An excellent character study; a less satisfying mystery

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	• The Fencing Master Arturo Perez-Reverte Harvest Books, 2004 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 97 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

The fencing master

Exciting,gripping,addictive; I could not put this book down.I was completely under its spell,and like a true artist the writer deliberately involves the reader so realistically and deeply in the thrilling conclusion ,that I was just as exhausted and spent as the "Fencing Master" . It would have scored five stars from me, except for the fact that due to translation from Spanish to English, there was an unnecessary use of descriptive phrases,which sometimes detrimentally slowed the pace from this truely racy thriller.

An excellent character study; a less satisfying mystery

This was the first Arturo Perez-Reverte I ever read -- and I firmly hold it to account for my ongoing interest and respect for this fabulous author. In this earlier work of his, we see all the trademarks of the APR style: an unabashed fascination for the foil and dust world of 19th Century Spain, it's heroics and its royal uncertainties. APR has an extraordinary capacity to recreate the past -- perhaps not a 'past' that the academic historian would like to see -- but a past that appeals to the lingering romantic in some of us.

APR loves chess, fencing, Latin, esoteric Catholicism, good cigars, fourth vow Jesuits, and outmoded virtues . . . this list should give you a sense of where his sympathies lie. If you share them, then you'll love his work.

_The Fencing Master_ is, above all, a character study, however. In describing Don Jaime, the archetypal man at odds with the changing values of his time, APR summons up a bold portrait of chivalry in decline. But his style goes much deeper than mere whimsy. APR, undoubtedly, possesses the sort of keen insight and probing powers of observation that all great mystery writers possess. Using these talents, he pulls together a most engrossing world in which foils clash, pride gets rattled, and the coffee always comes with witty conversation.

This book, certainly, will not rank among his best in terms of plot. Both _The Club Dumas_ and _The Flanders Panel_ contain far more ingenious plots, evidentiary structures, and incredible narrative devices. _The Fencing Master_ does not have much in the way of stylistic tricks. But, in Don Jaime, APR presents an intense vision of modesty and nobility that beat beneath a dented plastron. In terms of dialogue and psychology, the book rewards immensely (thanks to a great translation) with some rich turns of phrase and potent reflection on a dying art. As such, the book above all presents a lament for a decline in concentration and dedication in favor of shallow trends.

"God is inconsistent and irresponsible. I have no use for Him. He is not a gentlemen."

The highest praise I can give could only be that, over an iced coffee, I polished this book off at a local Greek-run cafe in the span of a perfectly summer afternoon. Whenever the local constable sparked his cigar, I had to have one as well. Whenever Don Jaime kept to his anachronistic principles, I felt like one day I needed to recover my own. In short, the book led me into a different world for a few hours. Now that's some spectacular adventure writing.

As I said, not his best -- but hands down beats all the crap out there like Stephenie Meyer (sp), Da Vinci Code, etc, etc. What a cruel world we live in when such authors sell millions. Don Jaime, however, would hardly be surprised.

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A Splendid Performance.

Review of "The Fencing Master" -- Arturo Perez-Reverte

Background abstract from the text: "In Madrid in 1868, fencing master and man of honor Don Jaime is approached by a mysterious woman who seeks to learn the secret of the unstoppable thrust, an arcane technique known only to him. All too soon he finds himself in the vortex of a plot that includes seduction, secret political documents, and more than one murder. Rich with the historical detail of a decaying world that agonizes--as does the world of fencing itself--over the ideals of honor and chivalry, The Fencing Master is superb literature and a true page-turner."

This is the second Perez-Reverte book I've read and I have to admit I really like his intelligent style of writing. I found the first half of the book to open very slowly building the back-story for the protagonist (Don Jaime Astarloa) and potential love interest with Adele De Otero who insistently pleads with him to teach her the fencing secret he perfected; "the unstoppable thrust."

*Spoiler here* The second half of the book quickly builds suspense and intrigue ending with a shocking conclusion. The final part of the story ends with Don Jaime discovering that Adele was acting as the agent of espionage for powerful economic interests. She attempts to kill her Maestro with the same fencing thrust maneuver she learned from him but with which he executes with the skill of "The Fencing Master" leading to her demise (with the thrust through her eye socket).

Well done and rife with a vivid historical backdrop and references. Five stars.

JP

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Honor and intrigue!

This is another good book from this author that is very entertaining. The plot thickens and increases in intensity until the climax spills over and our hero is left standing with honor and pride, as he should. This is not a complex or overly intricate story, but it is very enjoyable, fast paced, and thrilling, till the very end. You won't be dissapointed.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

The unstoppable thrust is the arcane fencing technique known only by Don Jaime?and the deadly maneuver that a beautiful young woman wants him to teach her.What begins as a rather bold request leads Don Jaime into the shadowy politics and violence of mid-nineteenth-century Madrid.

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