The back of this book promises "breathless swashbuckling, intrigue, spying, and sword fights" in the vein of The Three Musketeers plus dragons. On that account, the book delivers. On the other hand, if you want things like a plot that make sense and relatable (or even distinguishable) characters, this is not the book for you.

Yes, works in translation are always a little chancy, but I think the problems with The Cardinal's Blades are structural. The average chapter length is about four pages. Fast cuts substitute for pacing. Every character is dashing and deadly and mysterious and little bit cruel, but still a charmer with the ladies. Suspense is created by concealing from the reader what the characters already know, rather than by real intrigue and mystery. The end result is like reading a Dan Brown thriller crossed with one of Michael Moorcock's more disposable novellas with a French accent. Maybe the later books in the series improve, but I don't care to find out. A novel cannot stand on sword fights alone.