The Man in the Iron Mask (Oxford World's Classics)

Big surprise was revealed way too early and the rest of the novel contained the "fallout." Dumas tied up almost all of the loose ends so it ended well...I guess I was expecting it to build a bit more with the big "reveal" at the end.

Oxford World's Classics are the way to go with this series.

Still a good book and I recommend that you read it; especially if you've read all of the other previous books in this massive saga as I did :).

Big surprise was revealed way too early and the rest of the novel contained the "fallout." Dumas tied up almost all of the loose ends so it ended well...I guess I was expecting it to build a bit more with the big "reveal" at the end.

Oxford World's Classics are the way to go with this series.

Still a good book and I recommend that you read it; especially if you've read all of the other previous books in this massive saga as I did :).

I have always loved this story, but trying to read Dumas' prose is like slogging through mud, and trying to tell which character is speaking is like trying to follow other people's conversations in a crowded room, especially since each character has at least three different names -- first name, last name, aristocratic title -- and sometimes a nickname as well. I guess I'll go back to the movie.

The Man In The Iron Mask is an intricate tale of polital intrigue: weaving together the lives of the Musketeers with the future of the King Of France. It is, at times surprising ... occassionally, shockingly so. A fitting conclusion to The D'Artagnon Romances.

Shipping was fine, but the description of good left a lot to be desired. The front cover is on the verge of falling off, there are creases, rips and such. The book is in terrible condition that after my son reads it, I will be junking it versus being able to resale it. I do wish better description or more accurate description were given. Right now I just feel like I got ripped off.

Excellent book! I could not of been more pleased. The action, the mystery, the love and the sorrows that are written are absolutely Dumas's greatest writings. A must read for anyone fascinated by the Musketeers!

The story is good but the print quality is poor. The first few chapters the ink was light and then became darker. Parts of letters are missing so I sometimes have to stop reading and figure out what the word is. I orders a replacement copy and it was exactly the same.

Delivered in secons,the quality is good,the price is FREE ! I know the contents but wanted to refresh it.
Actually I like Dumas very much and have been enjoing it since my teenages.
So recommend it for all ages

I putted five stars because 1. I love the book and 2. Because the book came within it's time frame. Moreover, 3. the book was written in a way were you can see,hear and understand the characters in it. Followed by, 4. the book, itself is educational for those who want to know some french words and old-fashion words. Finally,5. the seller of this book, had the book in very good condition,there wasn't any marks,shelf wear and pages missing. So my conclusion is , if you are looking for this book you should buy from this seller.

I was really interested in the era and the subject matter. This book cured me of that. A real snooze fest. There was no way to get connected, people, places and time periods were just thrown in haphazardly.

This is a lovely, oversize printing of Dumas' classic story of heroics and betrayal. I've not read this version and will not review the book here, other than to say that Dumas is one of the most original and entertaining historical drama/action writers of the modern age.

Many people don't realize that Dumas wrote (or, to be more specific, co-wrote with Auguste Maquet) an entire series of "Three Musketeers" novels; "The Man in the Iron Mask" is the last of them, and based on a genuine historical mystery. It's a great story, with a riveting plot, but it concludes the careers of D'Artagnan and the other Musketeers, and some elements may sadden some readers.

There are a few novels in between the original Three Musketeers and this one, of varying quality. _Three Musketeers_ and _Ten Years After_ are worth reading but you may want to skip _The Vicomte de Bragelonne_ and _Louise de la Vallière_ -- the writing isn't up to snuff, and the main reason to read them is so you won't be lost when you pick up _Iron Mask_.

Dumas should have chosen a different title, as the books was 2/3 over before anyone was in an iron mask, and no further news was given as to his fate. I enjoyed the book but the story is full of contradictions. A character is out of favor and banished then suddenly the king loves him again.

Very entertaining, with much more depth than any film version, TMITIM is the last time The Four Musketeers work to foil a dastardly scheme by the ruling powers that be, often being forced to choose opposing sides between themselves. Dumas has better books, but the iconic characters of the four make this story a must-read for fans and completists.

Sorry, I am not a literary geek, and I was shocked by this 'original.'

I had seen the movie and was expecting a jovial, grand conclusion to the Musketeers, but wow, this is anything but.

I am not sure if I should mark the rest of the review as a spoiler since it is OLD, but basically you have our beloved Musketeers basically having to turn against each other, outlive one or the other, and the reader must witness the death of 3 out of the 4, and the man in the iron mask doesn't even play that much of a role especially after he wears the iron mask.

Not that it is of no value as it is quite riveting and somewhat awakening, but nothing Disney about this one so don't start reading it when you want to be uplifted.

This book is simply a drawling and depressing series's of stories loosely built around one theme. The story of the man in the iron mask is only a small part of the book's beginning. I was disappointed in the finish.

I saw and loved the movie so I just had to get the book to compare, books are usually better. The problem is that it doesn't compare, the stories are totally different. That being the case the book was interesting, exciting at some points and a little difficult to understand because of the era in which it was written. It has little to do with the "man" in the iron mask and it is more an extension of the Three Musketeers.

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BEWARE. THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

This book stank. I mean it REALLY stank. It started out well enough and it's a good read until the point where stupid Aramis confides in Fouquet. After that it goes downhill fast and never really recovers. The ending is a bore-fest and an anti-climax.

Here's my take on the characters:

1. Aramis - A really smart guy who suddenly becomes stupid enough to confide in the emo-drama queen Fouquet. The drama queen immediately decides to side with Lous XIV and thus Aramis' brilliant plot totally unravels. To make matters worse, Aramis ends up getting Porthos killed. Yeah, that's nice. "Here Porthos, throw this explosive barrel at those guys. I'll be waiting for you by the boat." Oh, wow. What a great friend you are Aramis.

He comes back at the end of the book as the ambassador of Spain. WTF???? He tries to replace the king and then suddenly he's back in Louis' good graces? This made no sense and seemed very forced.

2. Porthos - Noble but utterly clueless and rather vain. Ends up dying due to Aramis' stupidity and poor planning skills.

3. D'artagnan - Our hero. He's so macho and brilliant that he gets shot and dies at the end while accepting an award from the king. Way to go, D'artagnan. Talk about a bad ending for a hero. What was the author thinking? Couldn't he have died in a duel with some powerful enemy? Instead he gets whacked by some doofus while accepting an award. Talk about an anti-climactic ending.

5. Athos - Another very noble individual who died a rather stupid death because of his love-struck, idiot son (more on him shortly). I really didn't feel sad when Athos died, though I do think that his dream sequences are some of the best writing in the book.

6. Raoul - I found him to be one of the most annoying characters in the damn book. He throws his life away for an insipid clam who falls for Louis XIV. How could Athos have raised somebody to be this stupid and self-destructive? I was rooting for Raoul to die right from the beginning. He could have saved us all a lot of boredom if he'd just killed himself in the first chapter.

