Alexandre Dumas Books

The Count of Monte Cristo
By Alexandre Dumas

If some body put you in jail for 14 years when you were innocent would you want revenge? Well, Edmond Dantes sure did! Edmond Dantes is the man who was put in jail for 14 years. Edmond has short hair and a short beard, but when trouble calls he grows his hair and beard to look like the dead Mad Priest (Father Faria.) Before Edmond knows it he's in the middle of the ocean in a body bag!

One thing I love about this book is that it's unpredictable; the author builds suspense by including many surprises. Also, an unexpected meeting will leave your eyes wide open! Another reason why I like this book is the wonderful illustrations on every other page. Pictures give a better understanding of the writing; you "see" the words. The illustrations also look realistic and show emotion.

Everywhere you look action is happening in this book! It makes the book exciting! Another reason why I turn the page is because I am eager to read on and on! It also makes you tempted to read the book again.

In conclusion, I think anybody would like this book. I don't think you HAVE to be a boy or girl to like this book. It also makes you wonder what you would do in some of these situations!

Book Review By: Raven

This book was excellent! I loved it! If you are looking for a great adventure I want you to try this book. It is a tale of love, adventure, and revange. The main character is accused of trason, and is sentenced to a awful prison. He soon meets a prest who wants him to escape with him. They keep trying but soon only Edmund escapes. He wants to get all the people back who sent him to prison. He does at the end with the help of many people. The ending is a great surprise and a fabulous ending. Though it may be a little expecting. I have given it to my friends and they all have loved it. The movie was great too. Even if it was a bit different. Next time I read the Count I always feel excited and happy. Please try it! I am sure you will love it! Even though at time it is a bit grusome! It is a great book, and the author is great maybe I will be able to read the real version of the story one day! I reccomend it to any 11-13 year old who enjoys history and advanture, with a bit of revenge! You will truely enjoy this great book! I like it and you will to!

I just received this edition and am disappointed to find out that Mitsu Yamamoto is not the illustrator, but the adaptor of this work, and that it is also an extremely abridged edition. While it may be very good reading, I was expecting to receive an unabridged edition.

Un amor imposible el cual Armando y Margarita tenian, el cual es llevado magistralmente al audio por Fonolibro. Es maravilloso para escuchar mientras se esta en el carro o en el gimnasio, pero les aseguro que lloraran al final de la emocion. Una muy linda produccion y actuacion. Muy recomendado!!

Like all of the Fonolibro audio books that I've listened to, 'La Dama de Las Camelias' has top notch narration and voice acting, and great production values. Unfortunately, unlike some of their other CD's, the story this is based on is excruciatingly boring. If you want to practice your Spanish and listen to a decent story in the process, I'd recommend 'Harry Potter Y La Piedra Filosofal' or Fonolibro's 'Viaje Al Centro de la Tierra,' and 'El Conde de Monte Cristo.'

Esta historia nos demuestra claramente la pasíón que un hombre puede llegar a sentir por una mujer, y lo que una mujer puede sacrificar por el amor de un hombre, también es un fiel reflejo de algunas de nuestras conductas; muestra en forma detallada como una sociedad y algunos preceptos morales pueden ser la causa de dejar a un lado a la persona que realmente se ama. En pocas palabras puedo opinar que esta novela es para personas que gustan del amor sin barreras, rayando en los límites de la pasión. Puedo comparar ésta novela con otra poco conocida y muy recomendable llamada 'Werther' de Goethe -primer novela escrita por este celebre autor alemán-, pues tambien es una historia de entrega y de amor, terminando en una tragedia irremediable. Ambas un reflejo de las vivencias de los autores así como de los sentimientos que los llevaron a escribirlas.

If your in to books that will make your spine tingle this is a great one. It has murder and ghosts and mystery surrounding all of it.

This book isn't as great as The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, or any of Dumass' other great works but it is a great book to read. If you are interested in gothic fiction or mystery you should read this book. I will tell you that the shock at the end of the book is worth reading the whole thing for. Overall, I thought it was a great piece of work.

