The Alchemist in the Shadows

Les Lames du Cardinal #2

by Pierre Pevel, Tom Clegg (Translator), Jon Sullivan (Illustrator)

Paris, 1633: Cardinal Richelieu is on his guard. France is under threat, and a secret society is conspiring against him from the heart of the greatest courts in Europe. To counter the threat, Richelieu has put his most trusted men into play: the Cardinal's Blades, led by Captain la Fargue. When la Fargue hears from "La Donna," a beautiful spy claiming to have valuable information, he has to listen. She says the enemy is an exceptionally dangerous adversary: the Alchemist in the shadows.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Alternate History, Historical Fantasy

281 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2009

About the author

Pierre Pevel est l’un des fleurons de la Fantasy française. Il a obtenu le Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire en 2002 et le prix Imaginales 2005. Avec une verve romanesque digne des grandes heures du feuilleton populaire, il signe là tout à la fois un hommage aux romans de cape et d’épée, un récit historique admirablement documenté et une Fantasy épique à grand spectacle. La trilogie des Lames du Cardinal est un éclatant succès déjà traduit en sept langues y compris, événement sans précédent, en Grande-Bretagne et aux États-Unis ! Le premier volume a par ailleurs remporté le David Gemmell Morningstar Award du meilleur premier roman, en 2010.

Reviews

[Celestina1210 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une suite intéressante mais les romans peuvent se lire comme des épisodes indépendants. Attention toutefois malgré un grand effort de recherche historique Louis XIII était marié avec Marie de Médicis et non Catherine

[Blanche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une fois de plus : j'ai adoré (le style, l'ambiance, l'intrigue).

Mais j'ai quelques réserves (qui portent davantage sur l'ensemble des romans de Pevel que j'ai lus, plutôt que sur ce tome en particulier) : les personnages féminins sont un peu tous les mêmes.

Les héroïnes sont badass : elles savent se battre, sont indépendantes et ont rarement besoin d'être secourues (quand elles en ont besoin, ce n'est pas selon le schéma de la jeune fille en détresse). Par contre, elles sont toujours belles, voluptueuses, et (me semble-t-il) jeunes. Les femmes qui ont plus de 50 ans dans les romans sont soit des méchantes (yes), soit des mères bienveillantes (yes). Cela reste chouette à lire, mais j'aimerais un peu plus de diversité (dans la littérature en général).

[Ranting Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.rantingdragon.com/the-alch...


The Alchemist in the Shadows is the second book in The Cardinal’s Blades trilogy by French author Pierre Pével. We return to Pével’s vibrant 17th century Paris where magic, though rare, certainly exists, and the presence of dragons in one form or another is considered commonplace. Originally written in Pével’s native French, the English edition of The Alchemist in the Shadows is once again translated by Tom Clegg, the man responsible for its predecessor The Cardinal’s Blades.

Chronologically, the events of The Alchemist in the Shadows take place soon after those of the previous book. The Blades may have foiled the Black Claw’s original plan but the insidious sect has many more tricks up its collective sleeve. A beautiful and notorious Italian spy known as La Donna contacts Captain la Fargue offering valuable information in exchange for amnesty and Cardinal Richelieu’s protection. The Cardinal is not known for his leniency, but La Donna’s knowledge may be of such vital importance to the security of France that he has no choice. The Blades must be called upon once again to defend their country, and this time their adversary is none other than the elusive and deadly, the almost legendary, Black Claw operative: the Alchemist in the Shadows.

An engaging setting
While The Cardinal’s Blades introduced us to Pével’s intriguing take on 1633 Paris, in The Alchemist in the Shadows he has taken his world building to the next level. We learn more about the governance and society of historical France as well as the religious bodies and secret organizations that operate behind the scenes. There is also much more direct involvement by various types of dragons than in the previous novel and although there are so many featuring in the plot, all appear completely at home in Pével’s otherwise historically accurate Paris. From the little dragonets kept as pets and spies to the crude mercenary drakes, all not only add to the ambiance of the novel but also play important roles. Thus, The Alchemist in the Shadows carefully avoids the common alternative history trap of feeling too much like a history lesson with a fantasy element or two tacked on as an afterthought.

