Rating: 
Summary: Unique twist on the murder mystery genre
Review: As a passionate bibliophile, I found "The Club Dumas" highly entertaining and surprisingly educational. Perez-Reverte takes the reader to many exciting locations throughout Europe as his main character, book detective Lucus Corso, attempts to authenticate a rare copy of a 17th century book that instructs how to summon Lucifer himself. Corso has another challenge to authenticate a handwritten manuscript chapter of Alexander Dumas' "The Three Musketeers." While the plot and subplot are somewhat complex, Perez-Reverte writes in a very straightforward manner that makes the book accessible to all. As Corso digs deeper and deeper into the mysteries surrounding the two books, he meets with a variety of devilish characters determined to see him fail at his task. I was very impressed with Perez-Reverte's attention to detail. He even provides bibliographic entries and sketches from "The Nine Gates" book. I liked these additions because while reading them, I felt like I was right by Corso's side, helping him untangle the mystery. My only criticism is the weak character development. Corso lacks depth. He only has about two mannerisms that are repeated so often I got tired of hearing about them. Also, the ending was rather anti-climatic. Corso's chase for the truth is much more intriguing than the truth itself.
Rating:
Summary: Great plot, dissapointing ending
Review: I am a great fan of Perez-Reverte's work. I have read most of his novels in Spanish, so I can not give an opinion about the English version. The Club Dumas was a book that got me hooked for days until I got to the end. I could not wait to read the ending. Sure, the plot was complicated, and I did have to go back and forth to make sure I was following. However, I think that is the beauty of Arturo's work. As with all his other books, the plot was engaging and promising. However, the ending got me by surprise. I was expecting something else. I think it leaves a lot of questions unanswered and it feels kind of rushed. In my opinion, it seems like a lot of work is put in finding and ploting a good story, and then the author was too tired to find a conclusion that matches the rest of the book. I still recomend this book, it leaves you waiting for something else, but before you get there, the book is greatly enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: A great pleasure book
Review: I read this book, having seen the movie "Ninth Gate". While the book is much better, and more enjoyable, I admit the experience gave me a good visual on the setting and some of the characters. Perez-Reverte's writing is often compared to Eco, but I personally prefer it more. Some say it is a "popular" imitation of Eco, but I think those opinions do not do Perez-Reverte justice. His writing flows, and is pleasant, compared to Eco's heavy, dense writing which seems to beat you over the head with details from topics flying all over the place. The "Popular" setting, of Dumas' "Musketeers" and references to Agatha Christy, Maurice LeBlanc, and of course, Sir Conan Doyle makes for a fun read, with a very real feeling while invoking the devil and fallen angels and the occult. If you like any of the above mysteries, or enjoy reading about fallen angels, or just enjoy reading a well written book, this is a great one to pick up.
Rating: 
Summary: Literary Detective Thriller
Review: Be careful which path you follow, for it may lead to a destination you do not wish to go, seems to be the lesson of this absorbing, erudite, literary detective story. I am being very precise when I use the term, "literary detective story," for that is exactly what this is. It is the story of Corso, a rare book expert with questionable ethics, who is sent on duel missions: first, to determine if a handwritten copy of a chapter of "The Three Musketers," is indeed written in the hand of its author; and second, to examine and obtain--by any means necessary--the two remaining known copies of the 17th century book, "The Book of Nine Doors." This is an unusual book in that it is said to be the one which contains a secret which would allow one to summon the devil. His employer for this job owns one of the copies, and apparently has good reasons to believe his copy is a forgery. So Corso, the lonely, middle-aged, intelligent, somewhat alcoholic cynic, takes the book, and goes on his journey, from Madrid, to Lisbon, then to Paris. He meets forgers to discuss his problem, and we learn about how one might go about forging a book, or part of a book, or even a page of a book. In the meantime he studies his own book, and takes notes, and we are easily and delightedly able to follow along, as the author has reprinted the key engravings on which his attention is centered. He meets the owners of the other two copies, and they all carefully try to glean what useful information they can from each other, without revealing any more than they absolutely must. These conversations are one of the highlights of the book, as these intelligent and educated people use all of their cunning and resoucrces to out-maneuver one another. Eventually Corso learns that there are differences in these three copies. Significant differences. And that he may be the only person in the world who understands what they might mean. Along the way he is befriended then accompanied by a mysterious and beautiful young woman, who becomes his protector, and who displays an unusual interest in Satan. He is shadowed by someone who twice tries to injure him. He makes a startling discovery that his friend is in Paris with him. And why does everybody he has been running into lately resemble a character from "The Three Musketeers?" This is a very engrossing book. The characters are interesting and believable, the plot is revealed carefully and slowly builds in suspense, it allows one to participate in the mystery, and it is very cerebral. Part of the fun, in fact, is that it abounds in literary allusions (but is never pretentious). If you like intelligent thrillers, you'll love this.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Twist in the Detective Genre
