As is often the case the case with Fantasy series the second novel is usually easier to follow than the first because once you are familiar with the characters and the rules of the new world your brain doesn't have to think too much about it enabling you to enjoy the story better. That applies to this book which was much more enjoyable than the first one "The Cardnal's Blades." Also The research that I did into the life of Molere acustomed me to the period.A plot is rumored that there is a threa...

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

Firstly, I'm not keen on the Chatelaines, their inclusion in this book was a little abrupt, since there wasn't much talk of them in the first one. Secondly, the overall plot seems a bit weak. I love intrigue, but I think the intrigue here fell flat at the end. I even feel bad saying that, because I did like reading this.But the reason I liked it wasn't because of the major plot, it was more for the subplots and for the characters themselves. I definitely believe that creating and utilizing good

This review was completed by Michael Cummings, staff review with the YA Fantasy Guide.Pevel returns to seventeenth century France in this second novel of the Cardinal's Blades. A new threat rises to threaten the future of France. La Donna, an Italian spy known for her subterfuge and intrigue and, of course, inescapable and beguiling beauty, possesses information of a plot against the King and is willing to share it, for a price. As a French adventure story that is supposed to remind us of Dumas

I read a pre-production proof of this book and I must say I think it's a great new idea for a fantasy book. Set in the time of the three musketeer's but with added dragons and alchemy. Quite dark in places, beautifully written, so much so that you can really imagine the dank, dingy sewage infested streets of 17th century Paris. Infact, it's so well detailed, and described, down to street names, that you could almost use it as a guide for 21st century Paris too! And now in the time honoured fashi...

Book Two of a series by Pierre Pevel (http://marcusgipps.livejournal.com/64...), and the first one won a Gemmell 'debut' award a couple of weeks ago, so there's obviously something going on here. A mash-up of Dumas and dragons, the first one was a very fun read, but suffered a little from the need to set everything up and trigger a bunch of plots, some of which were resolved in the first book, a lot of which weren't. It was a lot of fun, though, and the translation seemed to flow nicely. I would...

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.

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 Bl...

Pevel returns to seventeenth century France in this second novel of the Cardinal's Blades. A new threat rises to threaten the future of France. La Donna, an Italian spy known for her subterfuge and intrigue and, of course, inescapable and beguiling beauty, possesses information of a plot against the King and is willing to share it, for a price. As a French adventure story that is supposed to remind us of Dumas - if Alexandre had had a penchant for dragons, dragonnettes, and dracs running rampant...

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,

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 combina...

3.5 stars, I rounded up.I love alternate history and I love anything to do with the Three Musketeers/swashbuckline (what IS that anyway?) and the like so I was predestined to enjoy this story.The only real drawback was that there were too many characters to follow for such a short story and too many of them with similar names and while nobody can accuse me of be a detail oriented reader, I do like to be able to tell who's brain I'm riding at any given time.Also, and this could have been a casual...

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 goo...

Not as strong as the first book. Too many sub plots and minor characters get introduced but never go anywhere or get extremely short shrift, so theres never any sense of tension with anything involving them. The main characters seem to have character developed backwards, and are shallower ad less layered than in the Cardinals Blades too. Still a fun adventure read, (Plots! Schemes! Treachery! Swordfights! Rooftop chases!) but feels rather distant and unengaging in terms of plot and character.

There’s really nothing serious to think about in Pierre Pevel’s “The Cardinal’s Blades” (Pyr, $11.99, 307 pages) and “The Alchemist in the Shadows” (Pyr, $11.99, 286 pages) except the convoluted plots, which involve Cardinal Richelieu, spies, intrigue and romance. And of course, how much fun it is for readers of a certain age to enjoy a book with the traditional characters: the shadowy grise eminence, the noble hero, the rogue with a heart of gold, the fencing master, and so on down the line.Pev...

Also published under The Ranting DragonThe 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...

Paris 1633, fully realized from the raw sewage drying on the city streets to the court of Louis XIII with all of its excesses and intrigue – to the dragons enthroned in Spain who plot to overthrow all of Europe.Yes, dragons. Fire-breathing, flying, shape-shifting and very, very intelligent dragons.And it works!I was completely entranced by Pierre Pevel’s The Alchemist in the Shadows. The story follows The Cardinal’s Blades, a 17th century SEAL Team 6, as they unravel a plot against the throne th...

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 Th...