Follow the rise and fall of an Irish rogue in this picaresque masterpiece that exposes the hollow core of the aristocracy. The narrator, a charming but amoral adventurer, recounts his exploits in dueling, gambling, and marrying into wealth with a total lack of self-awareness regarding his own villainy. Through his unreliable voice, the novel offers a cynical view of the Seven Years' War and the decadent courts of Europe. It is a brilliant study of a scoundrel that challenges the reader to find sympathy for a man who deserves none.