MOROSE, CYNICAL AND GIVEN TO DRINK, SYDNEY CARTON IS ONE OF CHARLES DICKENS' MOST FAMOUS CHARACTERS; A DISPASSIONATE MAN, YET CAPABLE, IN THE FINAL MOMENTS OF 'A TALE OF TWO CITIES', OF SACRIFICING HIMSELF BENEATH THE GUILLOTINE FOR LUCY, THE WOMAN HE BOTH LOVED AND LOST. IT NOW APPEARS, HOWEVER, THAT DICKENS WAS BEING SOMEWHAT ECONOMICAL WITH THE ACTUALITE. NEWLY RECOVERED DOCUMENTS, WRITTEN IN CARTON'S OWN HAND, TELL A FAR DIFFERENT TALE. SYDNEY CARTON SURVIVED HIS EXECUTION, ONLY TO FIND HIMSELF AT THE MERCY OF THE MONSTROUS ROBESPIERRE, AUTHOR OF THE PARIS TERROR. HIS LOVE LUCY LANGUISHES IN A FRENCH PRISON, HER HUSBAND DEAD, AND CARTON CAN ENSURE HER SURVIVAL ONLY BY BECOMING ROBESPIERRE'S PERSONAL SPY. RELUCTANT, TERRIFIED AND OFTEN DRUNK, CARTON BLUNDERS HIS WAY THROUGH THE MAJOR EVENTS OF THE REVOLUTION, GRUDGINGLY PARTAKING IN SOME OF THE BLACKEST DEEDS OF THE TERROR AND, BY A MIXTURE OF COWARDICE, BRAVADO AND LUCK, LENDING A HAND IN THE FALL OF MOST OF ITS LEADING FIGURES. KIDNAPPED BY THE BRITISH, HE FINDS HIMSELF A DOUBLE AGENT, TRUSTED BY NEITHER SIDE.
CARTON CHRONICLES THE SLOW DECAY OF REVOLUTIONARY IDEALS AND, IN PASSING, CASTS LIGHT ON THE TRUE PARENTAGE OF THAT SADISTIC VILLAIN OF 'TOM BROWNE'S SCHOOLDAYS', THE BEASTLY FLASHMAN.