7. Louis XIV - In the first half of the book, he's basically a buffoon who is stupid enough to get taken in by Aramis' plot. I loved reading about him being trapped in his cell in the Bastille. I wish he could have stayed there.

But suddenly, he becomes brilliant - thanks to Colbert - and completely outthinks the Musketeers, this sets the stage for the death of Porthos and the fleeing of Aramis to Spain.

8. Louise de la Vallière - Ugh. What can I say about this stupid and selfish woman? I enjoyed D'artagnan chewing here out at Raoul and Athos' grave. I hoped desperately that she would whip out a knife and stab herself to death. Or that maybe D'artagnan would get rid of her with his sword. She truly annoyed me whenever she appeared in any of these books.

9. Fouquet - This moron is being persecuted by Louis XIV and Colbert. So what does he do after Aramis replaces Louis with Phillipe? He sides with Lous! OMFG! Could he be any stupider? I'm glad he was rotting away in prison afterward. I would have preferred that he get his head cut off by one of Louis' executioners.

10. Phillipe - Sucks to be you dude! You almost had it all! And then the idiot Aramis opened his mouth and blew it for you. To make matters worse, Aramis then runs out on Phillipe thus leaving him to Louis' non-existent mercy. As far as I could tell, Phillipe was still rotting away on the island by the end of the book. I kept expecting the musketeers to somehow save him and reverse things, putting him back in power but it never happened.

Also, some of the dialogue between characters (especially Louis and his women) just goes on too damned long. I also read the books prior to this and I would never read "Louise de la Vallière" again. What a borefest that was!!!! Skip it. It's just a lot of blah-blah.

If you want a much more entertaining version of this story, watch the 1998 film "The Man in the Iron Mask" that stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jeremy Irons, etc. You can find info about it here:[...] Yes, DiCaprio can be annoying but he did a good job in the film and the story is MUCH better than this book. The story is tighter and makes a lot more sense than the drivel in this book.

I think this book and all of the D'artagnan romances could have been MUCH better with a good story editor that would have cut out all the blah-blah-love-drivel-dialogue, tedious court intrigue and other superfluous material. A tighter focus on the musketeers and the larger political story arc(s) would have been much more interesting throughout this series of books. The whole series just gets bogged down in too much unnecessary junk and some of the characters sometimes do the dumbest things.

The Man in the Iron Mask just goes to show you that sometimes "the classics" aren't really classic. They're just the best somebody could do at that time. If you still decide to read this book, it's on you. You've been warned.

I love Alexandre Dumas and I love this book. There are some qualifiers. First, this is a continuation of the saga of The Three Musketeers and other volumes. If you just jump in here you will be missing a lot of the prior story. Second, I agree with another reviewer who states the name of this volume is slightly misleading. The story does NOT revolve around The Man In The Iron Mask. He is almost a tangential figure. If one wants to read a lengthy story by Dumas, about a prisoner unjustly jailed, try The Count of Monte Cristo.

If one reads enough of Alexandre Dumas a certain style emerges. It is enjoyable and dynamic. Mr. Dumas describes many characters as seemingly bigger than life. Porthos is perhaps the perfect example. There are many superlatives in the narration. Like many other authors, Mr. Dumas refers to many other artists and historical events. I enjoy studying these references and learn a lot this way.

I am not sure who my favorite classical French Author is. I love Victor Hugo, Jules Verne and Emile Zola, perhaps leaning to Mr. Hugo. However, Alexandre Dumas has really grown in my estimation and I highly recommend his work.

Having finished the entire Three Musketeers, I honestly feel disapointed and this is why.

The first book was an excellent adventure story.

The second was half and half. A book dabbling in historical events which at times slowed down and concerned itself with situations that weren't as fun to read about as I had hoped for. The Three Musketeers are not together and it's not "all for one, one for all" anymore. Ok, that can be explained as it is by the fact that they have lost contact with each other. But why would friends so dear to each other lose contact to that degree?

The Third book hardly mentions them at all and seems more like a soap opera for women. It is well written though and one keeps reading in the expectation that something is going to happen (which never does). By that, I mean some action involving them all doing something adventurous. Didn't happen.

The fourth book is a continuation of the third. The same anticipation with no satisfaction. Just love letters in the sand.

Finally, we get the the book we have been waiting for. Eagerly one reads expecting them all to get together and amaze us with daunting exploits of heroism and dashing swashbuckling. Not here. Doesn't happen. The book wimps out in a very distastful manner that leaves only one person with respect (Porthos who died honorably).

I find it disheartening that D'Artagnan is only interested in titles, money, and displaced honor. One, of his character, should have killed the king a long time ago, but he ends up dieing opening his "reward" from a king who is no better than a Russian or North Korean dictator. In other words, he sold out. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Also, it seemed that Dumas, who is one of the greatest writers of all time as far as I'm concerned, seemed to just get tired of writing about the whole thing and just ended it so he could move on to something else. Sort of like a lot of movies end with you wondering "what the......!".

If you don't want to get bogged down into a story that is really not that exciting then don't wast your time on all of the books. Just read the Three Musketeers and let it go. For those of you who just like to read for reading's sake. Read them all.

If you are familiar with the main characters from The Three Musketeers, you are pretty much set for a new adventure with this book. However, please keep in mind that the Musketeers we have all grown to know and love have aged, albeit gracefully, when this story starts.

Prepare for court intrigues, musket battles, plots and twists, and of course Musketeer adventure! The good Musketeers learn of a twin for the Prince, but he has been secreted away for all of his life. This secret creates havoc as the Musketeers feel their duty is to right the wrong done to the young prince. However, this causes chaos between the noble swordsmen to the King and the Royal family.

Loyalties are tested, and friendships are tried. This book is full of everything that one can expect of a Musketeer tale, including bloodshed and tears. It definitely lives up to its predecessors.

