeers so much that they all become friends, showing how d'Artagnan's personal charm, quick thinking, and gentlemanly conduct affects those around him. He is brave, noble, ambitious, crafty, and intelligent. Like any romantic hero, he is driven by love and ruled by chivalry, but occasionally prone to fall into amoral behaviour.
Athos - Athos is the leader of the Musketeers, and is something of a father figure to d'Artagnan. He is distinguished in every way--intellect, appearance, bravery, swordsmanship--yet he is tortured by a deep melancholy, the source of which no one knows.
Aramis - A young Musketeer, one of the great Three. Aramis is a handsome young man, who claims that he is only temporarily in the Musketeers, and that he will soon return to the Church to pursue his true calling to become a priest. He is a skilled fighter and has great inner strength. When he is wounded he says little and continues to fight until he collapses. Aramis has a mysterious mistress, Madame de Chevreuse, a high noblewoman, whose existence and identity he tries to keep from his friends.
Porthos - Porthos, the third of the Three Musketeers, is loud and vain. He is extremely self-important, and enjoys outfitting himself handsomely; but for all that, he is a valiant fighter and a courageous friend. His mistress is Madame Coquenard, the wife of a wealthy attorney.
Lady de Winter - Called "Milady" by many of the characters, she is beautiful, with a heart as evil as her face is lovely. She is sly, cunning and royal to Cardinal Richelieu and she and the Musketeers are sworn enemies. Milady has a secret, and she kills anyone who finds it out--her left shoulder is branded with the Fleur-de-Lis, a mark put on the worst criminals.
Monsieur de Treville - The head of the King's Musketeers. Monsieur de Treville is tough, strong, intelligent, and shrewd. He treats all his Musketeers as his sons, and is an important figure of support for the young d'Artagnan.
Cardinal Richelieu - The King's most influential advisor, Richelieu is the most powerful and important man in France. He is furiously self-absorbed and manipulative but he understands people and their motives and thus is extremely effective at getting things done. Although he is a Cardinal, a high religious office, he is the least devout person in the book and the most evil.
King Louis XIII - King of France. Louis XIII is not much of a ruler, and is dominated by his advisors, most notably Cardinal Richelieu, the most powerful man in France. He is a petulant and petty person, and thinks those who manipulate him most are those who are most loyal.