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The Last Cavalier: Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon Audiobook
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(2.99) - 317 listener ratings
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The discovery of Dumas's last, incomplete novel, lost and completely unknown to historians for more than a century, was a literary bombshell. The Last Cavalier is Dumas's swan song, a rousing adventure that completes his epic retelling of French history from the Renaissance (La Reine Margot) to his present day (The Count of Monte Cristo) by filling in that one vital, dramatic era that was missing: the Age of Napoleon.
A tale of family honor and heroic derring-do, The Last Cavalier follows the fortunes of young Hector, Count de Sainte-Hermine, who has sworn an oath to avenge his Royalist family members' deaths by fighting against Napoleon. When he is defeated, he is sentenced to serve as a common soldier in Napoleon's imperial forces. Though he courts death fearlessly, Hector's daring deeds will change his destiny—and Napoleon's.
It is rousing, big spirited, its action sweeping across oceans and continents, its hero gloriously indomitable. This newly discovered lastnovel of Alexandre Dumas, lost for 125 years in the archives of the National Library in Paris, completes the Dumas oeuvre.
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"Dumas does it again, taking a story fantastic all on its own and giving it that extra umph with its mixture of historical back round and settings. Dumas is my favorite author for many reasons, one being the author of my favorite book The Count of Monte Cristo and another being his complex plots and set ups involving many characters. Despite being his largest book The Last Cavalier is engrossing and exciting. The worst thing about this book is it is unfinished, however if you pick up on some of Dumas' foreshadowing you can predict how the story might have been continued if Dumas had not died before its completion. Wonderful story, especially if you are a big fan of Dumas."
— Melissa (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The Last Cavalier reads like a Dumas classic. 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 -
“It’s absolutely wonderful. I finished The Last Cavalier in a day. These 800 pages almost turn themselves. Alexander Dumas remains, now as ever, the Napoleon of storytellers.”
— Michael Dirda, Washington Post, a Top Ten Book for 2007 -
“A hit from the vaults: Dumas pere’s final work—a grand tale of adventure. A big book, and a pleasure for anyone who thrills at the likes of D’Artagnan and company.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Wonderfully vivid and intelligent! I am delighted it has been rediscovered, and delighted to find that so much of Dumas’ magic still exerts its spell in this work from his last years.”
— Scotsman -
“Dumas deserves to be read alongside Dickens and Tolstoy as an influential, enduring writer! The Last Cavalier is pure, distilled Dumas in its conception, its obsessions and in its art.”
— Glasgow Herald -
“Reviews have been unanimous in praising The Last Cavalier: The novel is a reminder that readers are always willing to make time for epic storytelling when the narrative is in the hands of a master.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Vintage Dumas…enough adventure and intrigue to satisfy the most demanding reader.”
— Library Journal -
“[This] is the rousing tale of Hector, Compte Sainte-Hermine…His exciting life is narrated by Simon Prebble…[who] maintains both the breakneck speed of the battles and the thoughtful pastoral descriptions of European countryside…Highly recommended for its admirable main character.”
— SoundCommentary.com (starred review)
The Last Cavalier Listener Reviews
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" This is Dumas's lost novel. Pretty good for a historical novel for the info about Napoleon. The protagonist was too idealized for me--he could out shoot, out fence, be stronger, be more gallant, and was more handsome than anyone else. "
— Paul, 2/6/2014 -
" Pushed as the last lost book by Dumas. Was OK, but too historical for me - not interested in that era or those people. Didn't finish. "
— Mike, 2/2/2014 -
" I didn't realize that it's really just the third installment in what is essentially Dumas' history of France. Don't go into this expecting your usual historical fiction. Think of it more as a history book that reads like a beach novel. The translation is smooth and sometimes funny but there isn't enough drama to keep me in it for 700 pages. There isn't enough Josephine and really isn't she what keeps Bonaparte from being just another dreary old Caesar wannabe? But what do I know? Have you seen the rest of my books? "
— Miss, 2/1/2014 -
" This is an unfinished book/no ending. Still enjoyed it. "
— Ange, 12/29/2013 -
" Not Dumas best book. It was a bit too "serial" for my taste. And there really was no ending. "
— Jessica, 12/7/2013 -
" I though it was an amazing book (as are most of Dumas' books. Just I wish that Dumas was able to finish the book. "
— Viral, 11/23/2013 -
