The Three Musketeers

I realize that I've filed The Three Musketeers under "historical fiction", which isn't altogether accurate -- yes, this is fiction set in the past, but it's almost an alternate history type of fiction; while some of the characters portrayed here (Louis XIII, Cardinal Richeliu, Anne of Austria, the Duke of Buckingham, D'Artagnan himself) are clearly historical, the specific interactions are not. Also, in "I am a big dummy" news, the author's preface states that the following novel is based entirely on some obscure memoirs he found. Imagine my surprise when I realized this wasn't a literary device, but an admission he was borrowing from an earlier novel.

Dumas sets a good pace and keeps it up -- the novel never drags, which is impressive for something that was originally serialized, as that can tend to lead to filler. The one exception was later in the novel, when one character was imprisoned, and there were several chapters from their viewpoint that I didn't find particularly engaging.

The one criticism I would make was that while the musketeers are trusted members of the king's guard, the scope seems a little small, and the denouement seems out-of-place and petty, as does the resolution to another conflict. But this is a fun, well-paced novel that's worth reading once.

Gentlemen's Blood

Barbara Holland's Gentlemen's Blood is not quite a comprehensive overview of dueling and its history, but an excellent introductory look at a past custom that we currently look a little askance at.

Holland begins with the duel's origins in the trial by combat, and moves deftly through the centuries (from fencing masters in Italy to swordfighting in France to dueling pistols in England to bloody frontier affairs in the American West, with stops in between in Ireland, the American South, Russia, and Germany, among other places). Given the breadth of the subject matter (dueling was an accepted custom in many cultures, and although it was deplored and illegal at various times, laws against it were very often not enforced), Holland doesn't quite treat the subject exhaustively, but her digressions make this well worth reading. There's plenty of information on how honor was treated (as the currency of polite society), how exactly a duel should be arranged (by the seconds, via a series of notes), the insults most likely to bring about a challenge ("liar" is the most unforgivable, right up with physical violence, which either requires a challenge or renders the aggressor beneath contempt, depending on the culture), and the capabilities of the weapons involved (smoothbore pistols weren't particularly accurate).

There's a lot here, but Holland is most entertaining in her snapshot-like depictions of the many duels, spotlighting combats across countries and centuries. Her eye is sharp, and her wit is acerbic. Highly recommended, it's a quick and entertaining read.