The Forty-Five Guardsmen

The Last Valois #3

by Alexandre Dumas

A true sequel to "La Dame de Monsoreau." It concerns the revenge of Diane de Méridor upon the Duc d'Anjou for his base betrayal of Bussy d'Amboise. Historically it commences with the execution of Salcède and the arrival of the Forty-Five at Paris, and deals with the Guise intrigues, the campaign of Anjou in Flanders and his death. Period 1584-85.Maquet was again the collaborator. During the fête held at Villers-Cotterets in 1902 the original MS. of this romance was exhibited, half being in the hand of Dumas père, and the remainder, the latter moiety, in that of his son, with a note signed by this latter to the effect that his father, being confined to his bed by sickness, had dictated it to the younger man. Yet in face of this it has been repeatedly affirmed that Maquet finished it alone.

Genres: Classics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, France, French Literature, Historical, Adventure

616 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1847

About the author

This note regards Alexandre Dumas, père, the father of Alexandre Dumas, fils (son). For the son, see Alexandre Dumas fils.

Alexandre Dumas père, born Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was a towering figure of 19th-century French literature whose historical novels and adventure tales earned global renown. Best known for The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, and other swashbuckling epics, Dumas crafted stories filled with daring heroes, dramatic twists, and vivid historical backdrops. His works, often serialized and immensely popular with the public, helped shape the modern adventure genre and remain enduring staples of world literature.
Dumas was the son of Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a celebrated general in Revolutionary France and the highest-ranking man of African descent in a European army at the time. His father’s early death left the family in poverty, but Dumas’s upbringing was nonetheless marked by strong personal ambition and a deep admiration for his father’s achievements. He moved to Paris as a young man and began his literary career writing for the theatre, quickly rising to prominence in the Romantic movement with successful plays like Henri III et sa cour and Antony.
In the 1840s, Dumas turned increasingly toward prose fiction, particularly serialized novels, which reached vast audiences through French newspapers. His collaboration with Auguste Maquet, a skilled plotter and historian, proved fruitful. While Maquet drafted outlines and conducted research, Dumas infused the narratives with flair, dialogue, and color. The result was a string of literary triumphs, including The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, both published in 1844. These novels exemplified Dumas’s flair for suspenseful pacing, memorable characters, and grand themes of justice, loyalty, and revenge.
The D’Artagnan Romances—The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte of Bragelonne—cemented his fame. They follow the adventures of the titular Gascon hero and his comrades Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, blending historical fact and fiction into richly imagined narratives. The Count of Monte Cristo offered a darker, more introspective tale of betrayal and retribution, with intricate plotting and a deeply philosophical core.
Dumas was also active in journalism and theater. He founded the Théâtre Historique in Paris, which staged dramatizations of his own novels. A prolific and energetic writer, he is estimated to have written or co-written over 100,000 pages of fiction, plays, memoirs, travel books, and essays. He also had a strong interest in food and published a massive culinary encyclopedia, Le Grand Dictionnaire de cuisine, filled with recipes, anecdotes, and reflections on gastronomy.
Despite his enormous success, Dumas was frequently plagued by financial troubles. He led a lavish lifestyle, building the ornate Château de Monte-Cristo near Paris, employing large staffs, and supporting many friends and relatives. His generosity and appetite for life often outpaced his income, leading to mounting debts. Still, his creative drive rarely waned.
Dumas’s mixed-race background was a source of both pride and tension in his life. He was outspoken about his heritage and used his platform to address race and injustice. In his novel Georges, he explored issues of colonialism and identity through a Creole protagonist. Though he encountered racism, he refused to be silenced, famously replying to a racial insult by pointing to his ancestry and achievements with dignity and wit.
Later in life, Dumas continued writing and traveling, spending time in Belgium, Italy, and Russia. He supported nationalist causes, particularly Italian unification, and even founded a newspaper to advocate for Giuseppe Garibaldi. Though his popularity waned somewhat in his final years, his literary legacy grew steadily. He wrote in a style that was accessible, entertaining, and emotionally reso

Reviews

[Mahdi Lotfi · Rating 2 out of 5]