" Not my favorite Dumas book. There was a lot of rambling in the first half of the book, but I really enjoyed the second half when we really see the title character's story. "
— Samantha, 10/3/2013 -
" Not the best Dumas, but still good. A fairly recently discovered "lost" book. "
— Xdw, 9/3/2013 -
" I didn't think that I would ever say this about an Alexandre Dumas book, but I didn't like this book. It was not cohesive at all - I felt that there were too many story lines going at once, and they were so loosely connected that it was confusing. Not recommended. "
— Jennifer, 8/29/2013 -
" Not what I would consider Dumas' crowning achievement but nonetheless an entertaining novel in the way only Alexandre Dumas could portray a part of french history. This was supposedly his last novel and was undiscovered until recently by a French Professor. "
— Jason, 7/4/2013 -
" Well- I just read about half of it. Dumas is a good writer and it was an interesting tale- but another book fell into my lap and I put this one down. I have read three other books since and still haven't picked this up. Liked the writing-it just hasn't been intriguing enough to pick it back up. "
— Heather, 5/26/2013 -
" A good 300-page swashbuckler. English edition FULL of typos. "
— Patsy, 2/21/2013 -
" It boggles the mind that a Dumas manuscript could have been lost for 125 years. I would have loved to see the expression of the person who found it. "
— Kate, 12/29/2012 -
" The historical half, about Napoleon, was fascinating, but the fictional hero's sad perfection suffered drastically in contrast with the dynamic and decidedly flawed Napoleon. "
— K.M., 12/11/2012 -
" it should be more interesting or i should read it more interestingly "
— Giorgi, 10/6/2012 -
" I guess it's not really read since I abandoned it, but the system won't let me unselect read. Although it read quickly and kept me occupied during a long day in an airport, after 300 pages it was neither about Count Sainte-Hermine or anyone's adventures making ultimately boring. "
— Margaret, 9/26/2012 -
" Napoleon part saved the book. Did Hector escape from Krypton - he is just to good to be true. "
— Charl, 3/20/2012 -
" It is an unfinished, serialized novel- rough in parts- but it i a great adventure/political thriller story covering the imperial Napoleonic era. Simply the best! "
— Frederick, 2/26/2012 -
" Volver al estilo de Dumas es delicioso! Recordar las lecturas de la infancia y dejarse llevar por el maravilloso narrador sabelotodo :) "
— Isabel, 9/10/2011 -
" Not the greatest Dumas book, but it could have been had he life enough to correct the galleys. A great find for lovers of Napoleonic literature (which I am.) Of course a must for anyone having read the entirety of Dumas, which I have not, but will. "
— Charles, 3/20/2011 -
" This is Dumas's lost novel. Pretty good for a historical novel for the info about Napoleon. The protagonist was too idealized for me--he could out shoot, out fence, be stronger, be more gallant, and was more handsome than anyone else. "
— Paul, 2/27/2011 -
" It boggles the mind that a Dumas manuscript could have been lost for 125 years. I would have loved to see the expression of the person who found it. "
— Kate, 12/18/2010 -
" I didn't think that I would ever say this about an Alexandre Dumas book, but I didn't like this book. It was not cohesive at all - I felt that there were too many story lines going at once, and they were so loosely connected that it was confusing. Not recommended. "
— Jennifer, 5/23/2010 -
" This is an unfinished book/no ending. Still enjoyed it. "
— Ange, 12/23/2009 -
" The historical half, about Napoleon, was fascinating, but the fictional hero's sad perfection suffered drastically in contrast with the dynamic and decidedly flawed Napoleon. "
— K.M., 12/21/2009 -
" Not my favorite Dumas book. There was a lot of rambling in the first half of the book, but I really enjoyed the second half when we really see the title character's story. "
— Samantha, 12/17/2009 -
" Napoleon part saved the book. Did Hector escape from Krypton - he is just to good to be true. "
— Charl, 8/11/2009 -
" I guess it's not really read since I abandoned it, but the system won't let me unselect read. Although it read quickly and kept me occupied during a long day in an airport, after 300 pages it was neither about Count Sainte-Hermine or anyone's adventures making ultimately boring. "
— Margaret, 7/3/2009
About Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas (1802–1870), French novelist and playwright, was one of the most famous and prolific French writers of the nineteenth century, producing some 250 books. He is best known for his historical novels The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, and he was among the first authors to fully exploit the possibilities of the serial novel. He is credited with revitalizing the historical novel in France. His riveting, fast-paced adventure tales that blend history and fiction have been adapted into nearly 200 films. His last unfinished last novel, The Last Cavalier, lost to historians for 125 years, was completed in 2005 and quickly became a best seller.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.