- Hardcover: 384 pages
- Publisher: Gollancz (19 Nov 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0575084375
- ISBN-13: 978-0575084377
- Product Dimensions: 15.3 x 3.3 x 23.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 871,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
The Cardinal's Blades is part historical novel, part old-fashioned swashbuckling high-action adventure, and part classic fantasy. S Pierre Pevel has woven some of the best-loved fantasy tropes - musketeer-style adventuring, daring swordsmen, political intrigue, non-stop action and dragons - into a stunning new fantasy series. Paris, 1633. Louis XIII reigns over France . . . and Cardinal Richelieu governs the country. One of the most dangerous and most powerful men in Europe, Richelieu keeps a constant, sharp eye on the enemies of the Crown to avoid their assassination attempts, thwart their spies and avert their warmongering. But he's up against people who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, even going so far as to forge alliances with France's oldest and deadliest enemies. Spain, and the Court of Dragons. The nobility keep tiny dragonnets as pets; royal couriers ride tame wyverns, and lethal man-shaped scaled dracs ropam the country. But the power rising from the Court of Dragons is anything but mundane; the Black Claw sect draws on dragons as they once were: ancient, terrible, utterly merciless . . . and poised to move against France. Faced with the growing threat from Spain, Richelieu summons Captain la Fargue, an exceptional swordsman, devoted officer and brilliant leader. If he's to turn aside the Black Claw's schemes, La Fargue and his legenday company of swashbucklers and rogues must be persuaded to once again risk their lives, fortunes and reputations for Richelieu, and for France. It's the biggest challenge yet for The Cardinal's Blades - and they'll need to be sharp . . .
About the Author
Pierre Pevel, born in 1968, is one of the foremost writers of French fantasy today. The author of seven novels, he was awarded the GRAND PRIX DE L'IMAGINAIRE in 2002 and the PRIX IMAGINALES in 2005, both for best novel.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Well in the last year I've read a Polish and German fantasy and this time it's the turn of the French!
Very good it was too. This excellent translation manages to retain the essential 'frenchness' which is part of the very fabric of the tale but still make it understandable to someone like me, whose entire french vocabulary has been in exhausted in the above title!
The 'blades' in the title of the book are a collection of crack swordsmen/ bravo's in the employee of the Cardinal, not the actual weapons of a sword wielding preacher. The Cardinal is a very 'Dumas' type Cardinal from the Three Muskateers, up to his neck in intrigue and about as trustworthy as the brakes on my first car. His blades are being re-formed after a recent scandal/disbandment, due to certain events which threaten the security of France. I will say no more of the plot for spoiling reasons.
The style of writing is quite unique. The chapters are very short sometimes only a page or two long. Also there is no definative hero with the glories being shared round the 7 main protagonists. The plus side of this is a diverse story board and a multi layered feel. The downside was perhaps it just wanted for a stronger central thread. But don't get me wrong, there is a huge amount of things to enjoy here.
The 7 blades are nicely individual and fleshed out with a range of eccentricities, flaws and interesting back stories, which promise fascinating plot lines for future books in what must surely be a series.
The action is set in an alternative 17th century France. Where the biggest threat to the nation comes from Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. To spice the brew however Dragons excist! The rich have little pet 'dragonettes', the King's messengers ride Wyverns but full blown Dragons have evolved into 'people' shaped creatures. Needless to say they have there own ambitions and agenda's. Like the review at the top of the page I thought perhaps the whole dragon thing was an un-needed gilding, the blades themselves provide more than enough texture. Still people do like their Dragons in their fantasy!
I enjoyed this a lot and there is enough going on to make me think subsequent books will get even better. The author perhaps needs to make the villains a little more dangerous next time but count me in for another swashbuckle!
Very good it was too. This excellent translation manages to retain the essential 'frenchness' which is part of the very fabric of the tale but still make it understandable to someone like me, whose entire french vocabulary has been in exhausted in the above title!