I agree with the review of TK below, but as for the ending leaving the reader "hanging", I know exactly what has happened. If one buys the Fredonia edition of the book, it comes in two volumes. For whatever reason, when searching the Amazon site and calling up the book, only volume one appears. It is possible to find volume two by typing in the ISBN number: 1589631714. After reading volume two, all those loose ends are tied up quite nicely and it makes it a very rewarding reading experience. The whole series of books in Dumas's Valois series: Queen Margot (Margaret de Valois), Chicot the Jester, and the two volumes of The Forty-Five Guardsmen are a wonderful story and deserve more attention.

Yes, I am absolutely crazy about 16th century French history. And Dumas has a whole series for this era. Though "La Dame de Montsoreau" is my favorite of the series, the Forty-Five does not lack young, handsome and rich gentlemen and beautiful and graceful ladies, not to mention the private lifestyle (humorous I found) of the King Henri III and his brother the duc d'Alençon. It was overall just captivating, I felt like I was reliving this time period. Again, I suggest you read the whole series, especially since this is the last book in the series. But I prefer this 'Valois' series to the 'D'Artagnan' or 'Marie-Antoinette' etc. series... It's more fascinating for me. The only thing is, that the end leaves a little something to be desired. I don't know if Dumas meant to write a fourth book in the series, cuz he seems to leave a few things hanging. But if you can ignore that, the rest of the plot is great!

After reading Alexandre Dumas' popular works "The Three Musketeers", "Twenty Years After", "The Vicomte de Bragellone", and "The Count of Monte Cristo", continued reading to delve into his more obscure novels is a rewarding experience. "Memoirs of a Physician" proves to be an unexpected detour from the standard type of intrigue in Dumas' most noted writings. After reading "Memoirs" one would almost find it appropriate to label the twists and turns in the aforementioned works as "shallow". In this book, the first in the series of the Marie Antoinette Romances, the reader experiences a look into darker and more sinister events which ultimately led to the French Revolution. "Memoirs of a Physician" exudes suspense, alliances and betrayals, humor, romance, longing to be and the becoming itself - all of the qualities that place Dumas' novels among the greatest works of all time.

For some odd reason there is a general confusion in the publishing world between Dumas's "Joseph Balsamo" and "Memoirs of a Physican." "Balsamo" is the first in the series of Marie Antoinette novels, "Memoirs" being the second, followed by "The Queen's Necklace", "Taking the Bastille", "The Countess de Charny", "The Chevalier de Maison Rouge", and "The Whites and the Blues". However, "Balsamo" and "Memoirs" are often confused. For instance, if one were to look on Google Books, the book that comes up for "Memoirs" is actually only the first half of "Balsamo". For quick reference then, "Balsamo" starts with the chapter titled -Introductory-, and "Memoirs" with -The Field of the Dead-, which is exactly where the former lets off. My advice - don't read the second in the series unless you've read the first, as they actually form one continuous story in two parts.

As far as a review goes, I would unflinchingly recommend any Dumas book. If you have already read "The Three Musketeers" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" then I would suggest finishing the Musketeers series first. But, if hungry for more, take this series on. It has all the romance and intrigue typical of Dumas's novels, though lacks in some measure that one illimitable character which make his more popular books so well loved, a la D'Artagnan or Dantes. In return, however, it rewards you with some fun little history lessons (and, of course, that oh so wonderful elitist feeling of having read a Dumas novel most people don't even know exists).

Buy it - you'll like it.

In view of the title, I was naturally curious about this book, and had a heck of a time finding a copy. It's not on a par with THE THREE MUSKETEERS, but isn't a bad read at all. Thanks, Alex.

I read the book when I was younger and kept a copy with me for the longest time and then in my travels I somehow misplaced it...It is part of the reason I'm trying to get it again. It is a strange haunting story that has many different twists and turns in the plot. It has some poetry, suspence, and a Edgar Allen Poe-ish quality about it. It is a novel to read and re-read again. The search for this book has made a lot of bookstore staff give me a second strange look, but there's more to the story than meets the reader's eye. It is a classic horror story and should be read.

