Author: Alexandre Dumas | Narrator: Bill Homewood
Runtime: 52h 41m | Genre: Fiction
Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo.
This is the benchmark for pacing in a long audiobook. While other classics can meander, Dumas keeps the plot moving with disguises, prison breaks, and financial schemes. The 50+ hour runtime allows the 'slow burn' of Edmond Dantès' revenge to actually feel slow. You feel the years pass, making the climax incredibly earned. It is an adventure story that respects your time by constantly raising the stakes.