The Count of Monte Cristo is one of the great literary adventures, indeed William Thackeray was so enthralled he began reading `at six one morning and never stopped till eleven at night''. The hero is Edmond Dantes, a young sailor who, falsely accused of treason, is arrested on his wedding day and imprisoned in the island fortress of Chateau d''If. After staging a dramatic escape he sets out to discover the fabulous treasure of Monte Cristo and catch up with his enemies. A novel of enormous tension and excitement, Monte Cristo is also a tale of obsession and revenge, with Dantes, believing himself to be an `Angel of Providence'', pursuing his vengeance to the bitter end before realizing that he himself is a victim of fate. This new edition uses the classic, anonymous translation that has been in print since the nineteenth century.