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    The Sultan of Monte Cristo: First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo
    The Sultan of Monte Cristo: First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo
    The Sultan of Monte Cristo: First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo
    Ebook100 pages2 hours

    The Sultan of Monte Cristo: First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo

    By Holy Ghost Writer

    3/5

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    About this ebook

    "For so many years, passionate fans of The Count of Monte Cristo have suffered a loss upon finishing Alexandre Dumas' last words. It is a grieving of sorts that has long been unmitigable... until now. The mysterious Holy Ghost Writer has penned "The Sultan of Monte Cristo" as a direct continuance of the story readers have long struggled against leaving behind. The adventure-laden journeys of Edmond Dantes continues in (Dumas') newly-honed role as investigative reporter who publishes his (original) book as part of (this) story. New life is breathed into those characters we all knew and loved (or loved to hate) in the original Count of Monte Cristo tale (what can now, finally, be referred to as Book 1). Haydee, the infamous Villeforts, and even Countess G are lifted from the stalemate of our beloved story and given new life, and readers will also be introduced to a host of colorful new characters (like the memorable Raymee) whose lives, loves, and circumstance flow comprehensively and effortlessly through the entire narrative.
    Amazingly, the prose so closely matches the mood, tone, pacing, and richness of environment of Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo that this feels like the natural continuance of those lives. The sequel manages to introduce such a microscopic view into the full-flesh world our colorful characters engage in that readers can't help being sucked in. We cannot help but run breathlessly alongside them throughout the journey, to imagine the consequences between their words, to ponder on their insights and their woe-filled courses of action. We stand next to Mercedes as she lives and breathes; we get that rare glimpse into the future of the characters that Alexandre Dumas himself surely intended.
    Through well-defined and multilayered plotlines, the story's laser-point pacing, and rich character building, this work lends the quagmire of adventures, missteps, and danger-filled mysteries a guarantee of unforeseen, adventurous turns and cathartic "a-ha" insights. The Holy Ghost Writer seems a literary time-traveller: the swiftness with which he carries us straight into the 1800s is mind-boggling and a rare feat even in the best historical fiction writing. Excellent novel, and highly recommended!" Peanut's review.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHoly Ghost Writer
    Release dateJan 22, 2013
    ISBN9781311153876
    The Sultan of Monte Cristo: First Sequel to The Count of Monte Cristo
    Author

    Holy Ghost Writer

    Who is The Holy Ghost Writer? The identity of the author is part of an international contest, and the first person to correctly name the HG Writer from the clues found in the Count of Monte Cristo sequels will receive a reward of $2500. Visit the Holy Ghost Writer's Amazon Author Page for Details and see if you can discover the real identity of the author being heralded as the new Stieg Larsson for That Girl Started Her Own Country, the successor of Alexander Dumas for The Sultan of Monte Cristo and the next Ray Bradbury for The Boy Who Played With Dark Matter.

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    Reviews for The Sultan of Monte Cristo

