Alexander Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a French writer best known for his adventurous historical novels. Dumas also wrote plays and magazine articles. His most famous works The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de Bragelonne first appeared in serial form. The Three Musketeers takes place in the year 1625. The young D'Artagnan arrives in Paris at the age of 18, and almost immediately offends three musketeers, Porthos, Aramis, and Athos. Instead of dueling, the four are attacked by five of the Cardinal's guards, and the courage of the youth is made apparent during the battle. Twenty Years After takes place in the year 1648, twenty years since the close of the last story. The third novel, The Vicomte de Bragelonne, is often split into four books: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Ten Years Later, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask. D'Artagnan is a wonderful heroic character. The story is sure to delight the fans of the Three Musketeers,