2022: Wrap-Up and Future Plans

Once around the sun again. 2022 has been an interesting year. I'm still figuring out what to do since graduating. Other than make art, enjoy life, and cause trouble for the establishment which seems to object to that.

One big win from this year was that I published my second book, The Pirate King, allowing Kestrel and Scar to continue their journey set up in Gentlemen of Fortune.

I've largely been working as a ghostwriter. I'd been working on a few Western novels, but I took a break to work on some of my own stories while in an internship. But costs are going up, and I need to find some other kinds of work. Which will likely get in the away of my writing.

I'm still on the committee for the Writers' Summer School, and that went pretty well this year. I'm hoping that next year will be just as good.

What are my writing plans for next year? Well, I'm working on a third Kestrel and Scar story, The Homecoming, which I hope to publish in the summer. It will still be e-book only, but my plan is to release what I'd like to call "The Rosanna Barclay Trilogy" (Gentlemen of Fortune, The Pirate King, and The Homecoming) as a collection, which will be a physical book. I want to have that published by August, in time for Swanwick.

I'm also working on a table-top roleplaying game, Misadventures in Planaterra. I'm looking to publish that under the Savage Worlds Adventuring Guild licence. Ideally, I'd want to have it released on DriveThruRPG by September, so it can be included in the SWAGtember bundle.

Anyway, see you in 2023. Whatever happens, happens.

An Extract from Hunter's Revenge by Val Penny

 

Today I'm thrilled to have author and fellow Swanwicker Val Penny joining me on the Writer's Block once again, to promote the new edition of Hunter's Revenge, the second story in her D.I. Hunter Wilson series of crime thrillers. I often get these stories as they're released, and finish them in the space of a weekend, enjoying the great cast of characters and snarky dialogue. Val has been more than happy to share an extract from her latest work, which you can find below. Enjoy!

Blurb

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature.

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is a loyal friend and a fair leader. He is called to the scene of a murder in Edinburgh where the corpse has been fatally shot. He is dismayed to find the victim is his friend and colleague, George Reinbold. Hunter must investigate Reinbold’s murky past in Germany to identify George’s killer.

At the same time, Hunter is tasked with looking into a previously undetected criminal gang supplying drugs from Peru. There seems to be no connection between the murder and the drug supply until Hunter unexpectedly secures help from inmates of the local jail.

Hunter’s investigations are hampered by distracted members of his team and unobservant witnesses. 

Reinbold was not the quiet, old man Hunter believed him to be and his killer bore their grudge for a lifetime.

Extract

Linda has found the body of the victim in his porch when she tried to deliver a book. DI Hunter Wilson and DC Tim Myerscough examine the scene and discover the corpse is the body of their friend George Reinbold.

DI Hunter Wilson and DC Tim Myerscough pulled up just behind the ambulance. Hunter liked spring: he could almost smell the world waking up. The freshness of the air encouraged crocuses and daffodils to decorate flower beds, and buds of leaves to appear on trees. Edinburgh had a beauty in every season, but he found his city especially lovely in springtime. However, today was not one of those fine, balmy spring days. It was bright enough, but sharp and cold. Hunter did not like chilly days like today as much as the warmer days he hoped April would bring. 

He and Tim got out of the car. The detective constable dwarfed Hunter by an easy five inches, but as Hunter stood and took in the scene with a serious face and intelligent piercing blue eyes, it was clear that he was the man in charge. Hunter quickly identified the girl sitting on the wet grass as the source of a loud and blood-curdling racket that offended his ears. He looked from the girl to Tim and back again.

“You deal with her, young Myerscough. It’s far too early for me to be coping with weeping women. Try to get some sense out of her, and get her to be quiet, will you? I can’t think with that noise going on.”

“Yes, Sir.” Tim took two strides and crouched down beside the young woman. “Hello, I’m DC Tim Myerscough. What’s your name?”

“Linda.” 

“Linda?”

“Linda Maguire.” She stopped crying but was still sobbing hard.

“So, Linda, it was you who found the body, was it?” Tim asked.

She looked at him as if she thought he was crazy. “Well, I don’t get this upset just because there’s nobody home. I don’t get paid enough for this. It’s awful. Have you seen it? Don’t look. The place is all blood and brains. The back of his head’s gone. I can’t un-see that, you know.” Linda started weeping again as Hunter shouted.

“Tim! Tim! DC Myerscough. Here. Now.” Hunter’s face was grey. “Tim, you won’t believe who the victim is. It’s George Reinbold, shot in the head.”

“What? Oh No! Not our George Reinbold? Head of the Crime Scene Investigations?”

“Not any more he’s not.”

“No, it can’t be. It must be a mistake, he’s just an old man. Who would want to kill him?”

“Don’t take my word for it. Feel free to look but hold on to your breakfast.” Hunter watched as Tim went over and stuck his head around the door and withdrew it quickly.

Linda was right, you can’t un-see that. 

“Boss, that’s been close range. Tiny hole in the forehead, but they’ve blown the back of his skull right off.”

“Hmm. Bloody awful. It’s got to be a professional job. But the murderer would surely be hit by some spray from the blood.” Hunter grimaced. 

“Definitely. This is surely a case of mistaken identity? Nobody would want to hurt George?” Tim’s questions asked for the reassurance that Hunter could not give.

“We’ll need to find out what he’s been working on recently. It could be a targeted attack. And I certainly don’t want our CSIs working on this; it would be too traumatic. I’ll call Glasgow and get them to send a team over. PC Angus McKenzie can stay at the door to restrict access while I get DS Jane Renwick to gather a team to organise door-to-door enquiries. One thing is for sure, somebody saw something or heard the gun.”

“Yes.” Tim paused “Will Doctor Sharma be able to do the post-mortem?”

“I doubt she would allow anybody else that honour, but it won’t be easy for her. She liked George and respected him greatly. You stay here and take the witness statement from that girl. When Meera Sharma and the CSIs are finished, I want you and me into that flat as soon as possible to find out everything we can about George and why he was murdered.”

Tim turned back to Linda and walked slowly across the grass. He saw the young delivery woman was now dry-heaving as hard as she was weeping. It must have been a terrible shock for her. He took out his notebook in a vain effort to try to divert her attention. He smiled at her as she lifted her head. His smile seemed to work as a better diversion. 

He was aware of her looking up at him. He watched as she swept her hair behind her ear, glanced into his eyes and she allowed her glance to rove from his eyes to his hair, smile and shoulders. For some reason he became self-conscious about his broken nose. This was silly. He blushed and realised that she had stopped sobbing.

 Tim looked at her more closely. Under all the thick layer of make-up and dribbles of snot, she was pretty. 

He took down her personal details and then they discussed how Linda’s morning had been going before her shocking discovery.

“What were you delivering to Mr Reinbold?” Tim asked.

“A book. The label just says a book.”

“But it also says it’s insured for £25,000. That’s some book,” Tim said, looking at Linda’s delivery list. 

“I didn't notice that. It's an awful lot.”

Tim looked around for help and caught sight of DS Jane Renwick, who had joined Hunter talking to the paramedics. Tim wondered how Jane always looked so elegant, as though she had just walked off a magazine cover. 

“Sarge? Sarge, can you help with this?” Tim called to Jane.

“What’s up, Tim?”

“Linda here has on her manifest that the parcel Mr Reinbold was expecting was a book, but I’ve noticed it’s insured for £25,000. That seems a great deal for a book.”

“It certainly does. Do we know where the parcel is?”

Linda pulled it out from underneath her. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to sit on the grass. It's wet,” she said by way of explanation.

Jane looked at the girl and sighed. Then she held out her hand and, in the presence of Linda and Tim, opened the parcel. 

“It is indeed a book. A signed first edition of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh. My goodness. It’s amazing! Include this in the statement, Tim, and give Linda a note to say that we now hold the book. I’ll take it back to the station. We’ll need to get a proper valuation.”