    3/5

    47 ratings24 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Thumbs up! This book is a well-written sequel. The tone and the atmosphere given by Alexandre Dumas are very well respected. I like the way Holy Ghost Writer makes you traveling into different sceneries such as the tales of The Arabian Nights when introducing Raymee. A breath taking book to which you hardly give a break!
    • 2/5
      I have read The Count of Monte Cristo several times over the years. Upon finishing the book, I am always left wanting more. I was excited (even more so after winning an Early Reviewer Copy) to see that someone was attempting to answer all those questions that I had with respect to many of the characters’ lives at the conclusion of The Count of Monte Cristo. However, I feel that the Sultan of Monte Cristo was a HUGE let down. The story line of the book is terrible and the writing is even worse. I have attempted to get through this short 100 page “novella” for the last several months but have always had to put it down after the first twenty pages or so out of disgust. Finally, I can say that I have made it through the end and am overjoyed to be done with this book. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone – it would be a complete waste of their time and love of literature.
    • 4/5
      After reading The Count of Monte Cristo as Retold by Sherlock Holmes, I was anticipating some pretty interesting adventures for Edmond Dantès in The Sultan of Monte Cristo. What I read was a story that began as promising, and then sort of took a comical turn. And, I don’t think the Holy Ghost Writer had this intention. Regardless, it was pretty entertaining.Edmond Dantès is a pirate. (And boy, do I love pirates. Edmond is no Jack Sparrow, but he does okay.) After a run-in with the dreaded pirate Medusalocks, the Count settles down and happily weds Haydee. She was the former slave girl who became his ward in the original novel. Her title and authority as Sultana is reinstated, making Edmond the Sultan of Albania. Eager to succeed in his new role, the Sultan converts to Islam. This is the part where it gets crazy. The Count/Sultan leaves Albania, and returns to Paris for business. There, he encounters Mercedes. She has letters from Edmond’s father that prove he is a direct descendant of Mary Magdalene. Edmond still has feelings for his former fiancée. He has been given permission from Haydee to take on a new wife, preferably Mercedes, as long as she doesn’t forget her place as wifey number two. Mercedes actually agrees to this arrangement, and she and Haydee become BFF sister wives. From there, there’s adventure—really crazy adventure—involving The Count, or Sultan, or Pirate, or whomever Edmond has to be that day. In the end, there’s a surprise twist that will make you wonder if the author was smoking the stuff Edmond had in the book. This book was a good attempt at a sequel. The Holy Ghost Writer stayed true to Edmond’s character by continuously creating alliances and aliases in much the same way as Dumas does in the original story. But there were times when I thought, “This is insane,” or “I can’t believe this is happening.” I still enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes angle; and, the very 70’s, hippie-like marriage arrangement between Edmond, Haydee, and Mercedes. What I can tell you is that either you’re going to like it or loathe it.
    • 1/5
      I love books, I love to read, so many things; so I really hate when I have to write reviews like the the one that's about to come.So, I will begin with the "positive." The "HWG" had some decent ideas. There are things here that, were they actually fleshed out, could possibly be turned into an interesting book. The main adventure parts of the story could prove to be quite interesting in the right hands.But the "HWG's" hands are not by a long-shot the right ones. First of all, let's start with "HWG." "Holy Ghost Writer." Now, I don't have a problem with anonymity when a person writes things that are a bit daring/risqué, or someone famous wants to be a "nobody" and see how a book does, etc. You know, reasons. What I will not agree is a valid reason to make up some absurd "name" which is purely for attention, is to use anonymity as a gimmick, and to then reveal the author later on in some goofy contest. I also think releasing 10 mini-"books" (and please take that word with a very large grain of salt, I'd never call 60 pages a book, it's not even a novella!) rather than one or maybe two actual full-length novels is just trying to scream "look at me!" in a really pathetic manner.Then there's the fact that not once but twice in the pages of this "book" he claims people have called him the "successor to Dumas." Now, I don't know if whoever said this had never read a book in their life, or if they were high, but aside of being disgustingly self-congratulatory, it's also clear that he has zero respect for the man whom he's using to try to make some money. I am appalled on behalf of Dumas. If this had been an amazing book, it would still be a ridiculously self-congratulatory untrue thing to say, but to actually stick those words on this little short story devoid of any detail written by someone who seems to just want to stick some debauchery into text without having to create their own character development or anything but simply use that which is already out there, and to choose something loved by millions in order to get attention... I just have no words for it.So I will move on, to the work itself. For one thing, there was serious need of an editor. The sheer volume of mistakes in such a small number of pages is horrendous. Typos, wrong words used, quotation marks in completely wrong places, everything you could think of able to be wrong, it happened. As for the content, well like I said, the adventure bits could prove interesting ...if they were actually written, and not merely as if mentioned in passing. In 60 pages Edmond is on multiple continents plus a stint in the ocean. And the most details we get are about him being seduced by four different women and about drugs. Really?? If someone were to flesh out the ocean and Middle-East adventures, they could have some merit. In a whopping four pages (which have other rambling nonsense amongst the event) there is the encounter and resolution. The last 24 pages seemed somewhat more promising, there was more actual story going on and this was near completely of "HGW's" own creation. It would have been better if there wasn't so overwhelmingly many lines devoted to Raymee's oh-so-incredible eyes, and without the hyper-sexualized tone.Overall, this is an incredibly short piece of amateurish tripe and I'm quite sorry I wasted not one but two (I saw the next time there was the next part of this, before I'd received it, and chose that as one of my picks) of my LTER potentials on it (especially when the second one never even arrived!). I would never recommend this to anyone.
