The Last Cavalier

Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon

By: Alexandre Dumas

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 35 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The story of France from the Renaissance to the 19th century, as Dumas vibrantly retold it in his numerous enormously popular novels, has long been absent one vital, richly historical era: the Age of Napoleon. But no longer. Now dynamically, in a tale of family honor and undying vengeance, of high adventure and heroic derring-do, The Last Cavalier fills that gap.

The last cavalier is Count de Sainte-Hermine, Hector, whose elder brothers and father have fought and died for the Royalist cause during the French Revolution. For three years Hector has been languishing in prison when, in 1804, on the eve of Napoleon's coronation as emperor of France, he learns what is to be his due. Stripped of his title, denied the honour of his family name as well as the hand of the woman he loves, he is freed by Napoleon on the condition that he serve in the imperial forces. So it is in profound despair that Hector embarks on a succession of daring escapades as he courts death fearlessly. Yet again and again he wins glory, against brigands, bandits, the British, boa constrictors, sharks, tigers and crocodiles. At the Battle of Trafalgar, it is Hector's bullet that fells Nelson. But however far his adventures take him, from Burma's jungles to the wilds of Ireland, his destiny lies always with his father's enemy, Napoleon.

Public Domain (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

It is rousing, big spirited, its action sweeping across oceans and continents, its hero gloriously indomitable. This newly discovered last novel of Alexandre Dumas, lost for 125 years in the archives of the National Library in Paris, completes the Dumas oeuvre.
"Absolutely wonderful....Alexandre Dumas remains, now as ever, the Napoleon of storytellers." - ( Washington Post)
"James Bond, Indiana Jones, and many others owe a deep debt to Dumas, who stuffs his tales with thrilling exploits and exotic locales. No one with a pulse will be able to resist Dumas's lost classic." ( Christian Science Monitor)

DUMAS RIDES AGAIN

I think Alexandre was squeezing the most out of his research notes with this one. If you like Dumas you will forgive his meandering plot, if you're new to Dumas start with The Count of Monte Cristo.

Alexandre's last hurrah!!

While this audio book doesn't have the je ne sais quoi of Dumas's well known masterpieces, it is nonetheless a rich story, full of the familiar style and substance that I find absolutely captivating. The story is complex (perhaps a little contrived), but entertaining and easy to get drawn in to. Dumas steps outside Europe here, as his protaganist sails into the Indian Ocean in seach of adventure and reward, then back headlong into Italian intrigue and banditry, all in the name of pennance and honour.

The reading was excellent, well paced with good characterisations and easy to listen to. It's quire long, and as Dumas wasn't able to complete the project himself, it has been finished off faithfully and without any real change in style.

I rate it 4 stars.It doesn't compare with The 3 Musketeers or The Count of Monte Cristo, but it does not embarass them either. Recommended.

masterful storytelling and performance!!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. and whether in print or by audible the reader will find a complicated, joyful, soul-searing, ironic and mischievous plot. The vocabulary will leave you weak in the knees and you will see the characters in your mind's eye long past the last page. Our deareset Dumas does not fail even in his last efforts. I found the introduction though exceptionally long, of critical import and interest and i was much informed by it, making the whole read that much more enjoyable. Brava for the reading performance, it is the best I've heard.

great last book from dumas

Lacking perhaps in humor, it is nevertheless a classic adventure tale. Bandits, pirates, Napoleon, Nelson, beautiful ladies of the court - what else does one need?

This isn’t The Count of Monte Cristo...

...or the Three Musketeers...in fact, it is a somewhat unimaginative, if not tedious (clearly serialized) tome that wanders endlessly and comes to naught...That said, it is Dumas and thus worthy of a listen. Ignore the impossibly fabricated tales of hunting (pythons that suffocate elephants and packs of tigers) a hero half Tarzan half Zorro, and simply enjoy a master story teller!

Great... But pick a ending

If you could sum up The Last Cavalier in three words, what would they be?

Catching, Distracted, bittersweet

What did you like best about this story?

Great adventure on land and sea!

Which scene was your favorite?

African safari.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The death of the cousin that loved him so much. I hated her for being so week that the loss of him would kill her. I hated him to be willing to let her die because of him.

Any additional comments?

Listening was much more enjoyable than reading. It took me months to find the time to read the book and now listening to it as I drive is much better.

Not Completed, but Beautiful

I love that we have the experience of hearing the last of Dumas’ works read by a master narrator. I believe that the count must be Dumas’ avatar.

i cared about lead character

I wish an ending had been invented. appreciated the interesting story line though. I really wanted the love interest to find happiness in the end. I'd rather Dumas had done more with that and a lot less of Napoleon.... who is a very unsympathetic character and a quite unlikable.

a word of warning

My warning is: This book begins with about a two hour and fifteen minute introduction in which the author justifies the historical accuracy of his writings and especially in defense of The Last Cavalier. During this portion many aspects of the story will be shared before hand and for those who want a surprise you may want to skip the introduction. They do attempt to warn you about the disclosure, but do not give you any indication of how long it takes to skip it. Also, due to the fact that in many instances the author is reading from letters dealing with the story, it is not always obvious when the introduction ends and the novel begin.
Additionally, this novel is not finished by Alexandre Dumas because he dies before it is completed. The ending of the novel is continued by another writer who, in my opinion, does an excellent job of wrapping up the story. The narrator is very good and the story line is an action packed Dumas tale, in character with his previous works.

Dumas' uncompleted novel

What is it about many 19th century novelists that they could write such gripping and well researched historical novels? The fascinating thing about this recently rediscovered novel of Alexandre Dumas set in the Napoleonic period, is its attention to historical detail and every chapter gives insights into the political and social tensions of that turbulent period. An excellent history lesson and a great story-line superbly narrated by Simon Prebble. And what a brilliant touch of Dumas to portray the hero as the french-man responsible for killing Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar. Pity that Dumas died without completing the novel, but even without an end worth every one of the 35+ hours in the car spent listening. This audio-book has motivated me to now go back and listen to the other Dumas novels that I first encountered as a teenager nearly 60 years ago.