The four heros...

[kiki1982]

Does anyone else also think that the characters actually grow in Twenty years Later?

Athos: I think he is even more respectable in a way than he was before... His speach to d'Artagnan is so powerful... He's fantastic in his support for Charles I and so worth his title of Count de La Fere...

Aramis: He's again so behind-your-back but still so devoted as well to a cause... That first scene he enters the book in is so great with the ladders... And when he comes to save them all in the palaxe of Mazarin with his army. Brings just a smile to my face, that.

Porthos: He is sooooooooo adorable! I mean, he is so devoted to the cause, he is so stupid still but has just learned to not to ask any questions anymore because he doesn't understand anyway... When d'Artagnan makes a plan to escape when they are locked up in Mazarin's palace, that's just so great, when he asks 'and if I strangle him?' Just makes me laugh out loud! And still he can bring tears to your eyes when he refuses to leave the boat without his servants because they are so dear to him. He thorw them in the water and 'pulls them up by their hair before they could even think about drowning and i a moment they were sitting in the boat'. That made my eyes water. 'A cream of a guy' they would say in Dutch.

Last but not least d'Artagnan who has come a long way since he started and got to know his friends. He's become so incredibly to the point. Not so impulsive and unhandy anymore but rather 'I want it and how do I get it'-type of man. He's so manly suddenly, not so rash anymore, smart yes and still maybe slightly fast with his tongue but he has learned to keep his nature under control...

They all grow so tremendously in their character, I really wqs amazed when I saw that. Dumas had easily been able to just write another adventure story like the first one, but he took another oportunity that was much better...

[Fen]

I agree and I am so glad I read it instead of skipping to The man in the iron mask though I was tempted. I found it hard to get a copy and reading such a big book online was intimidating. Luckily I toughened up and read it online . I wasn't surprised they developed as characters ,admittedly in unexpected ways, because they had such depth in 3 musketeers I found the style of the book a natural follow on

[kiki1982]

Ifou also want to read The Iron Mask (an absolutely great and intelligent story!), then lease also read The Vicomte de Bragelonne (,Ten Years After) and Louse de la Vallière before starting on The Iron Mask. They carry a lot of context for the last part which is The Iron Mask. It can sometimes become a little boring, but it can be hilarious as well... And certainly interesting as to diplomacy and the court... And d'Artagnan who walks amongst that with an attitude like 'the youths of today... tsssssss.'

There is explanation somewhere on this forum about what books is what.

Have fun!
k

[Fen]

Alas its to late I have already read The Iron Mask but I will definitely read the books you suggested if I can find them. Thanks for telling me I had no idea there were any more. Dumas sure knew when he was onto a good thing!

[DeLaFere]

Does anyone else also think that the characters actually grow in Twenty years Later?

Athos: I think he is even more respectable in a way than he was before... His speach to d'Artagnan is so powerful... He's fantastic in his support for Charles I and so worth his title of Count de La Fere...

Aramis: He's again so behind-your-back but still so devoted as well to a cause... That first scene he enters the book in is so great with the ladders... And when he comes to save them all in the palaxe of Mazarin with his army. Brings just a smile to my face, that.

Porthos: He is sooooooooo adorable! I mean, he is so devoted to the cause, he is so stupid still but has just learned to not to ask any questions anymore because he doesn't understand anyway... When d'Artagnan makes a plan to escape when they are locked up in Mazarin's palace, that's just so great, when he asks 'and if I strangle him?' Just makes me laugh out loud! And still he can bring tears to your eyes when he refuses to leave the boat without his servants because they are so dear to him. He thorw them in the water and 'pulls them up by their hair before they could even think about drowning and i a moment they were sitting in the boat'. That made my eyes water. 'A cream of a guy' they would say in Dutch.

Last but not least d'Artagnan who has come a long way since he started and got to know his friends. He's become so incredibly to the point. Not so impulsive and unhandy anymore but rather 'I want it and how do I get it'-type of man. He's so manly suddenly, not so rash anymore, smart yes and still maybe slightly fast with his tongue but he has learned to keep his nature under control...

They all grow so tremendously in their character, I really wqs amazed when I saw that. Dumas had easily been able to just write another adventure story like the first one, but he took another oportunity that was much better...

Absolutely. One of the reasons I loved The Three Musketeers was that the characters had depth... and not just artifical depth added with lots of maudlin scenes like so many books today, but real depth as if the author was telling his own story. That depth is built upon and deepened in Twenty Years After.
The books following are an immense tapestry of characters (watch the minor characters, they're amazing) , ideas, thoughts, tensions and words. You have to read it multiple times to even start to really catch the brilliance of it, and you will be hit by something totally new every time.
But the foundation is laid in Twenty Years After. Who the Musketeers are is developed to where they will have your hearts firmly through the rest of the story. Twenty Years After is my favorite of all the Musketeers books.