Comments for "We Are About To Have The Honor Of Charging You"

Comment on If We Could Foresee The Future, We Should Have No Need Of God by Richard Chu

Richard Chu — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:07:55 +0000

Delighted to stumble on your musings; and thank you for writing on this topic. I started reading Dumas at the age of 6, in Japanese, in 1952; and, since then, have devoured every one of his novels. My favorites are the Valois trilogy (Marguerite de Valois, Dame de Monsoreau, and the Forty-Five). I agree with your sentiments and I found the Women’s War to be among the most enjoyable Dumas, as well as better constructed with far more complex characterization of the main female protagonists than, eg. the Regent’s duo (Conspirators, Regent’s Daughter) which I have also liked. A by product of all of this is a certain degree of unnatural obsession with French history circa three different junctures, the 1570-80’s; the Fronde era, and the Regency following Louis XIV.
I am curious whether you have every run across an English translation of “Les deux merles de m. de Saint-Mars” by Fortune du Boisgovey, published in 1878; this is known in some translations also as “The Iron Mask” (no connection to Dumas); I read a Japanese translation as a child decades ago and in fact have a two volume translation today, but have not been able to locate one anywhere; there is a copy in French at the Library of Congress; it is a fascinating story of a French captain who was conspiring against the minister Louvois and ultimately was put away in the “iron mask”. Highly recommended.
Cheers.

Comment on Bullets Fear Me by ...

... — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:44:47 +0000

I read this book when I was eight and worked my way through the entire series during the next few years.
I didn’t know adventure heroes could *be* colonialistic.

I fully recommend the next book in the series, which is the best IMO. Meeting Kammamuri and seeing Yanez shine by himself is priceless.

Sandokan does evolve as a character.

Comment on Certain Franchises Never Die (God Love ‘Em) by Shomeret

Shomeret — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:12:57 +0000

I just discovered that the Zorro Musical has gone on tour and that there’s a CD. Zorro with flamenco! Now there’s a match made in swashbuckling heaven!

Shomeret

Comment on Is He In Heaven?–Is He In Hell? by Shomeret

Shomeret — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:06:21 +0000

I feel that all the revolutions in history have never turned out as intended with the Terror being one egregious example. Tom Paine barely escaped it and he was one of the greatest revolutionaries in history. The Terror became pretty indiscriminate as illustrated by Marguerite’s history , so I do see Percy Blakeney as an agent of justice.

And I love Richard Grant’s portrayal of the Pimpernel. Too bad we couldn’t get Richard Grant’s Pimpernel and Ian McKellan’s Chauvelin together in one film.

Comment on Purity Of Blood by Shomeret

Shomeret — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:52:51 +0000

I saw your comment about being a Robin Hood fan under The Good Yeomen title on Goodreads, so I thought I’d investigate your blog. I selected this review because I’d read the book. I actually think it’s the best of the Captain Alatriste novels. I understand there’s a Captain Alatriste movie starring Viggo Mortenson, but I haven’t had the good fortune to see it yet.

Comment on Is He In Heaven?–Is He In Hell? by Cassie

Cassie — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:06:57 +0000

I did not have the same problem as you. What I think the writer was trying to convey was more reverse snobbery regarding the Inn keeper. Even though his country was going through a terrible time and it generally was for both sides of the blanket. He, because he was a free citzen, felt that he could ignore his customers and treat them with indifference because they were well dressed and he didn’t have to suck up to them anymore. However, looking at it logically were it not these same “rich” aristo’s that paid for his living? I am sure he would have charged them more than some other peasant for the same pot of ale.

You established a problem with the class fixture of this book but does it not show that a man, in whatever circumstances of birth, could harbor a humanity for his fellows? That he saw a need to be heroic when it was not expected of a man of his class. He didn’t do it for the fame, although he certainly got it vicariously through the Pimpernel, he didn’t do it to impress the wife or his friends. I think Sir Percival Blakney Baronette is a true and selfless hero.

On most of your points I completely agree and this book will always have a special place in my heart as it does in yours.

Comment on Captain Blood Day! by captainblood | Images Archive

captainblood | Images Archive — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:27:47 +0000

[...] http://abouttocharge.wordpress.com/2007/09/19/captain-blood-day/ [...]

Comment on Agh, Finals by abby

abby — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:00:50 +0000

yooo this helped me sooooooooooo much

Comment on Twenty Thousand Leagues Beneath Comprehension by GoommottBow

GoommottBow — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:10:25 +0000

bonjour
is there some good
soccer players in the usa
bye

Comment on The Tigers of Mompracem by Anna Feruglio Dal Dan

Anna Feruglio Dal Dan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:27:23 +0000

I know I am coming very late to this, but:

“So, in my many searches for the best in historical, swashbuckler-type adventure fiction, I have more than once stumbled across the name of Emilio Salgari–usually mentioned by native Italian-speakers who lament that they cannot share his greatness with their English-speaking friends.”

YES! Yes yes yes! Exactly! I am just now trying to coax my British boyfriend into watching the 1976 mini-series. I myself read the books, but only in the annotated version that was very good for making fun of Salgari, who, writing as he did quickly to pay the bills, often forgot the color of some character’s eyes or some such. Lots of fun. Also, in my family when somebody says, “Pass me…” we often yell with great enthusiasm:

“Kammamuri! Pass me the two silver pistols, with the finely carved mother-of-pearl grip, that the Marajah of Lahore gifted us!” something that Yanez yelled in a moment of great urgency, his current weapon having run out of bullets, instead of simply “Kammamuri! GUNS!”