Enhanced characterization
The Blades are back and this time around we finally start seeing some real character development. While The Cardinal’s Blades hinted that there was more to each of Pével’s characters than met the eye, The Alchemist in the Shadows has them evolve from a somewhat clichéd archetypes into fully realized individuals. The backgrounds of certain characters are explored, making them more relatable and often revealing surprising revelations about their pasts. Additionally, other familiar faces from The Cardinal’s Blades return to gain further prominence in this novel. For example, fans of the former spy Arnaud de Laincourt will be well pleased by his role. We are also introduced to fascinating new secondary characters with their own well defined and distinctive personalities. While the usually unscrupulous lady spy La Donna may reveal a soft spot for her mentor and pets, Leprat makes a friend behind enemy lines who may or may not turn out to be a decent sort. The main antagonist, The Alchemist, remains a mysterious, foreboding presence for most of the book, waiting for the optimum moment to unleash the full extent of his horrifying power. Personally, I found this made him a much more threatening character than the comparatively transparent Countess from The Cardinal’s Blades.

This series is defined by action, and in many cases throughout the novel, actions speak louder than words when it comes to characterization. We learn who among the characters will spare a surrendered foe and who will simply slit their throat. That’s not to say there’s anything lacking in the dialogue, however. In fact, the same characteristic flair and sharp wit that permeated the first book is equally, if not more, present in this one.

Action-packed extravaganza
The Alchemist in the Shadows hurtles along at an even faster pace than The Cardinal’s Blades while embodying a heightened sense of drama and urgency. It achieves this while also containing more of the swashbuckling action and flamboyant play-by-play rapier duels that made the original so much fun. Once again, the story leaps between many different viewpoints with each of the Blades and other characters fulfilling their own separate roles and missions. These simultaneous narratives, along with the aforementioned lightning pace, do not make for a relaxing read as you will need your wits about you to keep up with the story. They do, however, make for an exciting one that will keep your pulse racing.

Many questions, few answers
Once again, Pével ends his story on a cliffhanger, one that is perhaps even more dramatic than that which concluded The Cardinal’s Blades. Furthermore, the revelation from the previous book is referred to briefly although its exact meaning and possible consequences remain elusive. We do learn a little about La Fargue’s secret although it serves mainly as a teaser to build intrigue for what I expect will be a big part of the third book, The Dragon Arcana (to be released in November 2011 in the UK).

The last few aspects of the book I should probably mention are mainly technical. Tom Clegg’s translation once again seems quite decent, providing a flowing English translation while maintaining the decidedly French feel of the book. In addition, the map of Paris provided in the front of the novel is less detailed but much more user friendly than that in The Cardinal’s Blades.

Why should you read this book?
All in all, The Alchemist in the Shadows surpasses its predecessor in many ways and if you enjoyed The Cardinal’s Blades you would be well advised to give this book a try. The cliffhangers and teasers may provide a challenge for the impatient, who may prefer to wait until the release of The Dragon Arcana before consuming these relatively short (around 350 page), yet extremely enjoyable, installments one after the other. The series is a must for those who enjoy their fantasy with a sharp wit and a break neck pace. This engrossing sequel is definitely hard to resist with its combination of action, dark magic, intrigue, a touch of humor and bloodshed all set in the decadent splendor of 17th century Paris.

[Livresse de Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un démarrage un peu lent, et des difficultés à trouver le liant avec le tome précédent, mais beaucoup de révélations et d’intrigues sur la 3eme partie qui me donnent très envie de commencer le tome 3 au plus vite !

Un vrai roman de cape et d’épées qui a su intégrer le fantastique dans les enjeux historiques du 17ème siècle !

[Marko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pierre Pevel continues his story about Cardinal's Blades, men of great talent who serve Cardinal Richelieu and fight for France and against the incursion of the dragons. Personally, I like Pevel's concept up until the last word and I'd be happier reading more traditional historical fiction about the 17th century rapier-wielding Frenchmen.

My main objection to this book, however, is Pierre Pevel's storytelling style. He has a collection of main characters and through whose eyes the story is told, but you never really get to know any of the characters as the point of view is changed every couple of pages (literally) and you only get glimpses of each characters' actions as the story progresses. What's more, each of these 2-page glimpses seem to end in a cliffhanger - a style that gets very old, very quickly.