“Wow! All that for a kiddies’ book.” Linda finished her statement and agreed to come down to the station to sign a typed copy whenever Tim phoned her to tell her it was ready. He caught her allowing herself one more gaze into his eyes before they stood up. Tim was over a foot taller than her diminutive five foot two inches. 

“Thank you for all your help today, Linda,” Tim said.

“It's all right, but I suppose I better get on with my deliveries. I’m ever so late. It would be me who found the bloody body.”

Hunter's Revenge was published on 30th November 2022, and is available on Kindle here.

About the Author

Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat. 

Val has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and novels. 

Thanks for dropping by, Val. I wish you luck with the sales.

Happy writing.

Next Book and Plans

 

It's been a while, but I have actually been writing.

Last week, I published a new Kestrel and Scar story, The Pirate King. This follows on from my previous story, Gentlemen of Fortune (which is available here). The story was published on 19th September for Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I ran a fun Facebook launch on 23rd September.

Anyway, this story picks up where Gentlemen of Fortune left off, in which Kestrel is forced to find a safe port to make repairs, but his previous adventure has attracted other interested parties. The story is going to be the second entry in the "Rosanna Barclay Trilogy" of novelettes in which wandering scoundrels Kestrel and Scar travel with former lady-in-waiting Rosanna Barclay. 

While the previous story was published as an e-book and a paperback, I decided to make this one e-book only. This was largely due to KDP's cover formatting, which repeatedly rejected the cover. When I originally published the story for a university assignment, I'd made the front and back covers using Canva, and merged all the files to print using Doxzoo. Unfortunately, Amazon seemed to take issue with that, and I had to make several attempts to merge the covers into one file for the upload before it was finally accepted. With that in mind, you can probably understand why I didn't want that particular headache. Apologies to those who prefer paperbacks, but I have a plan.

I'm going to be working on the third story, The Homecoming, which I aim to publish next year. In this one, Kestrel and Scar take Rosanna back to England, but a storm runs them aground near St Ives; Kestrel's place of birth. After Scar is shot, Kestrel finds himself dredging up memories of his departure ten years earlier. This one is also going to be e-book only, but I hope to release a paperback with all three stories. I already started The Homecoming for a second-year assignment at university, but I'm going to take a short break from the series.

I'm planning to dedicate October to working on one of my other projects; Misadventures in Planaterra. This is a comic fantasy I've been sketching for some time, that I'm hoping to develop as a roleplaying game.

Anyway, the Pirate King is on now available from Amazon here.

Anyway, I'd best get back to work. Happy writing.

A Hidden Treasure: Crimson Skies

 

Yeah, I'm procrastinating again. Just an update on what's going on: I've been working on my follow-up to Gentlemen of Fortune. This new story, The Pirate King, will be released as an e-book on 19th September (Talk Like a Pirate Day, naturally).

Anyway, I like to give shout-outs to obscure gems from time to time. Since pirates are on the mind, I know what I'm choosing. Crimson Skies is an arcade-style flying game released in 2000, based on a collectible miniatures game of the same name. The game takes place during the 1930s, in an alternative history in which the United States and Canada have broken up into 23 squabbling nation-states. With most roads and railways crossing hostile borders, air travel has become the primary means of transportation. The zeppelins that ferry passengers and goods across the continent are a lucrative target for air pirates, and the government air militias formed to fight the pirates regularly face off against one another in sabre-rattling contests.

The player assumes the role of Nathan Zachary, a self-proclaimed "gentleman pirate" who sees himself as a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from those who can afford the loss while minimising collateral damage. The game follows Zachary and his gang, the Fortune Hunters, as they embark on a series of adventures across this balkanised continent. 

It feels weird talking about games I haven't played (it's hard to find and harder to run on newer machines). Nevertheless, I've been watching Let's Plays on YouTube and have become truly engaged with the Fortune Hunters during their travels thanks to their endearing sense of camaraderie and likeable personalities.

The game's story is divided into five arcs, each of which features around five missions:

1. The Fortune Hunters search for a ship in Sir Francis Drake's fleet, which was lost in a storm somewhere in Hawaii (which has gained independence and become a constitutional monarchy in this universe) and was purportedly carrying stolen Spanish gold. They tussle with the Medusas, an all-female pirate gang led by Justine "Battle Axe" Perot, and also foil an attempt by the British to establish a colony in clear violation of Hawaiian sovereignty.
2. Nathan's old friend, the renowned aviation scientist Dr Wilhelm Fassenbiender, is kidnapped by Soviet agents in Pacifica (a nation-state encompassing Washington, Oregon, and British Colombia). The Fortune Hunters mount a rescue, and then carry out a raid on the Boeing Aviation facility where he and his daughter work, putting them into conflict with a private air force established by Paladin Blake.
3. Johnny Johnson, a studio executive in The Nation of Hollywood (a nation-state encompassing California), claims that his nation will never be threatened by pirates. Nathan becomes determined to put his old rival in his place.
4. During a period spent resting in Sky Haven (a pirate city in the Rocky Mountains), the Fortune Hunters are kidnapped by a vicious new pirate gang known as the Black Hats. Nathan must team up with his rival, Black Swan, in order to rescue them.
5. The Fortune Hunters have discovered a connection between the Black Hats and Sacred Trust, a new private security company which has been poaching many of Paladin Blake's customers. They travel to Empire State (a nation encompassing New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), in order to expose them.

Since I was only watching Let's Plays, I haven't been able to look at the gameplay, but it's mainly revolving around flying or customising planes with different engines and munitions. All in all, the game has brought a very pulpy adventure feel with elements that kind of resonate today, such as punishing corporate greed and state regionalism.

Before I go, I'd like to tie this into some trivia I dug up during research for my pirate stories. For those who are unfamiliar, a Letter of Marque was a document issued to ship crews which sanctioned acts of piracy against the enemies of the issuing nation. It was common practice for the colonial powers to issue these in times of war, to help bolster their fledgling navies. This practice was formally abolished by the Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law, which was signed in 1856 by 55 nations. 

However, the United States - despite agreeing to uphold the agreement - is not officially a signatory. This means that the USA can still issue Letters of Marque (albeit requiring Congressional approval to do). One notable story was that the crew of the Goodyear blimp Resolute allegedly held a Letter of Marque to fly anti-submarine patrols during the early years of the Second World War. This was later debunked as an urban myth, as the Navy didn't have Congressional approval to issue a Letter of Marque and subsequently requisitioned the vessel. Nevertheless, it made a great concept for a story, and probably influenced a lot of air pirates in other works of fiction, including Crimson Skies, TaleSpin, and Porco Rosso. I hope to do something with the concept myself in the near-future.

Well, that's about it. Happy writing.

A Spot of Mead and Cheese

(Not actually worn for the occasion)

Well, I'm dreading the return to whatever my daily grind is going to be. Friday was quite busy. Not only did I return home from Swanwick, but I also made a guest appearance on a pirate-themed episode of Mead and Cheese.

For those who are unfamiliar, Mead and Cheese is a show on the student radio station, DemonFM. The hosts, DJ Mead (Corey) and DJ Cheese (Tom), play music, discuss popular culture, and are advocating for more sales of mead (I agree, because mead is good).

Anyway, the show's Patreon supporters were given the chance to vote on a themed episode, and the winner was pirates. I then received an invitation to appear on the show, since my main project is a series of pirate stories. I've never been on the radio before, and I knew that Mead and Cheese takes a rather laid back and silly tone, so I decided it might be good for a laugh.

I appeared on the show alongside two other guests; a musician named Kieran McCavana, and one of the show's patrons. Me and Kieran were given a pirate quiz, but in a sudden twist, it was about music piracy rather than the high seas piracy I'm accustomed to. That said, the tie-breaker was a "two truths and a lie" about that kind of piracy, which I ended up winning.

