Rating: 
Summary: Just plain fun to read
Review: Dumas is deservedly famous for his intricate and engrossing novels, and The Three Musketeers is certainly no exception. As far as classics go, this one is among the most fun that you'll ever read. The novel follows the protagonist D'Artagnan as he tries to join the French king's elite bodyguard unit, the Musketeers. D'Artagnan befriends three current Musketeers (Porthos, Athos and Aramis) and what follows is a fast-paced literary romp as the four friends share a series of swashbuckling adventures in 17th century France. The plot is full of twists and turns but is cleverly developed and believable. Dumas expertly develops the characters, engaging the reader as the characters experience war, love and just about everything in between. The edition I'm reviewing (the Illustrated Junior Library version) is highly abridged (300 pages vs over 600 pages) and has many beautiful illustrations, making an already fun novel even more accessible for young readers.
Rating:
Summary: Not Quite What I'd Expected
Review: Although I'm a lover of historical fiction, especially the 19th century historical romances (read "historical adventures"), I'd never read this one. So I figured I had to finally attempt such a classic of the genre. Well, it was enjoyable but not really first class, I'm sorry to say. Not up there with IVANHOE or THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (which, itself, is somewhat flawed) or H. Rider Haggard's ERIC BRIGHTEYES, to name a few. Dumas' famous classic is a tale of a young country bumpkin of the lower Gascon nobility come to the big city (Paris) to make his fortune (by joining the king's elite guard, known as the Musketeers). He quickly stumbles into trouble, even before reaching Paris, and never manages to get clear of it again as one thing leads to another. He hooks up early on with three Musketeers of the guard whom he inadvertently offends and then, rather than dueling each to the death as they demand and he agrees to, he ends up, purely by circumstance (and his naive loyalty to the king), on their side. This all leads to further intrigue and mayhem including a somewhat episodic adventure taking D'Artagnan (our hero) to England on the Queen's urgent business, to foil the Cardinal who is the king's highest and most relied-on minister, and the Queen's enemy at the same time. And the king's sporting competitor in matters of state and the military to boot! There is a sub-plot as well with a scheming and avaricious lady who works for the Cardinal and who has her own fish to fry, and lots of kidnappings and sword fights in the mix. But the characters never really come to life. D'Artagnan and his three friends in the Musketeers are cleverly written and bigger than life but hardly full-blooded or anything but one-dimensional. And D'Artagnan, himself, seems oddly simple and yet, inevitably is described as the cleverest of the four companions who are all a good deal older and more experienced than he is. More strange is D'Artagnan's skill with the sword. From the first he is described as being awkward and somewhat untutored, even in weaponry. Yet, from his initial crossing of swords, he inevitably bests all comers, no matter how much more experienced or skilled they are described as being. In fact, he seems to be the equal of, or superior to, his three Musketeer companions, surpassing them in this skill as he surpasses them in intelligence and cleverness. And yet he is an utter dolt in his dealings with women, a veritable mooning adolescent in the face of the the women he falls for. Nor do the women get treated particularly well by the writer, for their part. I suppose it was the convention of the times but they are all either beautiful and helpless (downright simple, actually) or they are beautiful and deadly. But never do they seem particularly real, from the Queen to Milady to D'Artagnan's objet d'amour, to the lovely servant girl who hankers after D'Artagnan, nearly as moon-eyed as he is about his fancied mistresses. All very strange indeed. I suppose the book broke ground in its time and it is somewhat fun to read, especially after the first third which takes rather a long time to set up all the plot dynamics. But I must say I was frustrated no end by the mindless meanderings and utterly frivolous actions of the four companions as they proceed through their adventures. I mean why would trained soldiers gamble away perfectly good, indeed outstanding, English mounts which they had been gifted, knowing how dear these were and how necessary to men like them? My favorite part of the tale, however, was the four friends' picnic under the Huguenot guns so perhaps this was just in character for them. But what characters! -- SWM
Rating: 
Summary: Let the adventure begin...
Review: For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga:
In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!). The reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series! I highly recommend this series from Oxford University Press containing the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books. The notes are located in the back of each book so as not to slow down the flow of the text. Most of the notes give additional info on historic characters and places. And a few point out that Dumas was a better storyteller than historian, as keeping dates seems to be such a nuisance!
