During the absolutism in France, the young clog-maker Thibaudt has a deep desire to belong to the aristocracy. One day he saves the life of a wolf, who fled from the baron Jean de Vez and his hunting party. A while later Thibaudt imagine his amazement: the wolf transformed himself into a human and offers him a pact. The wolf promises to grant Thibault’s wishes in exchange for a hair on his head. As Thibault wishes harm upon more and more people, the hairs on his head become...
After „The Three Musketeers” and „Twenty Years After” the adventurous story of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D’Artagnan continues! Against a tender love story, Dumas continues the suspense which began with „The Vicomte de Bragelonne” and will end with „The Man in the Iron Mask”. Can it be true that the King is in love with the Duchess d’Orleans? Or has his eye been caught by the sweet and gentle Louise de la Valliere? No one is more anxious to know the answer than Raoul, son o...
This swashbuckling yarn is the continuation of the story in „Memoirs of a physician,” „The Queen’s necklace,” and „Six Years Later”. „The Countess of Charny or, The Execution of King Louis XVI” is the seventh in Dumas’ series on the retelling of the French Revolution. Known as one of the important early figures in the burgeoning genre of historical fiction, Alexandre Dumas spent much of his life chronicling the social and political unrest that utterly transformed France – a...
„The Three Musketeers” (French: „Les Trois Mousquetaires”) is a historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. Set in 1625–1628 when France is under threat, it recounts the adventures of a young nobleman named d’Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard. Although d’Artagnan is not able to join this elite corps immediately, he befriends the three most formidable musketeers of the age – the mysterious A...
The bonds that tie family together are among the strongest on earth. But what of those between two brothers born as Siamese twins? The „Corsican Brothers” is a richly drawn tale of fraternal love and revenge. Alexandre Dumas weaves the compelling story of Siamese twins who are separated physically but never in spirit. They have a truly remarkable psychic link, and can feel each others pains and triumphs. When one of the brothers is murdered, the other leaves Corsica for Par...
Set out for a rollicking good time with Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), the renowned French author who created timeless classics such as „The Three Musketeers”, „The Count of Monte Cristo” and „The Man in the Iron Mask”. „Les Compagnons de Jehu” („The Companions of Jehu”) tale is based loosely on a historical account of a band of young aristocrats-turned-highwaymen that continuously steals the money of the Directoire in order to finance the restoration of monarchy and who foug...
Having returned safely home, Robinson Crusoe marries and starts a family. Peace is not for Robinson, he hardly hangs out in England for several years: thoughts about the island are haunted him day and night. He even buys a farm, intends to engage in rural labor, to which he is so accustomed. After the death of his wife, nothing else keeps him in England, Robinson is overcome by the old wanderlust, and sets out with his faithful companion Friday to see his island once again....
„The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain” is an 1848 ghost story by Charles Dickens. It is the final novella in Dickens’ series of five Christmas Books, the first and best known of which is „A Christmas Carol”. For Victorians these ghost stories began to be associated with Christmas time, and the end of the year. In this story, Dickens narrates the hair-raising experiences of a teacher of chemistry Redlaw. As the protagonist dwells on his past sorrows and mistakes, a phanto...
”Rescue” is not just muscular descriptions of a boiling sea or some kind of intrigue or action. Konrad decisively decides things like lengthy / nuanced conversations. But, as in all his books, „Rescue” is darkly intense, much more happening under the surface than even the characters think. This is not an easy book to concentrate on. Tension, uncertainty about what will happen next, a gloomy atmosphere – all this is alive and overwhelming.
„The Inheritors” is a little-known book of two main British writers. The plot is based on a political scheme to undermine the British Empire, based on a Congo-like colonial enterprise and manipulated by journalists. The main character claims that she is from the Fourth Dimension and works to replace the human race.
Anyone old enough to have friends they haven’t seen for many years knows how difficult it can be to get everyone together again. And when you do, it’s never quite the same. That’s the theme of „Twenty Years After” (1845), Alexandre Dumas’s sequel to „The Three Musketeers” that is a supreme creation of suspense and heroic adventure. This story follows events in France during La Fronde, during the childhood reign of Louis XIV, and in England near the end of the English Civil ...
Set in Paris during the French Revolution, „The Mesmerist’s Victim” tells the story of two star-crossed lovers whose romance blooms at an extremely inopportune moment in European history. Will they be able to find happiness together, or will they be swallowed up in the tumult of radical political and social change? „The Mesmerist’s Victim” is the second in Dumas’ fictional series on the French Revolution. The story continues the tale where „Memoirs of a Physician” left off....