There was also a fun game called "pitch invasion". The guests and the patron were asked to come up with a pitch for the next Pirates of the Caribbean film (you can read my views about the franchise here), but it had to involve mead and cheese. There was then another round in which we had to write an anti-piracy ad to be included at the screening, but it had to include a tragic element and something ridiculous that you wouldn't steal. This was followed by a discussion of our favourite pirate films that aren't Pirates of the Caribbean. In case anyone's wondering, mine's Muppet Treasure Island.

On top of that, there was some opportunities for promotions. I was able to promote my book, Swanwick, and my poetry blog. Kieran was also able to promote his latest single, "Just a Loser".

All in all, it was a fun experience. I hope the listeners had as much fun as I did.

Mead and Cheese is broadcast live on DemonFM every Friday between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. If you wish to find out more about Kieran McCavana's work, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram, along with his producer, James Knapp. 

Anyway, I'd best chase the horizon (and flee the energy companies trying to extort me).

Happy writing.

Swanwick 2022: A Different Kind of Swanwick

Writers not pictured due to heat

It's that wonderful time of year again; my annual visit to the Swanwick Writers' Summer School. I know folks are disdainful about Christmas songs in the summer, but I suppose I often joke about getting excited for Swanwick like a kid getting excited for Christmas. This year was my sixth visit to Swanwick, but it was my first year serving as a member of the school's committee, which provided a completely different experience. I got elected at the end of last year's Swanwick, and took on the role of co-ordinating the school's TopWrite scheme, which offers subsidised places to 18 to 30-year-olds who are looking to start their writing journey. I also ended up being assigned to the tech team, which meant sitting in the control booths at the back of the hall and making sure that the microphones and screens were working.

That sanitiser was standard committee issue

Like last year, I ran a course at Swanwick on the Tuesday morning; specifically a single-session course about writing action scenes. I'd initially put it forward as a two-part short course, but then agreed to compress it. I didn't get many attendees, but that's the time of the week when a lot of people are flagging (myself included, so it was kind of comfortable). That said, those who did attend came to me and said they enjoyed it and got a lot out of it.

Anyway, let's do the breakdown of the week. Courses at Swanwick are divided into three categories: Specialist courses, which comprise four hour-long sessions spread throughout the week, which run after breakfast; short courses, which comprise two sessions which run before and after lunch; and workshops, which comprise a single session which is run either after the afternoon tea break or in the morning sessions on the Tuesday. Since I was on the tech team, I had to be on hand for certain courses, but I was mostly able to be at the courses I was interested in. I guess we're the only people who have to book our courses in advance.

Specialist Course - Short Stories

My chosen specialist course this week was on Short Stories, taught by Ingrid Jendrzejewski. Short stories is what I normally write, so I wanted to make sure I was on track for that. I'd blown the dust off an air pirate story I'd started for one of my final year modules at university, and was using that in the exercises. The first part of the course looked at writing the endings first, which is something I don't normally do, but it's definitely something that's worth thinking about. There was also an exercise which involved making the protagonist's shopping list, and another involving writing something in different points of view. I hope to apply it to subsequent Kestrel and Scar stories.

Short Courses

Promoting Your Work

On Sunday, I attended Joan Harthan's short course on Writing Groups. I was originally in a writing group in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, which was how I ended up discovering Swanwick in the first place. The course offered some great pointers about how to set up a writers' group, including a group exercise in which one person facilitates and times a writing prompt, along with shared feedback. It came up with some fun or dramatic pieces. I'm looking to set up a writing group on Discord, and I think I came up with some interesting pointers.

Monday's course was Promoting Your Work with Val Penny. The sessions looked at various platforms and strategies, along with things to avoid (like vanity publishers). This is something I'm struggling with at the moment. I'm aiming to use social media (mainly Twitter) as a marketing platform, but I don't want to degenerate into repeatedly tweeting "buy my book". I'd been distracted by an issue with one of the screens (not to mention the heat), but I might have ideas about where to go. In fact, I was on the radio to discuss it yesterday. But I'll talk about that tomorrow.

On Wednesday, I attended Writing Believable LGBTQ+ Characters, taught by Spencer Meakin. They ran this course in the previous year, but I'd been unable to attend due to a clash. Ever since I exhibited Kestrel and Scar at university, someone once asked me "Do they f***?", and was very disappointed when I said they hadn't (because I don't write any explicit sex scenes). Since then, I've been thinking about their sexual orientations. The first session discussed the various orientations, and discussions of pronouns along with acceptable language. The second session looked at the various LGBTQ+ stereotypes, and provided pointers on how to establish a character's orientation through subtle hints. As someone who favours the "show, don't tell" school of thought, I think it gave me a lot to work with.

Thursday's course was Writing Competitions with Vivien Brown. This is an avenue that I haven't really touched upon, so it provided an interesting insight. The first session involved looking at handouts for different contests and filling in a worksheet with what they're looking for, entry fees, prizes, and who is eligible to take place. I looked at one called To Hull and Back, which involves submissions of funny stories, and I'm seriously considering entering something. The second session looked at common blunders to avoid when submitting.

Other Sessions

In previous years, I've avoided the single-session workshops so I can use the time to write. This year, I was on hand for tech in a couple of those sessions. One of these was the Prize Winning Readings. Every year, Swanwick runs a series of competitions judged by Writing Magazine, in which the prize is a place at Swanwick. This can be either a poem, a short story, or a children's story. The winners are all invited to this event to read out their work, and I heard some truly poignant pieces.

On Tuesday morning, I attended Toni Bunnel's session on book covers. She provided some decent pointers, and I received a nice reminder about cover formatting, having previously looked at it at university. There was also an activity which involved matching titles to covers, which was a nice bit of fun. Of course, there was the pointing out of one elephant in the room that's Amazon's shambolic paperback cover formatting. When I published Gentlemen of Fortune last year, I fell afoul of that to the point that I decided to make all subsequent titles e-book only until I have written enough for a decent-sized collection.

Wednesday afternoon added a new feature, known as Swanwick Success stories. A number of delegates - myself included - were invited to speak about the role Swanwick played in their writing journeys. I largely improvised my speech, but I think it went well, and it was a great way to show new delegates what they could be going on to do.

In a one-off event, I attended a special screening of How to Avoid Death Forever, a short film by Ella Muscroft. The story follows a pair of teenagers who are suffering from inoperable brain tumours, who decide to find ways to enjoy what little life they have left. It provided a great mix of comedic and dramatic moments, including one line about the characters' hometown being suffocating that made me tear up (something that resonated with me thanks to my own lockdown experiences).

Evening Events

As always, Swanwick isn't just about the courses. There are an array of events in the evenings, along with after-dinner speakers on some nights. I don't usually attend the speakers because I like to use the times for writing (which often ended up being spent setting up for later events). But I do enjoy the evening events. This included "Birds of a Feather" on the Saturday night, in which writers could meet and network with other writers of the same genre. There's also a poetry open mic, a prose open mic, a busker's night, two quizzes, and a fancy dress evening. There's also the Page to Stage, in which delegates can submit a short play before the school, and then they can be picked up by directors to perform them one night. I was on hand for that, and enjoyed a mix of comedic and dramatic pieces.

One of the new events added this year was a Firepit Singalong. Although it had been threatening rain, and quite frankly I hoped the event would manipulate the laws of Karma and Sod into making rain, it was a fun night spent toasting marshmallows and singing a few campfire songs (including sea shanties).

The theme of this year's fancy dress was "Another Night at the Movies", and I decided to go as the harmonica-playing gunfighter from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It was a fun night, and I did manage to do my gun spinning in a (relatively) fluid motion. But I still haven't mastered the macarena. There's also the final night, in which delegates are invited to suit up, including a farewell

Wrap-Up

If there's one thing I wasn't able to do this week, it was get some writing done. My committee responsibilities kept me busy, and there times when things got hectic. But I expected this. I'd finished a draft before I travelled out, so I could use this week to let it rest.

