Alexandre Dumas's tale of swashbuckling and heroism follows the fortunes of d'Artagnan, a headstrong country boy who travels to Paris to join the Musketeers-the bodyguards of King Louis XIII. Here he falls in with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, and the four friends soon find themselves caught up in court politics and intrigue. Together they must outwit Cardinal Richelieu and his plot to gain influence over the king and thwart the beautiful spy Milady's scheme to disgrace the queen. In The Three Musketeers, Dumas breathes fresh life into the genre of historical romance, creating a vividly realized cast of characters and a stirring dramatic narrative that continues to be enjoyed as a literary classic by young and old alike.