The Three Musketeers

First published in 1844, The Three Musketeers is the most famous of Alexandre Dumas's historical novels and one of the most popular adventure novels ever written. Dumas's 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 toKing Louis XIII. Before long, he finds treachery and court intrigue and also three boon companions, the daring swordsmen Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. Together the four strive heroically to defend the honor of their queen against the powerful Cardinal Richelieu and the seductive spy Milady.Richard Pevear, part of the husband/wife team responsible for award-winning translations of classic Russian literature, provides a flavorful and faithful rendition that conveys all of the wit, romance, and rollicking pace of the original French. Pevear also includes an edifying introduction to Dumas, his world, and his take on history, as well as explanatory notes, making this the edition par excellence for a new generation of readers.