The Prisoner of Zenda Paperback – October 27, 2010

I read this expecting the usual nineteenth century prose. While it is rather flowery in places, there are no dry spots at all. The end of the story is messy and prolonged but that is typical of the end of most nineteenth century endings.

The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony HopeI remember watching the old black and white movie from 1937 when I was young. We would stay up just a bit late to watch the weekend features and this was one of many. I have to confess to not recalling that much of the story and reading the book was a great way to refresh my memory. Back then it went along nicely with all the swashbuckler movies of Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. I always remembered the title and it probably fueled my interest in some of the classics like The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo.As the story unfolds we find that Rudolf Rassendyll is telling the tale. It seems that he is attempting to live up to a promise he made to his sister in-law who believes he wastes his life away. He seems to agree, but in a way that says he feels there is little wrong with that or the way he chooses to live his life. It also unfolds that as he tells the story it may be for his own purpose since what he has to tell is best kept as a secret.Rudolf's sister in-law is trying to set him up with a job with an ambassador as an attache. He acquiesces to her pleas to some extent and since that is 6 mos away he decides to set out on a bit of a vacation that turns into quite an adventure.In opposition to the movie version Rudolf seems well aware of the scandal involving the Countess Amelia of the Rassendyll's and Rudolf the King of Ruritania. And the story of how every so often a generation has a child whose features recall those of King Rudolf; striking red hair and long sharp straight noses. So on this adventure Rudolf Rassendyll decides to visit the region close to Ruritania; without telling any of his family. On the train there he sees the alluring Antoinette de Mauban (who later plays a major part in the story), but does not take the opportunity to meet her.After reaching the Ruritanian frontier he decides to get off at Zenda. The first thing that occurs, that is a bit disconcerting, is that people give him a peculiar amount of deference after seeing his face. But when he meets Colonel Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim who both serve the king, there is no doubt that his countenance is familiar to both and in their amazement they dawdle enough for him to chance to meet the king (another Rudolf). It becomes clear that the two could almost be brothers and twins at that.As the plot would have it: what transpires next is that the King is incapacitated to a degree (by drugged wine provided by his brother Michael) that he'd be unable to participate in his up coming coronation and that would leave things open for Prince Michael to grab both the thone and Princess Flavia as his own. It's clear that Michael is behind this and the two King's men hatch a plan to have Rudolf Rassendyll take the Kings place while the King--hopefully--sleeps off the effects of the drug. They leave the King (safe) in the hands of the servants and make off to the coronation.Everything goes without a hitch though as can be expected Michael is a bit suspicious. Princess Flavia is aware of some change in her betroth and is pleased by the change; leaving the plot open for the pretender to fall in love. And that's when things get complicated.Michael takes the king as prisoner at Zenda and plots to remove the pretender. He keeps the king alive only because of the pretender and uses him as a means of drawing the three conspirators into a trap.The story is not only the usual swashbuckling adventure but also a bit of tragedy and fits quite well along the shelf with my Dumas novels.Of further note::I found the following line interesting when compared to the famous line I've placed below it here for comparison. (A bit shorter, but still strikingly similar.)The night was dark and very stormy; gusts of wind and spits of rain caught us as we breasted the incline, and the great trees moaned and sighed.Hope, Anthony (2012-05-17). The Prisoner of Zenda (p. 89). . Kindle Edition.It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents, except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the house-tops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.Bulwer-Lytton, Baron Edward (2012-05-16). Paul Clifford - Complete (p. 9). . Kindle Edition.J.L. Dobias