    • 4/5
      For those who made it through The Count of Monte Cristo, it is an exciting adventure to engage in the opportunity of where someone else’s imagination takes the characters after the book ends. Dumas certainly leaves some threads which can be followed, and it’s thrilling to follow an author as they explore paths that characters and story lines could potentially take. The opening lines of the The Sultan of Monte Cristo may leave one nostalgic about their journey with Dantes through the Count of Monte Cristo, and therefore ready to pursue what this sequel has to offer. As a warning, The Holy Ghost Writer is not Alexander Dumas. Anyone who is wanting another wordy and lengthy novel written with the same language and austerity as Dumas may be disappointed. It is advised to read on simply out of curiosity for where another writer’s imagination will take the story. The writing style is different from Dumas, and the author takes some liberties to fill in details that perhaps he wishes Dumas would have expanded upon. Though The Holy Ghost Writer, as s/he calls himself, uses many flowery and descriptive words throughout the book, he continues to leave much to the imagination as well. Most characters are already familiar for those who read the original by Dumas, but for those who didn’t it is no problem to jump right in.The story begins its setting on the sea, sailing away with what will be the new object of his affection, Haydee. Though not all were left with the feeling of Dantes questioning his identity at the end of The Count of Monte Cristo, it is obvious that there are now many questions about his feeling of identity. Perhaps all the time on the open sea has left him with much to ponder. The Sultan of Monte Cristo is a short, exciting read. It’s full of both gushy romance and dangerous adventures. All actions are over fairly quickly, however. And the reader is quickly thrust into another scene in a different place, with new characters. There could be a lot of detail filled in, such as how is Dantes getting between these places, what is happening with the other scene while he’s there, and what else can we know about Raymee’s appearance? The reader will need to use their imagination to fill in many of these details. The book is rather chopped up into three scenes with three different sets of characters which are each left at the end. This leaves the reader wondering how each of them will come together in the books to follow. If you’re happy with a quick, expressive book, then you’ll enjoy this for a weekend story. The last intriguing point of these stories is the mystery of the author’s identity. He begs to play a guessing game with the reader – one which will certainly draw many people in. What kind of clues are we looking for exactly? Is it someone incredibly famous, or someone who is less known and will be harder to find? My guess: they are a foreigner living in the U.S. – but I, as others, will have to read on for clues.
    • 2/5
      The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite book. I have read it more times than I can count (the unabridged version). It's a book I know backwards and forwards. I was both leery and excited when I saw that a sequel was available - I'm sure any who read Scarlett know what I mean. The synopsis of The Sultan of Monte Cristo indicated a fan's disappointment with the ending of the original book and I was not at all left feeling that way. Anyone who understood the original knew it had to end that way. I waited for this new book with excitement and I received.....a pamphlet. It was then explained that it was really a series of novellas with the surprise author to be revealed within and prize offered for the person who could ferret him/her out. Seriously?! This was no way to treat a sequel to a novel like this. But I read on.Ugh. Despite the claims of the author this read nothing like the original in style or intent. It was more adult as was warned and that took away from all that was Edmund Dantes. He was sensual not trashy. The story line here was absurd and implausible and not at all in line with anything that Alexandre Dumas would have intended. I was sorely disappointed.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      I love books, I love to read, so many things; so I really hate when I have to write reviews like the the one that's about to come.So, I will begin with the "positive." The "HWG" had some decent ideas. There are things here that, were they actually fleshed out, could possibly be turned into an interesting book. The main adventure parts of the story could prove to be quite interesting in the right hands.But the "HWG's" hands are not by a long-shot the right ones. First of all, let's start with "HWG." "Holy Ghost Writer." Now, I don't have a problem with anonymity when a person writes things that are a bit daring/risqué, or someone famous wants to be a "nobody" and see how a book does, etc. You know, reasons. What I will not agree is a valid reason to make up some absurd "name" which is purely for attention, is to use anonymity as a gimmick, and to then reveal the author later on in some goofy contest. I also think releasing 10 mini-"books" (and please take that word with a very large grain of salt, I'd never call 60 pages a book, it's not even a