What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mage Queen: Her Majesty's Musketeers, Book 1
After five long years under the Curse, France lies in ruins.
Its only hope—a deposed queen in hiding, hunted by her enemies.
* * *
The year is 1631. Charles d’Artagnan flees the ashes of his life in Gascony, seeking better opportunities in Paris. With his land seized by armed peasants and his family among the countless dead, he has nothing left to lose and little to gain beyond mere survival.
Magic—once a useful tool for those rare individuals who still possess it—has become a weapon of incomparable power and destructiveness employed by France’s bitter rival, Spain. With Louis XIII dead and a Spanish pretender seated on the throne, the country’s future appears bleak.
As one faceless refugee among many, d’Artagnan never expected to hold Europe’s destiny balanced in his hands. He certainly never expected to be welcomed into an elite guard protecting France’s one and only hope—a widowed queen wielding the same magic as her enemies.
But Anne of Austria’s power will be wasted unless d’Artagnan can help her stay one step ahead of the assassins nipping at her heels. Ultimately, he and his comrades must return her to the belly of the beast itself, confronting the very forces that have pushed France to the brink of destruction.
The Mage Queen can’t do it alone. But with the help of d’Artagnan and her loyal musketeers, France may still have a fighting chance.
* * *
The Mage Queen: Her Majesty's Musketeers, Book 1 was previously published as The Queen's Musketeers, Books 1-3 under a different pen name. The story has been extensively revised and rewritten with new elements.
Its only hope—a deposed queen in hiding, hunted by her enemies.
* * *
The year is 1631. Charles d’Artagnan flees the ashes of his life in Gascony, seeking better opportunities in Paris. With his land seized by armed peasants and his family among the countless dead, he has nothing left to lose and little to gain beyond mere survival.
Magic—once a useful tool for those rare individuals who still possess it—has become a weapon of incomparable power and destructiveness employed by France’s bitter rival, Spain. With Louis XIII dead and a Spanish pretender seated on the throne, the country’s future appears bleak.
As one faceless refugee among many, d’Artagnan never expected to hold Europe’s destiny balanced in his hands. He certainly never expected to be welcomed into an elite guard protecting France’s one and only hope—a widowed queen wielding the same magic as her enemies.
But Anne of Austria’s power will be wasted unless d’Artagnan can help her stay one step ahead of the assassins nipping at her heels. Ultimately, he and his comrades must return her to the belly of the beast itself, confronting the very forces that have pushed France to the brink of destruction.
The Mage Queen can’t do it alone. But with the help of d’Artagnan and her loyal musketeers, France may still have a fighting chance.
* * *
The Mage Queen: Her Majesty's Musketeers, Book 1 was previously published as The Queen's Musketeers, Books 1-3 under a different pen name. The story has been extensively revised and rewritten with new elements.
- GenresFantasy
600 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2020
25 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 12, 2020
Some disclaimers before I start this review: I have not previously read the D'Artagnan romances by Dumas, and I voluntarily received a review copy from the author in exchange for an unbiased review.
As a fan of the author's writing in general, I had listened to the audio of what becomes the beginning of this story as published under a different pen name. Even so, I was a little confused with this reworking, and I kept feeling like I was missing something important by not having read the source material. Some research revealed that since Dumas had partly based his story on real people, it was already a type of transformative work.
I think if readers can listen to this with an open mind even though the names of the characters are annoyingly familiar, they may have better success at finding this an enjoyable book. I found the book started slow for me and it took a while to be interesting and see the bigger plot. (Hint: It's about restoring the rightful ruler to France.) While this is presented as the first of a trilogy, I'm not entirely sure what the follow-up to this could be at all. It seemed like a complete story in a single volume.
Random bits: Porthos disappeared for a good portion of the story, and I honestly wondered if I'd imagined that he'd been there at all. Since this was a transformative work, maybe the author didn't include him. Thankfully, he did come back to the story later. My favorite of the Musketeers in this work is Aramis by far.
I want to say I loved this book because I am a fan of the author. It wasn't really the book for me, though. That's not to say it's bad because it isn't. Different strokes for different folks. The author describes the battles well and is an expert at horse-related details (the shoeing, how to fix lameness, temperaments, etc). The political intrigues are also interesting. So for a different reader, there is much to find.
The narrator was someone whose voice fits this genre. He did well with various accents, especially since he had such a huge cast of characters. I was surprised by some of his acting choices, such as a character with a lisp, but they were definitely choices. I would listen to him again, but I couldn't imagine him doing contemporary romance or futuristic military scifi (I have Christian Rummel for that!).
Should you get this? It is a great value for its price, and it is a sweeping fantasy. If the concept appeals to you, go for it. Only you can know for sure.
As a fan of the author's writing in general, I had listened to the audio of what becomes the beginning of this story as published under a different pen name. Even so, I was a little confused with this reworking, and I kept feeling like I was missing something important by not having read the source material. Some research revealed that since Dumas had partly based his story on real people, it was already a type of transformative work.
