"Ten Years Later" by Alexandre Dumas is the third novel in his d'Artagnan Romances series, following the epic adventures of the famous musketeers. Set against the backdrop of the 17th century, the novel picks up ten years after the events of Twenty Years After. The central characters: d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis find themselves once again embroiled in the tumultuous political and military conflicts of France.
The story follows the four friends as they are swept into events surrounding the wars of the Fronde, the rise of Cardinal Mazarin's power, and the tensions between the monarchy and rebellious nobles. As d'Artagnan seeks to restore his fortunes and fulfill his aspirations, he faces both old enemies and new challenges, including the impending war with Spain and the political maneuverings of the court. Themes of loyalty, friendship, love, and betrayal run throughout the novel, as the characters navigate complex personal relationships and the ever-changing political landscape. Packed with action, intrigue, and historical drama, Ten Years Later continues the thrilling saga of the three musketeers and their indomitable comrade, d'Artagnan.
Alexandre Dumas was born on 24 July 1802, was also called Alexandre Dumas père, and was a French writer. His historic books of high adventure were initially published as serials, including The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Dumas's father's aristocratic rank helped the youthful Alexandre acquire work with Louis- Philippe, Duke of Orléans, as a writer, a career which led to early success. His father, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, was born in the French province of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) to Alexandre Antoine Davy de la Pailleterie, a French nobleman, and Marie-Cessette Dumas, an African slave. At 14, his father took Thomas-Alexandre to France, where he studied at a military school and joined the army for what turned out to be a distinguished career. He was known to have had somewhere around four ill-conceived children, but scholars believe it was seven. On 5 December 1870, Alexandre Dumas died at the age of 68. He was buried at his birthplace of Villers-Cotterêts in the branch of Aisne. His death was overlooked by the Franco-Prussian war. The Paris Métro named a station in his honor. In 2002, Alexandre Dumas' remains were re-buried at the Panthéon of Paris. His last novel, The Knight of Sainte-Hermine, was published in 2005. It highlighted a fictional character killing Lord Nelson (Nelson was shot and killed by an unknown sharpshooter).
