The Three Musketeers

This classic adventure epic is presented here in a compact, affordable production. The double-tracking is slightly inconvenient but is overcome by the narrator's superb reading. Page's flawless pronun-ciation of the numerous French words blends with his formal British English to give color and credence to the grandiloquent language of the translation. His characterizations are equally well performed. The characters emerge richly faceted: the nefarious Lady DeWinter; the pious but fallible Athos; the haughty, boisterous Porthos. The listener is carried through the romantic verbiage by this energetic, exciting performance. J.J.F. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Of course you've heard of THE THREE MUSKETEERS, but did you know that it's really funny, as well as replete with romance and adventure? John Lee does, and his narration plays up all three attributes to great effect. For those who need a reminder, Dumas's classic adventure presents the escapades of three of King Louis's musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, plus D'Artagnan (a musketeer in training) as they foil a few of Cardinal Richelieu's many devious plots. Amid much swordplay, they actually utter the famous line: "All for one and one for all." Lee struggles a bit with accents and characterizations early in the production. His hesitations disappear after a few chapters, however, and he gives fine voice to the rest of the madcap tale. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Buckle-your-swash and get ready for a rousing action-adventure, courtesy of Alexandre Dumas and Simon Vance. When hapless d'Artagnan arrives in Paris, his Gascon pride is wounded, and he takes on duels with each of the king's best swordsmen, the three musketeers, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Admiring the courage of the green youth, the four become inseparable. The story revolves around the musketeers' attempts to thwart Cardinal Richelieu as he plots the undoing of the King Louis XIII and Queen Anne. Simon Vance's performance is period-perfect. His characterizations are passionate, full-blooded, and memorable. Vance turns historical events into the background for romance and derring-do, sprinkled with healthy doses of irreverence, wit, and irony. Friendship, loyalty, and honor make this all-for-one-and-one-for-all listening. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

This is a classic ripe for audiobook form. With an eccentric cast of characters and a fast-paced plot, the novel offers a delightful challenge for the narrator. Tristam Summers proves up to the task. Articulate and enthusiastic, he keeps the listener engaged. Summers highlights the humor of the novel's dialogue. His vocal characterizations are especially amusing in the musketeers' conversations. He captures the brash and bold D'Artagnan, the vain and bawdy Porthos, and the refined and confident Aramis. Each character is distinct and recognizable as Summers narrates. His amiable style lends itself to the tone of Dumas's novel, and the result is an entertaining listening experience. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine