Aptly translated into English by Frank J. Morlock, The Man In The Iron Mask: A Drama In Five Acts by the combined and collaborate efforts of Alexandre Dumas, Narcisse Fournier, and Auguste Arnould is an impressive stage play based upon historical records of a mysterious masked prisoner. Author Alexandre Dumas was so fascinated by speculations of the prisoner's identity that he transformed the enigma first into a stage play, and later into the final novel of his Musketeers series. Exciting and involving, The Man In The Iron Mask is an absolute "must" for fans of Dumas and his work!

Dumas doesn't pull any punches with this (recently discovered) play. This story is bleak, and has many elements of Greek tragedy. This is tragedy in the classic sense -- circumstances occur that do not cause an immediate problem (the birth of twin Princes to the Queen) -- but which clearly will lead to some sort of anguish (potential civil war, one child potentially losing his freedom, etc) -- and the reader/audience is watches this tragedy play itself out. The (first ever) translation is direct, and dramatic. The volume also includes an essay Dumas wrote, exploring the many theories about the real identity of the masked prisoner from the Bastille -- powerfull and fascinating stuff.

This is a must for Dumas fans. Joseph Balsamo is the first book in a series that capture the history of the French revolution in a novel that is truly of epic proportins.
Love, war, fantasy and politics are delicately woven into the fabric of the story. Highly recommended.

"A Masked Ball" contains five short stories, all of which are unique. They range from a tale related by "The Cabriolet Driver" to a heart-breaking story of a Russian duel titled "Marianna". Perhaps the best of the five stories is the one for which the book is titled, "A Masked Ball". At only six pages long, it is an incredibly gripping story. As soon as you finish it, you will want to read it again.

Some people may have heard that Alexandre Dumas had a tendancy to be long-winded with some of his books (The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, etc.). Those people should be sure to check out "A Masked Ball". They will find out what many of us already know: When it comes to great books, Alexandre Dumas was in a class by himself.

A Masked Ball is a very very short story, but a GREAT story! Right from the second paragraph it got me so interested and caught-up I swore I'll never do anything else before I finish it. Well! It's short, so I finished it in 5 minutes, but I read it again, and again and again for 3 times, THEN I put it down! Dumas definately have his way to capture the reader's attention, even with only 5 pages of story he can make you breath-less, caught-up, and totally amazed! Just try this work and you'll never be disappointed!!!!!!

Esta historia nos demuestra claramente la pasíón que un hombre puede llegar a sentir por una mujer, y lo que una mujer puede sacrificar por el amor de un hombre, también es un fiel reflejo de algunas de nuestras conductas; muestra en forma detallada como una sociedad y algunos preceptos morales pueden ser la causa de dejar a un lado a la persona que realmente se ama. En pocas palabras puedo opinar que esta novela es para personas que gustan del amor sin barreras, rayando en los límites de la pasión. Puedo comparar ésta novela con otra poco conocida y muy recomendable llamada 'Werther' de Goethe -primer novela escrita por este celebre autor alemán-, pues tambien es una historia de entrega y de amor, terminando en una tragedia irremediable. Ambas un reflejo de las vivencias de los autores así como de los sentimientos que los llevaron a escribirlas.

This book was excellent! I loved it! If you are looking for a great adventure I want you to try this book. It is a tale of love, adventure, and revange. The main character is accused of trason, and is sentenced to a awful prison. He soon meets a prest who wants him to escape with him. They keep trying but soon only Edmund escapes. He wants to get all the people back who sent him to prison. He does at the end with the help of many people. The ending is a great surprise and a fabulous ending. Though it may be a little expecting. I have given it to my friends and they all have loved it. The movie was great too. Even if it was a bit different. Next time I read the Count I always feel excited and happy. Please try it! I am sure you will love it! Even though at time it is a bit grusome! It is a great book, and the author is great maybe I will be able to read the real version of the story one day! I reccomend it to any 11-13 year old who enjoys history and advanture, with a bit of revenge! You will truely enjoy this great book! I like it and you will to!

This book was my son's (age 7) introduction to the "classics". We read it together, a few pages a night. He really got hooked, and is now eager to read more books like it. I highly recommend it. The content is written in a way that a young bright child can follow it, but is not too babyish for an older child. It has a black and white drawing on the right side of each written page, which helps keep the child interested. We loved it!!!

The Three Musketeers is a unique book. History and political events are woven into the plot of this clever book. I find the characters fasinating and feel like I already know these noble men. The loyalty of them is overwhemling. I am in the middle of Dumas's next book, "Twenty Years Later" and am enjoying it too.I have read many books, and this is one of my personal favorites.