از مقدمه کتاب:
عنوان چهل و پنج نفر همانند شخصیت هایی که بیانگر آن هستند، کنجکاوی انسان را بر می انگیزد.
چهل و پنج نفر از اهالی گاسکونی که در صبح یکی از روزهای ماه اکتبر سال 1585 جلوی نُه دروازه پاریس که تنها به دلیل دلمشغولی و تشویش پادشاه فرانسه به روی مردم بسته شده بود، گرد آمدند. پایتخت فرانسه در این ساعات در دلهره و نگرانی به سر می برد، گویی قرار است ارواحی ظاهر گردند. به اصطلاح معروف آب در دیگ داشت به نقطه جوش می رسید. اتحاد کاتولیک که ثمره اتحاد مقدس بود، پنهانی بورژاها را تحت عنوان نبرد برای پیروزی خداوند و خاندان لورن مسلح می کرد. این عقیده که امروز گیزها در پاریس هستند و فردا در لوور و پس فردا بر تخت سلطنت خواهند بود، دهان به دهان می گشت.
اما در دربار هانری سوم، مقربان چاپلوس سعی می کردند، محیط کاخ را همواره در گذشته ای که از عطر گلهای موگه سرشار بود و بی هیچ پروایی با خلقت های شاهانه به خوابگاه راه می بافت، بدور از وقایعی که در شرف تکوین بود، نگهدارند...

[Tiffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be sure to read them in order: 1. Queen Margot 2. Chicot the Jester 3. The Forty-Five Guardsmen. Great!

[Jan-Joost Bouwman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This third volume of the Valois Trilogy wasn't as good as the first or even the second. In my opinion the following things were wrong with it:
- it lacked a likeable main character. Chicot was the one that came closest and he was likeable enough. I suppose Henri du Bochage was supposed to take the same place as de la Mole in the first part and Bussy in the second, but I never found him particularly sympathetic. So she doesn't love you back, get over it. you whiny child. Well, at least he didn't get killed off.
- the title is the 45 Guardsmen, but it hardly is about the Guardsmen. For a while I thought the rivalry between Ernanton and the other guy with the difficult name would become the central theme, but it kinda ebbed away. I never learned what evil plans the Duc de Guise had with the 45 either.
- the book ended at a weird moment in my opinion. Yes, the death of the Duke of Anjou was a landmark, but Henri III was still very much alive. Why not end with the assassination of him? That would have really ended the Last Valois... Not to mention there were still other open ends. Maybe Dumas planned to write a fourth book about the war of the three Henris and never got around it. Or maybe he just got bored with the characters after three (thick) books. Which also makes sense.
- Chicot was just a bit too clever and strong in this book.
- we never got a reaction on the taking of Cahors by Henri of Navarre. I would have thought that would have provoked a reaction from Henri III. I also thought it was a bit weird to leave Henri de Navarre after that battle and never get back to him.
- I assume the mystery helper of William the Silent and the Flemings was the Duc de Guise, although that wasn't explained properly. Not like Dumas, who spelled out all of the mysteries in the other two books in tedious detail.
- if the Duc d'Anjou was the heir to the throne and his death was so disastrous, why isn't it explored in further detail why Henri III's marriage with Elisabeth remained childless. Dumas could have done more with that.
- I really didn't get why Henri III didn't kill his brother after all the plotting he did in book 2. But I guess he didn't do that in real history either. I just thought it was rather abrupt to see him almost at the executioners block at the end of book 2 and happily scheming in Flanders, apparently with the support of his brother, at the start of book 3.
It wasn't all bad though.
I did enjoy reading about the flooding of Flanders which destroyed the French army. Although I'm pretty sure it nonsense and not even physically possible. That is not how the Hollandse Waterlinie worked anyway. I enjoyed the scheming of Henri de Navarre and the ensuing battle for Cahors.
I enjoyed reading about the plotting and the subsequent foiling of them to force Henri to abdicate.

But all in all I'm glad I'm done. I need a break from fencing, love sick courtiers and poisoning.

[Armin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Streckenweise geradezu überwältigend und auf jeden Fall besser als der zweite Teil (Die Dame von Monsoreau) aber ziemlich grob zusammen gestückelt. Ausführliche Rezi, wenn ich mit der englischen Version innerhalb der Valois-Trilogie fertig bin.