Although I'm strongly attracted to any fiction set in the 17th century (age of musketeers!), I don't think I'll pick up the next book in this series - even though Pevel ended the book with another cliffhanger.

[Explora.lire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Je n'ai pas trouvé l'intrigue très prenante. Et trop de personnages à mon goût. On s'y perd complètement.
Par contre, gros plus pour les descriptions des scènes. Surtout lors des dialogues. Les réactions corporelles et expressions fasciales sont très précises et permettent de se les représenter très facilement.

[Orion · Rating 5 out of 5]

my bad je ne cracherai plus sur Pevel ce malin sait écrire quand même (pas le paris des merveilles)

gros bandeur de Saint-Lucq que je suis je me suis délecté à chacun de ses passages tho

Laincourt GRAOU

[Arenaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

La lecture est toujours aussi fluide et passionnante. On plonge dans l’histoire plus facilement que dans le 1er tome.

[Elise - ABook&ACup]

3.5
c'est quand meme un peu toujours la meme histoire lol

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une suite enlevée et pleine de panache ! On plonge un peu plus loin dans un univers empreint de mystère, de magie, de complots et de manigance. Un plaisir à lire et à écouter dans la version audio d'Hardigan.

[Charley Robson]

I wouldn't say this book was "finished" so much as "done". And by that I mean that I, personally, am completely, utterly, overwhelmingly done.

First of all, this book is the second book in a series, and I have no clue what is going on. There are quite a lot of characters roaming around, but I'm not sure who's supposed to be important or for what reasons. That's all on me, though. The pretty cover lured me in, I swear!

However, I have to admit, the concept behind this book is that wonderful combination of ideas terrible, preposterous and hilarious that instantly gets my attention. It feels like the author wanted to write a book about Richelieu in a historical setting, but also had a fantasy novel in the back of his head that he hadn't been able to let go of since he read The Dragonriders of Pern when he was 12. The result is ... interesting. It's basically what you would get if Eragon threw up on a Philippa Gregory book wearing a mask made out of Bernard Cornwell novels. So we have very detailled and accurate portrayals of historic France, but with outrageously inflated and simplified portrayals of historic figures and equally overblown original characters wandering among them. Also D'Artagnan has a cameo. Yes, that D'Artagnan. Oh, and this setting has dragons. Who are ... there.

It's every bit as ridiculous as you'd expect - the characters are about as arch as it's possible to get without being outright parodic, slim sword-wielding beauties and grizzled-but-handsome soldiers one and all, and the tone veers wildly between serious discussions of politics to rambles about black dragon councils breeding inhuman soldiers for Spanish armies and secret alchemistical plots against kings being concocted by a cackly old dragon-man in the basement. I have to say I rather like that the premise embraces its own ridiculousness and runs with it, playing it completely straight and therefore making it even funnier in the process.

But then there is everything else. The writing, for one, is awful. It's clearly aiming for the simple, punchy style of the aforementioned Bernard Cornwell, but comes across as awkward, bland and bizarrely overblown. The characters' archness has grown so high they've successfully circumvented physics to achieve complete flatness in the ninth degree, which isn't helped by the fact that we are told absolutely anything and everything about what they're wearing, doing, thinking, or sniffing. Anyone who ever doubted the validity of the "show, don't tell" rule needs only to read this book to see how devastatingly boring, stilted and clumsy writing becomes when it is ignored.

The pace, admittedly, is not awful, but the author has decided that every single one of his precious new characters must have a perspective, and thus the story jumps madly between them, in the middle of chapters, with no rhyme or reason behind it. Completely pointless descriptions of characters getting dressed, walking down corridors and eating breakfast get whole paragraphs to themselves - though the terrible paragraphing may be more the fault of the editor of this particular edition than of the author - while the occasional fight scene is muddied and confused by the poor writing. Subsequently, there are no stakes, no logic, and, sadly, not much of anything else either.

