His Excellency Eugene Rougon: A Minister's Power

Eugene Rougon has clawed his way to the summit of French politics, ruling Napoleon III’s empire with an iron will and a network of indebted followers. But power is never secure: rivals plot his downfall, and a mysterious Italian adventuress, Clorinde Balbi, begins to weave a web that could either save or shatter him. Forced into exile at his country estate, Rougon schemes his return, using every weapon at his disposal—including Clorinde’s dangerous charm. His second rise is darker and more absolute, crushing friends and enemies alike. This retelling captures all the brutal grandeur of Zola’s original, stripping away period fuss to reveal a timeless story of naked ambition, shifting alliances, and the solitude that awaits at the top. Part of Timeless Classics.