[Comte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bien meilleur que le tome deux à mon sens ! Les intrigues sont beaucoup plus politiques. Dans La Dame de Monsoreau, on avait une romance sur fond de contexte politique tourmenté (+ Chicot qui était incroyable). Dans Les Quarante-cinq, on a des manoeuvres politiques sur fond de romances discrètes (+ Chicot qui est incroyable).
Le principal défaut de ce tome, c'est son... inachèvement. Certaines intrigues particulières ne sont pas closes (notamment autour d'Ernauton, mais pas que), et l'intrigue générale ne l'est pas davantage. On a bien un sentiment de clôture (et une fin très réussie), mais Dumas, pourquoi n'as-tu pas écrit le tome 4... Please... J'en ai besoin...
Cet inachèvement n'est pas une raison pour délaisser ce tome. De ce que j'ai vu, il est le plus négligé des trois, alors qu'il est très réussi et très satisfaisant (par exemple par des scènes comme la "chasse" d'Henri de Navarre à laquelle Chicot est invité, ou par le revenge arc d'un personnage féminin à la fin).
Par contre, Henri de Joyeuse et son frère sont insupportables. Laissez cette pauvre Diane tranquille, elle a assez souffert...

[Alberto Martín de Hijas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Después del tomo anterior, esta novela decae un poco. La trama sigue siendo entretenida aunque los protagonistas (Salvo Chicot) no tienen el mismo interés pero sufre el lastre de que, a diferencia de las anteriores, esta entrega da la sensación de ser una novela incompleta. Tanto La reina Margot como La dama de Monsoreau se tienen tramas que se prolongan a otros libros, pero son claramente novelas autónomas que se pueden leer independientemente mientras que en esta casi todo queda abierto en espera de una posible continuación que Dumas nunca realizó.

[Andrei Stoian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romanian review: Chicot este în continuare unul dintre cele mai mișto personaje pe care le-a construit Dumas și este responsabil pentru cel puțin jumătate din divertismentul oferit de carte, însă acest ultim volum al seriei despre Dinastia Valois nu se ridică la nivelul primelor două.
Pentru mine, principalul aspect negativ este Henri du Bouchage, care se îndrăgostește instant de Diane de Méridor, deși vorbește pentru prima dată cu ea cu mult după jumătatea romanului. Toate poveștile lui Dumas sunt încărcate de scene romantice, uneori mult prea melodramatice, dar de data aceasta a fost mult prea mult. Partea de dragoste a romanului a îmbătrânit foarte rău și nu poți să o citești în secolul nostru fără să ți se pară de-a dreptul ridicolă.
În schimb, partea de aventuri și intrigă politică este reușită, chiar dacă, și în cazul acesta, suntem departe de apogeul operei lui Dumas. Chicot întreprinde o misiune diplomatică pe lângă Henri de Navarra, iar François d'Anjou este implicat în propriul său conflict.
Moartea unui personaj din Doamna de Monsoreau este răzbunată într-un mod destul de satisfăcător, ceea ce reprezintă un alt aspect pozitiv al cărții. Dar, parcă nimic nu a reușit să mă impresioneze nici pe aproape la fel de mult ca în cele mai bune cărți scrise de celebrul romanicer francez. În plus, am avut senzația că multe scene erau foarte repetitive, dar aici responsabil poate să fie faptul că am citit multe cărți scrise de Dumas.
În altă ordine de idei, anumite linii narative rămân neterminate și, având în vedere că acesta este ultimul volum din serie, nu vom primi niciodată concluzia imaginată de Dumas. Din fericire, găsim în istorie răspunsul pentru soarta personajelor, dar Dumas se joacă adesea cu adevărul și ficțiunea, și eram interesat să aflu cum și-a imaginat el că s-a ajuns la un anumit deznodământ.
În final, nu mă simt de parcă nu aș putea recomanda întreaga serie. Deși ,,Cei patruzeci și cinci" este un roman inferior predecesorilor săi, merită cu desăvârșire citit, însă mai mult dacă ești fan Dumas.



English review: Chicot remains one of the coolest characters Dumas ever created and is responsible for at least half of the entertainment this book provides. However, this final volume of the Valois Dynasty series doesn’t quite reach the level of the first two.
For me, the main drawback is Henri du Bouchage, who falls instantly in love with Diane de Méridor, even though their first conversation happens well past the halfway point of the novel. Dumas’ stories are always filled with romantic scenes, sometimes overly melodramatic, but this time it was simply too much. The romantic aspect of the novel has aged very poorly, and it’s hard to read it in our century without finding it utterly ridiculous.
On the other hand, the adventure and political intrigue parts are well-executed, even if they don’t represent the peak of Dumas’ work. Chicot embarks on a diplomatic mission to Henri of Navarre, while François d’Anjou finds himself embroiled in his own conflict.
The death of a character from Chicot the Jester is avenged in a fairly satisfying way, which is another positive aspect of the book. Still, nothing managed to impress me anywhere near as much as Dumas’ best works. Moreover, many scenes felt very repetitive, though that might be because I’ve read so many of Dumas’ books by now.
Additionally, certain storylines remain unresolved, and given that this is the final volume in the series, we’ll never get the conclusions Dumas imagined. Fortunately, history provides answers to the characters’ fates, but Dumas often plays with truth and fiction, and I was curious to see how he envisioned certain outcomes.
In the end, I don’t feel unable to recommend the entire series. Although "The Forty-Five Guardsmen" is a weaker novel compared to its predecessors, it’s still well worth reading, particularly if you’re a fan of Dumas.

