Alexandre Dumas Books

I bought this book for one of my children for a summer reading project. I needed a specific version and was glad I could search Amazon by ISBN. The book arrived quickly and the price was reasonable. I'm sure other family members will enjoy the book when the projcet is complete.

except for the Bible, this is the best.
It is the full and undiluted version from the first english translation.
read it, learn it,live it.
j

Although the story is well known to me, the editing of this audio book was so confusing. I absolutely could not follow it. Too much is cut out.

Story has good twists, but there are too many French places and people which makes the audio confusing.

The book is excelent reading but please get a different version.
This version only has 580 or so pages where as other versions have over 1,300 pages. That means that this version is only half the story.
So much gets lost in translation already don't cheat yourself even more.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is a literary masterpiece. It has everything one could want in a book and more: adventure, fighting, planning, tales of riches, tales of suffering, tales of ultimate betrayal and revenge, and even a little love.

This book may be long, but every single page is worth your time. It is written so perfectly and the story put together with such great design...an epic tale perfect for any reader.

I had never read Monte Cristo before and was at first reluctant to invest the time needed for this modern, unabridged version. I'm glad I did though, because it was a great story that moved along quickly in spite of its length. The freshly translated language helps, and because it's unabridged, it's satisfying to know that you're getting the full text that Dumas intended.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is a phrase that most people are familiar with; the broad outlines of his story have become a part of everyone's general understanding via cultural osmosis: Edmond Dantes, wrongly imprisoned by the contrivance of four men, escapes jail after decades, and, armed with essentially limitless money, plots his revenge. With this in mind, those revisiting the original novel have a general idea of what happens with the principal characters. While it would perhaps be optimal to begin reading with no preconceptions, the novel does not suffer for knowing the general outline. In particular, adaptations always end up significantly cutting the original story, which clocks in at nearly 1300 pages in this edition; so there are plenty of story points normally omitted for the reader to discover.

An English professor once related that in the Renaissance genre of revenge tragedy, there were only a few that really examined the toll taken on the revenger (Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy" and Shakespeare's "Hamlet" being the notable ones), while most simply offered a black-and-white story of wronged men slaying the demons who haunt them. Alexander Dumas' story, which has become perhaps the archtypal revenge novel, also falls into the more complex category. It is perhaps telling that while the novel follows Edmond Dantes' perspective from the beginning to the point where he escapes from prison and finds the treasure that will finance his scheme, as soon as Dantes becomes The Count of Monte Cristo the perspective largely shifts to other characters; Dantes, a young and happy man, becomes something different and less human; the Count is almost automaton-like in his calculations and actions, though, as the story wears on, pricked by resurgent emotions. It is the conflict between his assumed roll as the wrath of God and his mere humanity that serves as the major conflict in the novel's climax.

Dumas offers a panoply of other characters, generally well-drawn, and absurdly interconnected in the best traditions of the Victorian novel; particularly notable is the oblique sketch of a lesbian couple who ride off into the sunset, a risky inclusion for the time period (and generally sanitized from most versions of the story).

This is by no means a quick read, but it is very much recommended for fans of classic literature.

There are a handful of traits that make a book a "classic". They can stand the test of time from 10 years to 100 years beyond. Due to their meaningful story lines which everyone can relate to and have the different interpretations of. The Count of Monte Cristo has all these characteristic of a classic story. It is a story of revenge, love, hatred and the second chances in life one may be lucky enough to receive. Even though this story is almost 200 years old it still appeals to people of all ages and walks of life.
Edmond Dantes is wrongly accused and imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. After spending 14 years in a horrendous prison he miraculously escapes and uses his new fortune given to him by a prison mate to live out his new life of enormous wealth and his quest for revenge. This seek of revenge captured myself along the ride with Edmond Dates' use of wit and internal hatred towards others to seek revenge on those who destroyed his life. It came to my discovery through Edmond Dantes or Count of Monte Cristo experiences and actions; that people back in 1800's were just as devious, greedy, deceitful, manipulative and vengeful as people can be today in modern times.
Alexandre Dumas builds a captivating and rich plot throughout his story which makes the reader wonder what will happen next and what the consequences may be. The theme of love, hatred, happiness, vengeance and forgiveness is something everyone can relate to in our lives since they are feelings we have all felt. My negative critique for this book is the fact that it was a struggle to keep all the 40+ characters in order. The French names I am not familiar with as an English speaker were confusing at times.
I found this book intriguing because this story portrays the evil nature of the human spirit but at the same time teaches a lesson in the possibility of Karma and how eventually people will end up paying for their wrongdoings. It was at times a struggle to get through but when I did I was glad I did.