I may yet eat my words and go back to read the first book in this series. The setup and concept are so preposterous, so utterly bonkers, that I may overcome my distaste for the writing just to amuse myself with the hypotheticals. Sadly, I think those hypotheticals are the only thing I will be recommending.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A peu près les mêmes remarques que pour le premier tome, un thème agréable mais un rythme de lecture trop saccadé.
Dès le début du livre de nouveaux personnages arrivent, tels que l’Italienne et les Dracs noirs mais ceux-ci contrairement aux personnages dans le premier tome, ne nous sont pas présentés et on se perd un peu dans l’action. Mais c’est sans parler de ceux que l’on découvre par la suite, au bout du compte, ça fait beaucoup.
Après beaucoup de personnages, il y a toujours beaucoup de description qui ne sont pas toujours utiles. Pour exemple, à chaque différente scène on sait comment sont habillés les intervenants et ce sont des détails, on se doute qu’ils portent un pourpoint et une rapière.
L’action principale met trop de temps à s’installer. Arrivée à la moitié du livre, il ne s’était pas encore passé grand-chose. Tout comme le premier tome, ce sont les dernières 100 pages qui deviennent intéressantes.
Malgré cela, un thème intéressant, un complot prenant, on a envie d’en savoir plus. Le côté fantasy qui se glisse par ci par là dans la récit est vraiment agréable et j’avoue avoir craqué pour les dragonnets jumeaux!
L’équipe des Lames avec ses membres qui cachent chacun leur secret est tout aussi intéressante et donne bien envie de lire le tome suivant pour en savoir encore plus…

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although written in virtually an identical style, I liked this book better than it's predecessor, "The Cardinal's Blades".

It still has the short, choppy "scenes" (chapters), but since at least half the characters are continuing, there is less disruption of the story as new ones are introduced. Like the first book it also resolves one major plot turn, but creates another and ends with the classic "cliff-hanger" of movie serials from the 30s and 40s. Effective if you are trying to build interest in your next installment.

On the positive side it's an interesting and imaginative tale of 17th Century France. This volume contains a few glimpses into the monarchy of Louis XIII as well as welcome depictions of Paris and various places and institutions. If you enjoy historical fantasy and plan on reading all of the books, then this is a better-than-average series.

[Adam Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

France, 1633. A secretive female agent, known as La Donna, is wanted for crimes across Europe. When she stumbles across a draconic conspiracy aimed at the French throne, she asks for a pardon from Cardinal Richelieu in return for the disclosure of her intelligence. Whilst Richelieu's agents and La Donna engage in a verbal battle of wills, the Cardinal's Blades are assigned to uncovering the extent and nature of the conspiracy before it can be set into motion, only to learn that the formidable Black Claw agent known as 'The Alchemist' is involved.

The opening novel in the Cardinal's Blades series was a fun, swashbuckling adventure which combined elements of Dumas with dragons to great effect. This second novel is a somewhat different beast. The first book seemed to establish a potential formula, with the Cardinal's Blades being made aware of a threat and moving to counter it, a formula which could generate quite a few novels before feeling tired. Interestingly, the second novel ups the ante and moves events onto a larger and more apocalyptic scale before ending on a cruel cliffhanger just as the plot starts to really get going. The result is a book which is, at least compared to its predecessor, somewhat disappointing for much of its length and then abruptly ends just as it catches fire.

Part of the problem is that the book lacks the clear structure of the first one. In the first novel the Blades were gradually re-recruited by Captain La Fargue, assembled and then unleashed against a formidable enemy. In this volume the Blades seem to be more at the whims of fate and luck than working effectively as a team (the book sees the Blades off on their own missions for much of its length, with a corresponding lack of the banter and camaraderie of the first novel). Some character arcs are continued from the first novel, although bafflingly the major cliffhanger of the first book is only briefly referred to and then dismissed, which makes me wonder why it was included in the first place. Held back until later, it would have been more powerful and effective. Characterisation is also uneven, with Leprat, Laincourt and Saint-Lucq being satisfyingly developed whilst Marciac simply doesn't have much to do. The character of La Donna is introduced, becomes fascinating, and then vacates the storyline with little forewarning, with even her much-referred-to verbal fencing skills being reported rather than shown directly, which is a disappointment.

