Today I’m delighted to announce that Leander and I are reading together one of the most exciting epic sagas: Captain Alatriste series, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte.
We are going to read the first book, Captain Alatriste, next week and comment it together by email or facebook, and then we will review it more or less at the same time in our blogs.
Do you want to join us?
Captain Alatriste has adventures, humor, sword fights and romance, and the captain is also from the place I live, León, so it makes the book even more interesting 😉 . You must also know that there is a Spanish film with Viggo Mortensen as Alatriste. Can anybody have a better plan than reading a book in which the main character is Viggo?
So, if you want to know more, here is the synopsis of the book:
Captain Alatriste is a swordsman for hire in Spain in the 1620s – a time when Court intrigue is high and the decadent young king has dragged the country into a series of disastrous wars. As a hired ‘blade’, Alatriste becomes involved in many political plots and must live by his wits. He comes face to face with hired assassins, court players, political moles, smugglers, pirates and of course, the infamous Spanish Inquisition…
All the stories are told by Íñigo Balboa, Alatriste’s young page. The cast of characters also includes Quevedo, an irrepressible subversive poet who likes to start fights in the local tavern, the kind-hearted innkeeper and ex-prostitute who shares Alatriste’s bed, the elegant Count of Guadalmedina, the beautiful but deadly Angelica de Alquezar, and a whole host of underworld figures.
I promise you will enjoy the reading since Pérez-Reverte is one of the best Spanish writers: his novels are full of action and humor and he knows how to describe Spanish people, you will see (sometimes you have to laugh at yourself).
So, if anybody wants to read Captain Alatriste with Leander and me, just tell us in a comment. I will read in Spanish because I have all Perez-Reverte’s books, but I will probably read some passages in English because also I want to know how Alatriste says some of his famous epic phrases in both languages.
Are you ready to know captain Alatriste?
From Isi 
Hurrah! And you managed to get a picture of Viggo Mortensen into the post. Brava! Please do join us, everyone – it will be fun. And maybe we can watch and discuss the film as well at the end of it all. 🙂
Yes, I wanted Viggo in my blog 😀
And yes, it would be great to comment the film too at the end!!
This sounds great, Isi, but it’s a big commitment to make! Next time you’re reading one book, I’ll join in! 🙂
Rebecca: we are reading ONE book: Captain Alatriste (the first book of the series). And it is a very short one: 200 pages.
Of course we want to read the whole series, but not now 😉
I’ve only read one Arturo Pérez-Reverte (The Club Dumas) and I really liked it! There’s about 2 or 3 more of his novels I want to purchase/read. Any suggestions?
I would have loved to join your bookclub, but maybe next time around, I’m currently participating in Rebecca’s book club book.
Mel: thanks for commenting!
First book I recommend is Captain Alatriste, of course! 😉
Are you sure you can’t join? It’s only 200 pages, with pictures, and it is a fast reading (I read it time ago).
And I think you might also like “The Nautical Chart” and “The Seville Communion”.
I also love two more short novels, but they haven’t been translated into English, which is a shame because they are really good.
I’m unable to join you for your readalong, but I’ll definitely be reading your posts as these sound the sort of books I would love. I’ll have to look up the film, too.
OK Charlie, perhaps when we read the second one, in a few months, you want to join us then.
About the film, it is a summary of the first 5 books, so I only recommend watching it if you have read them.
Anyway, Pérez-Reverte is very good, you should try anytime!