novella!) rather than one or maybe two actual full-length novels is just trying to scream "look at me!" in a really pathetic manner.Then there's the fact that not once but twice in the pages of this "book" he claims people have called him the "successor to Dumas." Now, I don't know if whoever said this had never read a book in their life, or if they were high, but aside of being disgustingly self-congratulatory, it's also clear that he has zero respect for the man whom he's using to try to make some money. I am appalled on behalf of Dumas. If this had been an amazing book, it would still be a ridiculously self-congratulatory untrue thing to say, but to actually stick those words on this little short story devoid of any detail written by someone who seems to just want to stick some debauchery into text without having to create their own character development or anything but simply use that which is already out there, and to choose something loved by millions in order to get attention... I just have no words for it.So I will move on, to the work itself. For one thing, there was serious need of an editor. The sheer volume of mistakes in such a small number of pages is horrendous. Typos, wrong words used, quotation marks in completely wrong places, everything you could think of able to be wrong, it happened. As for the content, well like I said, the adventure bits could prove interesting ...if they were actually written, and not merely as if mentioned in passing. In 60 pages Edmond is on multiple continents plus a stint in the ocean. And the most details we get are about him being seduced by four different women and about drugs. Really?? If someone were to flesh out the ocean and Middle-East adventures, they could have some merit. In a whopping four pages (which have other rambling nonsense amongst the event) there is the encounter and resolution. The last 24 pages seemed somewhat more promising, there was more actual story going on and this was near completely of "HGW's" own creation. It would have been better if there wasn't so overwhelmingly many lines devoted to Raymee's oh-so-incredible eyes, and without the hyper-sexualized tone.Overall, this is an incredibly short piece of amateurish tripe and I'm quite sorry I wasted not one but two (I saw the next time there was the next part of this, before I'd received it, and chose that as one of my picks) of my LTER potentials on it (especially when the second one never even arrived!). I would never recommend this to anyone.
    • 5/5
      I do remember reading the Count of Monte Cristo many many years ago. I was told about this series and the mystery of who the author is and was intrigued. The writing style of this author is challenging like the original book, but it is also very powerful like the original writing. The depth of the characters and the imagery that the writer draws out in this story is very powerful. The author's descriptions really drew me into the story and I read every word. I have the tendency to skim through passages that aren't engaging, but I could not do that with this book. I needed and wanted to read every word, sometimes twice to appreciate the depth of the story. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and will continue to read the books in this series.
    • 2/5
      I dearly love "The Count of Monte Cristo" and am appalled that this book dares to call itself a sequel. Poorly written, terrible grammar, misspellings galore. Every story should have logic behind it, not necessarily reality but rules of logic in any case. This story ran counter to that requirement in that rationale for one action became an argument against within a few pages. Haydee seduces the Count but then forces him to marry her. One also gets the impression that the author is at heart a polygamist because he gives the Count (or Sultan as he is occasionally called) a harem for no apparent reason. Anachronistic words and phrases abound abound. "Hooie", "critters", "pronto", "hit the nail" are out of the mouths of people who should not even have heard these words much less use them in normal conversation.I anxiously awaited the arrival of this book. Sequels can be very interesting as an author explores different paths of various characters and future happenings. My wife has written several such stories based on some classics that were very revealing. In this case, however, the so-called Book II, I earnestly hope the birth of Book III dies stillborn. In any case ignore anything by "The Holy Ghost". I can assure you it is not Steig Larssen who would have had to fake his own death to have written this unless he wrote it and was so ashamed he had to die.
    • 1/5
      I'm not one to start a book and not finish. I simply couldn't finish this one. I made it to page 30, holding back bile the entire time.Here is just a sample of what you can expect from this book. Keep in mind this is just in the first 30 pages:The author can't seem to decide what to call Edmond and he switches between names within chapters.Haydee seduces the Count and forces him to marry her.The Count converts to Islam and becomes Sinbad the Sultan (or Sultan of Monte Cristo.)We find out the Count is a descendent of Mary Magdalene.Mercedes goes into the hemp trade. This is good because the use of its "products" are prevalent.There are numerous anachronistic word choices. For example, Haydee, "took a hit, inhaling the smoke." Alexandre Dumas is referred to as an "investigative reporter." The count leaves a "hickey mark" on a woman.The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite books. To even remotely associate this trashy piece of "fan fiction" to that great work is an affront against literature. It's no wonder the "writer" used a pseudonym.------I noticed that the ratings on this book appear bogus. Looking at reviews, I see a number of half and one star ratings. However, the rating chart shows nothing below a 4 which is resulting in an average rating of 4.8?
    • 2/5