All in all, the Swanwick magic is still there. It was great to be back, great to see people again, and great to feel appreciated for the work the committee had put in. I'm still on the committee, and I'm excited to get things ready for next year. But for now, I think I need a rest.

Happy writing.

The Musketeers Marathon - Wrap-up

 

The Musketeers is not one of the greatest shows around, but I still enjoy it all the same. It's not exactly a faithful adaptation of the works of Alexandre Dumas, but there have been so many other adaptations that there's a need to develop an identity. One of my classmates once described it as "fan fiction". Is that accurate? I'd say so. But is that a bad thing? Not at all. I started out writing fan fiction too.

The show utilises plenty of swashbuckling tropes and clichés in both action and story, often playing them straight. But I love those tropes and clichés, and make use of them in my own writing while also looking for opportunities to utilise them in a different way. I guess the show spoke out to me because of its "pulp" nature, and I consider myself to be a pulp writer. I love the action, and I love the camaraderie between the main characters which produces a ton of witty lines. I previously cited the dynamic between Santiago Carbrera and Howard Charles as an influence on Kestrel and Scar. Hell, I could even see the pair playing my characters if my stories ever got adapted to screen.

This is where I'd normally do a "Top 5 Best Episodes". Instead, I'll look at each season in turn, and choose my favourite episode along with a runner-up.

Season 1

Overall, the first season consisted of self-contained stories. The overarching stories consisted of d'Artagnan becoming a Musketeer and Cardinal Richelieu's machinations in the name of France. As stated before, Richelieu is essentially Peter Capaldi reprising his role as Malcolm Tucker (except with less foul language and even fewer scruples). While the first episode paints him as wanting to destroy the Musketeer regiment, subsequent episodes have him working with the Musketeers.

For my "pick of the season", I'm tempted to go with "Commodities". We get some insights into both Athos and Porthos, a "villain of the week" who is kind of fun to be with but still provides a source of tension, along with some more dramatic strides than the previous two episodes. However, I'm going to make that one the runner-up in favour of "Knight Takes Queen". It shows how far the Cardinal is willing to go to further his national interest, and there's some great action as Aramis and Athos are besieged in the convent. It also kick-starts many of the events of the later seasons as Aramis ends up sleeping with Queen Anne. We also get some insight into Aramis' past, with elements I hope to utilise for Kestrel.

Season 2

The second season followed a similar path, but with a more distinct formula: King Louis blaming the Musketeers for failure while praising the Comte de Rochefort. We also get some running plot threads with Aramis spending time with the Dauphin (despite knowing that admitting fatherhood would be treasonous), and Porthos learning about his parentage. Rochefort is something of a contrast from the Cardinal. While the Cardinal is methodical, Rochefort seems a little more impulsive. While Richelieu acts in a mix of national interest and self-interest, Rochefort is working for Spain but purely in self-interest. However, Rochefort does have an endgame - to seize the throne and forge an alliance with Spain - while the Cardinal's plots were often about maintaining stability ("The Exiles") or doing things to help France on the world stage ("Commodities").

My runner-up for "pick of the season" would have to be "Keep Your Friends Close". It kicks off the aforementioned plot threads, and I love the action as the Musketeers and Rochefort spring General De Foix. As for the winner, hands down it has to be "Through a Glass Darkly". The tension as the royal court is taken hostage is thrilling. But I also love how Marmion ultimately comes across as sympathetic.

Season 3

The third season took a much darker turn, with the war between France and Spain serving as a backdrop. Again, there's an overarching conspiracy; a plot to install Gaston as the new king. Some episodes work towards this, but others don't. Grimaud is a menacing villain with his ruthlessness, seemingly indestructible nature, and his ability to disappear. It makes him almost other-worldly but he's a little bit one-note. He's essentially a bogeyman, but we do get some insights into what made him that way. Working with him does seem Faustian in nature, as Ferron and Lorraine found out the hard way.

I think my runner-up for "pick of the season" would go to "Death of a Hero". It has nail-biting peril for all the characters, and the reveal for most of the cast of the king's condition, but it also gives Ferron some development. As for my winner, I'm going with "The Prize". It was great to see Treville running rings around the villainous triumvirate, and the ending was truly poignant.

Well, that's about it. It was fun to look at a show that has been an influence on my writing. Tomorrow is July, which mean's it's once again Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll be dedicating that month to working on The Pirate King, the follow-up to my previous Kestrel and Scar adventure, Gentlemen of Fortune. I'm hoping to finish it before I go to Swanwick this year.

Happy writing. Or perhaps "All for one and one for all"?

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E10: We are the Garrison

 

Well, it's the final episode, here at the end of all things.

Treville has shattered the alliance between Gaston, Grimaud, and Lorraine. But he has done so at the cost of his own life. The Duke of Lorraine is dead, and his army has withdrawn. But Gaston and Grimaud are both still at large. And Grimaud is seeking a final reckoning before he leaves, and has the Red Guards at his beck and call. They attack the tavern where Treville's wake is being held, and demolish the Garrison. When the Musketeers survive, Grimaud and his men invade the refugee settlement. They demand the Musketeers surrender, threatening to kill Sylvie, who is pregnant with Athos' child. When that fails, Grimaud attempts to blow up Notre Dame during a blessing ceremony for King Louis XIV.

Overall, this feels less like a finale and more like an epilogue. The biggest threat to Paris was stopped last episode, so now we're just tying off a few loose ends. Grimaud doesn't really have much left to gain other than the aforementioned reckoning. He's not the sort of person who gets satisfaction. That said, it's still a good episode, with the characters at their lowest points.

The wake scene is particularly poignant, as d'Artagnan tears up while giving a speech about Treville. It shows how much they all saw him as a mentor and father figure. One big surprise is seeing Athos sober during the whole event. It's a small moment, but it says a lot. And when the attacks happen, things get tense as d'Artagnan realises that Constance was at the Garrison. Once again, we have the "is Constance going to die?" tension that seems common for season finales. Granted, it pulls off a "Disney death", but it was still tense. We get a rousing speech from Athos about how "We are the Garrison", which is a little cliched, but that's expected for a series like this.

There's still some great action. When Grimaud invades the settlement, he had assumed that d'Artagnan was killed at the Garrison. Porthos realises this, which allows them to use it to their advantage. They fight off the Red Guards, Grimaud is wounded but escapes, and I got a great sense of catharsis from seeing d'Artagnan kill Marcheaux. We then get a somewhat more subdued climax as Grimaud attempts to blow up the cathedral. Athos and d'Artagnan are able to extinguish the burning fuses (a classic swashbuckler set piece), and Athos decides to have the final duel with Grimaud.

Once everything's resolved, we basically get what Wayne's World called a "mega-happy ending". It's a contrast from the darker and edgier tone this season has taken, but I think it's well-deserved:

• Athos takes a leave of absence and decides to retire to the countryside with Sylvie
• D'Artagnan is appointed the new Captain of the Musketeers (complete with a nice hat), and is tasked with rebuilding the Garrison with Constance.
• Porthos is made a general, and returns to the front lines with a newly-commissioned Brujon. Before leaving, he marries Elodie, the widowed mother whom he'd bonded with in "Fool's Gold" who had come to Paris seeking him out.
• Aramis accepts the position of First Minister, allowing him to mentor the king as he grows up. While also rekindling his affair with Queen Anne.
• Even Milady gains a new position as Queen Anne's personal assassin, taking care of Gaston and thus wrapping up the final loose end.

Well, it's been a ride. Finale or epilogue, or whatever's in-between, this was still a good episode. I'll post my wrap-up later today.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E9: The Prize

 

It's the penultimate episode, and things are about to hit the fan.