[Evander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess many books about monarchies have to end somewhat in medias res but this one especially did! I read it as part of my Dumas collection on Kindle so I had no idea how far through I was and so it really ended suddenly for me. I thought it might go up to Henri III's assassination. I also am not sure why it was called The Forty-Five Guardsmen as a lot of the plot didn't really concern them.

Incidentally for those who don't know the history: The succession issue was termed The War of the Three Henris: Henri III, Henri of Navarre, and Henri, Duc de Guise. Henri III had the Duc of Guise and his brother the cardinal assassinated which turned a lot of the Catholic populace against him and he had to form an alliance of sorts with Henri of Navarre of all people. Henri III was eventually assassinated by Jacques Clément (yes, the monk from the book!) and Henri of Navarre succeeded the throne as Henri IV of the House of Bourbon. Incidentally Chicot and the Forty-Five Guardsmen were loyal to Henri IV after Henri III's death.

[Grevick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as first two novels, but good enough, because, it gives you:
- A glimpse on Henry of Navarre and Margot, almost forgotten in La Dame de Monsoreau
- Closure on Diana de Meridor
- More of magnificent Chicot. Best character in the whole trilogy, I am telling you.

Talking about the cons, new characters are not really appealing. Sudden insert of historical reference seemed out of place (but it is an impressive way, to fight the foe with floods, bravo Netherlands!). There are hanging plot lines; apparently Dumas was planning to write the fourth book, but didn't do it.

To sum up my impression from this trilogy - it is unexpectedly interesting to read historical fiction. This strange feeling, to open Wikipedia after finishing the book, and to see that all these characters actually existed.

[Valentina Di Dio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mah, un grandissimo mah 🤷
Non so come giudicare questo libro, se mi è piaciuto o no.
Premetto che la scrittura di Dumas mi entusiasma sempre moltissimo: chiara, lineare ma quasi caotica nelle sue descrizioni da far capire il marasma dell'azione.
Per il contenuto è qui che mi sorge il grande Mah!
La prima metà del libro l'ho trovata noiosa, troppi nomi, troppi personaggi, troppo odio, pochi intrecci.
La seconda metà invece aumenta di mordente, arrivando addirittura a farmi sorridere. Entra molto di più nella storia aumentando l'azione e le fila delle trame. La Storia (come sono andati veramente i fatti) si fa sentire ed apprezzare molto di più (anche se molti fatti sono stati modificati a pro della trama).
Purtroppo se avessi dovuto giudicare la lettura dei capitoli che vanno dal I al LI avrei avuto un giudizio diverso, più basso sicuramente. Ma, fortunatamente, il libro continua fino al capitolo XCI e fa' sì che il mio modestissimo giudizio risalga.
Non urlo al capolavoro, ma nemmeno al disastro. Rimane nel limbo del NI 🤷
Naturalmente con ciò non smetterò di leggere altri romanzi di questo magnifico scrittore, e ad apprezzare la storia della Francia, come solo un capomastro come Dumas sa fare.

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third and last novels in Dumas' retelling of the Valois cursed family history, Les Quarante-cing is an unfinished tale which is kinda of frustrating but then again if the reader wants to know how it ends, we can read all about it in history books. The appeal for me in this one is still the political games, much more important than in the first two, Henri de Navarre plays possum but moves his chess pieces behind the scene, Henri de Guise still wants to be king and Henri III is a lonely, lonely king who is bored out of his skull. Dumas probably had a fourth book planned in this series but it never came to be, which is a shame.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have just finished a deep immersion of Dumas, reading all of the D'Artagnan Romances, The Count of Monte Cristo and the Valois Romances. The Valois Romances series is my least favorite of them; the Musketeers adventures are at the top of my favorites list and the Count isn't far behind. The Valois series started out very well with Margot, but ended a bit short with the Forty-Five. I lost interest in the characters (while still loving Chicot) until the very last bits of the book. Even then, I felt there was so much more that could have been told.