      The idea is good - continuation of a classic piece of literature. What happened to this character and that one? Many have done it; many have written sequels to classics; many have written twists on classics.This one is weird. The Count of Monte Cristo is definitely a classic. Like the Three Musketeers and King Arthur and his Knights, the Count is beloved by children of all ages. This first of a planned ten sequels provides a parental warning in the introduction, explaining that some more adult situations occur in this book than in the original. These adult situations do not add much to the story, so I found them distracting.The vignettes reminded me of Gullivers Travels, but the writing caused me to stop and start. Whether the errors were editing or writing, I cannot tell, but they were distracting. Also, the narrative seemed to jump between the flowery language of the original novel and a more contemporary voice of the twenty-first century.I have liked the majority of the Early Reviewer books I have received. But, this one doesn't fall into that majority.
    • 1/5
      really.totally not interested. there is virtually no value to the ink on these pages. read it and you'll know exactly what i mean. i could have read the phone book and felt more 'feelings'.
    • 4/5
      This short book was an extremely captivating read. Once picked up, I had a hard time putting it back down. As it is a sequel to the Count of Monte Cristo, it is definitely a good idea to read that book first, but events from that book were explained well whenever referenced in this sequel, so it is not a necessity. While the Count of Monte Cristo largely revolved around Revenge, this book was about forgiveness and mending relationships.I would definitely recommend reading this book.
    • 5/5
      As the parent of two teenagers, I read A LOT of young adult fiction. I love reading with my kids and I love knowing what they are reading so I try to read at least a chapter or two of all of their books - and sometimes I get hooked. This book has captured my fancy in a way that no series has done since I first read the Eragon series years ago. The writing is fantastic - clear, vivid and descriptive. Great story line. Love the characters. Good build up to plot. Captivating, suspenseful and fun. I'm a huge fan of this author, and I cannot wait to read more in the series.
    • 5/5
      The Sultan of Monte CristoIf you are a fan of The Count of Monte Cristo, you will enjoy this book. It is an engaging tale that keeps you turning the page for more. I was so captivated that I read the book straight through in a couple of hours. The author is very creative in terms of the twists and turns of the plot and use of intrigue and sensuality. It is easy to forget that this is the author's vision of the lives of the characters after the original book because it is almost as if the original story never ended, this continues on with such believability. I would wish only for it to be longer and look forward to reading other novels by this author.
    • 4/5
      This is a continuation of "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas, one of the greatest of 19th Century novels.Many of the same characters from the earlier book are here. Having escaped from prison, and having faked his own death, Edmond Dantes is sailing the seven seas with Mercedes, his lover. He contemplates living the life of a soldier and pirate, instead of settling down as the Sultan of Albania. Later, Edmond receives a letter from his father, and learns some really interesting things about his ancestry. His family tree can be traced all the way back to Mary Magdalene. After the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven, Mary supposedly moved to southern France, and established a new branch of the family tree, the Merovingians. There is a daring mid-sea battle between Edmond and the captain of another pirate ship (the winner gets the other's ship and crew).I have never read the original book, but, if it is anything like this, maybe I will. On the positive side, this is a really interesting and well-written story. On the negative side, this book really needs a trip, or another trip, to a proofreader or copy-editor. It is short, and well worth reading.
    • 5/5
      This was a fascinating time period, well written and detailed so much that it took you right there, so much that you can smell the wines, the macaroons, and see the places, all the while, the characters also come to life right in front of you.I am a fan of the Count of Monte Cristo, and this was a splendid addition to such a fabulous story! I am anxious to read more from, Holy Ghost Writer, and I also would recommend possibly not only purchasing this book for your Kindle, but in paperback as well. (I am a big fan of real live books that I can put on a bookshelf;) and this book is definitely no exception to this rule!I am normally a bit leery about who writes sequels to stories, movies or books, when it is not the original author. This is something I always have a hard time with because I don't believe it to be original, or the intent or imagination of the first director/filmmaker/author, but the author here, sets the first example I have ever seen for being most likely exactly how this was to be.I am sometimes amazed at the writing skills and imaginations of certain authors, and this is the first I have read by, Holy Ghost Writer. I am adding him/her to the top of my list of favorites!The story is well told, and the author has a very cool style and blends all of the words so perfectly! If you are a fan of The Count of Monte Cristo, this will be a great addition to your library. If you are not, well then you are missing out on a beautifully written book by an author who is as mysterious and fascinating as the story itself.I like how the book description is read on Amazon, which is what led me to be interested in this story:"Since the Count of Monte Cristo saw himself as divine providence we speculate that the word 'holy' in the Ghost Writer name was inspired by this fact, yet there are some unexpected twists in this sequel that may also contribute to the name.Although those and other plot shifts come unexpectedly in this sequel, they fit seamlessly and grow out of some small seeds planted in the original story