King Louis XIII is dead. The Duke of Lorraine's army has assembled on the outskirts of Paris, ready to install Gaston on the throne with Grimaud's financial backing. Treville learns that the king has appointed him as regent rather than the queen. With French forces tied up in the war against Spain, he knows that Lorraine could seize the city before he can bring in reinforcements, and resorts to diplomatic means to quell the threat. He disbands the Red Guards and instructs Athos to hide the boy king while he negotiates with Gaston and Lorraine. Athos entrusts Louis to Constance and Sylvie. But Marcheaux and the Red Guards defect to Grimaud, giving him allies within the city. And he tasks them with finding Louis.

Treville carries this episode. He previously refused a place on the king's council because he felt himself suited to being a better soldier than politician. But here, he shows that he has a talent for diplomacy and misdirection. He knows that while Gaston, Lorraine, and Grimaud are allies, they're not united: 

• Gaston wants the throne, and would have a legitimate claim if the young king dies before he matures. But he has no troops of his own and is thus dependent on Lorraine's forces to seize the city. 
• The Duke of Lorraine wants independence from France, and has the troops to occupy the city until Gaston agrees to this. But he was previously bankrupt, and is thus dependent on Grimaud's substantial resources to fund his army, which means he's in debt.
• It's not exactly clear what Grimaud truly seeks to gain beyond a return on his investment, but he's basically the man financing the whole plot. But it's clear that both Gaston and Lorraine look down on him because he's not noble himself.

Treville uses this to play them off against each other. He offers Gaston a royal pardon and invites him to the Louvre to visit his brother while he lies in state, during which time he offers him a lavish palace and a substantial stipend. While Gaston is at the palace (and apparently sees the Dauphin being spirited out of the city), Treville meets with Lorraine and offers to draft a treaty which guarantees independence if he agrees to pull his forces back. It's only a matter of time before the two dukes are giving each other some serious side-eye as Treville runs rings around them.

Of course, not everything goes according to plan. Queen Anne is naturally angry with Treville's appointment, especially when he hides her son without consulting her. When he specifically instructs Athos not to involve Aramis in his plan, it's only a matter of time before they need to keep secrets from each other. When the queen learns that Louis is in Constance's care, she commands her to return him in a move which almost gets him captured by Marcheaux.

While disbanding the Red Guard probably wasn't the best move, it does offer some satisfaction; Marcheaux, being the smug prat that he always was, mocks Athos and Aramis over the decision. They respond by supporting it, as they "get paid to kill traitors". However, Grimaud is able to capture Louis and d'Artagnan, threatening to undo all of Treville's plans.

The climax provides some great action, but a truly poignant cliff-hanger. So much happens that you think this could work as the finale, but there's one episode left to go...

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E8: Prisoners of War

 

It's the calm before the storm once again.

As King Louis' condition worsens, Queen Anne has been privately corresponding with King Philip of Spain, with Aramis serving as her envoy. When her brother apparently offers terms for peace, Aramis goes to a ruined fort to meet the Spanish Ambassador. The meeting turns out to be a trap, and Aramis is captured by Grimaud. The peace talks were staged by Grimaud as part of a plot with Gaston and the Duke of Lorraine to discredit Queen Anne before she can become regent. Forging a letter from King Philip, they demand the release of several captured Spanish generals in exchange for Aramis. Treville sends the Musketeers to recover the prisoners, but Marcheaux arranges for them to be publicly hanged. To make matters worse, d'Artagnan's cousin Espoir is also amongst the condemned men after being arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, forcing him to make a judgement call that puts him at odds with his friends.

Espoir doesn't seem to add much to the story, other than giving the idealistic d'Artagnan a moral dilemma. Marcheaux has stirred up the crowds at the execution when the Musketeers collect the prisoners, while Espoir continues to stir them up. That said, it does lend perspective on how draconian criminal justice was back then. When he tries to make a break for it, d'Artagnan takes him back to the Garrison, but Athos and Porthos are unhappy with him compromising the mission. Even Espoir tells him to take him back to prison, but d'Artagnan is reluctant, as doing so would be condemning his cousin to death. That said, when he's cut loose, he and d'Artagnan stumble across the camp where Aramis is being held. And he ends up saving Athos' life when they try and rescue Aramis. I guess they had to find a way to tie him into the events of the story.

Nevertheless, it does present an interesting conspiracy which actually succeeds: Queen Anne sponsors a campaign of literacy to win the hearts and minds of the populace, even offering patronage to Sylvie. After the Musketeers save Aramis, Marcheaux presents the leaflets to Grimaud and he devises a new way to carry out their plot.

In another sub-plot, we see the return of Milady de Winter (teased in the opening credits), having left for England at the end of the previous season. King Louis initially claims to have talked to her while in a daze induced by his medicine, but Treville assures Athos that he'd been hallucinating. Treville then finds her in his office, and offers a retainer for her services. She refuses and seeks out Athos, learning about Sylvie after seducing Cadet Brujon and going to confront her. When she sees that Athos is surprised to see her, she realises that he had intended to join him. She claims to have spoken to Sylvie, and assures him that she's safe but realises he won't believe him. Athos then learns that Sylvie has been arrested for allegedly distributing a subversive caricature of the queen.

The scene which follows this revelation is actually quite powerful. As King Louis states that Sylvie has been sentenced to be publicly flogged, Athos storms out of the meeting and interrupts the sentence. It's essentially made Athos go full circle: when Milady killed Athos' brother, he ordered her execution, claiming he chose duty over love. But now he's going against the king's wishes to stop Marcheaux from flogging Sylvie, loudly rejecting the king's law and choosing love over duty. As his friends back him up, Milady is amongst the spectators. She's watching it unfold and realising where his heart truly lies. She then meets with Treville and accepts his original offer.

All in all, this was a pretty good episode. Next time, things are about to go off.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E7: Fool's Gold

 

War is hell. Especially in the 17th century.

The Musketeers have been tasked with bringing Lucien Grimaud to justice for the murder of Ferron. After learning that he's fled Paris, Sylvie reveals that he mentioned having lived in the village of Episee. The Musketeers follow the trail, but end up being captured. They're taken to a hidden commune populated almost entirely by women from the village seeking refuge from soldiers who periodically loot their homes. Amongst them are Juliette and Therese, who both happen to have known Grimaud's mother. Another resident is Elodie, the pregnant widow of a soldier, whom Porthos bonds with. They also meet Bastien, played by Harry Melling, whom they took in after rescuing him from a band of soldiers. However, it's then revealed that he's a spy for a group of deserters from a penal battalion, who seek a treasure which the commune allegedly stole from them.

This episode attempts to explore the effects that war has on people, especially women living near the front lines. Since many wars at that time were fought by mercenaries, and since soldiers weren't always well-paid or well-supplied, it was common for soldiers to resort to looting and pillaging.

While this episode starts out as the hunt for Grimaud, he doesn't actually appear except in dreams. We do get some insight into his past, which I'm not going to discuss here. As a warning if you're watching the episode: it discusses sexual assault, and an attempted infanticide.

If there's an issue I do have with this episode, it's with Juliette. She's the de facto leader of this hidden community, and is built up to be a fierce fighter. But then she gets captured by Bastien's men, who demand the treasure in exchange for her release. While it does result in a pretty cool battle as the Musketeers fight with the villagers, I was a little disappointed that she ultimately has to be saved.

This is very similar to "The Return" from the second season, with the episode largely taking place away from home. However, there is still some story to take place back in Paris. Queen Anne admits to King Louis that Aramis is the Dauphin's biological father, and Treville encourages him to make peace. After all, if the Dauphin is declared illegitimate, that would be dangerous once the king dies.

All in all, it's a good episode, but also a pretty dark one.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E6: Death of a Hero

Damn, this episode is an intense one. Might be one of the best of this season so far. Just an advance warning: I'll be discussing spoilers that carry over into the next episodes.

