" My initial reaction is that The Three Musketeers (3M) is not on par with The Count of Monte Cristo. It is a good rendition of a history with excellent characters. But the characters that are most developed aren't the ones you might expect: viz. the three musketeers. There is one character that is unforgettable. Milady is a devil of a character, the likes of which are comparable to Richard III with respect to evil and manipulation. d'Artagnan's character is largely forgettable but for the fact that he is the main character. The style of writing doesn't come close to that of The Count of Monte Cristo (CMC). Many of the sentences are rote, lacking in any vivid descriptions, character development, and the poetic language that I so love in CMC. 3M is lacking in the theatrical nuances that are so well-employed in CMC such as flashbacks and cliffhanging chapters that hook the reader. I'll give the benefit of the doubt and credit these shortcomings to Dumas attempting to write only with the historical knowledge available to him without trying to fill the narrative with too many bells and whistles lest he sacrifice accuracy for creativity. The story, however, is still very interesting and the desire to become acquainted with its end is what kept me reading. And despite the narrative's sometimes dull tone, it did inspire within me an interest to continue reading the series to satiate my curiosity in how the sequels unfold. "
— Samuel, 12/18/2013