I think if readers can listen to this with an open mind even though the names of the characters are annoyingly familiar, they may have better success at finding this an enjoyable book. I found the book started slow for me and it took a while to be interesting and see the bigger plot. (Hint: It's about restoring the rightful ruler to France.) While this is presented as the first of a trilogy, I'm not entirely sure what the follow-up to this could be at all. It seemed like a complete story in a single volume.
Random bits: Porthos disappeared for a good portion of the story, and I honestly wondered if I'd imagined that he'd been there at all. Since this was a transformative work, maybe the author didn't include him. Thankfully, he did come back to the story later. My favorite of the Musketeers in this work is Aramis by far.
I want to say I loved this book because I am a fan of the author. It wasn't really the book for me, though. That's not to say it's bad because it isn't. Different strokes for different folks. The author describes the battles well and is an expert at horse-related details (the shoeing, how to fix lameness, temperaments, etc). The political intrigues are also interesting. So for a different reader, there is much to find.
The narrator was someone whose voice fits this genre. He did well with various accents, especially since he had such a huge cast of characters. I was surprised by some of his acting choices, such as a character with a lisp, but they were definitely choices. I would listen to him again, but I couldn't imagine him doing contemporary romance or futuristic military scifi (I have Christian Rummel for that!).
Should you get this? It is a great value for its price, and it is a sweeping fantasy. If the concept appeals to you, go for it. Only you can know for sure.
March 28, 2021
When I say: This reads like fanfiction, I am by no means saying that fanfiction is bad. On the contrary: I am a big fan of well-written fanfics. But only WHEN they are well-written and float my particular boat.
This story here was stuffed to the gills with tropes, heavy shipping and the general curse of a convoluted plot that took a backseat behind a lot of purple prose. If you ask me what the book is about, I’ll probably say “a lot of our Musketeers getting hurt and nursed back to health, some sword fighting, a bit of gratuitous sex and a lot of other stuff I zoned out of because it couldn’t hold my attention.”
Also, I’d been curious about the magic supposed to happen, and it was a disappointingly small factor. Same goes for the mysterious “curse” that had swept through France like a pandemic. Intriguing, but the author just never explained or used it enough.
I’ll give it to the author, though, that they write some good action sequences and moments of nice camaraderie. (That’s where the two stars come from)
Another problem was the narrator: While d’Artagnan sounded okay from his mouth, he made Aramis sound like a flouncy, effeminate drama queen, and Athos’ weird, exaggerated drawl killed any Athosian vibes for me.
I really only kept going to the finish because I miss these boys so much that I’ll read almost anything that even remotely takes me back to their world.
That said, isn’t it strange that, after all these years, not a single really good Musketeers pastiche has been published? Apparently, Dumas’ novels were so perfect that no one can get even close.
Will you excuse me now? I have some truly fantastic fanfic to read that would actually deserve to be made into a book.
This story here was stuffed to the gills with tropes, heavy shipping and the general curse of a convoluted plot that took a backseat behind a lot of purple prose. If you ask me what the book is about, I’ll probably say “a lot of our Musketeers getting hurt and nursed back to health, some sword fighting, a bit of gratuitous sex and a lot of other stuff I zoned out of because it couldn’t hold my attention.”
Also, I’d been curious about the magic supposed to happen, and it was a disappointingly small factor. Same goes for the mysterious “curse” that had swept through France like a pandemic. Intriguing, but the author just never explained or used it enough.
I’ll give it to the author, though, that they write some good action sequences and moments of nice camaraderie. (That’s where the two stars come from)
Another problem was the narrator: While d’Artagnan sounded okay from his mouth, he made Aramis sound like a flouncy, effeminate drama queen, and Athos’ weird, exaggerated drawl killed any Athosian vibes for me.
I really only kept going to the finish because I miss these boys so much that I’ll read almost anything that even remotely takes me back to their world.
That said, isn’t it strange that, after all these years, not a single really good Musketeers pastiche has been published? Apparently, Dumas’ novels were so perfect that no one can get even close.
Will you excuse me now? I have some truly fantastic fanfic to read that would actually deserve to be made into a book.
September 12, 2020
3.5 stars. I liked this. I haven't read anything by this author (it was mentioned this was a reworking of a previous publication?) and I'm not very familiar with the story of the Three Musketeers. The names were a little familiar, but that was all. Honestly, as I finished up the story and went on to other books (I read a lot!) and then came to do the review, I had to strain to remember what the story was even about. I remember being interested enough that the almost 17 hours of narration went by quickly enough. Also, as I went to write the review, I jumped back onto the audiobook and listened for a minute, and that brought me right back into the story.
The narrator was good. Matthew Lloyd Davies has that classic narrator, british voice. It felt familiar to me, but I glanced at his other works and didn't recognize any of his other works. At times, he went a little fast (when Constance was talking), I wondered if maybe I'd accidentally accelerated the speed. The accent added to the ambience of the tale, and I liked how the names rolled off his tongue and he was able to voice the characters differently (although most of the women were very masculine sounding still). I don't know that I would have made it through the book reading on my own, but thumbs up for the audiobook.
