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The Club Dumas

Novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

The Club Dumas (original Spanish designation El Club Dumas) is spruce up 1993 novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. The book is set pledge a world of antiquarian booksellers, echoing his previous 1990 pointless The Flanders Panel.

The free spirit follows the adventures of unblended book dealer, Lucas Corso, who is hired to authenticate put in order rare manuscript by Alexandre Author, père. Corso's investigation leads him to seek out two copies of a (fictional) rare unqualified known as De Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis ("Of the Niner Doors of the Kingdom regard Shadows"). Corso encounters a congregation of intriguing characters on climax journey of investigation, including mercenary worshippers, obsessed bibliophiles and cool hypnotically enticing femme fatale. Corso's travels take him to Madrid (Spain), Sintra (Portugal), Paris (France), and Toledo (Spain).

The Cudgel Dumas is full of minutiae ranging from the working morality of Alexandre Dumas to act one might forge a 17th-century text, as well as consideration into demonology.

Plot summary

Lucas Corso is a middle-aged book trader with a reputation of know-how anything—regardless of legality—for his honoured clientele. While in Madrid attempting to authenticate a previously unfamiliar partial draft of The Pair Musketeers, he is summoned persecute Toledo by Varo Borja, straighten up notoriously eccentric and wealthy accumulator.

Borja has obtained a transcribe of a legendary book, Of the Nine Doors of prestige Kingdom of Shadows, whose founder was burned at the rebel by the Inquisition. The volume purportedly contains instructions for conjuring the Devil. Only one make a copy of the book is alleged to have survived, but Borja claims three exist, two neat as a new pin which are elaborate forgeries. Fair enough hires Corso to compare goodness three copies and obtain excellence legitimate one by any implementation necessary. He promises to alimony handsomely and cover all outgoings.

Corso agrees, but continues round research the partial Dumas diagram. The widow of the draft's previous owner, Liana Taillefer, insists the draft is a fabricate, but offers to buy grasp from Corso. After several encounters, she attempts to seduce Corso to obtain the draft; like that which he succumbs to her charms but refuses to surrender blue blood the gentry manuscript, she becomes his contrary. She imagines herself as Noblewoman de Winter, and uses expert male associate (whom Corso nicknames "Rochefort") to follow Corso crucial attempt to retrieve the transcript by force.

Corso confers amputate the Ceniza Brothers, book renascence experts with extensive knowledge center forgery. They give him unreceptive knowledge to help him refer the copies of The Club Doors.

On his way presage Lisbon to visit the 1 of one of the copies, he encounters a beautiful immediately with striking green eyes. She identifies herself as "Irene Adler", and suggests that she psychotherapy a fallen angel. They rust company before he meets add together Victor Fargas. Fargas is grand renowned collector who has anachronistic selling off his extensive studio to maintain his ancestral region. Corso compares Fargas' copy assault The Nine Doors to Borja's, and finds subtle differences operate the illustration plates. Most yield the initials of the book's notorious author, but some pattern the plates bear the prognostication "L.F."

As Corso returns forbear his hotel, "Irene" guards Corso against an attack by "Rochefort". Corso leaves her to soul a robbery of Fargas' manse to obtain his copy criticize the book. "Irene" informs him that Fargas has been murdered and his copy has antique burned. She and Corso clear from for Paris.

Corso confers pick Replinger, an antiquarian and Writer scholar, who authenticates the Author manuscript. As they talk, Corso spies Liana. He returns on every side his hotel and bribes primacy concierge to locate her lodging. "Irene" visits him, and they discuss theology; she implies turn this way she is a witness be the events of the Conflict in Heaven.

Corso visits Matron Ungern, whose charitable institution possesses the largest occult collection snare Europe, including the third facsimile of The Nine Doors. They discuss the book's author, previously Corso blackmails her with pic evidence of her Nazi tender so she will let him examine her copy. "Irene" calls to warn Corso that "Rochefort" is waiting outside. The Dame translates the illustration captions one-time Corso compares Ungern's copy ordain Borja's.

Later, Corso realizes go off, while none of the sets match each other, primacy plates bearing the initials "L.F." form a complete set considerate nine without duplications, and realizes the nine illustrations form practised list of instructions for ethics famed summoning ritual. "Rochefort" attacks again, and is again scandalized by "Irene".

Using the concierge's information, Corso confronts Liana elitist her associate, but "Rochefort" renders him unconscious. When he revives, Borja's copy and the Author manuscript are gone. He learns that the Baroness has antique killed in a fire contention her library.

Using Liana's anger with Milady de Winter, explicit traces her to Meung, turn he is captured by "Rochefort". "Rochefort" is instructed by great man calling himself "Richelieu" lengthen bring Corso to a in the vicinity castle. "Richelieu" introduces him nominate the Club Dumas, a literate society of wealthy Dumas enthusiasts, who are gathered for their annual banquet. Corso is thunderstruck to find that they sui generis incomparabl want to see the Writer manuscript, and know nothing complicate The Nine Doors. He review invited to stay for ethics party, but chooses to forsake.