Grimaud and Ferron, who have been at each other's throats since their last scheme failed, devise a plan to eliminate the Musketeers. Grimaud attempts to kill Athos while he's staying with Sylvie, while Ferron uses a forged letter from Treville to lure the others into a trap. As the Musketeers are travelling to rendezvous with a general's aide, Aramis is recalled to the palace. He's tasked with escorting King Louis as he goes on a pilgrimage to honour the anniversary of his father's death. Meanwhile, Porthos and d'Artagnan to continue to the rendezvous, where they're besieged in a ramshackle farmhouse by Grimaud's assassins. Athos survives the attempt on his life with Sylvie's help, and rides out with Treville and the Musketeer cadets to warn his friends of the danger they're in.

The opening is atmospheric. Ferron gives a monologue about the inevitability of death. His voice-over is interspersed with shots of Aramis stood blindfolded against a wall riddled with bullet holes, and Athos being disarmed at gunpoint by a hooded figure. We then see somebody holding a razor to d'Artagnan's throat as he dozes in the bath, before it pans out to reveal Constance shaving him. It's also revealed that Sylvie is playing a kinky game with Athos, while Aramis had been blindfolded for some trick-shooting.

The action gets intense as Grimaud actually gets the best of Athos until Sylvie shoots him. But he escapes, demonstrating a vanishing act in the process. Meanwhile, Porthos and d'Artagnan spend their predicament bickering because d'Artagnan had used a cask of wine they found in the farmhouse as a decoy. It gets poignant as they face what seems to be an inevitable death, while defiantly shouting "We refuse to die!"

Meanwhile, Aramis accompanies the king to the mausoleum of Henry IV. Ferron, who has been told by Grimaud to kill them both, is waiting in the crypt. But he has a change of heart when he learns that he's being asked to serve as the Dauphin's guardian when Louis dies, and is being legitimised in exchange for doing so. As he leaves, Louis then reveals he's figured out that Aramis had slept with the queen and confronts him over it. Aramis confesses, but then calls the king out for neglecting her.

Outside, Ferron tries to sever his ties with Grimaud, who mortally stabs him. In his final moments, he fires his pistol into the air, warning Aramis and the king of Grimaud's assassins. Thus, he gets seen as a hero in King Louis' eyes. It's during the fight that Louis reveals to Aramis that he's dying, and Aramis imparts this to the rest of the Musketeers and Queen Anne.

Good episode, that leaves me excited for the next one.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E5: To Play the King

 

The King is throwing a lavish party while Paris is mired in poverty. Kinda like the Jubilee.

Anyway, it's the Dauphin's birthday, and King Louis has nothing else on his mind other than making it a memorable experience. But while that's going on, a prison riot breaks out at the Chatelet. While the Red Guards secure the prison, the Musketeers are charged with rounding up a number of inmates who managed to escape. In reality, the riot is a cover for a scheme cooked up by Ferron and Grimaud to steal gold from the Royal Vault beneath the Chatelet. Grimaud seeks out an inmate, Victor Joubert, who had designed the door to the vault. He forces him to build a new key, threatening his wife Annabelle if he refuses. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan takes pity on one of the escaped inmates; a soldier named Borel who went insane and believes himself to be the king. But the eccentric turns out to be a lot more dangerous than he appears to be.

There's a lot going on in this episode, but the tension and dramatic irony run through it very well. Marcheaux tells the Musketeers to hold the escaped inmates at the Garrison until noon, ostensibly so the Red Guards can secure the prison, but it's really to keep them out of the way so Grimaud can access the vault. But he soon has to arrange for the prisoners to be returned at the evening. Elsewhere, Van Laar attends the Dauphin's party as a proxy to the Dutch ambassador, and informs Treville that Ferron's loan is due.

We get some good action as the Musketeers subdue the escaped inmates, including several who disrupt one of Sylvie's meetings. Aramis and Constance rescue Annabelle, and learn about her husband, prompting them to race to the vault.

It's odd that the main plot is about the vault, but the episode's title references Borel. The episode shows d'Artagnan's caring side and idealism as he tries to humour Borel in order to place him the care of a convent. The rest of the Musketeers assure him that he did the right thing, but the outcome affects him quite deeply. Although I do wonder how he managed to learn of Borel's war record, which he discusses with Porthos and Brujon; he was the survivor of a siege which lasted over a year, during which time the defenders were rumoured to have resorted to cannibalism.

The moment at the end where d'Artagnan is expressing self-doubt is quite profound. This is probably the lowest point we've seen him at. We also get a moment in which Ferron reveals to Treville that he knows the king is dying, which prevents Treville from exposing Ferron's loan from Van Laar.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E4: The Queen's Diamonds

 

If everybody in 17th Century France speaks with some form of British accent, what would an English person sound like in this world?

Henrietta Maria, King Louis' sister and the Queen of England, has come to France to meet with a Dutch financier named Van Laar, to raise funds for troops in England's ongoing civil war. Unfortunately, a highwayman steals the diamonds she had intended to pawn to Van Laar. As Ferron entertains Van Laar - brokering a private loan in the process - the Musketeers are tasked with recovering the stolen diamonds. During their search, they find themselves reuniting with Emile Bonaire, a cowardly slave trader they had dealings with in the past. They force him to help recover the diamonds. Meanwhile, Aramis has a chance encounter with his childhood friend Pauline, who is engaged to a nobleman named St Pierre (played by Paul McGann, who was also in the 1993 live-action Disney adaptation). She later seeks him out, revealing that she's being blackmailed over her growing up in a brothel.

We see the return of James Callis as Emile Bonaire, who once again has his ability to talk his way out of certain death. Even when the Musketeers (especially Porthos) are having none of it. His fetch quest produces a comedic moment, in which he claims to have sold a portion of the diamonds to a noblewoman as a gift for "Serena". D'Artagnan is volunteered to pose as an eligible bachelor, and meets the noblewoman's daughters...none of whom are called Serena. When he asks about her, he's slapped. It then cuts to him introducing the Musketeers to a prized mare, who has diamonds woven into her tail. The Musketeers ineffectually try and rope the horse, to the point that Athos orders Aramis to shoot her until d'Artagnan intervenes. There's later an action scene when they have to get the next set of diamonds from a fence. Although I must admit that Bonaire being the robber does seem a little too coincidental for my tastes. Perhaps they could have built that up a little more.

It's interesting to see that Grimaud isn't really involved in the main story. He does appear, telling Ferron that a ship the Marquis he invested in had sunk. He later attempts to bribe Sylvie, and then states that the Musketeers are looking for diamonds.

The blackmail subplot had some interesting ideas, but I wonder if it could have been pulled off a little better. It feels kind of rushed in places. It's established that Aramis and Pauline grew up together in a brothel, until Aramis was taken away by his father. It's not entirely clear how Pauline was able to get out and pass off as a fine lady, but it is clear that she hasn't forgotten her past: she's shown giving money to a beggar, telling her fiancé "If we can, we must." On the wedding day, St Pierre catches a child stealing food, and lets her have what she wants, saying "If we can, we must." Aramis, who has been invited to walk Pauline down the aisle while he finds the blackmailer, confronts him. It's then revealed that the final diamond is in the wedding ring St. Pierre intends to give to Pauline, which almost results in a rift between the Musketeers. Sadly, the happy couple don't get the happy ending, which does fall in with the bleak nature of this season. I guess I could call that credit where credit's due.

Amateur historian me is going to jump in now, to try and discuss the timeline. Henrietta mentions that Cromwell is in London. When the English Civil War started in 1642, I believe that Parliamentarian forces did hold London while King Charles I relocated to Shrewsbury. But Oliver Cromwell didn't become a general until 1644, one year after King Louis died. Then again, he's the name associated with the conflict, and historical accuracy isn't a priority for a thing like this.

Nevertheless, the episode does have an interesting cliff-hanger. Ferron reveals to Grimaud that King Louis is dying, and in the process we learn their end-game: they plot to install Gaston to the throne, using forces raised by the Duke of Lorraine. Ferron outlines a plan to finance the scheme.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E3: Brothers in Arms

 

Once again, it's a case of "remember the new guy".