Overall, I enjoyed this and it kept my interest. A little historical feel, a bit of magic ... a bit of strong sexual content I wasn't quite anticipating. It came to a complete conclusion, I'm a little surprised to see it listed as Book 1, indicating sequels, but I guess any story can continue on.
I received a copy of the audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
The narrator was good. Matthew Lloyd Davies has that classic narrator, british voice. It felt familiar to me, but I glanced at his other works and didn't recognize any of his other works. At times, he went a little fast (when Constance was talking), I wondered if maybe I'd accidentally accelerated the speed. The accent added to the ambience of the tale, and I liked how the names rolled off his tongue and he was able to voice the characters differently (although most of the women were very masculine sounding still). I don't know that I would have made it through the book reading on my own, but thumbs up for the audiobook.
Overall, I enjoyed this and it kept my interest. A little historical feel, a bit of magic ... a bit of strong sexual content I wasn't quite anticipating. It came to a complete conclusion, I'm a little surprised to see it listed as Book 1, indicating sequels, but I guess any story can continue on.
I received a copy of the audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2020
Narration: Pretty Good ... at times he actually goes a bit too fast. Some of the dialog just comes across as somewhat pretentious if not over the top.
Story: A retelling of the original three (3) musketeers with magic? Not so much magic really; unless you count the curse (aka the plague). The story does have a fair amount of dialog though ... actually it could do with a little less talk and a lot more action. As could be expected with so much talking, there is a bit of intrigue along with some awkward drama and a few, brief action scenes. Frankly I think the slow pace only works as an audiobook; I am not sure I would have been able to finish it otherwise (and I am sure I zoned out for portions of it). Having some familiarity with the original story that inspired this version made it perfect to play while I was working [from home as some of this is NSFW] ... and of course, I am a sucker for a happy ending :-)
This book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
I was given this free audiobook review copy (ARC) at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#audiobookboom #TheMageQueen
Story: A retelling of the original three (3) musketeers with magic? Not so much magic really; unless you count the curse (aka the plague). The story does have a fair amount of dialog though ... actually it could do with a little less talk and a lot more action. As could be expected with so much talking, there is a bit of intrigue along with some awkward drama and a few, brief action scenes. Frankly I think the slow pace only works as an audiobook; I am not sure I would have been able to finish it otherwise (and I am sure I zoned out for portions of it). Having some familiarity with the original story that inspired this version made it perfect to play while I was working [from home as some of this is NSFW] ... and of course, I am a sucker for a happy ending :-)
This book is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
I was given this free audiobook review copy (ARC) at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#audiobookboom #TheMageQueen
August 28, 2020
I loved the spirit and nature of the trio (3 musketeers ) and what they stood for. The battle scenes are so vivid when described that I felt like I was a spectator on the fields watching it all go down. I rejoiced with Dart and Connie when they were finally able to be together *sighs * at long last. The narrator did a fantastic job transporting me to that time and place with accents voices, and expressions that are amazing to hear. I highly recommend this book and audio. You won't be disappointed.
September 17, 2020
A very enjoyable listen, Monsieur Dumas would have been pleasantly pleased I think with this adaption of his Musketeer book. Though not all the characters hold true to the original book, they are all very well written and suited to the tale being told. Adding magic to musketeers and sword fights work very well together and the action never stops. Well worth the listen and I'm looking forward to listening to book 2. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request, and have voluntarily left this review.
October 12, 2020
I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this story, but one gratuitous sex scene was out of place, I thought. MiLady, a courtesan, and her favorite Musketeer I would have expected such a scene but the relationship of Constance and D'Artagnan, the youngest Musketeer, didn't call for it. Other than that the resurgence of the Musketeer's was a pleasant surprise and the magic was fun. A lot of action and heraldry and excellent narration. A good start to the series.
I liked this story, but one gratuitous sex scene was out of place, I thought. MiLady, a courtesan, and her favorite Musketeer I would have expected such a scene but the relationship of Constance and D'Artagnan, the youngest Musketeer, didn't call for it. Other than that the resurgence of the Musketeer's was a pleasant surprise and the magic was fun. A lot of action and heraldry and excellent narration. A good start to the series.
October 14, 2020
Exciting historical fiction on how Charles d’Artagnan met and ultimately joined the famous Three Musketeers. The writing is crisp and entertaining, the characters likable, the dialogue witty. The backstory of d’Artagnan is interesting and gives a clear view of his personality and loyalty towards the Musketeers. The history of the Queens Anne and Caroline are masterfully woven into the story. A recommended read for fans of the era. Four.point.five. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
November 1, 2020
Meet my new favourite book - possibly EVER!!!!!
If I could give it 10 stars I would.
This is such a brilliant, well written story that as soon as I had read the last page, I went right back to page 1 & read it again & know I will again !!
Thank you T A Dodson - I am very much looking forward to Book 2 & hoping it won't be too long a wait.
If I could give it 10 stars I would.
This is such a brilliant, well written story that as soon as I had read the last page, I went right back to page 1 & read it again & know I will again !!
Thank you T A Dodson - I am very much looking forward to Book 2 & hoping it won't be too long a wait.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews