November and December brought a fun reading experience for me. I participated in a “chapter a day” readalong with some Twitter friends. We read and posted quotes from The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas. The readalong was carefully planned by Deacon Nick Senger (@nsenger on Twitter), and was timed so that after reading one chapter a day, we would finish the last chapter on the last day in December. It has been a great adventure and a wonderful way to read a chunkster classic!

This is a book that I’ve always thought about reading but never got serious about moving it up higher on my TBR list. I think I was a bit intimidated by it, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable read. The characters are terrific, the action nonstop swashbuckling, and the story compels you through all 700+ pages. A total “entertainment”!

From the publisher (Oxford World’s Classics):

The Three Musketeers (1844) is one of the most famous historical novels ever written. It is also one of the world’s greatest historical adventure stories, and its heroes have become symbols for the spirit of youth, daring, and comradeship. The action takes place in the 1620s at the court of Louis XIII, where the musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, with their companion, the headstrong d’Artagnan, are engaged in a battle against Richelieu, the King’s minister, and the beautiful, unscrupulous spy, Milady. Behind the flashing blades and bravura, in this first adventure of the Musketeers, Dumas explores the eternal conflict between good and evil.

Some quotes that give you the flavor of the story:

‘You are not one of us,’ said Porthos. ‘True,’ replied d’Artagnan, ‘I have not the dress, but I have the heart and soul of a musketeer; I feel it, sir, and it impels me along, as it were, by force.’

D’Artagnan marvelled at the fragile unseen threads on which the destinies of nations and the lives of men may sometimes be suspended.

A rascal does not laugh in the same manner as an honest man; a hypocrite does not weep with the same kind of tears as a sincere man. All imposture is a mask; and, however well the mask may be made, it may always, with a little attention, be distinguished from the true face.

‘Perhaps so,’ replied Athos; ‘but, at all events, mark this well: assassinate the Duke of Buckingham, or cause him to be assassinated—it is of no consequence to me: I know him not; and he is, besides, the enemy of France. But, touch not one single hair of the head of d’Artagnan, who is my faithful friend, whom I love and will protect; or I swear to you, by my father’s head, that the crime which you have then committed, or attempted to commit, shall be indeed your last.’

I so enjoyed getting to know these four musketeers and tagging along with them on one adventure after another. I fell in love with d’Artangnon, who was so much more than he appeared in the beginning, and I appreciated the friendship of the four men. I also have a respect now for this author, Alexandre Dumas, who gave us such an interesting historical look at that time period, and wove a story of the political/religious intrigues of the time with the basic human fight between good and evil.

As I finish the last few chapters this week, I have one bit of advice for those of you who have thought about reading this book but never got around to it: just read it! It’s so much fun!