In the post-Napoleonic era, Edmond Dantès, a young sailor from Marseilles, is poised to become captain of his own ship and to marry his beloved. But spiteful enemies provoke his arrest, condemning him to lifelong imprisonment. Then Edmond's sole companion in prison reveals his secret plan of escape and a letter with directions to hidden riches on the island of Monte Cristo--a treasure trove that will eventually fund Edmund's dream of creating a new identity for himself: the mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. In The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas employed all the elements of compelling drama--suspense, intrigue, love, vengeance, rousing adventure, and the triumph of good over evil--that contribute to this classic story's irresistible and timeless appeal.