Review: While I enjoy a good mystery, the problem with most of them is that the plot has been done to death. Man murders wife. Woman steals diamond. Cute old lady solves crime. The characters may be new, but the plots are so . . . familiar. On that basis alone, THE CLUB DUMAS is worthy of high praise. The plot is unpredictable, for the reason that you've never read a story like it. It's a breath of fresh air, while still adhering to the basic tenets of the mystery genre. It has a well-worn hero, a mysterious woman, an evil henchman, and murders upon murders. It also has (let me get my other list) terrific dialogue about the nature of literature, motives that I've never even considered, and the love of a good conversation. THE CLUB DUMAS begins simply enough, with a detective tracking down a source. But right from the start, something is just slightly tweaked. Lucas Corso is a book detective, trying to authenticate a handwritten transcript of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. It may sound boring, but quite soon, Corso is being stalked, in a tangled web that includes a murderous widow, twin book forgers, devil worship, regret over lost love, and insanity. It reminded me, slightly, of FALLING ANGEL, by William Hjortsberg. It, too, followed a world-weary detective on a quest into the heart of evil. But ANGEL, as good as it is, doesn't have CLUB's flair for the unobvious. Author Arturo Perez-Reverte knows how to construct a plot, but he also has a keen insight into a rarely-viewed segment of our population; the book collector, in all his or her's eccentricities. THE CLUB DUMAS is a mystery that will keep you guessing, but it's more than that. It is an essay on the quality of imagination. It is a mystery for book-lovers, not just mystery-lovers. It is a remarkably smart book. P.S. - If you've happened to see the movie adaptation of THE CLUB DUMAS, entitled THE NINTH GATE, don't be dissuaded from reading the novel. THE NINTH GATE drops entire plot lines, and does not detract from the enjoyment of the novel in the slightest. It also isn't very good. In the words of my brother-in-law, "This could have been the best movie I've ever seen, until about the half-way point. Then, what happened?" The movie is boring, the novel is amazing.
Rating:
Summary: A book to be savoured.
Review: The Club Dumas is one of those novels that you find yourself reading over again, two, three, four times, to pick up everything that you didn't catch before, or captured but failed to remember. As a book of detection, it's original; as a thriller, it is very successful. The Club Dumas is a book following, step by step, the metamorphosis of the main character, Lucas Corso. And it does that well, something which the movie, The Ninth Gate, fails to achieve. If you went and saw the movie before you have had the chance to read the book, be assured that the book is much, much better.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading, But Not Great
Review: The Club Dumas is a novel filled with great ideas, subplots, and literary intersections. However, the book really lacks direction. It does not seem to know whether it is a novel dealing with theology, the nature of literature, or some combination of both. The main character, Lucas Corso, is very interesting indeed. And although some of his actions appear morally reprehensible, the author manages to make him likeable. I did care about Corso, but I could not help but feel let down by an ending that leaves too many loose ends, unanswered questions, and a somewhat vague conclusion.
Rating:
Summary: What fun! Curl up and be engaged...
Review: With high marks in reviews in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and the Atlantic Monthly, this murder mystery is a magnificent "intellectual's 'beach' novel". Translated from Spanish, the story is generally about the trials of a somewhat shady book 'detective', Lucas Corso, whose specialty is in first edition, rare edition, and out of print rare books. This being a somewhat more competitive and unethical industry than one might think, the mystery draws the reader in be cleverly weaving a series of literary puzzles and clues. The thread of Dumas' famous novel, "The Three Musketeers", as well as the study of demonology trace Corso's search for the motive and the murderer of a wealthy bibliophile. The end is a good surprise, and I am looking forward to the next novel by this crafty Spaniard.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not excelent
Review: A historic , well-written, intelligent and sophisticated novel will be always a pleasure to read. In fact, Pérez-Reverte did a very good job building excelent scenarios and characters with a good structure. However, something is missing to make this novel a classic. I think is the power of writing, the precision of precisely Dumas, the author's alter ego . Event that, The Club Dumas is a vey worth reading. I do not write anything about the translation beause I read it in Spanish.
Rating:
Summary: I didn't want to put it down
Review: This book is full of thrills, twists, and intrigues. I really thought it was an interesting and fun book to read. It never made me feel bored at any part in the story which is a great thing because most books do have their boring parts. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery, suspense, rare books, travel, or Alexandre Dumas. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
|