that never took root therein. One of those small seeds is the word 'hemp' found in the first chapters of the original story by Dumas."A quick summary of the original story that Holy Ghost Writer so charmingly grew these seeds from:19th century France, Edmond Dante is a sailor who is in love with, and engaged to the love of his life, Mercedes. His enemies, one of which is Ferdinand, is in love with Mercedes and wants to marry her. So, he and a shipmate wrote a letter accusing Edmond of carrying a letter from Elba to the Bonapartist committee in Paris. Edmond is then arrested on his wedding day and he was imprisoned for 14 years.He decided to try and dig a tunnel to escape, and in the process, found a very close friend in an elderly prisoner, Faria. The 2 became very close, and Faria taught Edmond, and they met daily.Faria passed away, but before doing so, he told Edmond about an incredibly large, buried fortune, and Edmond decides to replace Faria's body with his own, which was then dumped in the sea, and he starts his escape.His main goal of this escape? To grab the fortune and to get revenge on everybody who wronged him and imprisoned him. (Slow and painful punishments)I recommend these books, to anybody who has read the other, or to anybody who enjoys history, and powerful novels.
    • 5/5
      I must commend the Holy Ghost Writer for creating such an amazing sequel. With the Count of Monte Cristo being such a literary classic and leaving such a feeling of wanting to know more, The Sultan of Monte Cristo has filled that longing quite exceptionally. To write in the style of Alexandre Dumas, with such finesse is quite engrossing and I am eagerly anticipating HGW's further writings.
    • 5/5
      For so many years, passionate fans of The Count of Monte Cristo have suffered a loss upon finishing Alexandre Dumas' last words. It is a grieving of sorts that has long been unmitigable... until now. The mysterious Holy Ghost Writer has penned "The Sultan of Monte Cristo" as a direct continuance of the story readers have long struggled against leaving behind. The adventure-laden journeys of Edmond Dantes continues in his newly-honed role as investigative reporter who publishes his book as part of the story. New life is breathed into those characters we all knew and loved (or loved to hate) in the original Count of Monte Cristo tale (what can now, finally, be referred to as Book 1). Haydee, the infamous Villeforts, and even Countess G are lifted from the stalemate of our beloved story and given new life, and readers will also be introduced to a host of colorful new characters (like the memorable Raymee) whose lives, loves, and circumstance flow comprehensively and effortlessly through the entire narrative.Amazingly, the prose so closely matches the mood, tone, pacing, and richness of environment of Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo that this feels like the natural continuance of those lives. The sequel manages to introduce such a microscopic view into the full-flesh world our colorful characters engage in that readers can't help being sucked in. We cannot help but run breathlessly alongside them throughout the journey, to imagine the consequences between their words, to ponder on their insights and their woe-filled courses of action. We stand next to Mercedes as she lives and breathes; we get that rare glimpse into the future of the characters that Alexandre Dumas himself surely intended.Through well-defined and multilayered plotlines, the story's laser-point pacing, and rich character building, this work lends the quagmire of adventures, missteps, and danger-filled mysteries a guarantee of unforeseen, adventurous turns and cathartic "a-ha" insights. The Holy Ghost Writer seems a literary time-traveller: the swiftness with which he carries us straight into the 1800s is mind-boggling and a rare feat even in the best historical fiction writing. Excellent novel, and highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      It's been a long time since I read the original The Count of Monte Cristo but it's story and characters have lingered long in my mind. I'd often wondered what happened next but had given up on anyone actually bothering to write a legitimate (and decent) sequel. The fact that Holy Ghost Writer has done this is a great achievement. He writes like he's living in the 19th century himself his prose is so beautiful and cultured. He's not only recreated the characters from the original book flawlessly but given them whole new dimensions. The Count himself has always been one of fiction's most complex characters and here more layers are added to his personality and life (not to mention getting a few more wives!) Other characters we know and love like Mercedes and Haydee have their stories, too. I won't spoil it for anyone but let's just say fans of the Count's romances with them won't be disappointed. It's enough to bring out the hopeless romantic in all of us.Special mention should be given to the story's newest creation, Raymee. I love her. She's a fantastic creation. She's independent and seductive and highly intelligent. Her schemes to make sure she doesn't get married off to a Sultan are priceless, and her blossoming romance with the Count is quite touching. I'll be keeping an eye on her as she seems to be the Count's match in plots and schemes.Overall I would recommend this book to fans of Dumas and the original book, or people who enjoy beautifully written literature. Book 3 can't come fast enough!
    • 1/5
      Initially, I actually had high hopes for this book. From the first few pages it was clear that the author had done a good job capturing Dumas’ writing style. The language was flowery, Dantes was arrogant, and Hadee subservient. Not my favorite things about Dumas but integral to his work and well represented here. However… The book opens with a blatant sex scene between Dantes and Haydee. Now, I don’t have a problem with sex scenes in principle, but nothing like this happens in the original. More than that, I thought the ambiguous nature of Dantes’ relationship with Haydee was part of the first book’s appeal.