This lack of depth is frustrating, given the evident skill Pevel has in other areas. 17th Century Paris is again vividly described and Pevel has some skill depicting political intrigue, whilst there are more swashbuckling swordfights, rooftop chases (amusingly slightly subverted here) and dastardly carriage escapes by moonlight, all mightily enjoyable, but generally they arrive fairly late in the day after many pages of fairly workmanlike plotting. The Alchemist in the Shadows simply lacks the je'nai sais quoi that made the first volume so much fun, only showing signs of its predecessor's verve and energy towards the (well-realised) conclusion and the cruel cliffhanger.

The Alchemist in the Shadows (***) is available now in the UK.

[FeyGirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

En Lorraine, une Sœur et des Gardes de Saint-Georges traquent l’Alchimiste, qui s’échappe en se transformant en dragon. La Sœur a alors une vision de la destruction de la France…

Nous retrouvons avec bonheur les Lames du Cardinal, ces épéistes hors pair au service de Richelieu et de la France. Chacun d’entre eux a son caractère bien trempé, voire un brin caricatural, mais on ressent le plaisir de l’auteur à les mettre en scène dans une ambiance prononcée de roman de cape et d’épée. Les Lames cherchent à déjouer des complots, tout en sachant que leur patron — Richelieu lui-même — ne leur dévoile pas tout et peut les abandonner si la raison d’État l’exige, ce qu’il a déjà fait par le passé.

Dans ce second volet entrent en scène de nouveaux personnages, notamment l’Alchimiste des Ombres, ce redoutable agent des loges draconiques dont les Lames gardent un souvenir cuisant. Plusieurs intrigues s’entremêlent dont les fils sont tirés par les nombreux ennemis du royaume. En trame de fond, un complot visant le trône de France ourdi par la Griffe Noire.

Ce tome conserve le rythme enlevé de la saga, avec ses multiples rebondissements et ses secrets enfouis, ses manigances et ses doubles jeux. On peut regretter parfois un excès de deus ex machina, mais c’est pardonnable tant la lecture est agréable.

Un roman qui offre un bon moment de détente, même si je commence à être étonnée que la saga soit considérée comme une référence en Fantasy française, car je trouve qu’il manque un « petit quelque chose » qui rendrait l’histoire marquante, et que le tome 2 ne renouvelle pas beaucoup le tome 1. Je vais lire le dernier volet pour me faire un jugement final.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also published under The Ranting Dragon

The Alchemist in the Shadows is the second book in The Cardinal’s Blades trilogy by French author Pierre Pével. We return to Pével’s vibrant 17th century Paris where magic, though rare, certainly exists, and the presence of dragons in one form or another is considered commonplace. Originally written in Pével’s native French, the English edition of The Alchemist in the Shadows is once again translated by Tom Clegg, the man responsible for its predecessor The Cardinal’s Blades.

Chronologically, the events of The Alchemist in the Shadows take place soon after those of the previous book. The Blades may have foiled the Black Claw’s original plan but the insidious sect has many more tricks up its collective sleeve. A beautiful and notorious Italian spy known as La Donna contacts Captain la Fargue offering valuable information in exchange for amnesty and Cardinal Richelieu’s protection. The Cardinal is not known for his leniency, but La Donna’s knowledge may be of such vital importance to the security of France that he has no choice. The Blades must be called upon once again to defend their country, and this time their adversary is none other than the elusive and deadly, the almost legendary, Black Claw operative: the Alchemist in the Shadows.

An engaging setting
While The Cardinal’s Blades introduced us to Pével’s intriguing take on 1633 Paris, in The Alchemist in the Shadows he has taken his world building to the next level. We learn more about the governance and society of historical France as well as the religious bodies and secret organizations that operate behind the scenes. There is also much more direct involvement by various types of dragons than in the previous novel and although there are so many featuring in the plot, all appear completely at home in Pével’s otherwise historically accurate Paris. From the little dragonets kept as pets and spies to the crude mercenary drakes, all not only add to the ambiance of the novel but also play important roles. Thus, The Alchemist in the Shadows carefully avoids the common alternative history trap of feeling too much like a history lesson with a fantasy element or two tacked on as an afterthought.

