From Publishers Weekly
Those looking for seriously entertaining thrills will welcome P?rez-Reverte's second 17th-century Spanish swashbuckler featuring the exploits of stoic, honorable Capt. Diego Alatriste (after 2005's Captain Alatriste). A father and two brothers accompany Alatriste on a mission to rescue their sister from the convent in which she has been imprisoned. Things go wrong when an old enemy of the captain ensures that Alatriste's ward, 13-year-old Inigo Balboa, falls into the hands of the Inquisition. With the aid of the great Spanish poet Francisco de Quevedo, all is made right. Rich in historical detail and sardonic observations, the narrative begins leisurely. The pace picks up, but the action is never so breathless as to sweep the reader along, as with Captain Alatriste. Still, this will matter little to fans, who are sure to look forward to further installments in the series. (Jan.)
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From
In yet another example of our trade deficit, the United States continues to do well by Arturo P?rez-Reverte. His books, The Club Dumas, The Seville Communion, and The Fencing Master, all translated from the Spanish, have gotten quite cozy with our domestic best-seller lists. So last year Putnam launched the Captain Alatriste series, previously published in P?rez-Reverteβs native Spain, with the first volume, Captain Alatriste ( Selection Sept/Oct 2005). Critics praised this second installment for its taut plotting, sense of place, and old-fashioned derring-do. Good news for fans of the series: three more installments await translation, and the author has committed to rounding it out to a lucky seven titles.
Copyright Β© 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.