by Arturo Perez - Reverte (Author)
The year is 1626, and a battle-weary Captain Alatriste and his companions sail home from the on-going war in Flanders. He returns to a Spain that is rotten to the core, as gold from the Americas floods into the port of Seville, brought by the country's infamous treasure fleet. As various factions within the Court vie for supremacy, certain interests are creaming off undeclared profits from the galleons' cargo, thus depriving the royal treasury of its lifeblood. Indeed some of the booty is finding its way into the hands of the same rebel provinces Spain is fighting to suppress. The King and his most trusted advisor, the Count-Duke Olivares, have become aware of one such plot and have decided to teach the perpetrator a lesson. Once more, they must call upon Captain Alatriste's blade in a dangerous adventure that will bring the captain face to face with his nemesis, and with a ruthless man who has designs on the throne
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 256
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
Published: 10 Apr 2008
ISBN 10: 0297852477
ISBN 13: 9780297852476
Book Overview: Alatriste's got his swash and buckle back! This is back to the sword play and political intrigue of book one in the series. A tale of stolen gold and a plot against the king that sees the return of Alatriste's arch enemy, the italian assassin Imagine Pirates of the Caribbean crossed with Zorro! New cover look for the hardbacks This is the first Alatriste translated by the prize-winning top translator Margaret Jull Costa, and it reads beautifully. 'A thinking man's adventure novel, where sword fights and tales of derring-do are interwoven with wonderful passages of poetry and gems of historical and cultural information' The Times