In some ways this is my favorite Dumas and thus I think that it ranks with the Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers. The action takes place during Henry III's reign and follows two intertwined plot lines: 1)the adventures of Chicot, the king's "jester," and 2) the love intriques of Bussy d'Amboise and the tragic Dame de Monsoreau. The political rivalries of the various aristocratic court factions is entertaining and interesting and, it is my impression, fairly accurate history. Though Chicot is an invention and the historical Bussy (a footnote character of the period) highly highly romanticised. Who cares if a small liberty or two are taken? Chicot is marvelously drawn, a wonderful character who both loves and despises his weak and highly flawed benefactor, Henry III. Chicot is clever, cunning, brave and morally decent but interested too in his own interests. He is also a proud but poor Gascon gentleman. He manipulates the king for his own amusment but also for good purpose. Were the book only about him it would be a great read. But even better, Dumas gives us Bussy d'Amboise, Louis de Clermont, Comte de Bussy, the brave, proud, handsome, man of honor who personafies the French aristrocratic (especially the post-Revolution, 19th Cent. Romantic notion of,) ethos. The romance between Bussy and La Dame (Diana) is romantic indeed: he is injured in a cowardly ambush (in which he defends himself magnificantly, of course) Diana nurses him but secretly and her identity remains a mystery for sometime. Poor Diana has a tragic situation and eventually, Bussy manages to find her etc... The ending is absolutely unforegettable and provides the basis for the sequal: The Forty-Five Guardsmen: an uneven story with some good moments, but sadly, inferior to this. Note: "La Dame" is the sequal to Marguerite de Valois (see film: La Reign Margot aka Queen Margot) I first read this when I was about 19 and it is still great, great fun 21 years later. If you like any Dumas, you'll like this alot.

Wishbone turns into a guy who is the kings brother but he dosn't know it. a musketteer comes to help him when he is in jail ordered by his evil brother. Then they switch places when the king is sleeping. I recommend his to anyone who likes mystery, excitment or fairy tales. IT WAS A FABULOUS BOOK!!!

I wish Dumas had written a cent-rilogy or something, because three just is not enough. You get history, romance, humor, and intellectual satisfaction. What more can you want? Start with La Reine Margot - start with a bang, the St. Barthélemy massacre, that leads into a love story, that becomes entangled in the Royal Court's intrigues. La Dame de Montsoreau introduces many fascinating characters - noble gentlemen and ladies, all beautiful and rich and young, ambitious, sentimental, loyal, treacherous... and finish off with Les Quarante-Cinq, which follows the path of the two other novels, with more fascinating plots. If you like historical fiction, or historical romance, or just plain history, you will wish there were more where this came from! (as in more in the Valois series)

This is an exciting book that unfortunately feels formulamatic at times. Maybe that is because it was produced as a serialized novel originally. It can have that "find out what our heros are up to next issue" feel.

Overall it is fast paced, but long. I liked the action sequences and the author's creation of distinct personalities for his heros. While I had to read this over a long period of time, I found I enjoyed it most when I could put in a couple of hours at a time and fully submerge myself in the author's world. I would recommend picking this up for a vacation book or if you know you'll be able to keep at it night after night.

The author uses a convincing historical and period backdrop for his tale. It feels real which aids the story. The romantic nature of his heros leads to a wonderful story of comradship and loyalty, good versus evil, etc. Many things to like, but I did not find it deserves quite as lofty a pedestal as most of these other reviewers do.

For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga:
In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!).

The reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series!

I highly recommend this series from Oxford University Press containing the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books. The notes are located in the back of each book so as not to slow down the flow of the text. Most of the notes give additional info on historic characters and places. And a few point out that Dumas was a better storyteller than historian, as keeping dates seems to be such a nuisance!

There is a reason Alexandre Dumas' classic is still read and reread today. It is just plain fun to read, supposing you are not forced to do so for some sort of literature class. Gallant heroes, fair damsels, magnificent settings, war, love, duels, honorable gentlemen, nefarious villains, kings, queens, princes, French, English and Cardinal Richelieu, this book has everything.

Based mostly around the character of D'Artagnan, a young man trying to enter the Musketeers, the personal bodyguard of the King of France. Befitting a King, his bodyguard contingent is very large, but D'Artagnan befriends three of the company: Athos, Porthos and Aramis, in addition to their captain, whose name I cannot recall as I am writing this review. Befitting the central character, this book is written with the exuberance of youth in such intoxicating measure that the reader cannot help but feel genuine affection for the loyal, heroic, though occasionally hotheaded D'Artagnan and his well-matched friends.

The book slows down near the end for some rather unexciting, though very important, character development which itself leads to a vital development in the story. However, despite the fact the plot does tend to drag a bit in this section, it is, indeed, very important and, more importantly, the slowdown in that portion allows the frightful pace of the next few chapters to feel that much more urgent.

All in all, this book is just a rollicking good time. For people who want to read a well written book with an intense plot, characters for whom one can feel genuine affection and a vivid sense of setting: this is a book that belongs in one's personal library.