Is the literary adventure novel coming back into vogue? While Pérez-Reverte has always been an advocate of the form (not to mention one of its finest practitioners), the double whammy of Isabel Allende's thrilling
Zorro and the U.S. edition of
Captain Alatriste bodes well for a long-dormant genre pioneered by the likes of
Dumas and
Stevenson. This swashbuckling style has made Pérez-Reverte a superstar in his native Spain — and with his potent mix of intrigue, adventure, and unforgettable characters, he has the potential to be just as popular in the States.