Most people are familiar with the story of The Three Musketeers (Oxford World's Classics) - "all for one, one for all" is a pretty common catchphrase/concept and actually does come from the book - and The Man in the Iron Mask (Oxford World's Classics); both have been made into numerous movies over the years. What most people are not aware of is that there are three other novels in the series, falling between them (Twenty Years After (Oxford World's Classics),The Vicomte de Bragelonne (Oxford World's Classics), and Louise de la Vallière (Oxford World's Classics)]. And it is extraordinarily good fortune for readers that there are, as Dumas' writing is exceptionally vivid, intense, dramatic (without being over-the-top) and action-packed. Throw out almost everything you think you know about these stories if your only experience with them is via the movies - even the better versions cannot hold a candle to the books. They are full of intrigue, suspense, and treachery; of politics, passion, and incomparable prose - they will take you on a high-speed ride through French history that I guarantee will entertain as well as educate. I am a fan of the Oxford World's Classics translations - I find them eminently readable and enjoyable, and it doesn't hurt that they look nice in a row on the shelf... ;)

Unfortunately, in our society it often takes mass marketing and a popular icon (preferably from Hollywood or TV) to awaken our collective consciousness to a certain subject. Such is the case with Dumas' Man in the Iron Mask.
I deliberately steered clear of the version depicting the movie's actors (DiCaprio et al.) on the cover. When reading a book, I strongly dislike anyone other than the author creating my images for me. From what I'm told (I have yet to see the movie), the book and the movie are quite different. The movie introduces us to a masked prisoner from the onset, whereas the book makes no mention of an iron "mask" or "visor" until page 253 (Tor's unabridged paperback edition). On the contrary, "Phillipe" was the most highly regarded prisoner in the Bastille (I know that sounds like a contradiction in terms, but its not--he often dined on pheasant and truffles, and commanded a high annual maintenance fee for the governor of! the Bastille, Baisemeaux. He was not masked, or even shackled while a prisoner of the Bastille. Leather armchairs and velvet adorn his "accomodations." His "mask"-ing does not come until later, and with no small degree of drama). Therefore, those interested in the book may easily be misled. That's because The Man in the Iron Mask represents the last third of a much larger novel known as The Vicomte de Bragellone (a.k.a. Raoul, Athos' son). For all we know, Dumas had no intention of splitting up his work in the way that it has been. To simply open up to page one of The Man in the Iron Mask is analogous to opening up to page 600 in War and Peace. One cannot expect to know what happened in the previous 599 pages. The same holds for Man in the Iron Mask. It is simply impossible (in the absence of clairvoyance) to know what is going on without having read the previous installments.
For individuals who saw the movie, enjoyed it, and have similar expecta! tions for the book, I strongly suggest that you leave that ! baggage at the door, or I should say, at Dumas' introduction to the Three Musketeers (where this incomparable saga begins), and commence the literary adventure of a lifetime. The movie is simply a Hollywood contrivance based loosely around Dumas' novel.
The sequence of the novels is as follows: (1) The Three Musketeers (2) Twenty Years After (3) The Vicomte de Bragellone (which is usually divided into three volumes--Vicomte de Bragellone, Louise de la Valliere, and finally, The Man in the Iron Mask). 5 books in all.
Despite some unfortuante twists and turns, I have never enjoyed a series of books more than I have these (Lord of the Rings ranks a distant second). They get the highest possible recomendation. For those who have any appreciation for history, I strongly recommend the World Classics editions edited by David Coward. He painstakingly alerts the reader to historical accuracies and inaccuracies. He also explains certain things (i.e., historic! al characters, 17th century currency) that wouldn't, to the average reader, make sense.

Before you start this book you should know that any resemblance between the book and the movies that Hollywood has turned out is completely accidental. The names of the main characters are about the only similarity that I could find and as is the norm, the book was much better.

This, the last installment in the Musketeer series, gives us the story of the final acts of our heroes, Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan. Unlike many literary characters our Musketeer friends have aged as the story progresses and have all retired but D'Artagnan who is still the Captain of the King's Musketeers. Athos and Porthos are quite wealthy and Aramis has attained the rank of Bishop. Aramis is not content with his station however and knows a secret that he thinks he can use to become Pope. This secret is the knowledge that Louis XIV has a twin brother who is hidden away in the Bastille and Aramis is quite sure that this brother would make a better King than the current monarch. Aramis is also pretty sure that the new King in gratitude will nominate his liberator for the office of Cardinal and then will scheme to make the new Cardinal Pope.

In this plot Aramis acts alone except for some help from Porthos who has no idea what he is involved in. The twins are successfully switched for a short while but then the plot falls apart and Aramis and Porthos flee for their lives although Porthos is still not sure what is going on. The "pretender" to the throne is left to his own devices by Aramis and is imprisoned in a new location with the iron mask added to his discomfiture. Aramis does not come across in this book as much of a hero and in many respects this story is much darker than it's predecessors.

Given the advanced age of the Musketeers, there are not nearly as many swashbuckling adventures as one is accustomed to but on occasion Porthos in particular will rise to the challenge. The political intrigues of the Court of Louis XIV and the decline of the Musketeers are in fact the main plot lines of this story. In the end, only one of the four is left and to find out which one you will just have to read the book. Athos, by the way, only seems to play a side role in this story and is neither involved in the plot against the King or in his rescue.

As is always the case, Dumas' writing style is superb and is filled with historical fact. He does tend to be a bit wordy and his books are often much longer than necessary but even with this slight drawback he ranks as one of my all-time favorite authors. In this book Dumas closes out the careers of his most popular characters and he does it with style.

The three stories comprising Alexandre Dumas' epic trilogy - The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Man in the Iron Mask - have been continuously popular for more than 150 years. It is perhaps preferable to read all three novels in sequence, but it certainly not necessary. It is now more than twenty years after my last reading of The Three Musketeers and I had little difficulty going directly to The Man in the Iron Mask. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed these swashbuckling adventures. I look forward to reading once more The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After.

The setting for The Man in the Iron Mask is France in 1660-1661. Louis XIV is consolidating his power over the aristocracy. The older Athos, Aramis, Porthos, and D'Artagnan cross paths again in this final story, but their relationship is more complex. Aramis is engaged in secretive matters, an intrigue that excludes D'Artagnan, captain of King Louis XIV's musketeers. This novel not only concludes the tale of the musketeers, but it also seems to mark the end of chivalry as the autocratic King Louis XIV gains mastery over all of France.

I read the 500-page Signet Classics paperback edition. This unabridged translation, revised and updated by Jacqueline Rogers, is exciting and enjoyable. Jack Zipes, a professor at the University of Minnesota, contributed a useful summary (as an afterword, not as an introduction) that examined the actual historical context of The Man in the Iron Mask.

The rivalry between Fouquet and Colbert was historical fact. It is true that Louis XIV was unintentionally humiliated during his visit to Fouquet's magnificent chateau at Vaux, and that D'Artagnan was indeed the captain of the King's Musketeers. Most surprising, although shrouded in mystery, there was a prisoner whose face was hidden behind a mask. Nonetheless, Dumas was writing fiction, not history, and he altered the facts for dramatic effect. Whenever I encounter historical accounts that conflict with the stories of Dumas, I am disappointed with history, not with Dumas. I much prefer the chivalrous France of Dumas.

A Point of Confusion: The Musketeer trilogy is usually published as five books. The canonical set is The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne. However, the exceedingly long Vicomte is itself traditionally published in three volumes as Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask. As the title suggests, this Signet Classics edition includes only the third volume of The Vicomte de Bragelonne.

This book only marginally resembles the recent movie. The last of The D'Artagnan Romances, a series of six romances spanning forty years and written by Alexandre Dumas in the mid-1800s, The Man in the Iron Mask presents Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan aligned against each other politically, but always joined together in spirit and friendship. The series vividly recreates the courts of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, as seen from the perspective of the four Musketeers. The intrigue and adventures of these four men carries the reader into their lives, loves, and tragedies. In The Man in the Iron Mask, Philippe's struggle with his identity and his attempt to rule France serves only as a backdrop to the complex relations of the characters. Dumas' flamboyant writing style enhances the intricate splendor he describes. A master wordsmith, Dumas was extremely successful in France during his life. The Man in the Iron Mask and the other D'Artagnan Romances are based on the Memoirs of Monsieur D'Artagnan, written by Courtils de Sandras. Dumas' other great success was The Count of Monte Cristo. ...The D'Artagnan Romances are: The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Ten Years Later, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask.

After watching the recent film I decided that I would read the original novel upon which it is loosely based. (when I say loosely I mean it.) Although the first page is confusing if you have not read the earlier part you can still pick up the plot easily. Initial confusion is added to since there are a great number of characters many of whom are not essential to the plot and some story lines do overlap with Louise de la Valliere. (The earlier part.)
Nevertheless Dumas captures portraits of the characters far more convincingly than in the movies which have adopted the theme. The reader is drawn into the cause adopted by Aramis and even at the end I was unable to decide if he truely wanted to save the unfortunate Phillipe or if he was using his power for his own personal gain.
I would reccomend this book since it is a tale of mystery, action and love.It does not move as quickly as any of the films but it does have a more tear-jerking climax (which unfortunately occurs just at the midpoint)especially for those who take the part of the usurper.If you've time to spare read this.

Let met start by saying that I've read this at least four times, so obviously I love it. But the title is deceptive. If you are looking for a story about a falsely imprisoned man bravely escaping and getting revenge on those who did him wrong, you should think twice about buying this book. Hollywood has for years tried to turn this novel into such an "escape" story, based mainly on its title, so that's the impression people have of the book.
If you're looking for such a story, I'd highly recommend The Count of Monte Cristo (Oxford has an edition that runs upward of 1,000 pages - which is daunting - but Bantam has an abridgement that is 450 pages and is quite entertaining. That may be the exact book you're looking for!).
The Man in the Iron Mask tells a different story, one based on historic facts. In 1661, King Louis XIV of France had his minister of finances - Nicolas Fouquet - arrested for embezzlement. Also in that year, Louis successfully wooed a young handmaiden named Louise, which caused some stir. In this novel, Dumas gives us the secret history behind these facts, and it is no surprise that the story involves his famous Four Musketeers.
More specifically, Aramis becomes privy to the fact that Louis has a twin brother languishing in the Bastille, and he attempts to switch the two. The novel details his fascinating and rather intricate plot to pull this off, as well as how the other Musketeers fit into the plan.
However, the first couple of hundred pages concern mainly the aforementioned historic events, and its a bit of reading before you get to the meat of the action.
I can't recommend this book highly enough - it seems to have become part of my life, the way some good books can - but don't let the title create a false expectation. You'll be dissappointed - instead, read The Count of Monte Cristo.
But if you love literature, if you love stories of complex intrigue, and especially if you love the Four Musketeers, you HAVE to read this book at least once in your life!

After writing The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years after, Dumas wrote a third installment to the trilogy. It is probably the most controvercial book in the trilogy, as can be revealed by reading many of the reviews. For starters, it's LONG: over 200 chapters. As a result, the English-speaking world has split it into three books: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valiere and The Man in the Iron Mask (the most famous volume). The length is certainly a problem, in fact is it THE major flaw in the conclusion of the trilogy. Dumas is never terse or concise, but in this three-part book, he produces an monolith. This was largely due to him overcomitting himself and having to write this much for financial reasons. However, while this is a major setback, the three books still have elements of great, almost sublime Dumas left in them, which can be extracted if approached in the right way.

In terms of this specific volume (The Man in the Iron Mask), this is where the Four come back into play after a long absence during Louise de la Valliere. Also, as could be expected, they come to meet their destinies and indeed, their deaths. The title of the book derives from Dumas tying in to the popular conspiracy theory of the historical man in the iron mask as being some important figure, to his writing about Louis XIV's court. In the book therefore, the man is the king's identical twin brother, who was imprisoned to prevent the potentiality for a scuffle for the throne and/or civil war (and no, I wasn't wrong to "ruin" it as his identity is already mentioned in Louise de la Valliere - and if you have not read that or the series up to this point, PLEASE do so - although only the Three Musketeers and this volume are commonly known, they are all great, and necessary to enjoy this book). But like usual, there are many other exploits, triumphs and tragedies. Why is this the title then? I think the whole trilogy sees the escalation of the role of the Musketeers as being behind national affairs, and the possibility of usurpation found in a twin exceeds them all and lets them go out with a bang.

If you only expect more action involving the Four, then don't bother reading this at all. However, if you persevere, you will get to see sublime glimpses of what a long way the Musketeers of old have come (for better or worse), what they think about the entire society they live in and what Dumas thinks. As well as some of the old-fashioned-style adventure. I think that the fact that this is obscured by an overly-drawn-out style, while annoying, does not detract from this being an honourable conclusion to the trilogy.

Some didn't like the ending to the whole saga. I did, although some chapters at the end could have been edited out completely. The reason is that by now, I as a reader felt quite close to all the former Musketeers and this book shows the twilight of their life, shows them for who they are. Aramis as having somewhat fallen from honour by excessive manipulation and scheming that escalates to a shattering climax, Porthos as simple yet good-natured and always ready to help, d'Artagnan as the forceful man embittered by decades of serving asses and Athos and Raoul as the ever-solid rocks of calm finally reached by tragedy. They've all come a long way and the as they fade into the next world, this volume reminds us fondly of them and the chivalry, adventure, arrogance, good-humour and intrigue that they and the series stand for.

This is the greatest tragedy I have ever read, in terms of strength of feeling, style of writing, and everything else that makes a story good. Two warnings: the book is hardly similar to the recent movie (which was a good movie, but the book is even better); and, if you haven't read the first four Musketeers books, "The Man in the Iron Mask" won't make much sense. The first books are "The Three Musketeers" (obviously), "Twenty Years After," "The Vicomte de Bragelonne," and "Louise de la Valliere." Without the middle books, which may be hard to find (my library had to special order them), you will hardly know the characters at all, but if you read all five, they will feel like your best friends. (Also, don't read the Introduction to the Oxford World Classics editions; it gives away the ending!) The last book had me crying the last hundred pages, at least. This is the greatest series of books ever written. --Abigail

This is the last part of Alexandre Dumas' Musketeer Cycle, so do read the first four books first. (Oh, all right, you can read this one first if you want to. I did, to be honest. But it is made all the more powerful by the backstory.) Also, do yourself a favor and get an edition of The Man in the Iron Mask that matches your edition of Louise de la Valliere and Le Vicomte de Bragelone. Different publishers cut into the story (the three novels were intended to be one novel) at different chapters.
I cried and stayed awake all night the first time I read this one. It depressed me for a week-- but it is beautiful novel, and the action writing is as good as any Dumas ever does. Would you expect any less in D'Artagnan's last adventure? The tale, by the way, is that of D'Artagnan and his friends. The title character is for the most part a plot device. (AND NO, NONE OF THE MOVIES HAVE MUCH TO DO WITH THE BOOK! THE BOOK IS BETTER!)
Long live Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan.

"Alexandre Dumas was already famous when he wrote this historical romance. The Man in the Iron Mask describes the continuing adventures of the three Musketeers: Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D'Artagnan. This time they are involved in an intrigue with two royal twin brothers: one who was a king and another, who was forgotten and kept in prison in the iron mask. Acting together, Musketers and d'Artagnan release imprisoned in a dungeon twin brother and remove from him the iron mask. Justice prevails, and the unfortunate twin brother takes the place of his cruel brother on the royal trone."

Alexandre Dumas wrote a great sequel to The Three Musketeers called The Man in the Iron Mask. Overall, I liked the book because it was a great adventure for the imagination. It made me feel as though I was there with the characters. The only things I didn't like were that the book barely mentioned the title character "Philippe," or the man in the iron mask. Another reason I didn't like the book was because it was hard to understand the words since the author used old English. For example, on page the author wrote: "" I first watched the movie in March and I figured this would be an easy read because the movie is based on the book. Boy, was I wrong! The movie had absolutely nothing in common with the book except the setting and the characters. I was a little disappointed at the ending because I thought Philippe would be freed.

Alexandre Dumas is my favorite story teller. He pieces together a story better than any other writer I have ever read and he makes tales of swashbuckling men and fair maidens completely engaging even two hundred years after that lifestyle died out. He writes romantic novels, where all the characters embody both virtue and vice and are people you wish you knew. I have not seen The Man in the Iron Mask movie, but from what I hear the book and movie are not very similar. The book, however, is an incredible creation, you will learn a lot about the history of the French monarchy, you will fall in love with the characters, and you will want to go out and read the rest of Dumas's books. I can not say enough how much I liked this book.

"...Mask" is the final adventure for Athos, Porthos, Aramis, Raoul (Athos's son), and d'Artagnan. There is a little swash and buckle in it but not much. The several movies made based on this novel are inaccurate to say the least. If you're looking for the evil king to be replaced by his benevolent twin with happiness breaking out all over the place, go rent one of the movies. There is a twin and the coup is attempted, but that part of the story is almost insignificant. What is there is the political maneuvering, treachery, and a little bit of romantic hanky-panky in and around the court of Louis XIV. Combine that with the last hurrah of our heroes mentioned above, and you have one fine story.

After seeing the movie The Man in the Iron Mask(which is my favorite film and the Three Musketeers I read the Three Musketeers and then The Man in the Iron Mask. I was so surprised on how different the Man in the Iron Mask book was from the movie, even the character's personalities had been changed alittle. I must admit the first half of the book is boring, but if you can make it half way through it is worth it. Although the language and they way things are stated are alittle hard to understand it is a great book. My favorite part was the horse chase. [...] This is a great book about loyalty and friendship. I you liked this book read Twenty Years After, it is even better.

This book was really long and could be incredibly confusing at times but all in all it was a very good, in-depth book. If you have read "The Three Musketteers" Then you absolutly must read this book, it follows the adventures of Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'artangan. The man in the mask is actually a very minor charactor in the cast. He hardly matters at all except as a way for Aramis to display his cunning and the loss of his loyalty to his fellow Musketteers. If you have enjoyed The Three Musketteers, or Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, then you will probably enjoy this but be warned that it is quite confusing at times and that it is pretty lengthy. Happy Reading!

Yarns about fiendish deception and eventual revenge can be tedious but in Dumas' hands the theme is perfected and, though the settings may be foreign to many, the characters and dramas which occupy them are expressed in a truly individual voice and so are never stereotypical, despite the subject matter.
The work is more reflective than the Three Musketeers and explores not only the muscular knight amongst the underdogs but also the more aged and vulnerable who have to fight if only to contend with the demands of life and the survival of personalities which Nature has sometimes left frail before the more stolid and resilient.

I was inspired to read The Man in the Iron Mask after seeing the movie (the one with DiCaprio). I hadn't realized that the Musketeers were part of the story and was very intrigued. Which plot lines were in the original and which were developed by Hollywood? Wow! Was I in for a surprise! The movie and the book tell different stories, but both are excellent, entertaining, and thought-provoking.
I appreciate books/series which show how the characters have aged and developed. Dumas does this with the musketeer series. D'Artagnan is no longer the wide-eyed "Gee, what could happen to me next?" hero of The Three Musketeers. He has to deal with questions of loyalty vs. friendship, support for the king vs. honor vs. love of his friends. There are still adventures and swordfights, but also more character conflicts. There is no simple nasty villain for the "good guys" to fight.
When I first read The Man in the Iron Mask (the movie tie-in edition), I was confused about who many of the characters were. The beginning didn't make much sense since it came in part-way through the story. The first line of the first chapter in particular confused me since it referred to events which I as the reader knew nothing about. The book makes a lot more sense when read as part of the whole series (The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere, The Man in the Iron Mask).
I STRONGLY suggest reading the Oxford World Classics edition, which starts with earlier chapters than other published versions and includes scenes that make the story more understandable: Athos confronts the King, Aramis reveals himself as a Jesuit and scopes out the Bastille, D'Artagnan confronts the King... These are some of the best scenes in the book, and it is a shame that other publishers don't include them.

This is the third and final book of the Musketeers Trilogy. Unfortunately I did not read the second book in the series so that may have tempered my comprehension of all of the events as they unfolded in this epic tale. Here is the first warning - this is NOT the movie... nowhere close, so if you are looking for that story, it's not here. Second, the language in this can get a bit tedious, particularly the names, as everyone is called by different names though out the book (their musketeer name, their title, their real name, other names, etc) this makes it a bit hard to follow if you don't catch on right from the beginning who is who and what all they may be called. Third warning - this is not a happy book, this is the final act of the musketeer saga, and when I say final, I mean it.

The story itself is very involving, especially if you already know and love our Musketeers. Aramis has a plan that involves swapping out the current king on the throne for his twin brother... his plans do not go well for him and the rest of the book involves the aftermath of this failed plot. As Aramis and Porthos run from the now very angry king, d'Artagnan struggles in his relationship with his friends and the king he now serves as the head of the Musketeers. Meanwhile Athos is suffering from his son - Raoul's decision to run from the pain he feels over love lost, and join the army fighting in Africa.

Our four musketeers are getting on in the years, as are their servants. They are no longer the leap into battle, brash youths of the previous novels. They have grown and are now calculating, loyal, and honorable, their friendships are tested and their loyalty to the crown and country is put on the line. There is a tremendous amount of pain in this book, and death is around every corner. I won't say that this was a favorite of mine, even though people love the ending and say that they cried when they read it. I sort of felt let down, that the musketeers should go out on such a huge failure (the man in the iron mask- only sits on the throne for an evening, then we never hear from him again, he is in no way a major character, he is only a catalyst for future events.) Though they fought bravely, I would really have liked for them to have truly won their last endeavor together.

In all I am glad I read this book, but was often frustrated by the episodic nature of the writing which at times made if very hard to follow. I also was a bit disappointed in the amount of time spent on characters that seemed to have little purpose to the forward progression of the story. In the end, I would have to say... I liked the movie better, it was just more fun and really felt like the musketeers that I knew and loved rather than the individuals who were in this book. Only Porthos truly retained his nature from the first several books. Still, I would advise any lover of literature to give this book a chance. Perhaps a different translation would be better advised than this one.

If you can't get enough of the Three Musketeers, then this is the book for you! Imagine being an identical twin (which I AM one), and having never heard of each other? One is royalty, one is not. Will they ever find the right king? Who IS the man in the Iron Mask? Why is he in prison? Oh the intrigue! To learn the answer you MUST read this book! Never a dull page!

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The entire Musketeer series is a great read mixing adventure, comedy, and history. It tells the story of the lifetime friendship of four heroes and how that friendship is tested by ambition and conflicting loyalties. The Man in the Iron Mask is the book in this series. In this book the four musketeers have aged considerably and engage in their last adventure.
The story takes place in 1661 in France, and as usual Dumas creates an intricate plot. Aramis is not content with his position of bishop and knows a hidden secret of the Royal family of France, which he tries to use to become Cardinal. Aramis knows that King Louis has a twin brother suffering in the Bastille or prison, and he attempts to switch the two. The novel details his fascinating and rather intriguing plan to try to pull this off. In this plot Aramis acts alone except for some help from Porthos, who has no idea what he is involved in. The twins are successfully switched for a short period of time, but then the plan falls apart as the real King is rescued. Aramis and Porthos flee for their lives, although Porthos is still not sure what is going on. The `fake king' to the throne is left to fend for himself by Aramis and is imprisoned in a new location with the iron mask added to his figure.
Aramis does not come across in this book as a hero but rather an enemy to the crown of France and in many respects this story is darker than its predecessors. Another conflict occurs King Louis XIV of France has his minister of finances, Nicolas Fouquet, arrested for misappropriations. Also, Louis successfully falls in love with a young handmaiden named Louise, which causes a stir, as she is not royalty. One of d'Artagnan's friends also loves this handmaiden.
As is always the case, Dumas' writing style is superb and is filled with historical fact. He can be quite wordy, drawn out, and his books are often much longer than necessary. However even with this slight drawback, he is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. In this book Dumas closes out the careers of his most popular characters, and he does it well. If you love literature, if you love stories with a complex plot, and especially if you love the Four Musketeers, you have to read this book!

- Garrett Rodrigue
Age: 15

I admit I've only read this book and 'the three musketeers', none of the others in between. I'm usually a big fan of so-called classics. I didn't like the three musketeers much, but I hated this. After TTM I wouldn't really have been pushed to read any more Dumas, but I saw two film versions and wondered how they could be so different. Now I see that it's because TMITIM doesn't really deal with the king and his brother at all. Just another story about those musketeers. And it really is such a good idea. I usually never recommend this, but watch one of the films (I love the oldest one) instead of reading the book. Maybe if I had read it a little slower, I might have found it more easy to read, but I was eager to get to the end and find out what happened to Philippe and Louis, and was very disappointed when they weren't mentioned.

This is the original version of the book. If you thought the movie was good, you'll think this book is great. If you though the movie sucked, you'll think the book is good. It is filled with emotion and is very unpredictable. Don't be fooled by the title, this really has hardly anything to do with the man in the iron mask. It was originally called "The Last of the Musketeers". That should give you an idea of what it's about. It may be boring at parts, but the interesting parts in it cancel out the boring ones. THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!!!!!

I just finished listening to the unabridged, Books on Tape version, of this book. I also just recently finished the Three Muskateers so I thought I was getting the entire picture. It was not until I went on the internet and discovered that there are three or four books in between, depending on what language you are reading.
However, I thought the book extremely good. It seemed strange the introduction of some characters as old friends (Raoul, Athos' son for example) but now I know better. I did find it interesting how Dumas allowed the characters to mature. Nowhere in this book do you have the "all for one, one for all" story line. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I do not believe that all four of the muskateers are in the same place at the same time throughout this entire book. Aramis deceives Porthos into helping him with his plot to unseat Louis XIV, hardly something that would seem likely in the first novel.
There are some questions that are unanswered to me, most notably what happens to Philippe? Does he die? Does he live on throughout what was Louis XIV's long reign? Also, what was Aramis' motivation for unseating the first Louis anyway? Did it strike anyone else that Fouquet (forgive my spelling, I listened to the book on tape so I don't know if I am spelling the names correctly) is able to spirit the first Louis back out of the Bastille rather easily? Didn't Aramis put the fear of death in the governor of the Bastille's mind?
I don't want to be too critical, after all it's a novel, not a history. As such it was quite good. I thought it would have been better had the intrique with Philippe been more developed. The book seemed to drag a bit after he was put back in the Bastille. The last few chapters were very long obituaries for Athos and D'Artegnon. I am going to locate the other books in between and try to read them as well. I am also going to get some of the recent movie versions to see how Hollywood butchered the books.

The Man in the Iron Mask is not actually a book -- it is the last volume of a very large book entitled Le Vicomte du Bragalonne or Ten Years After. Le Vicomte is divided into three parts, typically called "Le Vicomte du Bragalonne," "Louise de la Valliere", and of course, "The Man in the Iron Mask."

Thus, if you read only this book, don't be surprised that it sometimes seems you are catching only the end of a conversation.

The larger work, Le Vicomte, is named after Athos's son, and it follows the young vicomte through his life and love -- taking large detours to a young Louis the XIV's court. Our heroic musketeers, Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan make only small appearances throughout, but these scenes are the most memorable of the musketeers series.

The Man in the Iron Mask brings our four fast friends together again, for one last adventure. This time, though, they are at odds with one another, divided by their own key character traits.

I have personally seen several movie versions of the Man in the Iron Mask, and I have never seen one I liked. Skip the movies -- read the book. And if you find yourself entranced, go get the first two volumes, and enjoy!

I first read this book at the tender age of 14 and am now 40+. I tend to read it every 2 to 3 years or so and I always manage to find something new or enjoy a familiar passage even more. The book is so full of history and so many stories (some liberties are taken) that many movies could be made out of just this one book and still be informative and entertaining. It started my life-long love affair with history when I was a teenager and that fire is still burning bright almost 30 years later. I am somewhat of an expert on 16th and 17th century France and England and I owe it all to Mr. Alexandre Dumas.

I don't see why anyone would like this book. The Man in the Iron Mask is only in the beginning, and then it's a history lesson. Why did Dumas call it "Man in the Iron Mask" when that situation was only for less then half the book. If you think this is just a whole book on the situation "Man in the Iron Mask" then don't read it. Becasue that situation is only at the beginning, then Dumas gives a history class. Though if you want to see the movie, see it. It may have not gotten good reviews, but heck it's better then the book.

I bought this book thinking it was the sequel to the Three Musketeers, which I really enjoyed. What I didn't realize was that there are a number of books in between these two and so I was a bit lost in the beginning with some of the plots and characters (like Raoul, son of Athos, and Louise). Once I got aquainted with what was going on though, I found the book just as exciting, funny, and entertaining as the first.
I would definitely recommend this book, but you might want to read some of the prior books first to get the most out of it.

I read this book, and it was interesting at the beginning. Then Alexandre Dumas ended the situation with the Man in the Iron Mask. Then he uses the rest of the book as a history book. It's as boring as heck. I'm not a fast reader, but it took me months to finish this book. I think I wasted my time with it to tell you the truth. Dumas should've gave it a different title, because the situation with the Man in the Iron Mask was not even going on for half the book.

Overall, it is a pretty good book, however lacking the adventure and excitement the first book posessed....i rather well liked it, and hey who say's that every book needs a happy ending, i think a tragic ending(Moby Dick, Romeo & Juliet)is so true to what real life turns out to be, but if you want a real thrill see the new movie (leonardo Decaprio), you'll leave the theatre with a wonderful feeling that you saw a masterpiece....

I wouldn't have rated this book so high if I hadn't read The Three Musketeers first. In fact, I doubt I would have liked it at all. But, after I got to know Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artangnan, I truly appreciated what they stood for. Through all of their hardships, I felt for them, my heart went out to them, and my heart also soared when they, their code, and their way of life prevailed. So, you can see that when "The Man in the Iron Mask" portrayed the sad decline of their era of honor, nobility, and bravery, I wept for them. It tore my heart out to see them fading away, bravely, never to return. I suggest you read this book, but not before reading "The Three Musketeers" first.

This brings an end to the story of D'Artagnan-and interweaves fiction with history as only Dumas can do.When Phillipe is condemned to the iron mask,it causes true pity for one who would have ultimately been a more worthy king.The fates of Foquet,La Valliere,Raoul de Bragelone,Porthos,Athos,Aramis and D'Artagnan are also covered in this novel, which recounts much of the intregue which went on during the early 1660s.

At times my favorite Dumas. World weary cynicism, mixed with heroism. A band of aging heroes must right a terrible wrong, and deal with upcoming youth at the same time. They have been betrayed and pensioned off by those they have bled and almost died for, and so set out to see what they can do to rectify the situation and the darkness surrounding the throne of France.

In this final chapter to Dumas's 3 musketeer saga, it tells the story of each of their downfalls. I didn't really like it because they all had everything that they wanted(cept for porthos who wanted a dukedom) they didn't have the drive that they had in the first book or even in 20 years after. all in all a good book but if you're looking for a repeat of the first book you'll be disappointed

A work of historical fiction, written in the eighteenth century, and set in the seventeenth, needs endnotes. All the more so if the edition is in English and the original in French. This proves a glaring lack in the case of Penguin's The Man in the Iron Mask; it lowers my opinion of the usually competent publisher. Without notes, translator Joachim Neugroschel finds himself at odd moments inserting the original French in brackets. The translation is less than successful in other ways as well. Neugroschel uses intrusive colloquialisms ("C'mon" and "Were they gonna shoot us?") and worse yet mixes them with graceless versions of Dumas's formal sentence structures (as in the terrible reply "It was I who was gonna shoot you.") Really, how did a publisher like Penguin let this get to press?

The Penguin edition of "The Man in the Iron Mask" is taken from the larger novel "Vicomte de Bragelonne" about the son of the famous musketeer Aramis. Dumas wrote countless potboilers for French periodicals but a few of his works have become immortal. This is especially true of the trilogy of French muskeeters during the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. The novels are all episodic making the varous plots sometimes hard to follow. While the works are set in a romantic historical time they are fictional. Dumas used history as a repository of stories to pluck out of them his historical romances. These novels were popular at the same time as were the romantic thrillers of Victor Hugo and Sir Walter Scott.
The Man in the Iron Mask is the final book in the Musketeer trilogy. The other books are "The Three Musketeers" and "Twenty Years After." In this novel we meet the aged musketeers who earlier proclaimed, "One for All and All for One!". The musketeers are:
1. D'Artagnen the leader of the musketeers serving under Louis XIV. This great fictional hero will become an antagonist to his three old musketeer pals. They have decided to support Phillip )the fictional twin of Louis XIV) who has been a prisoner in the Bastille for many years. The plot will fail and the musketeers will have to flee for their lives. As this novel ends we experience the death of D"Artagnan in battle. All of the other musketeers also die in this series finale.
2. Athos-Now a wealthy landowner his son Vicomte de Bragelonne is in love with a beautiful girl who has become the mistress of Louis XIV. The son dies in battle and Athos dies of a broken heart.
3. Aramis-He is a powerful Jesuit official who seeks to wrest the throne of France from Louis XIV. He persuades Prince Phillip to join him in the plot. As the novel ends he dies after having fled to Spain and become a well respected diplomat for that nation.
4. Porthos-The fat Falstaff of the musketeer quartet he too dies after being trapped in a cave by soldiers of the king. He is the most foolish and lovable of the musketeers.
Don't read Dumas for historical truth but do read him for the man's love of friendship and honor in a vanished seventeenth century world.

After reading the book I found myself woundering if it wasn't miss titled. Over the last half of the book has nothing to do with the 2 brothers as mucha s it does the fall of the Musketeers. Dumas brings closure to the story of his heroes rather well. I just had a little problem reading it because of it being translated in to a higher english than I am use to.

This is one Dumas best works, and to those who dislike i say this: to say it has an awful ending means you have completely missed the point. There a number of peaple (the makers of the recent film included) who seem to believe that it's about a man who is forced to wear an iron mask, it isn't. The book is actually about the destinies of the musketeers and how they meet them, the mask is simply a plot vehicle for this. Secondly the book makes little or no sense if read out of secquence with the others, you see this is the final part of dumas final musketeers story (the vicomte de bragelone) and should be read after the other parts. All that said this is great book, only dumas can take 120 pages to tell one day and keep us gripped. The ending is wonderfully sad and still keeps us guessing.