[T Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating plot continues from Chicot, the Jester. I loved the unexpected return of certain key characters. Great suspense and clever war & political maneuvers. Fantastic writing and character development. The only improvement I would ask - add a few more chapters to give more detailed closure to the lives of characters we have become so attached to.

I would give this 4.5 stars but the fantastic writing makes me round up.

[Майя Ставитская · Rating 4 out of 5]

The least favorite of the novels of Alexander Dumas the elder, whose books I read at least a dozen in my Soviet puberty, so there is something to choose from. In my review of The Comtesse de Montsoreau, I told you that the idea of listening to the second and third books of the Valois Trilogy in audio was a kind of journey on a two-seater time machine, an analogue of Madeleine from the novel cycle of another great Frenchman.

Well, from the point of view of a professional reader, "Forty-five" has remained for me a stupidly arranged book, devoid of that core, the role of which in the first novel was played by Marguerite of Navarre, and in the second the romantic story of Diana de Meridor and Comte de Bussy. Although in fact, Signor Louis de Clermont Bussy d'Amboise was a baron and in the real-historical development of events he was still a bastard, endlessly figured in scandals, ruined Anjou by extortion during his governorship. That is, he was a poet, and even a good one, he called in verse to keep the secret of his beloved lady, but he constantly boasted of love affairs and compromised unhappy women who could not resist his charms. And he was killed after a careless letter about another victory, just over the wife of the royal hunter de Montsoreau, although her name was not Diana, destroyed the reputation of the countess and mortally insulted her husband. Montsoreau forced his wife to make a date with juir, servants were waiting for him there, six of whom the daredevil killed, but was stabbed by his spouse.
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Игра шута
Стать дураком мне здесь пришлось,
Хотя я вижу всех насквозь.
"КиШ"
Наименее любимый из романов Александра Дюма старшего, книг которого в своем советском пубертате я перечитала не меньше дюжины, стало быть, выбрать есть из чего. В рецензии на "Графиню де Монсоро" я рассказывала, что идея переслушать вторую и третью книги Трилогии Валуа в аудио была своего рода путешествием на двухместной машине времени, аналогом мадленки из романного цикла другого великого француза.

Что ж, с точки зрения профессионального читателя, "Сорок пять" так и остались для меня бестолково устроенной книгой, лишенной того стержня, роль которого в первом романе играла Маргарита Наваррская, а во второй романтическая история Дианы де Меридор и графа де Бюсси. Хотя на самом деле синьор Луи де Клермон Бюсси д`Амбуаз был бароном и в реально-историческом развитии событий той еще сволочью, бесконечно фигурировал в скандалах, разорил поборами Анжу в пору своего наместничества. То есть, он был поэтом, и даже недурным, призывал в стихах хранить тайну любимой дамы, но сам то и дело хвастался любовными похождениями и компрометировал несчастных женщин, не устоявших перед его чарами. А убит был после того, как неосторожным письмом об очередной победе, как раз над супругой королевского ловчего де Монсоро,хотя звали ее не Дианой, разрушил репутацию графини и смертельно оскорбил мужа. Монсоро заставил жену назначить жуиру свидание, там его ждали слуги, шестерых из кого удалец убил, но был заколот супругом.

Как видите, мало общего с той несокрушимой, верной, вечной любовью, которая превратила прекрасную Диану - между нами, наследницу состояний Меридоров и Монсоро, что в нормальной, не насквозь фальшивой романной реальности, сделало бы ее богатейшей вдовой, и независимой женщиной - превратила Диану в тень себя прежней. Сама по себе идея посвятить жизнь мести достаточно бесплодна, как учит нас другой роман Дюма, - гениальный, в отличие от "Сорока пяти" "Граф Монте-Кристо". Кстати, совершенно непонятно, почему этот назван в честь людей, всей толпой сделавших для событийного ряда меньше, чем один Шико. И кстати же, еще о Бюсси, в реальности он участвовал в военной кампании во Фландрии, описанию которой посвящена значительная часть этой книги - такой себе анахронизм, но страдания Дианы, которая преследовала герцога Анжуйского на полях сражений эта деталь делает прямо-таки фарсовыми.