The 'blades' in the title of the book are a collection of crack swordsmen/ bravo's in the employee of the Cardinal, not the actual weapons of a sword wielding preacher. The Cardinal is a very 'Dumas' type Cardinal from the Three Muskateers, up to his neck in intrigue and about as trustworthy as the brakes on my first car. His blades are being re-formed after a recent scandal/disbandment, due to certain events which threaten the security of France. I will say no more of the plot for spoiling reasons.
The style of writing is quite unique. The chapters are very short sometimes only a page or two long. Also there is no definative hero with the glories being shared round the 7 main protagonists. The plus side of this is a diverse story board and a multi layered feel. The downside was perhaps it just wanted for a stronger central thread. But don't get me wrong, there is a huge amount of things to enjoy here.
The 7 blades are nicely individual and fleshed out with a range of eccentricities, flaws and interesting back stories, which promise fascinating plot lines for future books in what must surely be a series.
The action is set in an alternative 17th century France. Where the biggest threat to the nation comes from Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. To spice the brew however Dragons excist! The rich have little pet 'dragonettes', the King's messengers ride Wyverns but full blown Dragons have evolved into 'people' shaped creatures. Needless to say they have there own ambitions and agenda's. Like the review at the top of the page I thought perhaps the whole dragon thing was an un-needed gilding, the blades themselves provide more than enough texture. Still people do like their Dragons in their fantasy!
I enjoyed this a lot and there is enough going on to make me think subsequent books will get even better. The author perhaps needs to make the villains a little more dangerous next time but count me in for another swashbuckle!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you love Dumas and want a fantasy take on perhaps his most famous set of characters in a fantasy setting then this is the tale for you. Written by a Frenchman and translated for the first time into the English Language this story is going to be something either you'll love or hate. It's evocative, its addictive but perhaps most of all it's a flavour of a country that only someone with intimate knowledge of the secret back passages alongside sights and smells can deliver.
That said, one thing that might annoy English readers is the constant use of French words within the text. For example instead of saying Knight it uses Chevalier and whilst many will accept place names as something as standard, when you're getting titles alongside "Noms de Guerre" and place nicknames, it can make the whole thing a little confusing as the nuances of the French language can be lost to those not used to the subtleties within.
Other than that it is extremely well written, the translation beautifully handled and goes to show how much Gollancz believes in this author. A true sign that well written fantasy translates the world over as well as allowing the reader a tale that brings to the fore the might of mankind's courage against the darkness faced by those who hide in shadow. My final niggle is in regard to whether Dragons were required or whether this would have been better as a historical fiction piece as I felt that they really didn't add much to the piece other than to take it into the fantasy genre. An interesting quandary and from what I've heard from friends who are already looking forward to the second novel in the series, definitely one that is worth pursuing.
That said, one thing that might annoy English readers is the constant use of French words within the text. For example instead of saying Knight it uses Chevalier and whilst many will accept place names as something as standard, when you're getting titles alongside "Noms de Guerre" and place nicknames, it can make the whole thing a little confusing as the nuances of the French language can be lost to those not used to the subtleties within.
Other than that it is extremely well written, the translation beautifully handled and goes to show how much Gollancz believes in this author. A true sign that well written fantasy translates the world over as well as allowing the reader a tale that brings to the fore the might of mankind's courage against the darkness faced by those who hide in shadow. My final niggle is in regard to whether Dragons were required or whether this would have been better as a historical fiction piece as I felt that they really didn't add much to the piece other than to take it into the fantasy genre. An interesting quandary and from what I've heard from friends who are already looking forward to the second novel in the series, definitely one that is worth pursuing.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Cardinal's Blades is the first in a series of books recounting the adventures of the titular military force, set in an alternate-history Europe where humans live alongside the spawn of dragons. Originally published in France in 2007, the novel has been translated into English by Tom Clegg, who seems to have done a good job. This is a swashbuckling novel packed with rooftop chases, back-alley swordfights, epic tavern brawls, clandestine roadside meetings in coaches and cool diplomatic exchanges between men of power where what is left unsaid can be as important as what is voiced. It's somewhere between Dumas and The Seven Samurai with a bit of the Dirty Dozen thrown in as well (and, contrary to some earlier buzz on the book, nothing at all to do with Temeraire; these dragons ain't talking sky ponies).