      The book then continues with adventures that manage to be both boring and unbelievable. For instance, the first fight scene includes Dantes’ wearing stilts – and it’s not written as though it’s supposed to be funny. While Dumas often pushes the bounds of the believable with cliched adventure elements, there was nothing as blatantly ridiculous as the events in this book. The reason none of the adventures were suspenseful or exciting (even the scene on stilts was boring!) had to do with how Dantes handled the fights. In every case, he sends his servant to sneak up on people with a blow dart. Every. Single. Time. It’s so dishonorable and so out of character with the Dantes from the original! It also prevents our hero from every being in danger. Thus the boredom.

      The sequel also pushes the wish-fulfilling aspect of Dantes’ experiences into the ridiculous. The only thing that happens in the book (besides the boring fight scenes) is that women throw themselves at Dantes. He manages to marry two women and still sleeps with a third. The book also includes too many details about food and wine, as well as poems and songs. All of these things break the author’s adherence to Dumas’ style of writing. Also, the book ends with someone not graphically, but certainly gruesomely being castrated. So that’s the book folks. Boring fights and scenes totally out-of-character for Dumas’ writing plus gratuitous sex and violence.

      Also, I can’t help noticing that while this book has mostly five star reviews on goodreads, many of them come from people with a 5 star average and no profile pictures. From that, you may draw your own conclusions.