Alexandre Dumas is a real master teller. He is so knowledgeable of the history that you can never tell between that fact and the fiction. You almost feel like living in the 16th century. You can sense it.

The abridged version is to the damage of the story. It has not been very carefully selected which parts to leave out or which parts to shorten. Sometimes it takes a while to realize that the story jumped forward in time and some parts are being given an unnecessary extend (the decription of Mary's will, for exemple). Also the part describing her execution is a bit too morbide.

But in any case, this is a great piece of work. It has both its entertaining and historical value.

The performance of the reader - Julie Christie - is excellent. She switches from English to Scottish to French accent to support the atmosphere and her voice is clear and easy to follow. I can highly recommend to buy it.

This audio book is available only in an abridged version. While I normally do not care to bother with abridged audio books, I am a big fan of Mary Stuart, the hapless Queen of Scots, as well as a Julie Christie fan, so I was game to try it.

This audio book was better than I thought it would be, given that it is abridged. This is in large part due to Julie Christie's rousing reading. Ms. Christie reads with great spirit and verve, her diction crystal clear. She seamlessly transitions between Scottish and English accents, infusing the characters with distinct personalities and creating a sense of atmosphere. Ms. Christie simply does a beautiful job reading this book.

This book by Alexandre Dumas is very good, though literary license is evidently taken. It encompasses Mary's early childhood, her sojourn in France, her return to Scotland as Queen, the intrusion of fire and brimstone religious reformer, John Knox, into the political arena, the perfidy of James, her illegitimate half-brother, the unhappy marriage to Lord Darnley and his murder, her alliance with Lord Bothwell, abdication, exile in England, and execution.

The time spent focusing on Mary's last will and testament, however, is inordinately long and somewhat puzzling. It would probably have been better spent focusing more on her alliance with Lord Bothwell or on the political perfidy of her power hungry, illegitimate half-brother, James. Both would play a large part in Mary's downfall and ultimate loss of the throne of Scotland.

Still, for those who are fans of Mary Stuart and for those who would like a brief and breezy overview of her life, this abridged audio book might just be the ticket. The book is contained on four cassettes, which provide six hours of reading pleasure.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read a lot of Dumas, and I expected his good writing. However, I disagree with the product description that this book is macabre and full of suspense. If you are looking for ghost tales, or something grisly, or for an adrenoline rush, I just don't think this book is for you-partially because it is not modern. If you get of those sentiments from Dumas' other work, you'll like this. It's still classic Dumas; it's still very good. Begin the book with an open mind; finish it will zeal. While the content of the book is unusual- talk about chopped off heads and ghostly encounters, that has far more to do with the times (the book was only written 50 years after the reign of Madame Guillotine) and with speculation. How long do people live, once they are considered dead? This book also has romantic elements. ::Spoiler warning:: One man's love, a hiding aristocrat in the French Revolution, is guillotined, something he does not know until he comes across her head (he's a physician trying to figure out how long people remain concious after being guillotined). One young woman is remarkably pale; two brothers loved her. The evil one dies and his ghost tries to kill her so that she can join her in the grave. The good brother (and the one she loves) saves her, but dies in the process. You see, really, it is classic Dumas in an unconventional package.

Okay, so it's not quite Stephen King. Still, these stories are actually pretty scary. They are presented as if a group of people were telling ghost stories late in the evening. Some of them deal with the guillotine; one of these features a great use of irony, even if it is a bit predictable. All of the stories are masterfully macabre, and I found that they became increasingly more compelling as I continued to read them.

This review refers to three books: Alexandre Dumas by Michael Ross (ISBN 0715377582), The Titans by Andre Maurois (ISBN 0837161517) and The King of Paris by Guy Endore (ASIN B000BW4094). All are highly recommended for information on Dumas and his age and for entertainment value.

We know him best as author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, but Alexandre Dumas' greatest creation was his own life. He had a saying: "Old age begins when daring dies". Like Oscar Wilde, Dumas put his genius into his life and his talent into his work.

