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The Fencing Master (1988)

by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

Other authors: See the other authors section.

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingConversations / Mentions
6,2031581,557 (3.71)1 / 286
A provocative literary thriller that playfully pays tribute to classic tales of mystery and adventure   Lucas Corso is a book detective, a middle-aged mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. When a well-known bibliophile is found dead, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas'sThe Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. He is soon drawn into a swirling plot involving devil worship, occult practices, and swashbuckling derring-do among a cast of characters bearing a suspicious resemblance to those of Dumas's masterpiece. Aided by a mysterious beauty named for a Conan Doyle heroine, Corso travels from Madrid to Toledo to Paris on the killer's trail in this twisty intellectual romp through the book world.… (more)
  1. 211
    Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco (P_S_Patrick, stephaniefeldman, Sensei-CRS)
    P_S_Patrick: These books have a fair bit in common. They are both intense and thrilling mysteries, involving the occult, conspiracies, books, murders, and are both set mainly in Europe. What The Club Dumas does, Foucalt's Pendulum does better, but that is just my opinion. I have known people give up on reading Foucalt's Pendulum because of its length, its abundance of complicated detail, and its demands on the readers concentration, but any serious reader who enjoyed the Club Dumas should enjoy this more. Anyone who enjoyed Eco's story, likewise, should enjoy the other book, but don't expect it to be quite as good, though I don't think there is a surplus of work in this genre that can compare, with this being more or less the next best thing that I have read.… (more)
  2. 102
    The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (jhedlund, phoenix7g)
    phoenix7g: Mystery and books.
  3. 52
    The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón (phoenix7g)
  4. 30
    Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J. Farmer (Jannes)
    Jannes: A crime novel set among Londons book-dealers and collectors. Also deals with the occult.
  5. 10
    White Chappell, Scarlet Tracings by Iain Sinclair (Jannes)
    Jannes: More book-hunting with supernatural overtones.
  6. 21
    Drood by Dan Simmons (caittilynn)
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Group TopicMessagesLast Message 
 Fine Press Forum: Club Dumas by Centipede press85 unread / 85Libri_mea_vita_sunt, November 2023

» See also 286 mentions

English (131)  Spanish (12)  Italian (5)  French (5)  Dutch (2)  Greek (1)  German (1)  Catalan (1)  All languages (158)
Showing 1-5 of 131 (next | show all)
I truly like this book on several levels.

First - Same as in Six Days of Condor protagonist, I find the Lucas Corso's occupation to be something beautiful. While I never searched for this level of rare books, I fully understand how "hunt" for the book can wholly occupy the person. Joy of research, tracking various volumes and releases, and finally obtaining one of them is something that can only be experienced not told about. Author understands this and it is pure joy reading how books are investigated, linked to the other works, cross referenced ..... beautiful. It is path of acquiring knowledge, truly powerful one.

Second - Author successfully manages to intertwine two separate stories, at first not linked but later we become aware that there are links. One part is related to long lost Dumas manuscript that could uncover some not so flattering facts about Dumas as a writer. This leads to rather human twist, exaggerated by all people involved due to what you might call professional deformation - mixing the various story lines read during their career with reality, which causes imagination to run rampant and create .... lets say phobias and deadly situations. Second story is more ..... sinister. It is story of a rare volume written by Dutch publisher [for which Inquisition burned him on the stake] that can enable a person to communicate and summon the dark unholy forces. Here Corso and company thread the path that brings them in touch with people with shadowy past (Unger here the most), contacts dying horrendous deaths while also having something lurking at the edge, something powerful and terrifying. Both stories are so fast paced, so beautifully presented that you cannot but keep on reading.