King Louis has summoned his brother Gaston, the Duke of Orleans who was exiled for plotting to usurp the throne three years earlier. While travelling to the Louvre, Gaston arranges to fall from his horse and is brought to a tavern where he seeks to deliver letters to a courier. When he ends up being robbed, he lashes out and kills three patrons - all of whom were demobilised soldiers - resulting in a stand-off. Christophe, the tavern-keeper and another former soldier, demands that Gaston stands trial for the murders. King Louis demands that the Musketeers find the thief. Ferron then learns that the pickpocket had stolen the letters Gaston had written to the Duke of Lorraine, which implicates several prominent nobles in another plot to seize the throne.

It's already been established that this season takes place four years after the previous one, and Gaston was exiled three years earlier. Like Ferron, it leaves you to wonder what he was up to in the previous seasons. Who's getting introduced next? Mr Poopy Butthole?

Rick and Morty references aside, this episode's pretty good, with a potent powder keg in this new Paris. There are moments when you think it can be resolved, but it instead escalates. The thief leaves Athos a note stating that they'll turn themselves in after the funeral for the victims. Like my old primary school teachers, Ferron orders the arrest of everybody in lieu of the thief, and the Red Guards disrupt the funeral to make the arrests. After another patron is shot by Marcheaux when he insults Ferron, Treville arrives and orders the Red Guards to withdraw. But the incident tips things over the edge for Christophe and his patrons, who hatch a plan to attack the palace and capture Gaston. Treville and Porthos go to the tavern to parley, but are taken hostage.

I love the climax scene as the Musketeers go to rescue Treville and Porthos. Christophe demands Gaston's trial, a Mass for the victims, and pensions for the soldiers. After being convinced that the hostages are alive, Athos ostensibly sends d'Artagnan to the palace to convey the demands, while telling Porthos to stand firm "like in Alsace". In reality, he's sent d'Artagnan and Aramis to tunnel under the cellar, based on a time they rescued Porthos from the Spanish in a similar manner. But Grimaud blows the tunnel to cut off their escape route, and they're captured by Christophe. To make matters worse, Marcheaux has orders to wipe everybody out if the rescue fails.

Speaking of which, this season has one interesting call-back; the first season had d'Artagnan as a rookie, and after being commissioned, Aramis said they were still going to refer to him as such for "as long as it's funny". But now Aramis is technically the rookie, having been a monk for the past three years. In a similar vein, we get a small moment to see how much d'Artagnan has grown across the series as he supervises Brujon sparring with another cadet, imparting the same "head over heart" advice Athos had given him in the first season.

We also see a relationship developing between Athos and Sylvie. She vouches for him at the beginning of the episode, and they grow closer with this one. It's kind of wholesome, especially when Athos smiles.

Before I go, I have to give away a big detail which carries over: When Christophe's men take up arms, Treville is against stamping them out, fearing that doing so will antagonise the large number of discharged soldiers in Paris into a rebellion. During a heated argument with Louis over the matter, the king reveals that he's dying from tuberculosis, and that the Dauphin will grow up without a father just as he did. His antics with the Dauphin is to give his son a cherished memory. Although Treville is sworn to secrecy, Ferron overhears.

It makes me wonder what will happen next.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E2: The Hunger

 

Something tells me this episode was influenced by the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

With the Musketeers now stationed in Paris, d'Artagnan is looking forward to spending time with Constance. Unfortunately, their shopping trip is interrupted: A harvest has been stolen from the Duke of Beaufort's granary, his granary keeper is found murdered, and the blame is pinned on a refugee settlement in the area. As d'Artagnan and the Musketeer cadets hold the rioters at bay, the Red Guards arrive and arrest several prominent refugees. When d'Artagnan attempts to intervene, he's arrested too. The theft is part of a scheme cooked up by Ferron and Grimaud to drive up the price of grain so Beaufort can settle his debts. It's up to the Musketeers to find the missing grain before the refugees are sentenced to hang.

This episode has a sinister plot, involving unscrupulous nobles seeking to profit from misery and scapegoating innocent people. To be honest, that hits close to home these days. Anyway, their teamwork is definitely with clenched teeth; Beaufort is incredibly pompous and looks down on Grimaud, and Ferron is just barely able to talk Grimaud out of killing Beaufort outright. When Treville is able to convince the magistrate to grant a stay of executions over a lack of evidence, they hatch a plan to fabricate such evidence.

This episode sees the introduction of Sylvie Baudet, a refugee and political radical played by Thalissa Teixeira. One of the residents of the settlement, she is caught by Athos trying to hide a set of pamphlets from an old rebel group dating back to the reign of Henry IV. She later spots planted evidence and helps Athos fight off a bunch of Red Guards who have been dispatched to seize it.

There is one particularly funny moment which I might adapt for a Kestrel and Scar story at some point. One of the Musketeer cadets discovers somebody selling some of the stolen grain. Porthos and Aramis question the vendor using their "special brand of tact and diplomacy": Aramis smashes up the vendor's stall while the much larger Porthos tries to exhibit restraint until the vendor confesses to buying the grain from somebody else.

All in all, it's a pretty good episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E1: Spoils of War

 

Time for the third season. As the show received higher ratings overseas, it premiered on Showcase Canada in April 2016, and was later released on Netflix Latin America and Hulu before its UK premiere at the end of May that year.

Four years have passed since the last season, and the war between France and Spain isn't going well. With the deaths of Cardinal Richelieu and the Comte de Rochefort, we have two new antagonists for this season: Rupert Everett as the Marquis de Ferron, an illegitimate half-brother of King Louis who serves as the Governor of Paris and has the Red Guards at his beck and call; and Matthew McNulty as Lucien Grimaud, a compassionless mercenary and usurer. We also have Matt Stokoe as Captain Georges Marcheaux, the captain of the Red Guards and Ferron's henchman. It's a shame they got rid of  Vargas, the Spanish spymaster. The last episode involved him swearing to kill Porthos, but that doesn't really go anywhere. Anyway, let's look at the story.

Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan are fighting the Spanish on the front lines. After a costly assault, the Musketeers learn that their general has disappeared, apparently to meet with a supply wagon that was due to arrive with fresh munitions. The general owes a substantial debt to Grimaud, who takes the munitions and plans to sell them to the Spanish. Meanwhile, Aramis is serving as a monk at a nearby monastery, but is struggling to adapt to a life of contemplation. He frequently butts heads with an orphan under his care named Luc, who aspires to be a soldier. When Grimaud invades the monastery, Luc escapes and finds the Musketeers, who re-unite with their old comrade. They must then help the monks and the other children escape, and prevent the Spanish from obtaining the munitions.

Back in Paris, things are no better. King Louis is obsessed with spending every waking hour with the Dauphin, preventing council decisions from being ratified. Many parts of Paris have become lawless. The Red Guards, under the command of Marcheaux, are oppressing the populace and beating up anybody Ferron takes a dislike to. Constance has been overseeing Musketeer cadets at the Garrison, and devises a plan to humiliate the Red Guards with the aid of War Minister Treville and Cadet Brujon.

This season has a strong issue of "remember the new guy", and Ferron is the first example of that; a new character being brought in without warning, and everyone acting as if they know him. At least with Rochefort, it's established that he was imprisoned in Spain during the events of the first season. Kinda like that episode of Rick and Morty with the parasites, but this time you know he's not one of those parasites.

Lucien Grimaud is pretty menacing, and gives this season a much darker tone. He seems to have the ability to appear anywhere, and you have to wonder what happened in his past which made him that way. One big thing is that he hates it when people look down on him. When Luc witnesses his men massacre the soldiers escorting the munitions, it becomes tense as Aramis tries to convince them that they're not a threat. At least we get some laughs from Constance's subplot.

Speaking of which, there's some tension between Porthos and Aramis, as Porthos is bitter over Aramis leaving. Thankfully, that gets resolved during the episode's climax. I like how it shows Aramis' caring side, and even Porthos gets a "gentle giant" moment. I hope to incorporate that into my own work at some point.

