William Goldman frames his adventure tale as an abridgment of a longer work by the fictional S. Morgenstern, complete with Goldman's own commentary on the cuts he supposedly made. The story follows Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world, and Westley, the farm boy who loves her. When Westley is presumed dead, Buttercup reluctantly agrees to marry Prince Humperdinck, setting in motion a plot involving kidnapping, swordfighting, giants, miracle workers, and a revenge quest spanning decades. The novel is simultaneously a loving homage to classic adventure stories and a gentle parody of their conventions, with Goldman's narrative interruptions adding layers of metafictional commentary. His supposed struggles with the 'original' text - cutting boring passages, negotiating with his publisher - create a playful frame that examines why we love such stories even when we recognize their absurdities. The characters have become iconic: Inigo Montoya seeking his father's killer, Fezzik the gentle giant, the scheming Vizzini. Goldman, who also wrote the screenplay for the beloved 1987 film adaptation, created a work that appeals equally to children encountering their first adventure story and adults who appreciate its sophisticated narrative games. The book's exploration of 'true love' and 'high adventure' manages to be both sincere and ironic, celebrating romantic idealism while acknowledging the messy realities that fairy tales exclude.