Captain Diego Alatriste

Captain Diego Alatriste y Tenorio is the title character in the Captain Alatriste series of novels. He joined the army from the age of 13. The name captain does not necessarily depict his status as a certified captain. It is a nickname that he earned from his brief stint acting as a captain which was necessitated by the assassination of his unit’s official captain.
The erstwhile soldier is melancholic which best defines his undying desire for reading. A closer look at him unravels the scars on his body and frightening grey eyes, a representation of the characteristic soldier fully clothed in combat uniform. Arturo Perez Reverte the writer creates a story inspired by the nostalgic days he spent working as a war correspondent. See what inspired him to write.
His retirement from the army is orchestrated by a stubborn wound, an action that plunges him in a period of desperation because he cannot earn a living. He decides to try wayward ways of earning money. Even though his means are not straightforward, Alatriste is compassionate to his targets and does not intend to hurt or kill any of them.
The English Men
At one point during his wayward practices, he together with an accomplice are hired to participate in an ambush of two men of English descent. The rules of the game dictate that they should only frighten them, and that no blood should be shed. However, an alien emanates from nowhere and changes the rules commanding them to execute the men for an extra pay. While he feels that such an act will compromise his principles, he is more than willing to undertake it for the purpose of earning more.
Some inner instincts though keep him away from committing the act only to realize later that one of the men is the Prince of wales and Duke of Buckingham. The Prince is on a mission to try and convince the king’s sister to marry him.

Alatriste is now afraid and wonders whether and how to execute his plan. Deep inside he understands the intricacy and dangers involved in undertaking such a task. He knows that his life’s in danger and chances are that he might die in the process. While he may not die now that he is the main character in the series of books, he finds it hard to decipher how to disentangle himself from this maze.
In the quest to fulfill his adventures, Alatriste is faced by Malatesta. An adept Italian swordsmanship who also happens to be the captain. He is ever smiling and dresses in black attire. Though he may seem to be a good person, he is more than prepared to use any dirty tricks to achieve his mission. Unlike Alatriste, he is a man of low morals. Another villain in the name of Bocanegra is filled with hatred that it can be spotted in his eyes. He is a man of Dominican descent with bony and dry hands.

He is dangerous and uncanny; a cold breeze follows his presence. Arturo the author incorporates the two villains in a manner so witty to enable Alatriste the opportunity to choose which between the two he can easily defeat in the event of a fight. The remaining villain will come in handy to handle imminent danger or enemies. Pérez-Reverte employs a unique style in all his novels and includes varying characters and subjects. They include thrillers, solving difficult challenges in the game of chess, wicked illustrations, and walk-on sessions for dignitaries such as Lope de Vega.
The Narrator

Perez Reverte includes a narrator in the series of novels. In this case, it is a boy in his teen years whose mastery of skills in amazing. He has untold expertise when it comes to interacting with the reader. His unique way with his narration is enough to ignite the reader’s imagination and interests within and outside the story. His narration incorporates both present events and future problems.