Count on Adventure!

Marseilles, France. February, 1815. Edmond Dantes is a young man who life has blessed. At the age of 20, he has all he could want in this world. A beautiful fiancee named Mercedes. He was the First Mate of the merchant ship Pharaon, with the respect of his crewmates. His Captain just died during the last voyage, and his employer intends to make Edmond the new Captain. And he has his beloved father waiting for his return from the sea.

With so much good fortune smiling down on him, is it surprising that he doesn't realize there are those jealous of him as well? Like Danglars, the purser of the Pharaon, jealous of the younger man's position in the eyes of their employer and shipmates. His early rise to Captain. How about Fernand Mondego, the fisherman who loves Mercedes and wants her for his wife.

These are dangerous times in France. Napoleon is in exile on the island of Elba and Louis XVIII sits on a shaky throne. Gerard de Villefort holds an important position in the public prosecutors office. He is about to marry the daughter of the Marquise de Saint-Meran, a loyal supporter of the King. This will help Villefort's career immensely, especially since his own father, Monsieur Noirtier, is a supporter of the usurper Napoleon.

It seems that, after the Captain died, Dantes ordered the Pharaon to stop at Elba. Danglars saw him return to the ship with a letter. So Danglars and Mondego write an anonymous letter to the public prosecutor denouncing Dantes as a supporter of and conspirator with Napoleon. Dantes is arrested at his betrothal dinner.

At the public prosecutor's office, Dantes is questioned by Villefort. Dantes tells how the stop at Elba was his Captain's dying orders. He has a letter to deliver to Paris. Villefort understands the situation and is about to let Dantes leave a free man. Until he sees the name on the letter. Noirtier, his father. This could ruin his life and his career if word got out. He burns the letter and promises Dantes he can soon go free. Instead he gives orders to imprison Dantes in the dreaded Chateau d'If.

Dantes is sent to rot in the dungeons of the prison. One lucky day, years later, he hears scratching. It turns out to be another prisoner, the Abbe Faria, trying to dig a tunnel to freedom. Dantes starts digging to meet him. They soon become friends and comrades. The Abbe Faria is a very educated man, and passes on his knowledge to Dantes in the years they spend together as they work on a new tunnel. He also tells Edmond of a fortune beyond belief that his former employer, Caesar Spada, has hidden on the small island of Monte Cristo.

Eventually the old priest dies, and Dantes changes places with his corpse, sewn into a bag. That enables Dantes to escape from the Chateau d'If. He makes his way to the island of Monte Cristo and uncovers the promised treasure. Edmond Dantes disappears from the world, and the Count of Monte Cristo enters it as an avenging angel.

The Count discovers just how and why Dantes was shut away in that dungeon all those years ago. He goes to bring justice to a world that has forgotten what it means, and the main part of the story begins.

Danglars is now the Baron Danglars, a rich banker in Paris. Monsieur de Villefort is now a powerful magistrate in Paris. Mondego, now married to Mercedes, is the Count of Morcerf, a famed general, a peer of France and a commander in the Legion of Honor. All three are wealthy and powerful men. They also have grown children of their own.

That is how the Count begins to infiltrate the families. He befriends Albert, Viscount de Morcerf, when they meet in Rome, and eventually saves Albert's life there. Albert promises to introduce the Count into Paris society since he will soon be traveling to Paris for the first time.

The Count also takes an interest in his former employer's family, becoming a loyal friend and benefactor to them.

What impresses me most in this tale of revenge is how the Count achieves his goals. He doesn't go in and strike his enemies down with righteous fury, though he would have the power to do so. Rather he sits back and spins his webs, allowing each man's greed or pride or basic dishonesty to lure him down the path to ruins. Like the old saying goes, he gives them enough rope to hang themselves with.

This is only a thumbnail sketch of the plot. There are many more characters and situations that you should be allowed to uncover on your own. What happens with Mercedes, for one.

Other than "The Prisoner of Zenda" (see an earlier review), this is my favorite book. It is a very fast and exciting story to read. I just finished re-reading the copy my sister gave me over 25 years ago. ( A well-worn book by now, can assure you.) Which leads me to the final point I want to make.

I am not usually one for recommending abridged versions of books. But that is what I am doing here. I fell in love with the copy my sister gave me and have never read any other version. I would strongly suggest you try this one. It was published by Bantam Books. More importantly, look for the credit "Specially translated and abridged for modern readers by Lowell Blair". I've seen his name on copies in bookstores in recent months. I strongly recommend his translation, based on the enjoyment it has brought me each time I've read it. I can't personally vouch for any other translation and/or abridgment. I can't imagine they wouldn't be worth reading. But I fell in love with Mr. Blair's version, and that is the one this review is based on. It is 441 pages, but reads like it is half that.

The new film version will be out in February. I don't know if it will be any good or not- check back with me then- but do yourself a favor and read the book. You'll be glad you did.