The Son is an 1860 French epic novel written by Seymour Arens concerning the political machinations and intrigue of the brief reign of Napoleon II. It is often regarded, along with The Marshal (1860), as the progenitor of the modern political thriller. While originally perceived by many in the Bonaparte family as slander upon its release in 1860, Emperor Louis I dismissed the slander charges and publicly endorsed the novel, saving Arens' career and, likely, his life.