book data
513 ratings, 3.53 average rating, 91 reviews
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published
December 27th 2005
(first published 2004)
by Plume
binding
Paperback, 304 pages
isbn
0452287111
(isbn13: 9780452287112)
description
The first in a magnificent series of historical novels from the acclaimed, bestselling author of The Club Dumas and The Queen of the South ...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 664)
Read in June, 2008
6/7 - 6/8
First off, I can't remember the last time I started and finished a book in one day. Yeesh. Not a lot going on today I guess.
Anyway, I have read and enjoyed several of Perez-Reverte's books and have been looking forward to this series. I was not blown away. The characters were were pretty plain, and I really didn't like the narrator at all; the classic 'I'm old now and I'm gonna tell you some stories from a long time ago' type guy. Also, The profanity he uses throughout the book ...more
First off, I can't remember the last time I started and finished a book in one day. Yeesh. Not a lot going on today I guess.
Anyway, I have read and enjoyed several of Perez-Reverte's books and have been looking forward to this series. I was not blown away. The characters were were pretty plain, and I really didn't like the narrator at all; the classic 'I'm old now and I'm gonna tell you some stories from a long time ago' type guy. Also, The profanity he uses throughout the book ...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Fans of Historical Thrillers, History majors, Spanish majors, Hispanic Studies majors, etc.
Through the eyes of Íñigo Balboa, page of the adventurous Captain Alatriste, a soldier for hire in 17th century Madrid, Pérez-Reverte lays out a huge history lesson, one that will not make you fall asleep. It is a time when Spain was one of the most powerful countries in the world, something that is usually skipped over in history class... The suspense filled plot and sword fighting scenes are entertaining. And Alatriste´s posy made up of Madrileños of all walks of life adds flavor to the s...more
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Read in February, 2008
I am a big fan of Arturo Perez-Reverte, but this book was a little bit of a disappoint me for me. As usual, Perez-Reverte's writing style manages to mingle in an amazing amount of fascinating history within an otherwise simple plot. The problem this time was too much history and exposition and too little actual plot. I could tell you the whole "story" in about four sentences.
The narrator in the story is recounting tales from his youth - so it's a little like listening to my grandmot...more
The narrator in the story is recounting tales from his youth - so it's a little like listening to my grandmot...more
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I first stumbled across Perez-Reverte after seeing the somewhat awkward film version of The Club Dumas. Even though I’ve been pleased with most of his books, I will admit that he frequently suffers from a tendency to get lost in his own plot intricacies. This is true to some extent with Captain Alatriste, though in all fairness, it is the first in a series and it’s likely we’ll see the stray threads tied up in future novels.
As always, Perez-Reverte is excellent at using devices to cre...more
As always, Perez-Reverte is excellent at using devices to cre...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
People who like adventure stories and historical fiction
I have read all of Perez-Reverte's other books and this was the first time I had looked into his Capt. Alatriste series. The books he is most famous are sophisticated, modern thrillers and, it is clear, that these books are meant to be an escape for Perez-Reverte and his readers from too much hard work. They are simple (I don't mean stupid just uncomplicated) adventure stories which take place in 1620's Spain. They are fun and amusing although I have learned that seventeenth century poetry do...more
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
Yes!
I've read both the Spanish and English versions, and this translations was very good (by Margaret Sayers Peden).
Told by Inigo (no tilde available), page to the "Captain" Diego Alatriste y Tenorio, a war hero home after wounded in battle, who now hires out his sword. The period is Spain's golden age bringing to life its artists, royalty, poets and playwrights.
Though the plot that moves the story along takes place over little time, one discovers all about the page, Inigo, his ...more
Told by Inigo (no tilde available), page to the "Captain" Diego Alatriste y Tenorio, a war hero home after wounded in battle, who now hires out his sword. The period is Spain's golden age bringing to life its artists, royalty, poets and playwrights.
Though the plot that moves the story along takes place over little time, one discovers all about the page, Inigo, his ...more
Read in April, 2008
This was a short yet enjoyable book, which is part of a larger series about, you guessed it, Captain Alatriste. These books were originally written in Spanish, and are slowly being translated into English. This installment centers around "the adventure of the two Englishmen." Alatriste, a soldier-for-hire in 1620s Madrid, is given an assignment by a member of the Spanish Inquisition. Alatriste is told to kill two Englishmen traveling into Madrid. However, when the attack actually unfol...more
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La novela es de aventuras como su nobre lo dice, ubicada en un periodo historico de españa conocido comoel siglode oro, cuenta con una criticas al ser español, y por ende a todo lo que esto significa para las colonias que alguna vez fuimos de España, es interesante indagar por una serie de datos historicos que parecen en la novela, los cuales pueden ser veridicos, y puede ser entretenido verificarlos.
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Überragend: Vorab ich habe dieses Buch nicht in der deutschen Übersetzung gelesen. Erzählt wird die Geschichte, die kurz vor der Endeckung Amerikas im spanischen Hofstaat spielt der noch nicht die strengen disziplinarischen Züge Königin Isabellas trägt. Durch diese Welt schlägt sich der Mantel und Degenkämpfer Alatriste mit Gelegenheitsjobs bis er wirklich in den Krieg ziehen muß.