      This review first published on Doing Dewey.
    • 2/5
      I've read The Count of Monte Cristo several times and have been a fan of its author since I was in my mid teens. The idea of a "sequel" seemed good (novel factory anyone? ;-) and I excitedly applied for an Early Reviewer copy. Having received and read the book, I can happily say that I won't make *that* mistake again.As other reviewers have mentioned, this book certainly does not feel true to the original in tone or content. The prose is, well, a step above stereo instructions. (Edmond and Haydee had to have been bombed out of their skulls when they subjected us to the "love scene"... we didn't need the "she took a hit" and "Don't exhale... that is an order" to clue us in :-) The references thrown in are jarringly anachronistic (e.g. "a falcon he trained in Saudi Arabia") and the action beyond implausible (e.g. the duel with Medusalocks, and especially Haydee's gymnastic feats: "She touches her right hand to her suspended leg over her head and descends upon his waist, beginning to unbutton his shirt"). I honestly cannot remember the last time that I had to force myself to turn pages. I've hauled the original work out and will refresh my eyes with that. The 1.5 stars is for the idea; the implementation is best suited for kindling. *Awful.*
    • 2/5
      The Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite book. I have read it more times than I can count (the unabridged version). It's a book I know backwards and forwards. I was both leery and excited when I saw that a sequel was available - I'm sure any who read Scarlett know what I mean. The synopsis of The Sultan of Monte Cristo indicated a fan's disappointment with the ending of the original book and I was not at all left feeling that way. Anyone who understood the original knew it had to end that way. I waited for this new book with excitement and I received.....a pamphlet. It was then explained that it was really a series of novellas with the surprise author to be revealed within and prize offered for the person who could ferret him/her out. Seriously?! This was no way to treat a sequel to a novel like this. But I read on.Ugh. Despite the claims of the author this read nothing like the original in style or intent. It was more adult as was warned and that took away from all that was Edmund Dantes. He was sensual not trashy. The story line here was absurd and implausible and not at all in line with anything that Alexandre Dumas would have intended. I was sorely disappointed.
    • 1/5
      There is a long tradition of "unauthorized" sequels to literature. No sooner had Cervantes published the first part of Don Quixote, than Avellaneda emerged with his spurious second book. In the modern era, copyright law has limited these sequels to books in the public domain. The late 20th century has given us Laura Kalpakian's Cosette, Alexandra Ripley's Scarlett, and sadly, The Sultan of Monte Cristo.I requested this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. As a fan of the original Count of Monte Cristo, and generally a fan of well-written sequels to classic literature, I considered myself to be the intended audience of this book. Such was not the case. As I intend to demonstrate, this book was written for the author alone.There is a lot to critique in this book. I will begin with the technical aspects. The author's use of language is a bizarre blend of 19th century prose pastiche and modern turns of phrase. Comma splices abound, as do misspellings of uncommon words. For example, "palate" is misspelled as "pallet," in reference to a character's appreciation of food. An addiction is described as "mendacious," which means "lying or untrustworthy." Most likely the author meant to say "tenacious." The goddess Juno is named as "Junoesque," which is not the name of the goddess but rather an adjective describing a beautiful but imposing, matronly woman.The tense of the narration drifts back and forth between the present and past, often within the same paragraph. The author casts far too much in the superlative. In one passage, the Count is described as entering "his coveted spot in the most prestigious Parisian theater," where he is "overwhelmed by the child-like hugs that awaited him." We do not know which Parisian theater is being discussed, or why it is so prestigious, or indeed anything else about it. The author has informed us that it is so, and we must be content.Anachronisms abound. One character, seeking an escape from an unwanted marriage, speaks of her desire for an "exit strategy." Scorpions are described as "critters." On page 33, we are treated to a full page recipe for mulled wine, as if lifted straight from a cookbook. The recipe includes Grand Marnier, which the reader might know was first created in 1880.It is tempting to continue listing technical flaws, but that would leave no time to discuss the narrative issues with the book, which are many. In its 60+ pages, the book cannot manage to establish a single narrative, but instead gives us three separate stories, one for each of the female protagonists. In Haydee's story, we are treated first to an awkward sex scene, followed by a bizarre battle with a pirate named "Medusalocks." We then turn to Mercedes, where Dantes successfully entices her into a group marriage after learning that he is descended in direct line from Solomon. Finally we meet Raymee, a woman who uses Dantes to impregnate her and take revenge on her own enemies.It is likely that the book would be shorter than it already is, were it not for the frequent digressions. Haydee forces Dantes to smoke marijuana, and Mercedes extols the many virtuous products that can be produced with hemp. Dantes converts to Islam and spends a couple of pages translating his new name, which he learned by reading the Koran. This name, by the way, is never mentioned again.Dumas' original novel exists in this universe, and is mentioned several times throughout the story, occasionally citing the chapter and referring the reader to it for further details. Finally, the climactic end to the novel is a dual castration, one of which is performed by a doctor upon himself. After, we are treated to a selection from the planned sequel to this book, in which Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes smoke some marijuana together and begin another tale of the Sultan of Monte Cristo.Finally, a word on the author himself. The "Holy Ghost Writer" not only claims, in the introduction, to be a "true successor to Dumas," and in the author's note suggests that he might actually be Stieg Larsson, who presumably would have faked his own death in order to write under this pseudonym. The Holy Ghost Writer invites us to guess his true identity in the form of a contest, based on clues that he will sprinkle throughout his books.You may have noticed my one-star review of this book, in the face of the many five-star reviews around it. Having read the overblown, mangled prose of the Sultan of Monte Cristo, I cannot help but recognize the same writing style in many of the reviews. It is my firm belief that these reviews, the author's website, and the whole assumed "mystique" behind this author is nothing but an egotistical echo chamber, pandering to the insecurities of a very lonely individual. The artifice is hollow and easily pierced.My recommendation is not that the Sultan of Monte Cristo be avoided per se. Instead, I recommend that it be ignored, advice that everyone but the author appears to have already taken.EDIT: Per communication with the author, it appears that the edition I received was published before certain spelling errors were corrected, and that these changes have appeared in subsequent editions.

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    The Sultan of Monte Cristo - Holy Ghost Writer

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