Third - Endings. This is part where most reviewers feel they were played. I do not. First, entire story is more about the journey than the destination, and journey in this book is wonderful. Ending is in line what one might expect. First story, caused by human element has a very human ending. Convoluted [and to me rather silly]? Sure, but that's people - very rarely people do not complicate things and more than not actions seem silly. Second story on the other hand is darker and linked to forces that are invisible but horrifying and terrible. Now we have to understand that Lucas Corso is not stupid and not a man willing to sacrifice himself for nebulous reasons. He is aware that what Borja tries to do is dangerous, he feels it. And what does he do - he asks for money and when he sees that might not be possible he decides not to linger around. He tries to survive. This taken into account, ending of second story-line was no surprise for me. As a matter of fact I am not sure what more could be expected from Corso? He managed to survive with one piece of the puzzle firmly next to him - right? Goal achieved.

Characters are given in very detailed way. I truly enjoyed their conversations and flow of thought. One of the best (comic relief of sorts) is Corso's friend from Harpooner's Club, especially at the end. Corso himself is a loner, well versed in lore of old books, and knowledge how to obtain them. But he is a loner, unable to establish personal contact with other people and this isolation has effects - he starts to let his imagination affect his actions. It is not that he is crazy, no. It is just that his imagination runs uncontrolled and because of this he sees some patterns which does not help his paranoia and anxiety (attempts on his life notwithstanding).

Every character is fully fleshed out and has its place in the story.

Author writes wonderfully, and manages to glue you to the book and just wont let you go until the very end.

Great book, highly recommended. ( )
  Zare | Jan 23, 2024 |
I probably should have read this book at the age of thirteen.

Don’t get me wrong, I love literary mysteries and was looking forward to a fun read with lots of references to “The Three Musketeers”. It wasn’t exactly what I got.

Redeeming points:
- All the Dumas references
- Book geeks talking about books

But I had problems with:

- Cardboard characters.
- While playing with clichés of the genre, the book itself became a cliché.
- Predictable plot.
- Complete absence of irony. I think irony is essential in this kind of book ;-)
- Two (!) ridiculous endings.
- I choked on the sexism. Often.

I think re-reading “The Three Musketeers” for the 200th time would have been a better use of my time. ( )
  Alexandra_book_life | Dec 15, 2023 |
El club Dumas
Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Publicado: 1993 | 308 páginas
Novela Intriga Policial

¿Puede un libro ser investigado policialmente como si de un crimen se tratara, utilizando como pistas sus páginas, papel, grabados y marcas de impresión, en un apasionante recorrido de tres siglos? Lucas Corso, mercenario de la bibliofilia, cazador de libros por cuenta ajena, debe encontrar respuesta a esa pregunta cuando recibe un doble encargo de sus clientes: autentificar un manuscrito de Los tres mosqueteros y descifrar el enigma de un extraño libro, quemado en 1667 con el hombre que lo imprimió. La indagación arrastra a Corso —y con él, irremediablemente al lector— a una peligrosa búsqueda que lo llevará de los archivos del Santo Oficio a los libros condenados, de las polvorientas librerías de viejo a las más selectas bibliotecas de los coleccionistas internacionales. Construida con excepcional talento narrativo, El Club Dumas sitúa pieza a pieza una trama excitante, minuciosa y compleja, donde se dan cita los ingredientes de la novela clásica por entregas, los relatos policiacos y de misterio, los juegos de adivinación y las técnicas del folletín de aventuras.
  libreriarofer | Sep 30, 2023 |
On the plus side of The Club Dumas, I learned a lot about The Three Musketeers author Alexandre Dumas. And the plot of the novel itself was suspenseful, if a bit complicated. But on the negative side there was a character in the novel, Irene Adler who just showed up and started following around the main character. When he would ask her why she was following him around she would respond I'm here to look after you. Like I said earlier the plot of the story was complicated and while the author summed up things pretty well at the end, a satisfactory reason for why she was following him around was never provided. ( )
  kevinkevbo | Jul 14, 2023 |
2.1
  BegoMano | Mar 5, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 131 (next | show all)
"Spain's bestselling novelist follows three polished and erudite thrillers (The Flanders Panel; The Club Dumas; The Seville Communion) with a fourth that combines the classic art of fencing, 19th-century Spanish monarchical politics and the eternal lure of the femme fatale."
added by bookfitz | editPublishers Weekly (May 31, 1999)
 
"Not quite equal to Perez-Reverte’s very best, though it succeeds admirably both as a vivid picture of an unfamiliar culture and as high, sophisticated entertainment."
added by bookfitz | editKirkus Reviews (Apr 1, 1999)
 
Junak romana, Lukas Korso, je vrstan poznavalac retkih rukopisa i antikvitetnih knjiga. Kad je poznati izdavač i bibliofil pronađen mrtav u svom kabinetu, ispostavlja se da je posedovao rukopis 42. poglavlja Diminog romana Tri musketara. Korso je angažovan da potvrdi autentičnost rukopisa, ali istovremeno za drugog klijenta mora da utvrdi koji je od tri postojeća primerka okultnog priručnika Knjiga o devet vrata u kraljevstvo senki pravi. Neko, međutim, po obrascu književne zbilje otežava Korsovo istraživanje, roman se raslojava na nekoliko nivoa, a glavni junak i čitalac lutaju između dve knjige i tri zapleta, nekoliko ubistava i ljubavnih veza, da bi tek čudno društvo Kluba Dima dovelo do razrešenja.
added by Sensei-CRS | editknjigainfo.com
 
Junak romana, Lukas Korso, je vrstan poznavalac retkih rukopisa i antikvitetnih knjiga. Kad je poznati izdavač i bibliofil pronađen mrtav u svom kabinetu, ispostavlja se da je posedovao rukopis 42. poglavlja Diminog romana Tri musketara. Korso je angažovan da potvrdi autentičnost rukopisa, ali istovremeno za drugog klijenta mora da utvrdi koji je od tri postojeća primerka okultnog priručnika Knjiga o devet vrata u kraljevstvo senki pravi. Neko, međutim, po obrascu književne zbilje otežava Korsovo istraživanje, roman se raslojava na nekoliko nivoa, a glavni junak i čitalac lutaju između dve knjige i tri zapleta, nekoliko ubistava i ljubavnih veza, da bi tek čudno društvo Kluba Dima dovelo do razrešenja.
added by Sensei-CRS | editknjigainfo.com
 
Un roman délectable qui se situe entre Le Nom de la Rose, les jeux de rôles et Agatha Christie.
added by Ariane65 | editL'Express
 

» Add other authors (22 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Pérez-Reverte, Arturoprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Carmignani, IlideTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kallio, KatjaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Soto, SoniaTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
I am the most courteous man in the world. I pride myself on never having once been rude, in this land full of the most unutterable scoundrels, who will come and sit down next to you their woes and even declaim their poetry to you.
-Heinrich Heine, Reisebilder
Dedication
For Carlota. And for the Knight of the Yellow Doublet.
First words
The flash projected the outline of the hanged man onto the wall.
Quotations
"Like any intelligent being, the devil likes games, riddles. Obstacle courses where the weak and incapable fall by the wayside and only superior spirits -- the initiates -- win." [Baroness Frieda Ungern, 231]
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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A provocative literary thriller that playfully pays tribute to classic tales of mystery and adventure   Lucas Corso is a book detective, a middle-aged mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. When a well-known bibliophile is found dead, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas'sThe Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. He is soon drawn into a swirling plot involving devil worship, occult practices, and swashbuckling derring-do among a cast of characters bearing a suspicious resemblance to those of Dumas's masterpiece. Aided by a mysterious beauty named for a Conan Doyle heroine, Corso travels from Madrid to Toledo to Paris on the killer's trail in this twisty intellectual romp through the book world.

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Lucas Corso, middle-aged, tired, and cynical, is a book detective, a mercenary hired to hunt down rare editions for wealthy and unscrupulous clients. When a well-known bibliophile is found hanged, leaving behind part of the original manuscript of Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers, Corso is brought in to authenticate the fragment. Part mystery, part puzzle, part witty intertextual game.

AR 5.0, 17 Pts
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