Enhanced characterization
The Blades are back and this time around we finally start seeing some real character development. While The Cardinal’s Blades hinted that there was more to each of Pével’s characters than met the eye, The Alchemist in the Shadows has them evolve from a somewhat clichéd archetypes into fully realized individuals. The backgrounds of certain characters are explored, making them more relatable and often revealing surprising revelations about their pasts. Additionally, other familiar faces from The Cardinal’s Blades return to gain further prominence in this novel. For example, fans of the former spy Arnaud de Laincourt will be well pleased by his role. We are also introduced to fascinating new secondary characters with their own well defined and distinctive personalities. While the usually unscrupulous lady spy La Donna may reveal a soft spot for her mentor and pets, Leprat makes a friend behind enemy lines who may or may not turn out to be a decent sort. The main antagonist, The Alchemist, remains a mysterious, foreboding presence for most of the book, waiting for the optimum moment to unleash the full extent of his horrifying power. Personally, I found this made him a much more threatening character than the comparatively transparent Countess from The Cardinal’s Blades.

This series is defined by action, and in many cases throughout the novel, actions speak louder than words when it comes to characterization. We learn who among the characters will spare a surrendered foe and who will simply slit their throat. That’s not to say there’s anything lacking in the dialogue, however. In fact, the same characteristic flair and sharp wit that permeated the first book is equally, if not more, present in this one.

Action-packed extravaganza
The Alchemist in the Shadows hurtles along at an even faster pace than The Cardinal’s Blades while embodying a heightened sense of drama and urgency. It achieves this while also containing more of the swashbuckling action and flamboyant play-by-play rapier duels that made the original so much fun. Once again, the story leaps between many different viewpoints with each of the Blades and other characters fulfilling their own separate roles and missions. These simultaneous narratives, along with the aforementioned lightning pace, do not make for a relaxing read as you will need your wits about you to keep up with the story. They do, however, make for an exciting one that will keep your pulse racing.

Many questions, few answers
Once again, Pével ends his story on a cliffhanger, one that is perhaps even more dramatic than that which concluded The Cardinal’s Blades. Furthermore, the revelation from the previous book is referred to briefly although its exact meaning and possible consequences remain elusive. We do learn a little about La Fargue’s secret although it serves mainly as a teaser to build intrigue for what I expect will be a big part of the third book, The Dragon Arcana (to be released in November 2011 in the UK).

The last few aspects of the book I should probably mention are mainly technical. Tom Clegg’s translation once again seems quite decent, providing a flowing English translation while maintaining the decidedly French feel of the book. In addition, the map of Paris provided in the front of the novel is less detailed but much more user friendly than that in The Cardinal’s Blades.

Why should you read this book?
All in all, The Alchemist in the Shadows surpasses its predecessor in many ways and if you enjoyed The Cardinal’s Blades you would be well advised to give this book a try. The cliffhangers and teasers may provide a challenge for the impatient, who may prefer to wait until the release of The Dragon Arcana before consuming these relatively short (around 350 page), yet extremely enjoyable, installments one after the other. The series is a must for those who enjoy their fantasy with a sharp wit and a break neck pace. This engrossing sequel is definitely hard to resist with its combination of action, dark magic, intrigue, a touch of humor and bloodshed all set in the decadent splendor of 17th century Paris.

[Justine B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Je n’ai pas encore trouvé le livre de Pierre Pevel qui me décevrait. L’intrigue de ce milieu de série est un peu plus lente qu’à l’habitude mais le véritable talent de Pierre Pevel n’est pas dans l'histoire. Pierre Pevel manie l'atmosphère à merveille. L'Alchimiste des ombres, tout comme Les Lames du Cardinal ou n’importe laquelle des oeuvres du Le Paris des Merveilles, transporte le lecteur dans une autre époque. L’image est tellement vive que l’on se croirait en 1633 en train de déambuler dans Paris au côté des Lames. Un voyage fantastique et tellement riche en histoire et en petites anecdotes de la vie Parisienne, Française et Lorraine de l’époque.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I thoroughly liked the setting, 1600s France, and the historical fiction feel with the addition of dragons. I didn't realize that this was the second book in a series, but found no trouble following the characters or the plot. The plot, admittedly, took a while to really pick up steam, and I found the addition of La Donna as a character fairly...unnecessary? (Maybe she plays a greater role in the other books, I don't know.) But what made this a more mediocre than good book for me is either due to the author himself or the translator. Since I can't read French, I don't know if Pevel is more creative with his grammar and the translator didn't catch it, or if he's just a bit stiff when he writes. Far too much of the book was "subject, verb, object" or had an awkward flow. And the word "ravishing" was used to describe women far too often.

