The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. As the subject of numerous film and stage adaptations, the main characters of the novel, the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, form an unholy alliance and turn seduction into a game—a game they must win. This new translation gives Laclos a modern voice, allowing readers to judge whether the novel is as 'diabolical' and 'notorious' as its critics have claimed, or whether it has much to tell us about the kind of world we live in ourselves. David Coward's introduction dispels myths about Laclos' own life and places the book in its literary and cultural context. About the series: For over 100 years, Oxford World's Classics has offered the largest selection of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume.