Other editions of book The Man in the Iron Mask

Thirty years after their first adventures in The Three Musketeers, we find Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan in very different situations. Athos has settled down at his own estate. Porthos married a rich widow, and is now a Baron. Aramis joined a monastery, and is now the Bishop of Vannes. D'Artagnan alone remains a Musketeer for the king, and is now captain of the very force he so longed to join all those years ago. In The Man in the Iron Mask, Dumas develops his Musketeers into probing, multifaceted characters. Each now has a wealth of experience behind each of his actions. This is no simple adventure tale: It is political intrigue at its finest.

Introduction and Notes by Keith Wren. University of Kent at Canterbury The Man in the Iron Mask is the final episode in the cycle of novels featuring Dumas celebrated foursome of D Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, who first appeared in The Three Musketeers. Some thirty-five years on, the bonds of comradeship are under strain as they end up on different sides in a power struggle that may undermine the young Louis XIV and change the face of the French monarchy. In the fast-paced narrative style that was his trademark, Dumas pitches us straight into the action. What is the secret shared by Aramis and Madame de Chevreuse? Why does the Queen Mother fear its revelation? Who is the mysterious prisoner in the Bastille? And what is the nature of the threat he poses? Dumas, the master storyteller, keeps us reading until the climactic scene in the grotto of Locmaria, a fitting conclusion to the epic saga of the musketeers.

Alexandre Dumas was already a best-selling novelist when he wrote this historical romance, combining (as he claimed) the two essentials of life--"l'action et l'amour." The Man in the Iron Mask concludes the epic adventures of the three Muskateers, as Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D'Artagnan, once invincible, meet their destinies.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.‘I've worn that mask so long I don't feel safe without it.‘The Man in the Iron Mask sees D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis return to meet their destinies in their final adventure. D’Artagnan still remains in the service of King Louis XIV while Aramis is a priest at the Bastille prison. Upon listening to a confession from an iron-masked prisoner who tells him that he is the twin brother of the King of France, Aramis is convinced that he will be rewarded if he can help him become king and he devises a plan for his escape, pitching himself against his old comrade D’Artagnan. Far darker than Dumas’ previous novels, The Man in the Iron Mask is a fast-paced and compelling historical romance of honour and loyalty.