I came here to just recommend 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Such a profound, breathtaking novel.

Three Musketeers is my favorite but Monte Cristo is definitely the best one

Have you read The Stars My Destination?

Any particular translation or original French?

I have the English translation from Robin Buss/Penguin Classics, I think that’s the one you want in English.

Idk if the original French is much better, though I’ve heard it uses archaic language so if you’re reading for plot it might not be great. That also reminds me of something I think is really neat:

Dumas originally published the book as a series of volumes in a French newspaper over 2 years!

2 years! Can you imagine? I could barely put the book down when I first read it, that much suspense would kill me.. Also interesting how similar that is to the TV dramas of today.

I'm picky about translations, and the Buss translation is very good.

Whatever you do, just don't read a "Public Domain" translation. A lot of Victorian-era translations of 19th Century French literature are... crap.

Dickens did the same. Suspense!