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R2 DVD Reviews
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Written by maehara
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Thursday, 20 December 2007 16:00 |
 d'Orleans continues his scheming against the King - although with his lead agitator having legged it back to Russia, thinga aren't quite going to plan. Keen to catch Vorontsov, though, the King orderes d'Eon and the others to head east a bring him back - but Russia may not be the safest place for them to be right now...
5 - Palais-Royal
News has reached d'Eon and the others that Vorontsov is due to be meeting with various people soon to discuss 'business'. His timing is strange - it's Easter, a holiday that's widely observed - and he must know that he's being watched, but for whatever reason he seems keen to continue to move his plans forward, so the group determines that it's time Vorontsov was captured and dealt with. While the others plan the capture mission, d'Eon travels to Longchamps with Anna - after having committed a faux pas in is dealings with her earlier, it's time for him to make amends, although to be fair it's hardly the most arduous of duties. On his way to Longchamps, though, d'Eon gets a disturbing look at how the other half of France are living - and runs into Vorontsov himself...
6 - Knights of the King
After Vorontov manages to escape the country, d'Eon and the other are relieved of their positions in Le Secret du Roi. The King has a new mission for them - and as being removed from Le Secret du Roi usually carries a death sentence, it's clear to them that their new mission is likely to be a suicide mission in all but name. On what may be their last day of freedom, d'Eon and the others have the opportunity to visit those they hold dear - and for d'Eon, that means a visit to Lia's still-unburied casket, where he must finally come to terms with his sister's unique hold over him...
7 - Gargoyles
The gang begin their long journey to St Petersburg - travelling by carriage is probably the quickest possible way, but even that means a journey of several weeks to be endured. Their first stop is the German city of Cologne, and word soon gets around that they're there - reaching even their enemies, who have instructions to make sure that they never reach Russia. How to do that? Use the power of a Poet, of course. And this Poet can do a little more that just create Gargoyles...
8 - An Audience with the Empress
d'Eon and the other arrive in St Petersburg, and begin looking for ways to meet the Empress, Elizaveta. But as ever, their enemies are ons step ahead of them, and Elizaveta's position is no less precarious than the French King's, as Vorontsov and his backers are looking for an opportunity to depose her. Their opportunity to meet her comes through the Empress's weekly costume ball, where d'Eon creates quite the stir when he appears dressed as Lia - he's enough of a likeness for his late sister that there's some speculation about whether she's comes back from the dead - but while d'Eon is making good progress introducing himself, Durand and Teillagory come under attack. Their enemies have also made sure that the city's rumor mill is already placing the Frenchmen as responsible for the plot to assassinate Elizaveta - but within the city are some who would work with them...
After the first volume's running battles with Gargoyles, there's not so much action this time around an more of a focus on the scheming side of the story - apart from a confrontation in Cologne, the Poets stay pretty much in the shadows and let d'Eon and the others get on with their business, and rely on rumour and political maneuvering to get their way. That will leave action fans disappointed, but that hasn't really been this series' strong point anyway, and the focus on the more thoughtful side of things is playing very much to the show's strengths.
Failing to protect the King as well as they could has left the gang in a precarious position, where they now have to succeed in their mission or die trying - Louis does not suffer fools gladly, and letting Vorontsov escape back to Russia has left them very much looking like fools. The insteresting stuff comes when the gang reach St Petersburg, and find the situation to be very much as it was back home, with a monarch under threat. Lia's past connections with Elizaveta could turn out to be both a blessing and a curse - they get them favour with the Empress, but will no doubt antagonise those who would usurp the throne, so while it's early days yet, their trip to St Petersburg looks set to be dangerous.
All of this is very watchable and draws you in quite well, but there's a downside in that it all happens very slowly, leaving the volume not really that suited to watching all in one sitting - your attention will eventually begin to wander, thanks to the lack of any real quick & easy hooks in the story. All that plotting is all very well, but it takes effort to follow it. Watch the disc in two sittings, and you'll be fine.
Le Chevalier d'Eon got off to a great start with its first volume, and this disc continues the good work and develops the setting and story very well. Action fans will find it a bit lacking due to the focus on other things, but there's still plenty to keep you entertained, while the show's visuals only enhance the experience. Definitely worth a look.
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