„The Royal Life Guard – A Historical Romance of the Suppression of the French Monarchy” is a historical romance of the suppression of the French monarchy. France had been changed to a limited monarchy from an absolute one, and King Louis XVI had solemnly sworn to defend the new Constitution. But it had been remarked by shrewd observers that he had not attended the Te Deum at the Paris Cathedral, with the members of the National Assembly: that is, he would tell a lie but not...
An adventure is something that happens outside the course of ordinary life. We can’t go on an adventure all the time, but an adventure story will take you right to that adventure. With no time to scout for a library, now these books are at our fingertips. „The Hero of the People” is the fifth book in the fictional series on the French Revolution by the famous French author Alexandre Dumas. Alexandre Dumas is known for penning many masterpieces of historical fiction, includi...
Set against the turbulent years of the Napoleonic era, Alexandre Dumas’s thrilling adventure story is one of the most widely read romantic novels of all time, along with „The Three Musketeers”. The historical setting is a fundamental element of the book, an adventure story primarily concerned with themes of hope, justice, vengeance, mercy, and forgiveness. It centers on Edmond Dantès who is wrongfully imprisoned, escapes from jail, acquires a fortune, and sets about exactin...
French author of famous swashbuckler novels Alexandre Dumas again chooses 18th century France for his milieu. No musketeers in this one, for it is the Queen, Marie Antoinette, who needs defending. Set a few years before the deluge of the French Revolution this plot is convoluted beyond belief; schemes, counter-measures, vicious personal agendas, love-struck young people, royal revenge and ecclesiastical machinations – all are present. Fans of historical fiction will love „T...
Set at the height of the „tulipomania” that gripped Holland in 17th century, this is the story of Cornelius van Baerle, a humble grower whose sole desire is to grow the perfect specimen of the tulip negra. After his powerful godfather is assassinated, the unwitting Cornelius becomes caught up in deadly political intrigue and is falsely accused of high treason by a bitter rival. Condemned to life imprisonment, his only comfort is Rosa, the jailer’s beautiful daughter, and to...
Charles Dickens’ work is ranked among the finest writing in the Western canon, and the author specialized in seasonal stories to warm the hearts of his adoring fans during the holiday season. Dickens’s relationship with Christmas extends far beyond the success of „A Christmas Carol”, with five short Christmas books and countless slighter stories on a festive theme. In all of them he uses Christmas as a time to wake up the dozing conscience of the prosperous urban middle cla...
The d’Artagnan Romances are a set of three novels by Alexandre Dumas telling the story of the musketeer d’Artagnan from his humble beginnings in Gascony to his death as a marshal of France in the Siege of Maastricht in 1673. It is May 1660 and the fate of nations is at stake. Mazarin plots, Louis XIV is in love, and Raoul de Bragelonne, son of Athos, is intent on serving France and winning the heart of Louise de la Valliere. D’Artagnan, meanwhile, is perplexed by a mysterio...
„The Man in the Iron Mask” is the final episode in the cycle of novels featuring Dumas’ celebrated foursome of D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, who first appeared in „The Three Musketeers”. Some thirty-five years on, the bonds of comradeship are under strain as they end up on different sides in a power struggle that may undermine the young Louis XIV and change the face of the French monarchy. Unbeknownst to D’Artagnan, Aramis and Porthos plot to remove the inept king ...
The d’Artagnan Romances are a set of three novels by Alexandre Dumas telling the story of the musketeer d’Artagnan from his humble beginnings in Gascony to his death as a marshal of France in the Siege of Maastricht in 1673. It is May 1660 and the fate of nations is at stake. Mazarin plots, Louis XIV is in love, and Raoul de Bragelonne, son of Athos, is intent on serving France and winning the heart of Louise de la Valliere. D’Artagnan, meanwhile, is perplexed by a mysterio...
Alexandre Dumas’s 1846 novel, „Captain Paul” is based on life of John Paul Jones, a captain in the American Navy during the revolutionary war. This epic adventure is written in best traditions of Duma’s work featuring numerous desperate battles, true love, brave heroes, devious villains, and intrigue. This tale of high adventure and daring-do is highly recommended for fans of Dumas’s work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any bookshelf! One of the most widely read...
„The Forty-Five Guardsmen”, by Alexandre Dumas (1894), the most celebrated of French romance writers, is in two volumes, and is the third of a series known as „The Valois Romances”. It basically deals with Diana de Meridor and her servant Remy who find a way to take revenge upon Duc d’Anjou for his heinous betrayal of Bussy d’Amboise. Historically it commences with the execution of Salcede and the arrival of the Forty-Five at Paris and deals with the Guise intrigues, the ca...