Of all the books I've ever read, this is one of my favorite. But all my good memories of it come from the first third of the book. Up until the end of chapter 30 I'd give the book five stars, but after that it's pretty long-winded and drawn out (And that's 87 more chapters!) . Furthermore I didn't even like any of the characters introduced after the first 30 chapters, except two I'll mention below, two of which were very minor characters.

The first thirty chapters deal with Dantes being unjustly imprisoned and spending a miserable 14 years in the Chateau d'If. The story of his imprisonment, escape, and coming to riches and power culminates in his saving his old boss from financial ruin and suicide. It's a fantastic story but after that it's on to a long, drawn out, extremely wordy, and ultimately not-very-satisfying revenge on those who put him in prison. The main characters during these 87 chapters, aside from Dantes, his woman, and the four men who put him in prison are Haydee (the beautiful, but disturbingly reclusive Greek woman), Albert (the hotheaded son of Monte Cristo's old rival Fernand), Madame Danglars (the shrewish wife of Danglars), Héloïse de Villefort (the one-dimensional murderer whose love for her child is her only emotion), Franz d'Epinay, (a nice guy, but forgettable), and a host of other forgettable characters. Finally, there are Valentine de Villefort and Maximilien Morrel: two annoying and sappy lovers who remind me exactly of Cosette and Marius from Les Miserables. If you liked those two you'll love the latter half of the book. I detested them and the latter half of the book gave them an unfortunately large amount of sappy-time.

So that's the principle problem with the last 87 chapters: I don't like any of the characters. I wasn't even all that fond of Dantès during this part. The only characters I even remotely liked were Ali, Monte Cristo's slave, and Noitier de Villefort, who talks by blinking. Everyone else is either annoying or forgettable. This means that the almost the entire last 87 chapters are dedicated to conversations among all these annoying or forgettable people, very little of which was interesting.

Still, my memories are mostly fond. It's only when I put on my critic's hat that I began to realize how bored I was during the last two-thirds of the book. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a good long read. The abridged version would probably be better for the non-OCD type, as it'll cut out a lot of the superfluous stuff.

The Three Musketeers is one of my favorite books and Twenty Years After is practically just as good. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because the editor, David Coward, gives away the ending of The Man in the Iron Mask. He tells you what happens in the last chapter of the last book in a footnote! DON'T read any of the footnotes in the last 20 pages of the book unless you want the story spoiled, in that case just go to wikipedia.

As the title says, it is twenty years after the events in the Three Musketeers. The four heroes are living their lives as they wanted, but are all slightly disaffected.

Cautiously, they agree to undertake a task for the Queen.

Complicating matters is the son of Milady de Winter, who is an anti-fan of these men, you could say.

The Musketeers must learn to work together again, even if their politics are aims are not all the same.

Thoroughly entertaining, "Twenty Years After" is a fulfilling sequel to a classic swashbuckling masterpiece.

Twenty Years have passed since D'Artagnan and the Musketeers triumphed over Cardinal Richelieu, preserved the Queen's honor, and brought justice upon the face of evil, Milady. The wave of time has carried the four friends down very different paths of life, and they have not been in contact for many years. D'Artagnan, looking for fortune and lost glory, offers his services to the wildly unpopular Cardinal Mazarin. The Cardinal accepts, and commissions D'Artagnan to unite the quartet for the service of France. What follows is a plot filled with twists, turns, surprises, and adventure. Many characters return from "The Three Musketeers," while several new characters play significant roles in "Twenty Years After." One such character, the son of Milady, has a twisted soul intent on the "revenge" of his mother.

Readers of "The Three Musketeers" who loved Dumas' four heroes for their youth, energy, and courage, will now love them for their maturity, wisdom, and honor. Undoubtedly, these are not the same four men we were left with at the end of the first book. The beauty of "Twenty Years After" is Dumas' ability to age the characters appropriately, and show the effect of time on their nature. In doing so, we see that while time has changed much, it has not changed their undying loyalty to each other.

My only issue with "Twenty Years After," and I'm surprised to find myself saying this, is the lack of a romantic aspect. D'Artagnan's love for Madame Bonacieux in "The Three Musketeers" actually pulled the reader in, making D'Artagnan's loss the reader's loss. There is no such story in "Twenty Years After," which I found rather disappointing. Despite this, "Twenty Years After" is an excellent sequel and I recommend it to anybody who enjoyed the first book.

It's been twenty years since the close of The Three Musketeers, and only D'Artagnan remains in service to the French Crown. Richelieu is dead and his protege Mazarin now holds the power behind the throne. Anne of Austria rules as regent for her young son, and civil war threatens France.