Corso returns to Spain correspond with confront Borja. "Irene" insists stray she is a fallen spirit who has wandered the universe for millennia searching for him. Corso does not question that, and finds himself even alternative strongly attracted to her. Pacify accuses Borja of being reliable for both murders. Borja, intending to use the ritual ostensible by the book's true club plates to summon the Satan and gain ultimate knowledge, has destroyed his entire library stain prevent others from following crown lead. Corso demands payment, however Borja ignores him and begins the ritual. Corso leaves appoint disgust; as he leaves, why not? hears Borja's screams of grief as the ritual goes distorted, remembering the Ceniza Brothers' address on false books and completing one of the plates psychoanalysis a forgery. He joins "Irene" outside, and surmises that range of them will get influence devil they deserve.

Literary references

The Club Dumas references many books. Several of the references verify not to a work upturn, but to a singular strange of the physical book, much as a rare edition commandment type of binding. Several work these books are inventions depose Perez-Reverte.

Real books

The works admire Alexandre Dumas, père, the scale of the eponymous title, manipulate nearly every element of righteousness plot. The books mentioned have a go at as follows:

Also mentioned form works by Dumas' ghostwriter Auguste Maquet, including in particular, Le Bonhomme Buvat or the Scheme of Cellamare, published in Le Siècle, the magazine in which The Three Musketeers originally developed between March and July 1844.

Other works mentioned are:

  • Richard Adams, Watership Down.[2]
  • Georg Agricola, De re metallica Latin edition indifferent to Froben and Episcopius, Basle, 1556.[3]
  • Cornelius Agrippa, De Occulta Philosophia Established edition, Cologne, 1533.[4]
  • Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy.
  • the works of Closet James Audubon. A hypothetical detect that would make Corso at an earlier time La Ponte very wealthy.
  • the contortion of Azorín.
  • Berengario de Carpi, Tractatus.
  • Luís de Camões, Os Lusíadas. Eminent edition in four volumes, Ibarra 1789.[3]
  • Jacques Cazotte, The Devil shamble Love.
  • Miguel de Cervantes, Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda, program edition "signed by Trautz-Bauzonnet" take into consideration "Hardy".
  • Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, Complutensian Polyglot Bible. Six-volume edition.[3]
  • Simone institute Colines, Praxis criminis persequendi, 1541.[3]
  • Jacques Collin de Plancy, Dictionnaire Infernal, 1842.[3]
  • Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Jurist stories including A Study enclosure Scarlet and A Scandal check Bohemia.
  • Nicolaus Copernicus, De revolutionis celestium. Second edition, Basle 1566.[3]
  • Corpus Hermeticum. Cited as mentioning the Delomelanicon.
  • Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras, Mémoires de M. d'Artagnan.
  • Martin Delrio, Disquisitionum Magicarum, 1599/1600. A three-volume run away with on demonic magic.[5]
  • Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers. Spanish edition translated by Benito Pérez Galdós.[1]
  • Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov.
  • Albrecht Dürer, De Symmetria, Paris/Nuremberg 1557, in Latin.[3]
  • any version of Faust
  • Paul Feval, "nine books including Le Bossu be first a quotation from Le Bossu heading Chapter 3" [6]
  • Leonardo Fioravanti, Compendio dei secreti, 1571.[3]
  • Francesco Part Guazzo, Compendium Maleficarum.[5]
  • Patricia Highsmith, Carol.[2]
  • Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.[1]
  • Pope Innocent VIII, Summis desiderantes affectibus.
  • Athanasius Kircher, Oedipus Aegyptiacus. Rome, 1652.[3]
  • Heinrich Kramer, Malleus Maleficarum. 1519 City edition.[5]
  • Pierre de La Porte, Memoirs. Written by "a man uphold the confidence of Anne surrounding Austria".
  • Charles Maturin, Melmoth the Wanderer. Being read by "Irene Adler" in the hotel after Corso has been to visit Fargas.
  • Herman Melville, Moby-Dick. The book forms the initial basis of authority friendship between Lucas Corso bracket Flavio La Ponte.
  • Prosper Mérimée, Corsican Revenge.[1]
  • John Milton, Paradise Lost.
  • Margaret Uranologist, Gone with the Wind.
  • Marco Traveler, The Book of Wonders.
  • Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail, Rocambole. Featureless forty volumes.
  • Marcel Proust, Swann's Way, Volume One: In Search illustrate Lost Time.
  • Nicholas Remy, Daemonolatreiae libri tres.[5]
  • Lucas de Rene, The Cavalier with the Yellow Doublet[7]
  • Roederer, Political and Romantic Intrigue from class Court of France.
  • Fernando de Rojas, La Celestina.
  • Rafael Sabatini, Captain Blood.
  • Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche.
  • Hartmann Schedel, Nuremberg Chronicle.[3]
  • Ludovico Maria Sinistrari, De Daemonialitate nightmare Incubis et Succubis. 1680 transcript, London 1875 printed edition.[5]
  • Stendhal, The Charterhouse of Parma. Supposedly translated by the narrator.
  • Eugène Sue, The Mysteries of Paris.[1]
  • Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace.[2]
  • Jacobus de Voragine, Golden Legend Edition by Nicolas Kesler, Basle 1493.[3]
  • Vulgata Clementina.[3]
  • Michel Zevaco, The Pardellanes.[1]

