Hiya all...I don't post here much because I don't read many classics...but I think that it's definitely going to change thanks to the handy 101 Classics app on my iPod Touch.

Anyhow, I've been wanting to read The Count of Monte Cristo for ages but never felt like reading it because it's such a long book. When I got my iPod Touch, I downloaded a free app called 101 Classics which has tons of classics. One of them was Monte Cristo so I decided to fit a chapter a day in between my other reading.

That was 3 weeks ago and I'm already in chapter 84 (I've read 8 other books too so I haven't been reading it exclusively.) I read it walking in the street (I wonder a car hasn't run me over), in the elevator, at the gym, I wake up in the middle of the night and pick it up. I love the book and can't wait to read what happens next. :)

CoMC is my favorite fiction book ever.  I could just read it over and over and over, I love it so much!  I always get so drawn into Dantes' story, when everything is terrible and then when he comes back for revenge! 

I think I'm gonna try this one for one of the challenges.

 love the book and can't wait to read what happens next.

Can you tell me whyyyyyyy? Why do you love it? What is it that draws you back to it? I am not trying to be pedantic here, I really want to know. I am tempted to download it to my e-reader too, but I have The Three Muskateers which I think is by the same author, Dumas. Right?

Here's why I like it. :)

The book is chock full of action (reads very modern in that respect). A lot of interesting characters and subplots and the atmosphere is divine. You can see MC's aura of mystique because of all the allusions to his travels, the description of his surroundings and his excentricity. At the same time, you wonder how Parisian society didn't realize what's going on because he didn't seem for real.

You discover his revenge plot by steps (there's never an allusion of 'this is what I'm going to do) and you marvel at his audacity. The story is not overly lyrical but it has interesting discussions about God, revenge, friendship.

I can talk more but I should get moving or I'll be late for work!

DG -- Glad you are enjoying The Count of Monte Cristo. Are you reading the unabridged version?

Tome: Yes, it's by the same author as The Three Musketeers , Alexandre Dumas, pere. They were written one after the other. I've picked up and read a page of the Musketeers, but was never drawn in. Monte Cristo is a well written ... thriller, almost. Aside from being the ultimate underdog story, there's action and intrigue throughout, and invites you to think about profound themes: eg revenge and honor, guilt and redemption, love and forgiveness. There are also a lot of stages as you follow along Dante's life story.

IMO Monte Cristo is miles better than Three Musketeers or Man in the Iron Mask (the only other Dumas works I've written). The simple revenge plot conceals everything the story has to say about life; the expectations, disappointments, despairs, hatreds, loves, joys and bittersweetness that everyone experiences.

I'm so glad you love it!  It's tied for my favorite classic with Pride & Prejudice.  In my mind, it is the most perfect tale of revenge and retribution ever written.  Like D.G. said, it's full of action and moves astonishingly fast compared to other novels I've read from that period.  Edmond Dantes becomes the ultimate mastermind, and his revenge is so intricately plotted and executed.  It's a bit like The Italian Job, Ocean's Eleven, or TNT's Leverage in that respect - it's the story of 'how in the world is he going to pull off this seemingly impossible feat'?  It's one of those stories with several threads going on at once, and slowly, bit by bit, you see how they fall into place perfectly.

I also loved the 2002 movie with James Caviezel, Guy Pierce and the divine late Richard Harris, though they alter the ending drastically.  Strangely enough, I love both endings; both fit their version of the tale.

Okay, okay...because of this forum, I decided to pick up The Count of Monte Cristo and I'm loving it!  I can't believe I've never read it before.....

Thanks everyone!