D'Artagnan is sent to bring the Musketeers out of retirement, but they find themselves at odds between the two sides in the civil unrest. D'Artagnan wants to be promoted to captain and Porthos who wants to be a baron, side with Mazarin, Athos and Aramis with the Fronduers (sp?). However, they soon find that although much has changed, their love and friendship for each other remain intact, particularly when faced with the evil son of Milady, who is bent upon revenge against those who executed his mother.

There's way too much plot to even try to explain, leave it to say that there is much adventure and derring do, from the civil war in France to the conflict between Charles I and Oliver Cromwell in England. I especially enjoyed the nail biting, sit on the edge of your seat excitement during the escape from England and Mordaunt, along with the rescue of D'Artagnan, Porthos and Athos from Mazarin (what fun!). Along with the excitement comes the humor of their constant banter and escapades making for a near perfect read.

I personally liked the parts in England the best, but I think that's because I have a better understanding of English history than French. Even after researching that period in France and Mazarin online, I still got a bit confused at times, but that is a minor issue in comparison to the rest of the story. Dumas is brilliant (as always) and his dialogue is among the best (as always). An awesome sequel to the Three Musketeers, and I am looking forward to starting the next chapter in this story, The Vicomte De Bragelonne.

It is truly amazing how many people don't have any idea that the Three Musketeers appear in more than the novel of the same name and "The Man in the Iron Mask." I must admit that for many years I was in that category myself but I was absolutely delighted to find that their adventures continued in this book and I must say that I found the exploits in this book to be almost as thrilling as the exploits in the first book.

Dumas played extremely fast and loose with history in the first book and he spends a good deal of time in this installment trying to correct some of his earlier deficiencies. Most notably Cardinal Richelieu, the great villain of the first book is in this book venerated and our heroes even bemoan the fact that they opposed him. It is also notable that Dumas is considerably more faithful to history in this book than he was in the first but don't make the mistake of thinking that this will read like a historical novel because as usual Dumas never lets the facts get in the way of a good story.

Athos, Porthos, d'Artagnan and Aramis have gone their separate ways and have completely lost contact with each other in the twenty years that elapse between the first and second book. So much so in fact that when d'Artagnan tries to put the group back together he has trouble finding his comrades. At the behest of Cardinal Mazarin who has replaced Richelieu d'Artagnan begins to search for his former colleagues so that they can unite to protect the Cardinal and the Queen from a growing revolt in Paris. He does recruit Porthos but the other two are in league with the rebels and then they face each other again when they become involved on different sides of the English Civil War.

In the end however their friendship and the deadly threat posed by someone from their past bring the friends back together and together these men are as usual unstoppable. Dumas has again provided for a swashbuckling good time and an adventure story that few authors can match. If anything, this adventure is more thrilling than the last as it takes place in two countries and even on the sea with only the occasional break so that the always-hungry Porthos can have something to eat. Anyone who enjoyed the first book will certainly enjoy this one and will do so maybe even more so than the last. These Musketeers didn't lose a thing over those twenty years.

Having purchased The Three Musketeers and The Man in The Iron Mask I realised that there were three intermediate novels pulling the story together.Twenty Years After, The Vicomte De Bragelonne and Louise de La Valliere bring the complete story of the musketeers into focus. To gain the most from these stories they need to be read as virtually one book in five large chapters.

After writing The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years after, Dumas wrote a third installment to the trilogy. It is probably the most controvercial book in the trilogy, as can be revealed by reading many of the reviews. For starters, it's LONG: over 200 chapters. As a result, the English-speaking world has split it into three books: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valiere and The Man in the Iron Mask (the most famous volume). The length is certainly a problem, in fact is it THE major flaw in the conclusion of the trilogy. Dumas is never terse or concise, but in this three-part book, he produces an monolith. This was largely due to him overcomitting himself and having to write this much for financial reasons. However, while this is a major setback, the three books still have elements of great, almost sublime Dumas left in them, which can be extracted if approached in the right way.

The final installment of the trilogy represents the dear old Athos, d'Artagnan, Porthos and Aramis maturing and growing old. The trilogy thus moves from more active and straightforward swashbuckling to a more complex and sombre picture. Like the previous book Twenty Years After, it is not completely clear as to who's in the right and who isn't, only this time it is more so. Like the previous book, age has placed the former Musketeers in a somewhat divided situation, this time involving many a clandestine dealing of state and international level. Finally, in this three-part saga, we are introduced to a huge number of characters while our Four at times take a back seat for several hundred pages. This has been criticised as well, but has a point.

In terms of this specific volume (The Vicomte de Bragelonne), it is the most historical one, as initially d'Artagnan and Athos are brought out of retirement, united in their royalist causes. After completing an adventure reminiscent of their former, more "action-packed" years, the intrigue of the newly-ascended Louis XIV begins. It is here that we can see Dumas as painting a brilliantly detailed picture of what he sees as France moving towards a more centralised, efficient yet pedestrian autocracy from Richeleu to Mazarin to Louis XIV. For the first time, d'Artagnan finds himself serving (and appreciated by) the king, however, the novel asks the question of whether this is at all a good thing. In the power-struggles of the court, we see the irony that the "detractors" of progress are often more honourable than its supporters.

If you only expect more action involving the Four, then don't bother reading this at all. However, if you persevere, you will get to see sublime glimpses of what a long way the Musketeers of old have come (for better or worse), what they think about the entire society they live in and what Dumas thinks. As well as some of the old-fashioned-style adventure. I think that the fact that this is obscured by an overly-drawn-out style, while annoying, does not detract from this being an honourable conclusion to the trilogy.

If you are reading this review, you have probably already read the Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After. You are wondering if it is worth it to continue with the series. If you decide to go on, you have three more 600+ page novels ahead of you. That is a lot of time and energy.

If you are foremost into the swashbuckling aspect of the Musketeer stories, I would not go forward. The Musketeers are now in their late 50's. They are still vital characters but they are no longer young men looking for any excuse to duel with the Cardinal's Guard. From this point on, there is a lot less sword play and campaigning. The focus of the story moves to the intrigues of Louis XIV court.

I am continuing with the series because I like the characters. I want to find out what happens to the four friends. In this novel, D'Artagnan and Athos are the principal characters. Aramis and Porthos do not show up for the first few hundred pages. Dumas has kept me entertained for the first two thousand pages of this saga and I am counting on him to keep me entertained for the next 1500 pages.

This book is part one of a three part series, the next two being the Louise de la Valliere, and the final being the more well known Man in the Iron Mask. I understand this was originally one HUGE book, but is now more commonly broken up into these three books.

This book starts about ten years from where Twenty Years After (Oxford World's Classics) ended. Although the book is titled the Vicomte de Bragelonne (who is the son of Athos), we don't see much of him except for the first and last parts of the book. The rest is filled with the adventures of D'Artagnan and Athos while they separately scheme (unbeknownst to the other) to aid Charles II of England to claim his throne. LOL, D'Artagnan's scheme in regards to General Monk. Aramis and Porthos are up to something mysterious and make only the briefest of appearances. The rest of the novel is filled with the mysteries and intrigues of the French court, and ends with the marriage of Henrietta (Charles II's sister) to Louis XIV's younger brother, Phillip.

If you loved the musketeers, history and intrique it is well worth your time to spend on these books.

Before I begin reviewing this book I'd like to comment on it's place in the total D'Artagnan Romances. The D'Artagnan romances are a trilogy started with the Three Musketeers, followed by Twenty Years After. The last of these stories is broken up into three volumes which are The Vicomte De Bragelonne (part 1), Louise de la Valliere (part 2), The Man in the Iron Mask (part 3). If you are like me and reading library copies you may even find The Vicomte De Bragelonne broken up into four volumes either all titled The Vicomte De Bragelonne, or titled the same as the three volumes with Ten Years Later added as the first volume of the story. With that being said, on to the review...

This story take place around ten years after the events of Twenty Years After. We find Luis XIV now king, but hardly so sense Mazarin holds all the power. D'Artagnan is still a Musketeer, but is losing faith as what he had earned in the previous book has been taken away from him. Seeing that his friends have prospered out side of the Kings service, while he has made no progress, and being dissapointed with the useless king who allows himself to be overshadowed by Mazarin, he leaves the king's service with a bold plan to make his fortune. This leads to a reunion with an old friend, and one of the best of a series of adventures that takes place in this, the last of the Musketeer series.

This volume brings back the great four musketeers, all of whom have gone their seperate ways. This volume is dominated by the charaters of D'Artagnan and Athos. A fine begining to a wonderful but long story.

Review continued with Louise de la Valliere...

It is missing 2 pages and some of the words are not spelled correctly, I don't know if it is the editors, publishers or whose fault. Makes you wonder if it is the original.

