Porthos, who thirsts for a title and fortune, has his eyes on a widow. Aramis, whose ambition is for power, sees his path through the church.

The story is set against the political turmoil and family intrigues of the mid-1600s, and unless you are familiar with 17th century French politics (and who is?), the shifting alliances can be a little confusing.Īlthough the four Musketeers were called The Inseparables in the original book, the seeds of their dissolution were already planted. There is a new king on the throne, the young Louis XIV a new power behind the throne, Cardinal Mazarin Queen Anne of Austria now is regent during the minority of her son and Rochefort is now a friend. The book opens, appropriately, 20 years after the action in The Three Musketeers. But the villains are new and it no longer is easy for loyal soldiers and gentlemen to choose sides.

Our old friends are here, the musketeers, their lackeys, Anne of Austria, even d’Artagnan’s nemesis the Comte de Rochefort. But these are mature adults, not carefree young men. Don’t get me wrong-there still is plenty of action in Twenty Years After: Desperate chases, daring escapes, hairbreadth failures and the evilest of villains, set against a backdrop of political intrigue and conflicting loyalties. It would have been easy for Dumas to follow up the success of the original book by simply carrying on the swashbuckling adventures of d’Artagnan, Athos, Aramis and Porthos, but the author was more interested in the development of his characters and the times in which they lived than simply continuing the action. That’s the theme of Twenty Years After, Alexandre Dumas’s sequel to The Three Musketeers. And when you do, it’s never quite the same. Moreover, England is mired in civil war! Can d’Artagnan do the seemingly impossible: reunite “The Inseparables,” save the Queen and young Louis XIV from an uprising, and aid the English monarchy, all while avoiding the evil Mordaunt, son of a personal enemy long-believed to be neutralized? Well, according to d'Artagnan, 'Great people only thank you for doing the impossible what’s possible, they say, they can effect themselves.Anyone old enough to have friends they haven’t seen for many years knows how difficult it can be to get everyone together again. His misfortune mirrors that of France, now ruled by an ineffective miser, Cardinal Mazarin, who’s avarice (among other vices) fuels a rebellion. Volume 2 of The d'Artagnan Romances begins twenty years after 'The Three Musketeers.' Since then, d'Artagnan's career has stagnated, he’s lost touch with his friends, and the high favor earned with Queen Anne has been forgotten.

Translated by William Robson (1785 - 1863) Download cover art Download CD case insert The d'Artagnan Romances, Vol 2: Twenty Years After (version 2)

Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas