The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet

I probably don't need to admit this here, but I never finished DON QUIXOTE. I started it in high school, I think. I had a tattered paperback copy that I salvaged from the wreck of my grandfather's library. If I remember correctly, it was a scholarly translation with lots of footnotes that would have made sense if I knew anything about the Spanish language in the medieval period. And that may have been why I never finished. It wasn't because I didn't love Don Quixote or Sancho Panza (I did), and it wasn't because I didn't enjoy their adventures (I think I did at the time). It was more that the richness of the language and the depth of the references were well beyond me --- the weakness was not in Cervantes but in my inability to perceive his genius. I mention all this because THE CAVALIER IN THE YELLOW DOUBLET comes from the same literary tradition, and Cervantes himself appears (albeit offstage) as a minor character. It is the fifth book to feature Captain Alatriste, a 17th-century Spanish rogue in an era when roguery was as common as japery is today. Alatriste carries a sword and uses it well enough to stay alive in trying circumstances. Unlike Cervantes's Quixote in his self-titled tale, the Captain is no idealistic madman, and the trouble that he gets in is not generated from his own imaginings. But the story is told in much the same manner, complete with the same poetic flourishes and baroque trappings. And this is by no means a bad thing. Arturo Perez-Reverte does masterful work here in recreating Madrid in the fading hours of the Spanish Golden Age, and he populates his work with such memorable characters as Alatriste's love-struck squire (who doubles as narrator), a flattering court poet, scheming hidalgos, and an Italian desperado who serves as Alatriste's nemesis. The plotting is deft and intricate where it has to be, and the action scenes are as sharp and intricate as the Captain's sword. But when the swashbuckling is over and the swords (often red with the blood of an unlucky opponent) are sheathed, Perez-Reverte returns, over and again, to a more poetic form. And when he does --- well, one wouldn't want it said of oneself, mind you, but one can imagine a typical sort of modern American reader, one not enamored of classical Spanish poetry, who might be tempted to say something such as "Oh, for the love of El Cid, what's with all the poetry?" (This subset of readers may include those who have read and enjoyed THE QUEEN OF THE SOUTH, in which Perez-Reverte writes about the thoroughly modern topic of Mexican drug cartels and features the more contemporary poetry of the narcocorridos, the folk songs of the drug runners.) To such a reader (which is to say to most readers), I can only counsel the virtues of patience and persistence. THE CAVALIER IN THE YELLOW DOUBLET may read like Cervantes, but Perez-Reverte's heroes are far closer to Dumas and Hope in spirit. The sword fighting is frequent, and coupled with hearty portions of romance

The only problem with the Captain Alatriste series is I end up gobbling up each new installment in two or three days and then have to wait another year and a half for the next to come. Now that I've plowed through the thoroughly exciting Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet, I might as well get started on learning Spanish to save myself the wait.

I love this book it transport me through the time and it is like to pick in to the lives of my favorites writers.

La quinta entrega de las aventuras del Capitan Alatriste y I?igo de Balbo regresa con un toque de aventuras, teatro, arte, comedias, conspiraciones para derrocar a la corona Espa?ola y muchos buenos duelos, si nos has leido las otras aventuras puede que te pierdas un poco pero realmente no es necesario ya que cada novela es muy diferente a la anterior, los a?os no pasan por el Capitan Alatriste pero si por I?igo de Balboa el fiel ayudante del Capitan.I?igo nos cuenta como se trama una conspiracion contra el Rey de Espa?a por los corrales de comedias en la Madrid del Siglo XVII, muy interesante el repaso por los mejores y famosos Maestros del Teatro, Lope de Vega y Calder?n de la Barca, el retrato de la Espa?a de Felipe IV es impresionate, esta es una de las mejores Novelas historicas que he podido leer, entraras en un mundo casi olvidado por los Espa?oles y muy poco conocido en America Latina, la corrupcion y desgracia del Imperio Espa?ol es muy bien relatada ya lo dice el mismo autor que nos deja con un mal sabor en la boca "que buen vasallo ser?amos si tuvi?ramos buen se?or". La coleccion de Las aventuras del capit?n Alatriste no presentan al Imperio Espa?ol desde una nueva vision en la primera novela, "El Capitan Alatriste"(1997)nos encontramos en la trama politica y las delicadas relaciones con Inglaterra,los aspectos religiosos y la influencia de la ya muy conocida Inquisicion son muy bien abordados en la segunda entrega "Limpieza de sangre"(1998)la realidad de la guerra y el problema de Flandes o las guerras de la religiones del siglo XVII son muy bien relatadas en el "Sol de Breda"(1999),la importancia de las Americas o las Indias para los Espa?oles se reflejan en la cuarta entrega "El oro del rey"(2000)ademas de los aspectos Economicos.Ya vamos por la quinta entrega pero esto no debe detener aquellos que desean leer las otras parte o solo han leido una de ellas, todas se pueden leer solas. muy recomendada

Recomendado solo si has leido los cuatro libros previos. Pienso que puede ser repetitivo algunas veces pero si Diego Alatriste tambien te ha despertado la imaginacion encontraras en este libro una secuela que no te decepcionara. No queda sino batirnos por el capitan!