Shifting Elements

"You! You, who have deceived me with false hopes, who have cheered and soothed me with vain promises! Indeed you would inspire me with pity, were you not hateful in my eyes."

~ Maximilian

~ The Count of Monte Cristo

Again, this book strikes a chord in my heart.

I'm almost finished now with Alexandre Dumas' famous, unabridged novel, and I must say, I'm going to miss the finesse of the language, the beauty of the characters, the depth of the story, and the simplistic elegance of the prose. What book can I find to follow this that can compare?

Oh to write as the masters wrote...that would be a gift indeed.