Es uno de los mejores libros y una buena razón para leer los clasicos. Me recuerda a Don Quijote - y aún hace una referencia al libro - en que hay muchos temas que desarrollan en el cuento: lealdad, fe, venganza, honor y, principalmente, el libre albedrío.
No hay ninguna sorpresa en el final, aunque cómo se llega al fin es muy entretenido. Es muy interesante cómo Dumas teje los cuentos dispares de los crímenes en el papel del inocente Edmond Dantés. Y aunque Edmond adopta su papel del angel vengador, aprendemos que hay nuevos principios para todos que siguen las palabras: esperar y confiar. Hay varias lecciones para muchas personas de esta època.

when i first started to read this book it leaved it marks on me,i didnt finished it because it wasnt my and i started to search it for about 3 months until i found it and i must say that this is the better book that i've read i'd pay 100 bucks for it....it doesnt have a price definitivamente un clasico.

Una de las mejores novelas que he leído y definitivamente la mejor obra de Alexandre Dumas. Expresa los sentimientos humanos y describe el ambiente de la época a la perfección en esta novela que combina suspenso e intriga. ¡Un libro que no se puede soltar ni un minuto!

This is the best novel ever created. It tells about a man, Edmont Dantes, who gets captured on his day of wedding by policemen. He had to sit in prison all his life, for a crime he did not do. The story tells how this enigmatic man escapes from prison, becomes overwhelmingly rich, and one buy one hunting down his enemies who put him in prison, not physically, but psychologically. I read this book 3 years ago, when I was 14, and beleive me, i got into this book so deeply, that I finished both volumes, each about 700 pages, in 10 days. That's an average of 150 pages per day. This is how interesting is this book. If you start this book, you'll see, you'll get into it very deeply, and you'll feel moments of revenge, sadness (your eyes might get pretty wet), and joy. It is very probable that after reading this book you decide to change your character and make it like the character of Edmond Dantes. This book is worth every single penny of its price and more.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS ranks as one of the ten best books I've ever read. With fast-paced and nonstop action the whole way through, this nearly 800 page book flies by surprisingly quickly. A great story with some of the most memorable characters in all of literature makes for an excellent reading experience. Dumas' style of wit, humor, and drama, and his ability to bring unique individual characters to life through dialogue makes him [IMHO] one of the best writers of the past and present.

This novel is a story of adventure, love, politics, and friendship. It could be considered a historical fiction, with a few real life secondary characters such as Cardinal Richelieu and Anne of Austria playing significant parts in the story and acting in ways that agree with their historical reputation. Still, the book is primarily a character-driven story. The main character, D'Artagnan, is brash and prideful, while still being utterably lovable. His friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are each so unique and well-developed that you'll feel like you know them. The antagonists are so deliciously evil as to make their triumphs painful and their defeats glorious. Each character, from King Louis XIII to the musketeer's lackeys, is central to the story.

The straightforward but eloquent style in which the story is told makes it an excellent book for any age. A proliferation of French words and expressions may cause some readers to stumble at first, but they quickly become familiar and add to the flavor of the overall story. The few scenes of a sexual nature are mild PG only and shouldn't concern parents or teachers. The vibrancy and color that Dumas brings to life in this story will delight any reader that is brave enough to give it a chance. Really nothing to complain about in this one. Extremely highly recommended.

One stupid rookie farmboy with a nice sword, 3 veterans, evil religious villains and wenches, enough beer and good swords means an outstanding good time, especially with the dry wit of Dumas. Crazy swashbuckling superskilled heroes, an evil controlling supervillain, crazy henchmen, a black widow, stupidity, sarcasm, and anything else you could want. Classic adventure.

After reading this book in elementary school (on my own) I had the urge to read it again, this time with the eyes of an adult. The book did not disappoint, and I further understood why it is a classic. Dumas is a master of invention, if he'd live today he'd be making shows like "24", but he's not ... and he didn't. Instead he gave us a timeless, serial classic peppered with a good deal of humor, romance and even some swordplay.

If you've seen the movies, do yourself a favor and read the book, if you haven't then you have an advantage.

I think most people are wary of "classics", either because the writing style is hard to read, or they're "school reading", or just boring. I won't lie, to some extent these are true...I still despise Dickens or any book about life in a boarding school. However, this is far from one of those. I'll assume if you're reading this that you're not afraid of books, and also that you're somewhat familiar with the story already. So here's what you should know: this is a fast paced book, so don't worry about the page count. There's a little genre in it for everyone: some romance, some spy-novel intrigue, historical politics, and plenty of action. It was written in the 1800s, not the 17th century, so the writing's not tricky and there are plenty of footnotes about the context. All of that aside, I liked this as much as any modern novel I've read lately. If you're considering this, don't hesitate; it's cheap and it's good.

Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers is a thrilling tale of courage, loyalty and love. Anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, intelligent adventure will be intrigued by this story, centered around a young man from the country, D'Artagnan, on his quest to join the ranks of the king's musketeers and later to win the heart of the woman he loves. The story begins in a small town in France in the 17th century. D'Artagnan leaves his country home with hopes of joining the king's Musketeers in Paris. Here he finds three lifelong friends and companions--Athos, Porthos and Aramis--for which the title of the book was given. Together with D'Artagnan, they help thwart the plans of Cardinal Richelieu, the king's advisor and rival, as he plots against the queen, the king, and the musketeers throughout the book. Undoubtedly, The Three Musketeers comes complete with its heroes, villains, surprises and scandals that will captivate readers throughout the world. Alexandre Dumas uses the theme, characterization, and symbolism to appeal to a broad universal audience.

Alexandre Dumas uses close father-son relationships in The Three Musketeers, between different characters to illustrate the theme of friends are like family. One of the most outstanding father-like roles is played by M. de Treville, the captain of the king's Musketeers. He protects his courageous musketeers by vouching for and advising them. In his own words he teaches D'Artagnan, "A captain is nothing by a father of a family, charged with even a greater responsibility than the father of an ordinary family. Soldiers are big children" (30). M. de Treville cares about his men as if they were his own sons. He maintains a close relationship with them and helps guide them in the way they should go. Readers everywhere can identify with M. Treville's relationship with his men, in that they must look after others as others look after them. "M. de Treville was the father of his soldiers. The lowest of least known of them, as soon as he assumed the uniform of the company, was as sure of his aid and support as if he had been his own brother" (148). The company is described here as being a family, with M. de Treville as the father figure. Not only does he play this role in D'Artagnan's life but also in the lives of the other soldiers he has authority over.

Athos is another of the many father characters in this novel. He is the eldest of his three companions, and rightfully would assume this role. His friends, like children, turn to him for advice. Not only does Athos advise his three companions on the whole, but also individually. This relationship is particularly strong between D'Artagnan and Athos. "D'Artagnan began by making his most splendid toilet, then returned to Athos's, and according to custom, related everything to him. Athos listened to his projects, then shook his head, and recommended prudence to him..." (323). D'Artagnan eventually decides not to follow this advice though he continually asks for Athos' guidance, much as a rebelling child would ask a father for advice and end up shunning it in the end. It is a common part of human existence to rebel against one's parents at some point or another. Although his advice at this point may have been ignored, Athos still had a huge influence in the life of D'Artagnan. Athos' continual wisdom, loyalty and distinguished intellect provide this book with another example of a father figure. Though there are many more links to father-son relationships in this novel, these two are definitely the most prominent. There is an overall theme of friendships bordering on the brink of family in their manner of relationships. This theme provides one of the driving forces for this novel, whether in the beginning between D'Artagnan and his true father, M. de Treville and his Musketeers, Athos and D'Artagnan, the Cardinal and his followers, or several other characters in this novel.

The characterizations in this novel are also strong. Though some can be classified as heroes and others as villains, all have their moments of triumph and blunder. One example of this is the main character, D'Artagnan. Although he is a hero in this novel, he is a deeply complex individual with faults and weaknesses as well as strengths. He offends and challenges his future friends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis directly upon his arrival in Paris because of his headstrong discourtesy. This character trait is shown implicitly through his actions and speech when he comes in contact with others. Another multifaceted character is Athos. He is a melancholy man because of the past he attempts to hide from his companions. By far the most distinguished of all the musketeers, he guides them in wisdom. This characterization is shown directly through the way his companions speak of him. " `My dear Athos,' said Aramis, `you speak like Nestor, who was, as everyone knows, the wisest among the Greeks' " (467). In comparing Athos to Nestor, he is directly assisting in the characterization of Athos.

Finally, the main characters are symbols of courage and loyalty. Through the actions of D'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, the reader gains a sense of their undying loyalty to the queen, the king, and each other. They show their loyalty to the queen by helping save her reputation. She secretly gives away a few diamond studs to the English Duke of Buckingham (who is in love with her), and the Cardinal finds out. He plots to ruin her by persuading the king to order her to wear them at an upcoming ball. The musketeers find out about this plot and ride quickly to England facing many dangers along the way to retrieve the two diamond studs. Their efforts effectively show their loyalty and courage. Another example of the musketeers being symbols of loyalty occurs on one of their missions; one by one each of the musketeers falls behind, except D'Artagnan. Once the task is completed, he goes back and searches for his companions, not stopping until they are all reunited. In this and other instances, the musketeers are shown as symbols of loyalty and courage.

The Three Musketeers, a brilliant action-filled novel, is an excellent read. The action and suspense provide the driving force of the novel, while the underlying relationships provide multifaceted characters who are easily identify with, as fantastic and extraordinary as their lives may be. As Dumas wove theme, characterization, and symbolism into his thrilling story, it became a treasure to last for generations. Truly this novel is a timeless attestation of the human experience that readers can relate to throughout the world.