Rating: 
Summary: The start of an epic adventure....
Review: For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga: I was thoroughly confused by the order of books. In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. That's it - no more. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!). So the reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series! I highly recommend the Oxford University Press': Oxford World's Classics editions - which has the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books.
Rating: 
Summary: It's Abridged!
Review: Look, I love The Three Musketeers, absolutely love it. It's clever, adventurous, and laugh out loud hilarious. It is one of my all-time favorites, but this version is abridged. If you are going to go to all the trouble to read a book, why not read the whole thing? At the time I bought this book, I did not know it was abridged. When I began reading it, I realized little parts of the story were missing and I was not at all pleased. If you want Dumas, get unabridged. It may take a bit longer to finish, but it is very much worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest adventure story!
Review: Ok, my favourite Dumas work is the Count of Monte Cristo, but this is better as an adventure story. The story is about the adventures of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan, (aren't those just great names?!) to escape and plot against Cardinal Richelieu and his spy Milady. The quiet Athos with a troubled past, the flamboyant and good-naturedly arrogant Porthos, the reserved and confused Aramis (my favourite), and D'Artagnan, the hotheaded and impulsive musketeer-in-training: these characters are dragged through the political and amorous plots of French and English royalty, played out with duels, battles, and horse-chases, all in the name of honour and friendship. Do not be fooled, however, our four heroes are not as moral and honest as is usually thought, a little deceitful seduction in the name of self-interest won't get in their way. A musketeer has to to have some money you know! Ah well, it's all fun and entertaining for the reader. One of the most interesting characters is the extremely evil and cunning Milady, whose intelligence and beauty aid her to fool and control the four friends and many others. All the characters are interesting and detailed, even the valets of the musketeers each have distinct personalities. Because it was written as serial fiction for a newspaper, the author holds your attention incredibly well. It has that 'find out tomorrow!' quality at the end of every chapter. The writing is packed with dialogue and action with no boring paragraphs that might scare away a non-classics reader. In fact, it's more fast-paced and suspenseful than the best action movie. Who needs gun fights and car chases when you can have clashing swords and galloping horses in the colorful and glorious 17th century?! This book brings it all to life: Illustrious heroes, cunning villians, and damsels in distress. As with all classics, however, it's more than just entertaining. In the end, the book leaves you with admiration for good, virtue, loyalty, honour, love and friendship. Don't ever miss this book, if only to read that famous oath where it was first and originally written, "All for one, and one for all!."
Rating:
Summary: A Classic!
Review: The Three Musketeers is a unique book. History and political events are woven into the plot of this clever book. I find the characters fasinating and feel like I already know these noble men. The loyalty of them is overwhemling. The illustrations capture the life of the book! I am in the middle of Dumas's next book, "Twenty Years Later" and am enjoying it too.I have read many books, and this is one of my personal favorites.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: This is the definite swashbuckling, romance novel. It is beautifully written and a true joy to read. The adventures of the Musketeers are so compelling that the book is hard to put down once you start reading.
Rating:
Summary: Pure Joy
Review: Reviewer and reader of this book, Emily, says this is the best book she has read. You, Emily, are a person of good taste in books -- and I think you are right! Until you have read Alexander Dumas "The Count of Monte Cristo" -- unabridged. (Please, not the movies!) What adventure! What excitement! What joy! (For both books.)I first read 'The Three Musketeers' over 40 years ago, and three times since; and it has been pure joy each time.
Rating:
Summary: The Fantastic Four
Review: The story starts out with a young naive Gascon by the name D'artagnan who goes to seek his fortune with the King's Musketeers. On his journey to Paris he has a tangle with a man named Rochefort whom D'artagnan chases throughout the book, along with his female companion Milady, a woman of pure evil. He meets the Three Musketeers and they don't get off to such a great beginning as he finds himself preparing to fight a duel with all three of them. Eventually D'artagnan wins over Athos, Porthos, and Aramis and together the four set off on adventures to protect their majesty the queen (Anne of Austria) against the bad intentions of the cardinal. It's all intigue and romance and swashbuckling! I loved it all, every sentence. And i love how M. Dumas twists history to his own literary devices. I played hooky to finish reading this book!
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