The Prisoner of ZendaBy:Anthony Hope Narrated by: James WilbyFile Size: 310 KB, Print Length: 178, audio: 5 hrs and 31 minsThe Prisoner of Zenda is the story of an Englishman who travels to the small European state of Ruritania where he impersonates the ruler and falls in love with Princess Flavia.There is more to the description above than what the above explains. So this young Prince is going to get crowned, what does he do? He goes out and parties the night before. I mean really who wouldn’t ? What happens? Well long story short he drank too much and was Ruffied ! The rest of the party goers can’t wake him up as it happens; one of them happens to look a lot like him. So, Rodolf is pushed into taking the Prince’s place and gets crowned King. Simple? NOPE! The uncrowned Prince has a crush on his cousin Princess Flavia and she is crushing hard on the imposter, Rodolf thinking he is the King. What makes this even more complicated is that they thought the Prince was safely tucked away sleeping off his ruffie. Nope, he’s been kidnapped and hauled to Zenda! Now its up to the imposter to not only rescue the Ruffied Prince…now King and continue to impersonate him in the process. Flavia & Rudolf fall in love an unexpected result of spending much time together, since it is expected for them to marry. Rudolf is a smart man, everything works out and Flavia who finally discovers who he really is declares her love for him even though she must marry the newly rescued King. Sadly it ends, with them parting ways, Flavia to her Royal life and duties and Rudolf to a solitary life.I read this High school, not for class. It was a movie I saw one bored Saturday afternoon when we didn’t have cable, so I checked out of the library. I was more impressed with the movie than the book at the time. Well, years have past, maturity changing my opinion. I was challenged by a dear friend to re-read this story and give it a second chance. I reluctantly did so and quickly found myself in Ruritania. James Wilby has the perfect English accent and does a great deal of aerobics changing voices , carrying the audience with him through horseback rides, battles and plain running for our lives. Whenever a narrator can insert the audience into the action, he/she is doing an outstanding job. Not boring at all. And just for sh** and giggles I will watch one of the movies once I find it.Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, better known as Anthony Hope (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), was an English novelist and playwright.[1] He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered best for only two books: The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) and its sequel Rupert of Hentzau (1898). These works, "minor classics" of English literature, are set in the contemporaneous fictional country of Ruritania and spawned the genre known as Ruritanian romance.[2] Zenda has inspired many adaptations, most notably the 1937 Hollywood movie of the same name. Note Amazon has this for free and there are several versions on audio ranging from $2-$18, I sampled them until I heard the one preformed by James Wilby.

I don't know how to rate this because I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had listened to it at a different time when I wasn't so distracted by real life, or if I had read it instead of listening to the audiobook.Usually I find that old classics have interesting ideas but unnecessarily wordy writing that's hard to sink into. I had kind of the opposite experience with this one. The writing was good and easy to understand, but the story itself never gripped me. The idea about someone who looks just like the king and impersonates him in order to help him when he's poisoned but then ends up embroiled in dangerous politics with the king's brother was fun. There was action and adventure and violence. The main character was likeable. And that's about the extent of my thoughts. I didn't dislike it---in fact, I think I would've much preferred this to most of the classics I was made to read in high school---but nothing about the story or characters really grabbed me. According to Goodreads, this is Book 2 in a trilogy, but I haven't read the others, and I don't think they're necessary to read this.The audiobook version I listened to, the one narrated by James Wilby, was a good. I liked his voice, he was good at differentiating characters, and it was a good performance.Overall, this was an action-filled tale that felt surprisingly modern in its telling.*Rating: 3 Stars // Read Date: 2020 // Format: Audiobook*More Reviews @ Metaphors and Moonlight (link in profile)

I read daily across a wide range of subjects, science and history being paramount. Now and again I stumble upon fictional history and find myself wishing it might be true. I first read this novel in my youth....now, having read it again in my old age, I found it as exciting and, odd for me, moving, wishing for a world to live in like this one. Perhaps wishing I could have been this hero!

I saw this film when I was quite little with Stewart Grainger and Deborah Kerr playing the leads. It was such a long time ago that I remember very little about it except that it was a wonderfully romantic fairy story. So I am not going to compare the book with the film. Because I can't. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Anthony Hope has written an absolute classic. And the names: Rudolph Rassendyll, the hero, Princess Flavia, the heroine, Antoinette de Mauban, the Duke of Streslau, Fritz von Tarlenheim. The action takes place in the Kingdom of Ruritania. Zenda is the name of the castle which plays a large part in the story. It is quite enchanting. Oh, and then there is Rupert of Hentzau - which is the title of the next book..... I am going to read that now.

Strange as it may seem, I came to this never having seen a version either at the cinema or on TV. The formal opening chapter gives us the rather convoluted genealogy (red hair, big nose) to suspend our disbelief and from then on Rudolf Rassendyll gives us his breathless first hand account of his meteoric rise to kingdom.Despite his predeliction for just 'knocking about' our Rudolf displays all the skills and virtues needed to swashbuckle and to reign. I couldn't help myself but race along with the story; it's best not to dwell on the details.Thoroughly enjoyable until a slightly shoe-horned ending and it came as no surprise that a sequel was to follow. This is out-and-out adventure writing. Great fun and free on kindle.

I bought this for my kindle as my 12 year old was reading it for English but was really struggling with it, so we read it together. There were so many words neither of us knew the meaning of, but because I was on my kindle, I just had to highlight the word, my daughter saved a lot of time this way. The story is a good one.......and my daughter stuck it to the end. I have no idea what age this is aimed set. I am 53 and know I wouldn't have stuck with it if I hadn't had to

I read this as a teenager and loved it. I still do, I've lost count of how many times I've read this book or watched the 1952 Technicolour Movie based upon it.Only one complaint; some of the chapters start on new pages but others don't, which is a little distracting in its inconsistency. But other than that this is an excellent copy.