Третьей книге о "Трех Генрихах" (Валуа, Бурбоне, Гизе, на всякий случай, чье противостояние вошло в историю именно как Война трех Генрихов) отчаянно не хватает общего стержня, она распадается на кучу плохо пригнанных друг к другу деталек. В ней периодически всплывают коварные аристократки и влюбленные
в них адонисы, которые могли бы оживить пейзаж, но во всех случаях это скучно и безжизненно. Чего стоят страдания молодого д`Амбуаза, который все рвется уйти в монастырь и все никак не может туда попасть. И, если уж говорить о странностях любви, чего стоит забывчивость герцога Анжуйского, трижды насмерть влюблявшегося в Диану, всякий раз будучи не в состоянии запомнить ее. То есть, это ведь сложно - не опознать при повторной встрече знакомого человека, а когда и если речь о любимой женщине, чей образ должен был намертво впечататься в память триггерными событиями финала "Графини де Монсоро" - то герцог кажется прямо-таки умственным инвалидом.

К трагичным событиям Войны трех Генрихов книга даже не приближается, завершившись местью и коллективным уходом в монастырь, и в целом производит довольно удручающее впечатление. Но Дюма таки приложил к нему руку, а значит искры гениальности нет-нет высверкивают на страницах. А исполнение аудиокниги Ильей Акинтьевым гарантирует немалое удовольствие в процессе прослушивания.

[Panna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amo Dumas, ho adorato la saga dei Valois ma questo libro mi ha un po’ deluso e annoiato. Peccato

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars (rounding up to 3).

The 45 guardsmen is the 3rd book in the Valois trilogy. I read it once before when I was 14, but I don’t remember it all so it felt like reading a completely new book. Unfortunately it is one of the least exciting Dumas books I have ever read. I found the beginning of the story very confusing 🫤 too many characters are introduced and political events are mentioned quickly as if the reader is already familiar with them. All chapters seem drawn out and somewhat repetitive. It is sadly very clear that Dumas was paid per word as there is plenty of fluff in this book. At times when it finally gets interesting the pace suddenly switches and a new set of characters is introduced. I kept reading with the hope that all of the pieces will fall into place but the story ended abruptly and almost everything was left unfinished. It turns out many characters were introduced for no reason. Entire plot lines have no significance and worst of all we never get to see the purpose of the 45 guardsmen.
Compared to the first 2 books in the series it is a huge letdown. Many of the things that Dumas usually does very well are lacking in this book: There is no significant romance and very little action. There is no charismatic main character to root for. In fact there are no particularly likable characters in the whole book. No strong or memorable villains. Everyone is just bland and boring. Chicot is amusing and witty but he’s not enough to keep my interest. In fact, I have been trying to finish this book for over a year - I kept picking it up and putting it down as I got bored. 🥱
Normally with Dumas books it’s hard to stop reading no matter how tired I am, even if I have read the book several times.

Queen Margot (the first book in the series) is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s full of affairs, plot twists and court intrigues - all of my favorite things. It also has a super fast pace and great character development.
The second book in the series was off to a great start but it quickly fizzled and lost direction. I did not like that it had 2 protagonists - Bussy and Chicot. Their story lines didn’t really come together- Dumas just kept alternating between them. That sort of continued in the third book.
I think each story line deserved its own book.
The story of Bussy and Diana should have been told in the second book and Chicot’s plot should have been in the third.
Apparently there was supposed to be a 4th book that Dumas never got to write and this is why everything feels unfinished.
One more thing that I found bizarre- Dumas changed the cause of death for 2 of the Catherine’s sons.
(Anjou actually died from malaria and Charles IX died from tuberculosis.) Usually he presents historical events relatively faithfully and just adds fictional characters for dramatic effect. But in this trilogy he decided to take a few liberties with history. Don’t get me wrong both deaths were far more memorable the way he presented them but it is disappointing to know that’s not what actually happened.

[Richard Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Dumas. Lots of action and intrigue, lots of hiding and sneaking and telling lies, lots of heartbreak, and lots and lots of dialogue--clever, witty, insulting, clowning, railing, arguing, amusing. It's that dialogue that keeps the whole thing rolling forward even though the plot is constructed like a wagon built out of odds and ends with four different-sized wheels.

Not to be taken as criticism.

This is the third (last, I think) of the Valois romances, telling the story of the sons of Catherine de Medici. (Try googling that to see if I'm right--the internet does not have a coherent answer to any questions about his historical novels. I gave up. Then tried again. Then gave up again.)

