YMMV / De Cape et de Crocs

• Complete Monster: Mendoza is the cruel captain of a galley who mistreats the rowers and has them executed for the slightest reason. When he learns of the existence of the treasure of the Tangerine Islands, Mendoza shoots the man who gave him the map and decides to find the treasure in order to build an army to conquer the world. After meeting Séléné, Mendoza becomes determined to force her to marry him, intending to make her a battered wife. On the Moon, Mendoza joins the service of Prince Jean and leads his armies to attack the capital, killing the three Cadets who were protecting it, all the while plotting to assassinate the Prince and steal the throne from him. In his last appearance, Mendoza manages to capture the protagonists and prepares to throw them into space, and also tries to have Hermine gang-raped while forcing her lover Lope to watch.
• Ensemble Dark Horse: Eusèbe the Rabbit, from the word of the author himself. To the point he got a two-book prequel telling how he ended up in a galley.
• Funny Moments:
  • The pirates and their panic attacks.
  • The 17th-century rap battle (yes, you read that right) as well.
  • After 10 tomes, the pay-off of Lope and Kader's duel - the winner is the last to laugh, non-violent Moon-style.
  • The play the characters are forced to act in for the Selenite court.
• Genius Bonus: There are many, many references to French classical literature, from plays to specific poems and the also technical or antiquated terms that were used during the 17th Century. All but the most known references such as La Fontaine or Molière’s work may be flying above the head of the reader.
• Heartwarming Moments:
  • Armand finally thanking Bombastus near the end of the series.
• Hilarious in Hindsight: Captain Boone being frustrated that nobody calls him by his title is reminiscent of another pirate captain's Insistent Terminology...
• Moment of Awesome: Let's see, taking over the galley, finding a way to comandeer the Flying Dutchman (it involves a mast, lots of rope, and a giant squid), FIGHTING OFF A FISH THE SIZE OF A CITY DURING A THUNDERSTORM, and so many more...
  • And setting a "Scooby-Doo" Hoax to defeat a whole pirate crew, when they're three.
  • Cigognac's Rousing Speech.
  • Maupertuis defeating and killing Mendoza.
• Schedule Slip: Up to two years between books. Lampshaded at one point when Armand, who was in a cooking pot at the end of the last book, notes "It feels like I've been cooking in here for a year!"
• Tear Jerker: The end of Book 8.

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