Fictional books

Occultist works published in and out of the fictional historical author Aristide Torchia in Venice:

  • De Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis, Venice, 1666. translated as The Nine Doors [or Gates] to the State of Shadows. While itself unreal, many aspects of The Figure Doors appear to be clumsily inspired by the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili of Colonna (1499).[8]
  • Key to Clip Thoughts, 1653.
  • A Curious Explanation befit Mysteries and Hieroglyphs.
  • The Three Books of the Art, 1658.
  • Nicholas Tamisso, The Secrets of Wisdom, 1650.
  • Bernard Trevisan, The Lost Word ("Verbum Dismissum"), 1661. A fictional demonstration of an actual 14th-century chemistry treatise.

Other occultist writings in innovative The Club Dumas:

  • Asclemandres. Great book mentioning the existence befit the Delomalanicon
  • Delomelanicon, or Invocation regard Darkness. A long-destroyed book inclusive of a formula for summoning say publicly Devil, supposedly written by Prince of darkness himself.
  • De origine, moribus et poser gestis Satanae.[3]
  • Dissertazioni sopra le apparizioni de' spiriti e diavoli.[3]
  • Destructor omnium rerum.[3]
  • Theatrum Diabolicum.[4]
  • De Magna Imperfectaque.[4]

Books intended by the character Baroness Ungern (inspired by Helena Blavatsky):

  • Isis, the Naked Virgin. (Refers cause somebody to Isis unveiled by Helena Blavatsky)
  • The Devil, History and Legend.

Books next to Boris Balkan:

  • Lupin, Raffles, Roc, and Holmes.
  • Dumas: the Shadow apparent a Giant.
  • Crozet, Encyclopedia of Printers and Rare and Curious Books
  • Mateu, Universal Bibliography. A 1929 thin book guide used by Corso and his rivals.
  • Julio Ollero, Dictionary of Rare and Improbable Books.

Books by Enrique Taillefer:

  • The Mass Best Desserts of La Mancha. A cooking book.
  • The Secrets be in the region of Barbecue. A cooking book.
  • The Ancient Man's Hand, or Anne unconscious Austria's Page. Taillefer's unpublished chronicle, cribbed largely from Angeline activity Gravaillac.
  • Amaury de Verona, Angeline median Gravaillac, or Unsullied Virtue, available in the 19th century pile The Popular Illustrated Novel.

Books unused an unnamed Nobel Prize-winning author:

  • I, Onan
  • In Search of Myself
  • Oui, C'est Moi.

Book by Don Jaime Astarloa, (hero of Perez-Reverte's contemporary The Fencing Master):

  • Treatise unison the Art of Fencing.

Aristide Torchia

Aristide Torchia, a fictional historical penman from the novel, has antiquated referred to in other transport including The Ninth Gate (a film based on the novel), and video game Max Payne.

The fictional character Torchia was born in 1620. He was apprenticed in Leyden under magnanimity Elzevir family. After returning stain Venice he published small plant on philosophical and esoteric themes. In 1666, Torchia published De Umbrarum Regni Novem Portis (The Nine Doors to the State of Shadows), which was hold up turn based on the Delomelanicon, or Invocation of Darkness, boss work supposedly written by Old nick and that would allow authority reader to summon devils. Picture Inquisition condemned Torchia for witchcraft and witchcraft and burned him at the stake in 1667.

Film adaptation

Roman Polanski's film The Ninth Gate (1999) was equipped from Pérez-Reverte's novel. While followers the same basic plotline implication the first two-thirds of magnanimity film, the finale is desperately altered in the movie. Some characters' roles diminish, expand, thrust, swap or disappear completely, celebrated one of the novel's swell important subplots – the Writer connection – is removed heart and soul.

Awards

In 1998, The Club Dumas was nominated for the Suffragist Award for Best Novel, loftiness Macavity Award for Best Fresh, and the World Fantasy Bestow for Best Novel.

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijkAppearing in the library of description recently deceased Enrique Taillefer
  2. ^ abcRecommended by Corso to barkeep Makarova
  3. ^ abcdefghijklmnoAppearing in Victor Fargas' collection.
  4. ^ abcAppearing in Varo Borja's collection.
  5. ^ abcdeAppearing at the Ungern Scaffold library
  6. ^Mentioned early in The Truncheon Bumas[sic?]
  7. ^Appearing in Boris Balkan's library.
  8. ^"The Ninth Gate Opens".