The Son of Porthos: Or, the Death of Aramis

by Paul Mahalin, Alexandre Dumas

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literature

292 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1901

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look this is really not the satisfactory conclusion I'd have liked but it's more Musketeer love so I'm all for it. I was satisfied the first time I read it (see original review below) but I guess I've become more demanding, and my craving for Musketeer adventures is not so easily sated as it was two years ago.

Anyhoo.

So pleased to discover this little-known Son of Porthos, Joel, who is on a quest to discover who his father was. Along the way, he's thwarted by a cunning, scheming old duke, who we all know better as Aramis. I cannot express how much it pains me that he's still scheming. It just adds insult to injury that the victim this time is the son of his BFF.

The adventure is fun and more of a spinoff than continuation of the previous books, and Joel makes his own friends but it's just not the same.

I love this for the simple fact it is part of my favourite series ever, and I think more people need to know of its existence, but you could probably read it as a standalone. Just be ready for spoilers if that's the road you take.

Ah, my musketeer heroes. I'll miss you.

Until my next re-read.

***
Original Review 10/16

Who could possibly not be entertained by the work of Dumas? This is such a simple yet satisfying conclusion to the D'Artagnan Romances. It has plenty of references to our old friends - mostly through the reflection of an aged Aramis - to keep their spirit alive but it's clearly its own story, conveying the sense that our Musketeer heroes have truly departed to make way for a new generation of heroes.
Joel, our new hero, is an admirable protagonist though somewhat lonely at times after the comraderie of the original sagas. However when he finds his own friends we easily warm to them. I found myself smiling frequently and even laughing out loud; such is the effect this saga has on me. I always feel the realness of Dumas's characters, and so I found with this novel. The writing is eloquent and creates vivid images in the mind whilst indulging the imagination. The story itself was fairly simple, and though I hoped for more references to the past I can see that this novel was stronger without them. It's certainly a tricky novel to track down but for fans of the previous installments I highly recommend getting your hands on this most fulfilling conclusion.

[Nicholas Martens · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I savage this book, I want to make perfectly clear that this is not a work of Alexandre Dumas’, but a forgery by writer Paul Mahalin (he published it under the name “Alexandre Dumas” more than a decade after Dumas’ death). I was able to put aside the fact that the work is an act of literary fraud and tried to view it the way I would any pastiche. Honestly, I was really excited to dig into this, even knowing that it wouldn’t match the flair and drama of an authentic Dumas/Maquet. Unfortunately, it fails in almost every conceivable way (warning: spoilers below).

Frankly, it’s risible to think that anyone might have been taken in by this sham, but I will say that the first half is plausibly plotted, and showed some potential that might have developed well in the hands of a more competant author. Dumas left a tantalizing thread hanging at the end of The Man in the Iron Mask; this story attempts to pick up it up twenty years after those events to bring Aramis’ story to a close.

When we meet Aramis again, we find that he’s basically completed his transformation into a Richelieu-like figure. He’s playing a high-stakes game of diplomacy and intrigue, and he’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Joel, the story’s hero, is a worthy heir to Porthos’ legacy – a stout-hearted giant, honest and trustworthy, with a massive appetite to boot . A number of ancillary characters are fairly well sketched-out, and a few early adventures shake out appealingly. The pacing is off (tellingly, it’s probably half the length it would have been had Dumas actually written it), but the elements of a rousing tale are more or less present.

The second half of the novel goes right off the rails. The result is insulting to the legacy of Dumas and most especially to one of his most famous creations. The novel’s conclusion is frankly grotesque. Aramis is twisted into a mere caracature of the complex antihero we watched him become over the course of the Vicomte de Bragalonne. The story’s action depends time and time again on the hero running into exactly the right person in one chance encounter after another (and in such a way as to defy mere coincidence). And characters are given traits at the denouement that entirely contradict the manner in which Mahalin established them.

I can’t believe all of the positive ratings for this book. The climax of the story literally revolves around Aramis plotting to help the King of France rape the wife of the hero – IN ORDER TO BRING ABOUT WORLD PEACE!!! It makes no sense. And why is there suddenly a satanic ritual in the woods at the end?? The conclusion of this book is completely bonkers. I’m glad to have finally tracked down a copy of The Son of Porthos, and it’s certainly an interesting take on the question of what happens to Aramis. But please, let’s not slander Dumas by mistakenly including this mess in the canon of D’Artagnan romances.

[Alina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, the final (?) of the many Musketeer sequels might as well have been written by Alexandre Dumas himself. The same world is dusted off and brought to life once more... only much if not all the luster is gone at this point. That is not to say that the book is not an enjoyable one, by no means. Plus, it ties up that one loose end left over from The Man in The Iron Mask: Whatever happened to old Aramis?

Beware spoilers ahead!

Now I know how and why Aramis finally meets his end and color me disappointed. I am going to happily and ignorantly pretend he dropped out of the story sometime after his sad escape from Belle-Ille en Mer in the previous book. All that we are shown of him after that is absolutely not to my taste.

For that matter, neither are the rest of the familiar characters from The Son of Porthos. With the exception of little Friquet, everyone we used to know is old or older, corrupt to the marrow and embittered. Louis XIV and his court seem like a vile viper's nest with the chief poisoner among them all being the previously charming Athenais de Tonnay-Charente. There is no more charm to be found among these nobles, only lust, betrayal, backstabbing and murder. While it is probably a far more realistic rendition of the period than the romanticized version presented by Dumas, it still rankles a little.

In the midst of this all, there is the ray of sunshine and delight in the shape of Joel, the unknown and unknowing son of the mighty Porthos. Only, he seems to be made from parts of Porthos (stature, open and trusting nature), parts of Athos (immovable moral standards and striking noblesse) and parts of D'Artagnan (charm, wit, humor). His love story is lukewarm but a fresh change from the sighing and the hand-wringing of the heroes that preceded him. Joel doesn't go about muttering 'Woe is me'. He makes things happen. Including when it comes to taking a whole fortified city by virtue of his wits and strength. D'Artagnan would have been proud.

But alas for Aramis! My favorite of them all and he ends so very poorly after living so big and scheming so grandly. I suppose he got what he deserved after he continued to plot even after losing Porthos to his own folly. Still, I think he was done a great injustice in being finished off as an all-out villain. Throughout the entire book I taped my foot in impatience to get to the part where Aramis and Joel would discover one another and Aramis in his old age would take care of his friend's son. How lovely the reunion would have been and how much good it would have done Aramis if he could have had something more to keep living for than his lofty ambitions. But no. Instead we have satanist crazy ladies, a hare-brained plot to fool a buffoon of a king and Aramis dying a disgraceful, utterly pointless death. *sigh*

At the end of it all, though, I would still say that lovers of these books should read this one as well.

[Desira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to google play books for having this available online. I have had a crumbling old copy of this since I picked it up decades ago before I realized it isn't quite actually by Dumas, and I didn't want it to fall apart while i read it. The story is like a churned out action movie. A lot of things happen, everything works out by accident for the hero, and it's best if you don't think too hard. Totally ok way to pass the time while waiting in lines or at the dentist.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nowhere near the same level as the other Musketeer books and it is clear it was written by someone else (other than Dumas). The ending is tragically abrupt and seemingly incomplete so the reader is left with what feels like a book that is missing 100 more pages.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the spirit and style of Dumas are quite nicely captured in this last volume of the D'artagnan romances, I found something missing, still. Maybe the end was too abrupt; the story was cut short in a way. Things were left unsaid. The emotions and motives of Joel after, most probably, thinking through and understanding what really happened in the king's sleeping chamber and up until that point were not described to the detail. The ending was too easy. Maybe I was also hoping that the remaining member of that golden era could have lived 'happily ever after'. Still, definitely worth reading, this work honors the legacy of Alexandre Dumas.

[Victoria Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shorter than other musketeers books, so I read this quickly. Shades of young d'Artagnon as Joel fights a duel and kills his man in Paris soon after arriving. Aramis now Spanish Ambassador is particularly conniving, even evil. He acknowledges that Athos etc would disapprove. He believes the end justifies the means. Another evil lady and cast of characters seeking to kill this son of Porthos. Entertaining but simpler than the others.

[محمد على عطية · Rating 3 out of 5]

هذه الرواية التى لا يعرفها الكثير تعتبر الجزء الثالث من رواية الفرسان الثلاثة لألكسندر دوما, بعد رواية (الرجل ذو القناع الحديدى),و بطل الرواية هو جويل إبن (بورتوس),و كذلك آخر من تبقى من الفرسان الثلاثة(أراميس)

[Nicholas Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkably good considering it wasn't actually written by Dumas at all. This one actually intrigued me so much that I went looking for the "true" sequels to The Three Musketeers and discovered Dumas' vast output so thanks Paul Mahalin for writing a sequel that advanced the story satisfactorily.

[Ene Sepp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindlasti oleks olnud seda parem lugeda siis, kui musketäride seiklused alles värskelt meeles. Aga no Pariisi sõites ei saanud seda raamatut riiulisse jätta. Lugemine oli iseenesest huvitav ning keda huvitab musketäride elu, võiksid kindlasti ka selle kätte võtta

[bluetyson]

isbn,original

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - just like Dumas other ones! Fun to read about a descendant of the 3 Musketeers.

[Arman Musikyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. This book maybe not written by Dyma, but reads nice.