The episode ends with the Musketeers being recalled to Paris, and Ferron being dismissive of them. It makes me excited to see what's in store for our heroes in a Paris that might feel alien to them.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E10: Trial and Punishment

 

It's the second season finale, and boy is it action-packed. Once again, I'll be discussing major spoilers that will get carried over into the next season.

Aramis is languishing in prison, while Constance is led to the chopping block. Treville joins Athos and d'Artagnan as they pull off a daring rescue, and the four then head off to aid Porthos in bringing in Vargas. Meanwhile, Aramis stands trial and openly accuses Rochefort of being a Spanish agent. After being condemned by a testimony from Marguerite, he's sprung from jail by Milady and re-unites with his friends. But they must infiltrate the palace and get Vargas into an audience with King Louis before he signs Queen Anne's death warrant.

All the action scenes are brilliant. You've got the classic "Big Damn Heroes" moment as the Musketeers save Constance from execution. The build-up to that is great as she is led to the block, clearly scared but refusing a blindfold. Once again, knowing that Constance dies in the original story makes these moments genuinely tense. She later joins the Musketeers in the fights that follow. We also have Porthos going to meet with Vargas in an obvious trap. He escapes Vargas' bodyguards, in a scene which has brief lulls as he hides and ambushes them until he's relieved by his friends. It culminates in a skirmish with the Red Guards at the Louvre, and a final confrontation with Rochefort.

Action aside, there's still room for dramatic moments. King Louis has been an ungrateful shit throughout the whole series, but here he becomes sympathetic. He's devastated as he watches the trial and learns that Aramis is the Dauphin's real father, and can't even bring himself to sign the queen's death warrant. We also have Athos and Milady's tense relationship as they work together, but she realises that he'll never trust her and makes an ultimatum: She will leave for England, but will wait at the crossroads until a set time. If Athos joins her, they'll leave together.

While the last season ended on kind of a bittersweet note, this one is a little more positive but still sets up a third season. With Rochefort's death and Vargas' confession, Aramis is pardoned when it's implied King Louis now believes the allegations against him and the queen were fabricated. Nonetheless, Aramis decides to resign his commission in the Musketeers and become a monk to fulfil a promise he made to God. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan marries Constance and Athos decides that he wants to go to England with Milady (despite being disdainful of the food and the rain).

But something wicked this way comes. King Louis has decided that Spain must be brought to account for their complicity in Rochefort's scheme. He appoints Treville as the new Minister for War, a position that he gladly accepts. With his new authority, Treville promotes Athos as the new captain of the Musketeers, and gives Porthos his sword. Athos still goes to meet Milady, but finds that she has already left. The episode ends with d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Athos riding to meet Aramis.

All in all, it's a great conclusion which left me excited for the next episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E9: The Accused

 

It's the penultimate episode of Season 2, and things are about to kick off.

Picking up immediately after the end of the previous episode, the Musketeers have been summoned to the palace by Constance. They go to report the incident to King Louis, but find that Rochefort - now sporting the eyepatch Christopher Lee made iconic for the character - is already there, along with the letter Queen Anne wrote to King Philip of Spain at the beginning of the season. Having forbade her to write to her brother, King Louis has her placed under house arrest. As the Musketeers are forced to leave the palace, they all learn that Aramis had slept with the queen. Athos decides to take up Milady's previous offer for information. She reveals that Rochefort is in the service of Vargas, the Spanish spymaster, and helps them sneak the queen out of the Louvre. But Rochefort then poisons King Louis, framing Constance and Lemay for it. The Musketeers and the Queen are forced to return to Paris upon learning this.

If there's one scene I have to dedicate time to, it's when the Musketeers and Treville learn of the liaison between Aramis and the queen. It's supposed to be dramatic, considering the magnitude of the situation, but it's also kind of hilarious. Aramis doesn't admit to sleeping with the queen; Athos tells the others he did. Porthos asks Aramis why he didn't say something sooner (prompting a funny comment from d'Artagnan to show his idealistic nature), while Treville is dumbstruck and asks why Athos didn't do anything (who nonchalantly states he would have shot him if he'd known what he was going to do). When Aramis confesses to the Dauphin being his son, Porthos gets ready to strangle him until he realises the burden he's been carrying and goes to hug him. Treville has to physically separate them, going from disbelief to fury as he shouts at Aramis for endangering the entire country. Athos - who has been almost gleeful through all this, like a kid telling on a sibling to their parents -  then reveals that Rochefort knows, and Treville is despairing over it.

That scene aside, this episode is a tense one. There isn't much action, but that's because it's building up to the finale. Rochefort is basically playing his endgame by driving the queen away. He uses Marguerite to falsely accuse Constance and Lemay, and enlists Milady to work for him to implicate Aramis. But when he chokes her for making a snide remark, she ultimately sides with the Musketeers. There's plenty of teeth-clenched teamwork moments between her and Athos, with a brief diversion as Katherine de Garreville attempts to exact revenge on her. Personally, I feel that particular part doesn't add much, since Katherine doesn't appear again at any point in the story.

Ultimately, very little is resolved this episode. Porthos rides out to deliver a forged letter from Rochefort to Vargas. The Musketeers return to the Louvre with the Queen, but Rochefort is waiting for them. Aramis is arrested for treason, while the others are escorted out of the grounds. It ends with d'Artagnan trying to see an imprisoned Constance until he's beaten and dragged away by the Red Guards.

But it doesn't matter that nothing gets resolved, because it makes me excited for the next episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E8: The Prodigal Father

 

This is the calm before the storm.

Treville has revealed to Porthos that his biological father is the Marquis de Belgarde, so he and Aramis travel to his crumbling estate to meet him. They're invited to dine with the reclusive Marquis and his family: Eleanor, the Marquis' daughter from another marriage; and her husband, Antoine Levesque. While Belgarde is proud to see his son's return, his daughter and son-in-law take an immediate dislike to him. Meanwhile, Aramis discovers that Eleanor and Levesque are running an exclusive brothel, and have been kidnapping young girls from the provinces to work there. He shares this revelation with the other Musketeers, and they strive to shut the business down.

These two plots are at the forefront of the episode, which largely serves as a breather episode of sorts. That said, it does try and tie in the main story as well. King Louis has become even more paranoid since last episode, cancelling his public appearances and ceding more power to Rochefort. He hires Milady to investigate Queen Anne's connection to Aramis, and she offers to sell Athos information about Rochefort. Meanwhile, Constance puts her relationship with d'Artagnan on hold after her husband's death, but finds herself being courted by Dr Lemay. It's during this time that Queen Anne confides to her that Aramis is the Dauphin's biological father.

Liam Cunningham is great as the Marquis de Belgarde. He presents himself as a cynical recluse who nonetheless overjoyed to have a son, but it soon becomes clear that he's manipulating everybody around him. Porthos learns that his mother, Marie Suzette, was a servant in Belgarde's household whom the Marquis secretly married. Not long after he was born, he and his mother were kidnapped by Treville and General De Foix - at the behest of Belgarde's father - and left in the Court of Miracles. The revelation causes Porthos to doubt Treville, and he even begins to suspect that his commission in the Musketeers wasn't earned entirely on merit.

There's still some action as Porthos gets into a fistfight with Levesque when he's insulted. We also have a brawl as the other Musketeers shut down Levesque's brothel, preceded by Athos' tranquil fury as he sees the girls being paraded in front of the wealthy clientele. But they have to keep the matter a secret from Porthos, as Treville believes he'll think they're poisoning him against his father. Not much really comes of that, but I guess the risk was still there. Ultimately, it wraps up that plot thread nicely.

The episode ends on a shocking cliffhanger, as Rochefort attempts to force himself on Queen Anne for her apparent affair with Aramis. Constance intervenes, and the queen is able to stab Rochefort in the eye with a hairpin.