Okay, yes, it does stumble a little, IMO, in the way it drops and then picks up storylines (like from two books ago) without refreshing our memory before dropping it again. There's a lot of "Is that the woman from the first book? Is that the second guy who was trying to kidnap her? Or someone else?" On the one hand, some of that would work better on a re-read, because my memory is part of the problem, but some of it was just careless plotting. I thought we'd see Henry of Navarre on the throne by the end of the third book based on the plot of the first, but we never quite get there. We see him in book 3, and watch him take a city that had been promised as part of his wife's dowry, but that's the end of his participation. Other characters are brought back (like Diana, who is loved by every man who sees her) and are made the main character for a bit, but then we switch again to the king or Chicot or Henry of Navarre so long I forget she's still out there. It's all entertaining, truly, but Dumas leaves lots of loose ends.

However, it's still fun. I read it like it's vacation in a foreign land where you just experience the place without expectations. We get to watch half a dozen stories zigzagging together, flying apart, stumbling forward at their own pace, without knowing which, if any, will have a full conclusion. If Dumas were here I'd give him some notes--e.g., focus the whole thing on Chicot, cuz he's the best character here, and complete his arc, please--but since he's not, alas, I'll just enjoy it as is.

So--flawed, I would dare say, but still compelling. Still awesome.

[S T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Як завжди, роман почався із хитромудрих сплетень подій, різних сюжетних ліній, але деякі з них не розвинулися до кінця, і наприкінці читання з‘являється питання: «Це все?».

Наприклад, не мала логічного завершення лінія де Сент-Маліна і де Карменжа: відбулася зав‘язка, автор підштовхнув читача до певних очікувань, плавно дія підходила до кульмінації, але раптом автор згадав про своїх головних героїв і закінчив з ними оповідь. Коли у «Королеві Марго» автор теж уводив другорядних персонажів - де Коконнаса і де Ла Моля - то наприкінці роману принаймні було зрозуміло, для чого там вони - герої стали жертвами двірських інтриг та «вищих» міркувань короля та його наближених осіб. У романі «Сорок п’ять» цього не відбулося.

Не має логічного завершення лінія Генріха Наварського і Марго, автор хоча б додав якийсь епілог, у якому згадувалося б про них. Ерудований читач в курсі, що з ними відбулося насправді, за історичними джерелами, але автор роману не повважав за потрібне розгортати подальші інтерпретації.

Шико - один із найприємніших персонажів твору, але чим далі, тим більше він нагадує д‘Артаньяна - такий собі ідеальний, кмітливий, харизматичний герой.

Загалом твір доволі близький до історичних подій. Роман можна читати тим, хто цікавиться історією і хотів би її вивчати у більш розважальній, цікавій формі. У романі є тонкий гумор. Та найбільше мені подобається у творах Дюма вишуканість манер, елегантність персонажів, навіть негативних. Автор у них показує, чому аристократи називаються аристократами: через родовід, виховання та освіту. Вони думають, відчувають, планують, у них є вищі інтереси. Може, десь вони й ідеалізовані, але все одно можуть слугувати прикладом для сучасних читачів.

[Theresà · Rating 5 out of 5]

Միշտ թոփերում ա Դյումայի գրքերը։💛
Վեպն ավարտում է հուգենոտյան պատերազմների մասին եռապատումը, այն պատմության վերջաբանն է, որը սկսվում է «Մարգո թագուհին» վեպում և շարունակվում «Կոմսուհի դը Մոնսորո»-ում։«Քառասունհինգ» վեպում թագավորական տունը և բարձր ազնվական ընտանիքները խրվել են ինտրիգների մեջ, ամեն քայլափոխին իրականացնում են դավաճանություններ ու սպանություններ։ Դուքս Ֆրանսուա Անժուացին մասնակցում է պատերազմին միայն այն պատճառով, որ ցանկանում է դառնալ նախ Ֆլանդրիայի, ապա նաև Ֆրանսիայի միապետը։ Խորամանկ քաղաքական գործիչ դուքս դը Գիզը Վիլհելմ Օրանացու հետ դավադրություն է կազմակերպում։ Գիզի քույրը՝ դքսուհի դը Մոնպանսյեն պահում է վարձու մարդասպանների մի ամբողջ բանակ։ Ահա թե ինչպիսի շրջապատում էր գտնվում Հենրի IIIը։ Դյումայի նկարագրմամբ նա կարողանում էր թագավորել միայն նրա շնորհիվ, որ հենվում էր ողջամիտ, եռանդուն և նվիրված օգնականների վրա։ Սակայն «Քառասունհինգ» գրքում միայնակ թագավորի կողքին այդպիսի օգնականներ չկային։Վեպի համակրելի կերպարների մեջ առանձնանում է ծաղրածու Շիկոն։ Այս հերոսը հայտնվեց «Կոմսուհի դը Մոնսորո» վեպում որպես խորաթափանց քաղաքական գործիչ, որի խելքն ու միտքը շատ էր գնահատում Հենրի III-ը։ Նա բացահայտեց Անժուի դուքսի և կոմս դը Մոնսորոյի՝ թագավորի դեմ ուղղված դավադրությունը։