So, not terrible, not fabulous, I probably won't read any of the others.

[Une Petite Marmotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encore une super expérience ! J'ai trouvé le tome 2 meilleur que le premier, un peu moins alambiqué avec une meilleure gestion du rythme. Je commence à beaucoup m'attacher aux personnages, même si je regrette un peu que l'on ait peu de moment où on apprend réellement à les connaîtres (on en sait finalement très peu sur chacun⋅e... même si je comprends que ce soit avant tout un roman d'aventure). Je dois maintenant faire face à un dilemne : lire le troisième pour connaître la suite, ou laisser durer le plaisir.

[Brian Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alternate Europe, where dragons and magic are real, the Cardinals Blades look to uncover a plot against the throne.

Excellent swashbuckling adventure as plots within plots unfold and the Blades take on different organisations that may be involved in the mysterious plot.

The fantasy/magical part of the background is not overpowering and never gets in the way when a good swordfight across 17th century Paris will move the story along.

[stasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

l’intrigue est très linéaire et plate ainsi que pas vraiment palpitante… on dirait surtout un tome de transition pour introduire des personnages nécessaires au tome 3
a la fin le rythme s’accélère un peu donc c’est quand même mieux mais rien de fou

et il n’y a eu qu’une mention pour chacune des révélations concernant Marciac et La Fargue, ça n’a pas été traité du tout ??

un tome en deçà mais la fin promet un t3 au niveau du t1 !

[Ivan Bogdanov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Докато първата книга беше лек и забавен фентъзи римейк на Тримата мускетари, явно след търговския успех авторът е решил да пише по-сериозно. Резултатът не се е получил - светът се усложнява много, вкарват се много нови причини, животни и герои.
Накрая не се получава нищо - един олтар остава... неясен.

[Macqueron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toujours autant de talent dans les scènes d’action et une intrigue un peu emberlificotée mais qu’on suit avec amusement. En revanche le style n’y est pas: on croit lire un descriptif de film, mais on a ici un livre et on veut un minimum de littérature.

[Yasryl (Amélia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un tome plus sombre, que j'ai trouvé un chouia moins prenant, avec une intrigue plus plate qui ne s'accélère qu'en fin de roman. Cependant cela reste une très bonne saga tout de même avec un univers riche et une sacrée floppée de personnages.

[Misa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 étoiles.
J'ai adoré car c'est encore mieux que le premier tome. Mon dieu que d'intrigues, on ne s'ennuie pas avec Mr.Pevel et ses lames. J'ai un peu peur du troisième tome car je me suis attachée à ce group de personnages.

[Pauline (Kiriiti's Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bref, ce deuxième tome de la saga « Les Lames du Cardinal » est quelque peu décevant. J’aime toujours autant suivre les personnages, notamment Leprat, Saint-Lucq, Laincourt et La Fargue mais je regrette que l’intrigue mette tant de temp à décoller. Il faut attendre plus de la moitié du roman pour qu’on apprenne qui est derrière le complot qui menace la France et où aura lieu la prochaine « attaque ». C’est beaucoup trop long ! Heureusement, la fin relève le niveau et me permet de ne pas finir fâcher avec ce tome. Bien au contraire, je n’ai qu’une hâte désormais, lire le troisième et dernier tome.

[thetostedso · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un deuxième tome dans la même ligne que le premier, dont l’action démarre plus tôt que dans le tome précédent, ce qui est très bienvenu. Un roman d’aventure très divertissant, mais qui manque de caractérisation de ses personnages, surtout féminins.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Maïlis M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 round up to 4 because that serie is a lot of fun!

[yves paquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cote 3.6