The Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later

Summary:

Ten years after the close of Twenty Years After, and thirty years after the events at the end of The Three Musketeers, We find that d'Artagnan has lost his position as the Captain of the Musketeers and has been demoted back to Lieutenant.  He is a personal body guard to the King and has become very disenchanted with his lot in life.   The Cardinal rules over Louis with an iron fist to the point that Louis is unable to help his friend, Charles II, to reclaim his throne in England.

Aramis is now the Bishop of Vanne, Porthos is aiding him in his political machinations, and Athos is desperately trying to control the budding romance between his son and Louise de la Valliere while fulfilling a promise he made ten years earlier.

D'Artagnan asks for leave to retire from the Musketeers and undertakes the task of returning Charles II to his father's throne in England.  Unbeknownst to him, Athos is attempting the very same thing.  Soon all is resolved and Charles is returned to power.

Response:

I was surprised to see D'Artagnan so quickly demoted after the events of the previous novel and concerned about the weakness of the King.  But was greatly impressed at the way Dumas bends his story to fit the historical framework.