Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
The Maltese Sailor (The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21 – Part 8)
The Countdown of Monte Cristo
A daily podcast reading The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, one page at a time, every single day, over the course of four years.
Each short episode offers a focused, intimate passage from Dumas’ sweeping tale of betrayal, imprisonment, revenge, and redemption, accompanied by brief reflections, historical context, and the occasional detour into 19th-century oddities (and yes, the occasional mangled French pronunciation).
Never read The Count of Monte Cristo? Perfect. This podcast is designed for first-time readers, longtime admirers, and anyone curious about experiencing a literary classic as a daily ritual rather than a daunting tome. You can start from the beginning or jump in wherever you are, the story unfolds steadily, patiently, one page at a time.
Whether you’re a lover of classic literature, a podcast listener looking for a calm daily escape, or someone who just wants a few quiet minutes away from the noise of the modern world, The Countdown of Monte Cristo invites you to live with one of the greatest novels ever written.
New episodes every day. No skipping. No rushing.
Subscribe on your favorite podcatcher or watch along on YouTube.
Support the project at https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod and help keep the countdown alive.
Listen on:
Episodes
Episodes
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
Tuesday Sep 23, 2025
At the limits of his strength, Dantès struggles against the waves until he faints — only to awaken on the deck of the Genoese tartan.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, the sailors revive him with rum and rough care, while the vessel sails swiftly away from the looming silhouette of the Château d’If.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Monday Sep 22, 2025
Monday Sep 22, 2025
Spotting wreckage from the storm, Dantès seizes a red sailor’s cap and a floating timber to disguise himself as a shipwrecked survivor.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, he strikes out across the course of a Genoese tartan, signaling desperately until at last his cries and gestures are seen. The vessel turns toward him, and a boat is lowered to bring him aboard.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Sunday Sep 21, 2025
Sunday Sep 21, 2025
At dawn, Dantès beholds the sea, the fortress, and freedom with new eyes.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, he foresees the danger once his escape is discovered — soldiers, cannon fire, and pursuit by sea and land. Cold and starving, he prays for mercy, then spies a Genoese tartan skimming the waves. If he can summon the courage and a convincing story, it may be his salvation.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Sheltering beneath an overhanging rock, Dantès endures the full fury of the tempest.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, he quenches his thirst with rainwater, then witnesses a fishing-boat wrecked in the storm — its sailors’ cries carried to him before vanishing into darkness. By dawn, the sea calms, the sky clears, and Edmond sees the first light of a new day.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Friday Sep 19, 2025
Exhausted and close to despair, Dantès finally strikes land.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, he drags himself onto the grotesque rocks of Tiboulen and collapses in gratitude, falling into deep sleep despite the storm. Awakened by thunder, he resolves to swim onward to the nearby island of Lemaire when the sea calms — seeking safety and concealment.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Thursday Sep 18, 2025
Guided by the distant light of Planier, Dantès strikes out for the Island of Tiboulen.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, memories of Faria’s warnings push him onward as fear drives him faster through the violent sea. For an hour he swims with all his strength, the château fading into darkness behind him, until exhaustion sets in and doubt chills his resolve.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
Wednesday Sep 17, 2025
Cast into the sea with a thirty-six-pound shot tied to his feet, Dantès slashes open the sack, cuts himself free, and rises to the surface.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 21, he dives again to evade detection, the torchlight of the Château d’If receding behind him as he fixes his course toward the uninhabited islands of Tiboulen or Lemaire — his first desperate bid for freedom.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Tuesday Sep 16, 2025
Carried through the night to the sound of crashing waves, Dantès begins to grasp the terrible truth.
In The Count of Monte Cristo, Chapter 20, the grave-diggers swing the sack three times and hurl him into the icy sea — a thirty-six-pound shot tied to his feet — for the Château d’If’s final burial place is the ocean itself.
⸻
New to the journey? Start from the beginning at: http://countdownofmontecristo.com
Want to talk theories, themes, or betrayals? Join the conversation on our Discord: https://discord.gg/Sg2prdm
Support the project on Patreon and receive full-length, story-only audio after each chapter: https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or follow along on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf3vyewhvQugX5M3oREl57A
⸻
The Countdown of Monte Cristo is a daily podcast reading one page at a time from Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel — every day, for four years. Whether you’re starting from the beginning or joining mid-journey, each episode brings you deeper into the story of The Count of Monte Cristo.