[fantasyfan]

“The Three Musketeers” by Dumas is a glorious swashbuckler fillled with devious plots and an unforgettable villain in Milady de Winter. For me it was a fairly nostalgic trip through this wonderful adventure story.

I first read it in the version of Classic Comics [blush]. The very first edition included the The Three Musketeers. The Classic Comics series ran from 1940 to 1971. It was in the forties that I fell in love with these adaptations which certainly had many limitations. For instance, a great deal was left out of that approach to “The Three Musketeers” but it eventually drove me to read the actual book in the old translation by William Barrow. As others have mentioned, far better literary versions have been done since then—notably by Richard Pevear and Will Hobson. I went for the latter as Hobson has many very helpful annotations about the times, the places, and the actual political situations in France that obtained at the time of the novel. Further, the translation has lucidity and ambience which makes the reading experience so very enjoyable.

I noticed that many others have serious objections to the fact that much in this old book is objectionable on Political Correctness grounds. I respect their views but those values were simply not part of the mind-set then. (Though Dumas himself apologises for the loose moralities of the times) Further, the emphasis is on action and broad character types rather than on subtle character development. So if these limitations—which certainly exist—bother you then look elsewhere.

Otherwise, bearing this in mind, I highly recommend this particular translation to anyone who wishes to revisit one of the great adventure novels of the Western Canon.