The book is cleverly written. The first third or so of the book sees the introduction of numerous characters, most of whom are pretty shady and disposed to violence. It's clear that this is the 'captain getting his old soldiers back together for a new mission' section, and it's fun working out which characters are the good guys and bad guys (and getting it wrong half the time). In fact, Pevel keeps the reader guessing about that right through the book, as various characters are pulled in different directions and even the apparent heroes' loyalties are sometimes murky. Rapid-fire chapters and changes between location and groups of characters can sometimes be disorienting, but after a while the book finds a rhythm which keeps the pages ticking by nicely as the nature of the conspiracy against France and Spain is made clear and various characters' true loyalties are revealed. The book is rich in historical detail, plunging the reader into 17th Century Paris and its environs quite convincingly, and the fact that sometimes chapters at a time go by with no reference to the draconic storyline can occasionally make you forget that you are reading a fantasy work at all.
There aren't that many problems. The book is quite obviously the first in a series and whilst the main storyline is resolved, quite a few character arcs break off in mid-flow, some just as they're getting interesting. The rapid-fire chapters at the start of the book can be a bit confusing and ironically this is one book that would benefit from a dramatis personae, but doesn't have one. Keeping track of who is who can be a problem, as dozens of characters are introduced in a fairly short space of time. However, as the book settles down halfway through, this ceases to be an issue.
Overall, The Cardinal's Blades (****) is a rollicking good book, full of action, adventure, mystery and some quite delicious intrigue. The book is out now in the UK in hardcover and trade paperback, and on import in the USA. A sequel, The Alchemist in the Shadows, follows next year.
The book is cleverly written. The first third or so of the book sees the introduction of numerous characters, most of whom are pretty shady and disposed to violence. It's clear that this is the 'captain getting his old soldiers back together for a new mission' section, and it's fun working out which characters are the good guys and bad guys (and getting it wrong half the time). In fact, Pevel keeps the reader guessing about that right through the book, as various characters are pulled in different directions and even the apparent heroes' loyalties are sometimes murky. Rapid-fire chapters and changes between location and groups of characters can sometimes be disorienting, but after a while the book finds a rhythm which keeps the pages ticking by nicely as the nature of the conspiracy against France and Spain is made clear and various characters' true loyalties are revealed. The book is rich in historical detail, plunging the reader into 17th Century Paris and its environs quite convincingly, and the fact that sometimes chapters at a time go by with no reference to the draconic storyline can occasionally make you forget that you are reading a fantasy work at all.
There aren't that many problems. The book is quite obviously the first in a series and whilst the main storyline is resolved, quite a few character arcs break off in mid-flow, some just as they're getting interesting. The rapid-fire chapters at the start of the book can be a bit confusing and ironically this is one book that would benefit from a dramatis personae, but doesn't have one. Keeping track of who is who can be a problem, as dozens of characters are introduced in a fairly short space of time. However, as the book settles down halfway through, this ceases to be an issue.
Overall, The Cardinal's Blades (****) is a rollicking good book, full of action, adventure, mystery and some quite delicious intrigue. The book is out now in the UK in hardcover and trade paperback, and on import in the USA. A sequel, The Alchemist in the Shadows, follows next year.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Thoroughly entertaining: good reading
This is the first book of a trilogy, so it is providing a background of the different characters and its uchronic universe ( XVII century with dragons and sorcery). Read more
Published 9 days ago by Andoni
Swashbuckling Hootenanny
Another fine example of the English-speaking world playing catch-up with the spellbinding genre fiction coming out of Europe. Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. Shurin
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