Synopses & Reviews
The classic adventure from the author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in the Iron Mask.
In this swashbuckling epic, dArtagnan, not yet twenty, sets off for Paris in hopes of joining the Musketeers, that legion of heroes highly favored by King Louis XIII and feared by evil Cardinal Richelieu. By fighting alongside Athos, Porthos, and Aramis as they battle their enemies, dArtagnan proves he has the heart of a Musketeer and earns himself a place in their ranks. Soon dArtagnan and the gallant trio must use all their wits and sword skills to preserve the queens honor and thwart the wicked schemes of Cardinal Richelieu. With this classic tale, Dumas embroiders upon history a colorful world of swordplay, intrigue, and romance, earning The Three Musketeers its reputation as one of the most thrilling adventure novels ever written.
An Unabridged Translation, Revised and Updated by Eleanor Hochman
With an Introduction by Thomas Flanagan and an Afterword by Marcelle Clements
Review
“The name Alexandre Dumas is more than French—it is universal.”—Victor Hugo
Synopsis
This swashbuckling tale, beloved around the world, follows the fortunes of d'Artagnan, a country boy who travels to Paris to join the Musketeers, save his Queen from scandal, and outwit the devious Cardinal Richelieu.
Synopsis
A major new translation of one of the most enduring works of literature, from the award- winning, bestselling co-translator of Anna Karenina—with a spectacular, specially illustrated cover The Three Musketeers is the most famous of Alexandre Dumas’s historical novels and one of the most popular adventure stories ever written. Now in a bracing new translation, this swashbuckling epic chronicles the adventures of d’Artagnan, a brash young man from the countryside who journeys to Paris in 1625 hoping to become a musketeer and guard to King Louis XIII. Before long he finds treachery and court intrigue—and also three boon companions: the daring swordsmen Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Together they strive heroically to defend the honor of their queen against the powerful Cardinal Richelieu and the seductive spy Milady.
Synopsis
Wrongfully imprisoned for fourteen years, Edmond Dantes escapes to the island of Monte Cristo. What awaits him there is a fortune in gold-and a new identity with which to persue his revenge and redemption.
Synopsis
In the post-Napoleonic era, Edmond Dantès, a young sailor from Marseilles, is poised to become captain of his own ship and to marry his beloved. But spiteful enemies provoke his arrest, condemning him to lifelong imprisonment. Then Edmonds sole companion in prison reveals his secret plan of escape and a letter with directions to hidden riches on the island of Monte Cristoa treasure trove that will eventually fund Edmunds dream of creating a new identity for himself: the mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas employed all the elements of compelling dramasuspense, intrigue, love, vengeance, rousing adventure, and the triumph of good over evilthat contribute to this classic storys irresistible and timeless appeal.
About the Author
Alexandre Dumas (18021870) was the author of more than a hundred plays and novels including the famous
Three Musketeers trilogy (184447),
The Count of Monte Cristo (184445), and
The Man in the Iron Mask (184850). His grandfather was a nobleman who lived in the French colony of Santo Domingo (now Haiti), and his grandmother an Afro-Caribbean slave. Dumass father, a celebrated general in Napoleons army, eventually fell out of favor and then died when Alexandre was four years old, leaving his family in poverty. At the age of twenty-one, Dumas moved to Paris, where he enjoyed success first as a playwright and then as a prolific writer of both fiction and nonfiction. He took part in the uprising of July 1830, which placed his patron, Louis-Philippe, on the throne, and built his own imposing Château de Monte Cristo outside of Paris. But by 1851, his lavish lifestyle had bankrupted him, and he left France, fleeing both creditors and Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, the new ruler who was no fan of Dumas. In the following decade, he made extended stays in Belgium, Russia, and Italy, where he joined the movement for its independence and unification. He died penniless but optimistic, saying of death, I shall tell her a story, and she will be kind to me.”
A scholar, critic, and novelist, Thomas Flanagan (19232002) was the author of The Irish Novelists, 18001850 (1959), The Year of the French (1979), which won the National Book Critics Award, The Tenants of Time (1988), and The End of the Hunt (1994).
Marcelle Clements is a novelist and journalist who has contributed articles on culture, the arts, and politics to many national publications. She is the author of two books of nonfiction, The Dog Is Us and The Improvised Woman, and the novels Rock Me and Midsummer.