The man in the iron mask is the third and best part of the very long novel, The Vicompte de Braggelonne. It is also by far the best part. Louise de la Valliere, the second part, is really boring; and only the first third or so of the first part (also named the Vicompte de Braggelonne) is any good. When you read this book completely (the 3 parts), it becomes blatantly clear that Dumas had become very famous and earned by the page. The amount of "filling" is enormeous. If you want to read first class Dumas, read The Count of Montecristo (5 stars) or the Three mousketeers (4.5 stars). The fact is that the movie, The man in the iron mask, is an adaptation of the Vicompte (it takes something from the three parts) that, rarest of things, improves from the novel.

Many years after their first meeting; Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan reunite once more but in conflict. With king Louis XIV raging havok in France, Aramis, Athos and Porhos do what is in their power to overthrow him, yet D'Artagnan as captain of the musketeers tries to stop their secret plan to repalce Louis with Philip the kings twin brother that rests unseen in La bastille under a dreadful Iron Mask. If you saw the Latest Movie you have to read the book or else you will never know how little favor the film does to it. (Also recomend the Count of Monte Cristo.)

I hated this book. Talk about boring!!! I had no clue what was going on for half the book. The main idea was pretty interesting, but could Dumas make it any harder to read?!?! I liked the movie. In conclusion there is only one word which is suitable to thoroughly describe this so called masterpiece of both fictional and historical literature: SUX.

THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK is not what you would expect if you have seen any of the filmed versions, but it is nevertheless a fitting end to the saga of the Three Musketeers. My only problem with it is the translation in the Signet edition, which is clumsy, clunky, and lifeless. There must be a better one available.

This a VERY well written book, however it has an AWFUL ending.(and I do mean awful!!) I recomned the movie but I don't know how much I would recomened the book. The movie has a much better ending and it is ussually more interesting than the book. I think the book could have been MUCH better!!

This title is the second most popular in the series, probably because it and the Three Musketeers are the parts made into movies. Dumas does write in a highly descriptive, and detailed manner. Since it was written in French, and quite some time ago, some of the language is hard for some to comprehend. The storyline is excellent, as is the characters, and Dumas does both justice. While those who prefer their entertainment from the "boob" tube may find his prose ponderous and boring, someone who truly love adventure and reading cannot help but love the entire series.

I was completely touched by the excellent performance of Leonardo DiCaprio. I absolutely loved him in it. He was great. Although, I have another version of the book, I absolutely loved the movie. I thought that this was one of Leonardo DiCaprio's best performances.(All of his are.) I also want to add that Tracey S. is the biggest Leonardo DiCaprio fan in the world. Randall Wallace picked the best King Louis XIV, and Felipe.

I just realized that the reviews for the classic TMITIM are combined with the illustrated kid's version, hence the one negative review(I'm assuming). I know there are twins in the book, but is the store trying to apply it here? Just make sure you get the version of the book you want, obviously. Overall, this novel is a definite must read for all fans of The Three Musketeers. A++

I have been reading the Musketeers cycle for the past 6 months. The title is a little confusing but it stays in the Dumas text. The man in the mask sets up the story line which make a conclusion for the cycle. This books creates such a great ending or i should say closure to our friends. If you read this book you MUST read the 4 books that proceed it. If you do it will make this book a much better read.

The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas. Published by MobileReference (mobi)

If you love literature, if you love stories of complex intrigue, and especially if you love the Four Musketeers, you HAVE to read this book at least once in your life!

I had been reading the entire series in the Oxford World Classics version, and when I finished "Louise de Lavalliere" I switched to a Signet version (Leonardo Dicaprio cover) I had bought locally.
As I read, I couldn't understand certain references. I later discovered that the Signet version of "The Man in the Iron Mask" starts on chapter 29 of the OWC version!

Apparently there was another book in the D'Artagnan series, Son of Porthos, which was not translated into English. Coward's introduction and notes are valuable, if you don't let their frequency detract you from the story. For older adults the type may be a tad small, and that's the reason I provide only 4 stars, but larger type faces would require a book nearly the size of a phone book I would guess. -- Jeanne Lanz Butterfield

Just to begin: only read this book if you have read the series.

This is one of the saddest books I have ever read. It's also really fast-paced so you won't be disappointed. A thing I really would change are the settings of the 3 deaths (I won't spoil who). If you plan to read this, do not expect much of a happy ending.

The books in this series made history come alive. I was fortunate to visit the louvre while reading this story and have since started looking more into the history of France. Thank you for the translating of this series. Would recommend it for others.

As I think of this book it seems to me that Dumas may have changed his mind in the direction the story would take part way through writing the novel. I enjoyed the initial plot and throughout the rest of the book, I was waiting for the thread of that initial plot to be picked up and the tapestry completed. The way the book concluded didn't seem particularly inspired. The previous books were much better.

I read this book after watching the movie, and found it twice as entertaining. The strong bond that Athos shared with his son, Aramis and Porthos's attempt to escape the cavern of Locmaria, d'Artagnan's loyalty to his friends and to his king...The king's identical twin brother is hugely overshadowed by the three (make that four) musketeers and their final adventures.

Great book but for Dumas standard it could be better. The 4 preceeding books starting wtih The Three Musketeers , Twenty Years After, The Vicomte De Bragelonne and Louise De LA Valliere are by far more carefully written. It seems that Dumas wanted to hurriedly end the saga. Could be better and the story can be extended a little more... Pointing blame to La Valliere and abrupt end to Aramis' actions are too roughly plotted.

This one's a real curate's egg. Buy this if you love a good historical yarn, constant plot development, intrigue and speculation on one of the great periods and what-ifs of any period in any country's history. It's a page-turner and lovely if it catches you in the right mood.

Do not buy this if you're more the sort that doesn't care so much what happens as how it's described. Character development is limited and nobody really comes to life in true 3-D, which would have been the making of this novel. On the other hand some of the intrigue we see is quite nicely developed.

I am the sort who likes to have a few books on the go at once and to deliberate over things and savour the status quo at any point, always expecting never to re-read (I'm sure you're thrilled at this insight). I must say that menas I've tended to hurry to another book from this one and it's not holding my attention. It reads like a play and would have been better in that format, but by trying to have a main plot and subplot it all reads too cleanly.

If you really love the genre of historical novels nothing quite beats 'The Leopard' by Lampedusa, but it's more after my likes. I wish this book were really about something, be it "How far it is possible in politics to achieve what you want with a bi of talent and status" but other books do much better and this doesn't have such lofty ambitions.

Ultimately, some good effects but really unmemorable.

From the 30 min of what i watched of the movie, the book is nothing alike. Interesting plot and it was very tough to predict the outcome. It's worth reading the 3 Musketeers first, and The Count of Monte Cristo is still my favorite Dumas book.