Vom Aufbau ist es ähnlich wie der Fechtmeister angesiedelt, v...more
Vom Aufbau ist es ähnlich wie der Fechtmeister angesiedelt, v...more
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Read in September, 2008
recommended to Mick by:
Judd
I am a little ashamed to admit this, but I have never had such trouble keeping names matched up with characters as I did in this book. No, actually, I'm not a little ashamed, I'm a LOT ashamed. My Anglo brain shouldn't have had so much trouble keeping Spanish names straight. But I did. And it probably hindered my enjoyment a bit.
However, I was actually enjoying this book for the most part, although I made the mistake of trying to read it in tandem with Perdido Street Station and I've discove...more
However, I was actually enjoying this book for the most part, although I made the mistake of trying to read it in tandem with Perdido Street Station and I've discove...more
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Oh, I can so see Viggo playing Alatriste. I hope they keep the bathing scene at the beginning of the book in! The Alatriste series is, from what I understand, quite popular in Spain, but it took a movie to get them translated into English. But at least we'll have them! The story is set in 1623 Spain and Alatriste is a war veteran turned mercenary. He's hired, along with another mercenary, to kill two men whose identity are unknown to him. His new employers make it very difficult for him to refus...more
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I've really enjoyed Arturo Perez Reverte's other books so this one came as a real let down. While there were some interesting twists it really felt like it could have used some editing. A great deal of the book felt like it was just setting up for the sequel. Many allusions to future events were repeated over and over again and illumination took far to long to come about. Additionally the same character descriptions were repeated over and over in a way that felt almost condescending, or perh...more
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Read in May, 2008
this book tells a relatively simple story: a boy comes to madrid in the height of her golden age to serve as a page/helper/errand-runner to a sword-for-hire that was a buddy of his dad's back in the day; swashbuckling ensues. the story itself is rather good, but it's unnecessarily bogged down in random meanderings. apparently, the narrator is that same errand boy all grown up into an old man, and he tends to veer off the topic a good bit. i like a little embellishment for verisimilitude as mu...more
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Read in November, 2008
I think this book is the first I've read that was set in Renaissance Spain. (I was feeling I needed to branch out.) What I really enjoyed about this book was the language. The English translation had these wonderfully vivid and original phrases, and I can only wonder what it must be like in Spanish since it is my assumption that the originality springs from the author's style.
My biggest problem, if it is a problem, was that I felt this book climaxed in its first third. While I enjoyed th...more
My biggest problem, if it is a problem, was that I felt this book climaxed in its first third. While I enjoyed th...more
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Read in September, 2008
Captain Alatriste, swordsman for hire now that he is no longer a soldier for Spain, is given a mysterious task. He is hired by masked men to "rough up" a couple of travelers; one requests that neither would be killed. After he leaves, another man, unmasked and a member of the Spanish Inquisition tells Alatriste and another hired sword to kill both men. And when it comes time to do the job, well, the results may just affect the rest of Captain Alatriste's life, if they don't end it.
...more
...more
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Read in November, 2008
I think my reading was too disjointed (a little at the gym, a little during breakfast, etc) and I was rushing through so I could get it back to the library fast as a courtesy to fellow book club members, but I just wasn't super impressed with the overall book--didn't have any emotional connnection. Things I did like: The narrative style, how the author juxtaposed relaxed historical or narrative ramblings with suspenseful action; the natural characterization--no forced detail, more will come in t...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
gloomy Spaniards in need of beach reading
Arturo Perez-Reverte is a good beach read, no matter how much the book jacket of Club Dumas tried to convince you he is the next Umberto Eco. I can't generally forgive anyone for being compared to Umberto Eco, because pretty much no one compares, intellectually. Even Eco frequently does not measure up to Eco.
Anyway, this book feels pretty double-spaced and thin on plot, because the plot has to last for another several books of the Alatriste series. However, in the best tradition of Sherlo...more
Anyway, this book feels pretty double-spaced and thin on plot, because the plot has to last for another several books of the Alatriste series. However, in the best tradition of Sherlo...more
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Read in February, 2006
I will admit that I knew virtually nothing about Spanish history during this time period. I love reading historical fiction, but it's usually American history, with which I am fairly familiar. As a result, I didn't know which characters were historical figures (with the exception of the royalty) and which were fictional (aside from Alatriste and Íñigo, of course). This didn't hinder my enjoyment of the story, however! I love a good swashbuckling tale and Captain Alatriste certainly deli...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in December, 2008
recommended to Kelly by:
Cecily Davisrecommends it for: Fans of the historical thriller genre
Love the setting. I'm a sucker for anything Spanish, historical, or Reformation era politics. This book combines all three. Throw in some sexy Spanish proper names, and I'm sold. But the book reads like one big fat cliche. Also I've noted some historical anachronisms, although now I can't remember what they are, so maybe I'm wrong about that.
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Read in November, 2008
I have come to love Arturo Perez Reverte, and this is no exception. It's a very different book, though, than the Flanders Panel or Club Dumas or Nautical Chart. In part, that's because it's set in 17th century Spain, in part that's because it's the first of a series, but I think it's also because the writing seems different. It seems to be a quicker read, easier to digest. Maybe the translations have gotten better, but for whatever reason, I found myself floating through t...more
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