The Siege

In the seventh and final book of the adventures of Alatriste, the action takes place in Venice. The captain must carry out a difficult mission—to kill the Duke (doge) of the Republic.

“…Good soldiers, at the cost of their own lives, extend the life of the fatherland. Bearing hardships and privations, they preserve life only so that at the proper moment they can place it on the scale, and their death makes no more noise than the impact of the blow that brings it. The acquisition of a good reputation is their only goal. They know how to earn glory, but they do not know how to sing it. That is the work of those who have surpassed such an art. The eloquent pen must bestow immortality on the flaming blade”…