The Alchemist in the Shadows
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Those who haven't read The Cardinal's Blades (2010) may not completely understand all that happens in this, its successor, provocatively and compellingly set in Europe in 1633, primarily in Paris. Pevel's descriptions of the city, the surrounding countryside, and the politics of an exciting time prove fascinating and generally ring with historical accuracy. Into this turbulent era of musketeers and Cardinal Richelieu, which automatically earns reader interest, Pevel has thrown dragons, half-breeds, and wyverns-dragons that can shape-shift to look like humans if necessary, though they prefer to work through their minions, the dracs. The characters often seem flat, and some seem stereotypical, including the woman at the mercy of a man's world, the half-breed who doesn't fit in, and the lecherous male. Nevertheless, alternative history is popular, increasingly so, and this example set is creative enough to be well received by series fans. Gerber, Rebecca.
Series
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3 primary books#2 in Les Lames du Cardinal
Les Lames du Cardinal is a 3-book series with 3 released primary works first released in 2007 with contributions by Pierre Pevel.
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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 in the streets of Paris and the French countryside alongside the musketeers, that is - Pevel succeeds.
There is a flavor to this novel that is very reminiscent of nineteenth century adventure
novels, doused liberally with fantasy elements. This novel isn't without its difficulties, though. As a sequel, it stumbles a little. Certain revelations from the first book are largely ignored in this sequel, a flaw that only can be overlooked thanks to stronger writing on Pevel's part. The reader has to be prepared to do a little bit of work as Pevel traces a path through Paris street by street in what can be a confusing list of streets. Pevel, like Dumas (but sometimes without the same grace), suffers the crime of random information dumps, which mire this story in unnecessary complexity at times. Too much information, especially when revealed in a story utilizing the third person omniscience of the all knowing, all seeing, all explaining author, lends a detachment to the reader that makes it difficult to invest fully in the characters.
“The Alchemist in the Shadows” is a good read, but you may have to
work for it a little bit. .