Dumas was a larger than life character. A six foot three (1.9m) part negro, he was an expert swordsman, superb calligrapher, fluent linguist, brilliant conversationalist, ardent Republican, collector of medals and Royal orders, organiser of his infamous 'fiction factory', outrageous plagiarist, spendthrift whose complex financial affairs might have inspired his contemporary Balzac, world traveller, gourmet cook, lover whose series of affairs scandalised all of Paris till he was well into his sixties, world famous playwright, yet more famous novelist, and possessed the dramatic instinct to a most perfect degree, both in his life and his works. Despite his defects and excesses he possessed the ability to inspire affection in all whom he met.

He was involved in most of the political events of his time. Dumas as a boy of thirteen saw Napoleon arrive, and leave, France during the Hundred Days; in the July Revolution of 1830, in a musketeer like flourish, he single-handedly took the garrison at Soissons Arsenal ; he bankrupted himself in support of the 1848 revolution; in a red shirt he marched into Naples at the head of Garibaldi's volunteers in September 1860.

Dumas disseminated the ideas of the Romantic revolution to millions throughout the world. This was a man who assimilated the influences of Byron, Scott, Fenimore Cooper and Schiller, counted Victor Hugo, Berlioz, Liszt, Rossini and Delacroix as his friends, knew Gérard de Nerval, Frédérick Lemaître, Musset, Vigny and the Goncourts well and for three amazing years, 1844-47, was the 'King of Paris', with a worldwide reputation which made him one of the most popular authors who ever lived.

Michael Ross' biography does a good job of sketching in most of this. It is a frustrating aspect of Ross' book that much of Dumas' relations with contemporaries is glossed over. Correspondingly more detail is given of his early life which occupies a large part of the text: Ross follows Dumas' own Mes Memoires for much of this. He concentrates on seminal dates, and illustrates them with lively anecdotes. Dumas attending his first play in Paris and meeting the critic Nodier, who was subsequently thrown out of the theatre for booing his own play. The first night of Henri III in 1829, the popularity of which changed Dumas' life. The year of 1844, which saw the publication of both Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. Ross doesn't attempt to deal in depth with Dumas' approximately 600 novels, plays, autobiography, travel books, essays, tracts and cookbooks.

Andre Maurois' The Titans covers the lives of three Alexandre Dumas: grandfather, one of Napoleon's generals; father; and son, author of the novel and play Lady of the Camellias or Camille (inspiration for Verdi's La Traviata) . One of the remarkable things about Maurois' book is how fascinating the part about Alexandre the father is, and how dull the part about Alexandre the son. The former was a good, great and entertaining man, and his personality comes vividly through. The son was a frigid, unhappy man who covered a badly scarred soul with misogyny and pomposity. He lived a sad life despite his fame and prestige. It is clear that Dumas the father - with his prodigality, his egotism, his generosity, his impulsiveness, his energy, his disorder, passions, idealism, self-deceit, power, charm, wit and intelligence - did blight his son's life, did create the frightened, arrogant, moral poseur that son became.

Endore's The King of Paris takes a leaf from Dumas' own book. It is written in the style of a Dumas romance, full of imagined anecdote and vivid conversations that should have taken place: it goes beyond relaying facts, and attempts to create the character Dumas, and does so successfully. Endore tells the story of the omelette competition with Delacroix, who won by making a painting from the ingredients, and another of Dumas standing guard, covered most completely by his collection of medals: the ones on the seat of his trousers he explained had been given him by monarchs since deposed. We learn that after squandering more than one fortune, Dumas died with exactly the same amount in his pocket with which he arrived in Paris as a poor young man, and boasted: "I'm just as rich as when I started out: how can anyone accuse me of extravagance!"

Dumas seems to jump right off the page, 120 years after his death, in all these books, so great was his vitality then. It is this vitality which gives to his books, and his greatest work, his life, their enduring interest.

I am a high school student and I am currently working on a research paper on Alexandre Dumas for Honors English II. This book contains some pertinent facts and information on Dumas, his works, and the era of Romaniticism.