[Aredhel · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'ho trovato il più lento e meno avvincente della trilogia dedicata ai Valois (che nel complesso mi è piaciuta, con un picco assoluto ne "La Regina Margot"), meno brillante, con personaggi che nel complesso mi sono rimasti meno nel cuore. Trovo che, paradossalmente, nonostante la prolissità e le 600+ pagine, alcune trame non siano state chiuse affatto (come la vicenda tra Lady Monpersier e Ernauton). C'è da dire però che alcuni passaggi bucano le pagine: il personaggio di Enrico IV è assolutamente adorabile, intelligente, arguto, sensibile e coraggioso nel vero senso della parola. Un vero re. Il suo carisma ha tenuto in piedi il primo romanzo e la sua assenza si è fatta parecchio sentire nel secondo, sono stata felice di rivederlo. E Chicot, è sempre Chicot, lo si ama.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1847, 'The Forty-Five Guardsmen' is the third book in 'The Last Valois' series. Set mainly in France in 1585-1586, the plot is a mix of the court intrigues, conspiracies, betrayals and so forth that feature so much in the previous books. The difference here is that there is an attempt to tie-up varies loose ends from the previous books, resulting in several threads to the plot. This can make the story confusing - I was loaned my copy by a friend who gave up on it after less than 50 pages - but it helps emphasis the point that you do need to read 'La Reine Margot' (1845) and 'Chicot the Jester' 1846 before attempting this one. I did, and I thought it was amazing.

[Josiah Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily the weakest of the trilogy, but a fine work nonetheless (and I loved the previous two books). The strong characters that carried the first two installments are lacking, but a little past halfway through the book I thought it picked up to much closer of the level of the first two (when Chicot is sent to Navarre). A satisfying ending to the trilogy. Obviously not a book I would recommend to those wanting an introduction to Dumas' work, but if you enjoyed Chicot the Jester, you should still enjoy this book.

[Caner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good ending to the tale, in spite of complaints that the novel is cut short. I believe the novel tends to take the philosophical exposition as primary notwithstanding its exciting turn of events. Thus, it ends finishing the prequel of Le Dame de Monsoreau and letting the reader guessing in order to make a moral stance and to point out the struggles pertaining to high status

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book and the whole entire trilogy itself. The best one I’ve read.
The most gripping and at times heartbreaking.
I truly couldn’t every stop reading without forcing myself, and now I cannot believe it’s over.
There were some iconic characters is this one like Chicot, Bussy, Catherine de Medici etc.

Overall, I have nothing but love for it❤️

[Ali Ferroudj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se lit très facilement, même si ce n'est pas un roman historiquement on en apprend quand même sur cette période qui personnellement m'était inconnu.
C'était une lecture agréable et j'ai bien envie de lire les précédents livres de ce cycle (oui j'ai commencé par la fin mais j'ai pas fait exprès)

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really empathised with the characters in this book in two situations:
- during the colourfully described flood,
- and when the family unsuccessfully persuades a 20-year-old maximalist not to make life-changing decisions in haste.

[Marat Beiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less good that it's prequel, but still a good read.

[vhatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Остання книга трилогії. Продовження пригод блискучого Шіко, розповідь про життя короля Генріха ІІІ, його придворних, військові дії, змови, інтриги. Звичайно, що є і нещасне кохання...

[Gulzira · Rating 5 out of 5]

De Bussy otmshen, Diana s Remi vse taki dobilis mesti - otraviv gersoga. A Chicot vse taki predannyi sluga korolya i ochen umen, soobrazitelen. Poslednii Valua u prestola

[Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great end to the Valois romances.