These novels depict the enigmatic criminal mastermind Vautrin (voh-TRUN), who sometimes uses the identity Abbé (a-bay) Carlos Herrera. For 10 points each:
[10e] Name this series of novels, whose other recurring characters include the ambitious young social climber Eugène de Rastignac (yoo-JEN duh ras-teen-YAC).
ANSWER: The Human Comedy [or La Comédie humaine]
[10m] This French author depicted post-revolutionary French society in the vast novel series The Human Comedy.
ANSWER: Honoré de Balzac [or Honoré Balzac]
[10h] Rastignac's success in The Human Comedy is often contrasted with this young poet. In the novel Lost Illusions, this character works as a journalist and accepts help from Vautrin, before committing suicide in prison in the next novel in the series.
ANSWER: Lucien [or Lucien de Rubempré or Lucien Chardon]
<Alexandra Hardwick , Literature - European long fiction>