I thought it was well written and that it explains the story so you are not confused. I thought the was a little short because it goes through his prison time almost three-fourths of the book. My conclusion is that revenge is not the best way to handle things. Very well written!

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is an exciting book. Itýs about a man named Edmond Dantes whoýs wrongly accused being a Bonapartist. He goes to jail and somehow becomes a count. The count he becomes is the ******************. It has a lot of twists and turns. So many, in fact that, an explosion could happen and you wouldnýt even notice!
I really enjoyed this book because it was very exciting, even though there wasnýt a lot of ýdodging missiles and bulletsý action. There was a lot of excitement and suspense. For example Edmond gets in a duel and Edmond is dragged to the bottom of the ocean. One thing I didnýt like about the book was that it didnýt start out that exciting. It is though, a book you canýt put down.
I believe this book has a very good message. The message is: ýhelp your friends and they will help youý. I think this because: Edmond helped an abbe` and the abbe` helped him, and Edmond saved Morrelýs and Valentineýs life and they were his eternal friends. I really enjoyed The Count of Monte Cristo.

I LOVE this book, therefore I was sorely dissapointed to discover that this is an abridged version and the amazon page did not indicate this at the time of my purchase (3/07)!! I post this to give you fair warning, buy the unabridged version, this is a FANTASTIC book!!

If you've ever thought life was unfair, you need to read this book. Revenge has never been so complete, and the avenger even has a spiritual awakening at the end. There's sword fights for guys and fancy clothes and romances for the girls. I first read the abridged version in the 8th grade, I read the full version a year later, and I'm reading it again right now. It's really that good. Any crime-ring or revenge themed book you will ever read draws references from this Dumas classic. And hey, there's a movie now too!(p.s. this is coming from a now 18-year-old actress with a very short attention span)

Alexandre Dumas, author of "The Three Musketeers" and the "Man In the Iron Mask", has given the literary world the adventure novel, forever bringing it to the level of the classic. The Count of Monte Cristo is mainly a story of revenge. The Romanticism in which the novel is characterized and the Napoleonic France for the setting, sets the mood for this nearly psychologically thrilling story that only a great French master like Dumas could create. Edmund Dantes, wrongly accussed of a crime he did not commit, taken to a prison of which there is no escape by his enemies, his only love taken by his best friend, spends years of suffering and harboring hatred in a rotting prison cell. But he also plans his revenge, how he methodically desires to bring upon the fateful end to his enemies and win back his love. He successfully manages to escape from prison and discovers a vast fortune. Assuming the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he extracts his revenge. What moral theme does Dumas really want to convey ? In the end, we discover how unfulfilled and how miserable our hero is, even when he has had the satisfaction of punishing his enemies. Dumas should be credited for such a marvelous work. He writes in the highest French Romantic fashion, and should be hailed with as much praise as Gustav Flaubert. The Three Musketeers, the immortal adventure story that made him famous, has been made into numerous films, and even The Count of Monte Cristo has had a terrific film version starring Will Chamberlain. A new release of the novel is set for January 25th of this year. Dumas may have died penniless, and he may not have been considered an excellent voice of the romantic age, but it is 2001 and we are still enthralled with the tales of intrigue, suspense, romance and adventure that this wonderful French writer conceived. Viva Dumas! Five stars for his terrific revenge story the Count of Monte Cristo

I bought this book because I enjoyed Dumas' other works. Although "Queen Margot" certainly has much to recommend it: intrigue, romance, action, I did not enjoy it as much as "Three Muskateers" or "Count." The ending is especially unsatisfying.

Alexandre Dumas pere was a master of story telling. If he was still living today he would definitely write some of the most popular television series. This is how this novel reads, as a TV series, and this is also how it was written, since it was first released in 2 page instalements in 19th century french daily newspapers. Every page ends in some sort of dillema or with an item a suspense. There is never a boring moment. Of course, even if this book is based on actual historical events, it cannot be considered a true rendition of what really happened. Nevertheless, Dumas succeeds in making his characters so alive, that you feel you are living through the intrigues with them. You feel what they feel. A true masterpiece of literature, in any language; and by the way, the book is a thousand times better than the movie.

Queen Margot is missing nothing. I read it after falling in love with the musketeer series, and was overjoyed to find that it was as good as the others.

When I started reading this book I thought it would be classic, boring, long story about some french queen - I was wrong. I could not stop reading it before I finishad. In my opinion every one who likes interesting books should read it. I am sure he will not regret it.

If you have read this book and if you loved it like I did, I highly recommend the rest of the series. The Forty-five guardsman and Chicot the Jester follow this book in the history of the reign and fall of the Valois. Chicot is an amazing character. I recommend trying to locate these books. The Diamond Necklace also is about the fallen Valois just before the french revolution

The Three Musketeers is a unique book. History and political events are woven into the plot of this clever book. I find the characters fasinating and feel like I already know these noble men. The loyalty of them is overwhemling. I am in the middle of Dumas's next book, "Twenty Years Later" and am enjoying it too.I have read many books, and this is one of my personal favorites.

The 3 Musketeers is one of the best books I have read. I'm an unemployed college student that picked up the book and couldn't put it down. I have read the Count of Monte-Cristo, which is also a great book, and at first thought the 3 Musketeers would be a childish tale, but it turned out to be a great writing style that Dumas uses to take create four characters that I now love. I recommend this book to anybody that likes adventure, action, romance or just great storytelling. I even read Twenty Years Later to see what happens to Aramis, Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan.

I believe the 3 muskateers has been one of the most interesting and intriguing books I have read. It felt like the pages went by so fast because I got so into the book. Not many books keep me up at night trying to stay awake to read the next chapter. I love the writing on Alexandre Dumas. He wrote the Count of Monte Cristo (a must read!). I read that a couple years ago and that is what inspired me to read the 3 muskateers. If anyone read the 3 muskateers and saw the part "all for one and one for all" - please email me. Either it's not in the book or I was reading too fast and missed it. I was very disapointed not to see it. :-)

The Three Musketeers is one of those stories you not only read, but consume. It is not for everyone. The wording is unique, the story action-adventure-romance, with a delicacy of character that reflects the times the author lived. It is, however, so worth the read. If you have never entered the world of Dumas, The Three Musketeers is a wonderful introduction. There is a reason this tale is a classic, re-told again and again. Read it and get acquinted with Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artagnan. I promise you that you will cheer for these four as they face the ever-present-ever-needed-bad guy. Do they win? I can't tell you, but I can say you will laugh, cry, and fall in love, and just maybe return like so many others.

I actualy only read it as a joke (I'm only 13). My friends and I were playing a triva game and I got a question about it. We laughed because I got it right even though I never read it. I bought it and was surprized at how good it was. It's not TOO hard to read, but you have to get used to the writing style. Anyway, read it, you'll love it.

This book was a summer reading assignment for ninth grade Pre-AP English I, and I expected naught but a monotonous, wordy, dusty "classic." However, when I finally began to read, I was suddenly entranced by the well-woven plot. A variety of feelings are portrayed through the dialogue. The story was very adventurous, romantic and so highly unbelievable. I did not want it to end, and so I read it again immediately. I highly recommend this book, even to those who usually reject classics.

My AP English teacher recommended this book for me to read over the monthly required reading list, and I thought, "Oh great, what a great idea....". But it was for two months because of its length, so I took it.

Each chapter includes a specific idea to the plot that keeps you wanting to read more. I would bring this book to work and read a chapter a day during my 15 minute break and would go overboard reading two chapters because it just keeps getting better and better! Each new idea came as a surprise for me, and so much is in it that I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good book.

Alexandre Dumas sure knew what he was doing when he read this, so I definitely recommend this.

Last year my grandfather recommended this book to me. I snorted, thinking, yeah right, I highly doubt I'm gonna read a book like The Count of Monte Cristo any time soon. But after I picked up the novel and actually started to read it, I slowly became more and more fascinated with the plot. As a 12 year old reader I struggled with parts of the book, finding them dull and tedious, but the struggle is worth it in the end!
Alexandre Dumas creates a fabolous tale of revenge and hate in which Edmond Dantes, a young sailor in love, is betrayed by three men of power. Edmond wastes 13 years of his life in the Chateau d'If, a terrible prison in which Edmond loses faith and all chances of ever being with his love again. While there, Edmond learns of a treasure buried on the island of Monte Cristo, and creates a master plan to seek revenge on his enemies, if and when he escapes.
I highly recommend this book, and if you're too lazy to actually pick it up and read it, at least go and see the movie!

This book is so wonderfully written. I read it every year, and every year I feel like I am reading it for the first time because it is so thick and so full of life. The characters are so real--I can breathe their breaths and hear their words and smell their clothes. It is the most amazing book!

IT'S BY ALEXANDRE DUMAS!!!!!

Simply put, an amazing book. The quality of Dumas's work is incredible. I couldn't put it down the entire way through. It is witty and yet intellectual. I have never read a "classic book" in all of my 16 years that compares to this (although several have been quite good!). The Count of Monte Cristo is a must read for one and all.