The Three Musketeers.

All for one, and one for all: few phrases in fiction ring so cleanly, and few adventures earn them so well. Alexandre Dumas's The Three Musketeers is the great romance of loyalty, wit and drawn steel.

What it's about

The hot-blooded young d'Artagnan arrives in Paris determined to join the King's Musketeers and promptly entangles himself with the three most famous of their number. Together they are drawn into the dangerous currents of court politics, the schemes of a powerful cardinal, a queen's imperilled honour and the machinations of an unforgettable adversary whose beauty conceals a ruthless will.

Themes

Friendship and honour drive the story, but Dumas also delights in ambition, intrigue and the collision between private loyalty and public power. Beneath the swagger runs a shrewd awareness of how easily the noble and the corrupt intertwine at court.

Why it still matters

The novel practically invented the modern swashbuckler and has never stopped being adapted, imitated and loved. Its pace, humour and camaraderie remain a benchmark for adventure storytelling.

Who it's for

Anyone hungry for adventure, sworn friendship and villains worth hating, and readers who want to discover why Dumas's musketeers have thrilled audiences for generations.