Penguin Classics Prisoner Of Zenda And Rupert Of Hentzau: Amazon.ca: Anthony Hope, Gary Hoppenstand: Books

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Review

'Hope's Rattling Yarn seems to live on and on, even if it is not a masterpiece of its genre like Rider Haggard's She; it has been filmed no less than five times. Rudolf Rassendyll and Rupert of Hentzau have become almost household names and the imaginary Ruritania has actually become a standard English word. Perhaps Oxford will now reissue other Hope historical romances, such as Sophie of Kravonia. Brian Fallon, Irish Times

'this is one of those rattling good yarns whose heart is so solidly in the right place that one is prepared to forgive some shoddy writing at the margins' Daily Telegraph

`This fast-moving, well-placed romance reaffirmed the pride of English men in what they thought they had :a sense of justice, profound honour and adroitness, all worn lightly.' The Sunday Times

'a gallant guide to the way an English gentleman should conduct himself with foreigners and women'

Book Description

Best known for his political fairy tale, The Prisoner of Zenda, which saw four major screen adaptations, including the acclaimed 1937 incarnation starring Ronald Colman, Anthony Hope was one of the few novelists to achieve wide popular and critical admiration during his lifetime.

Regarded by many critics as the finest adventure story ever written -- and certainly one of the most popular -- The Prisoner of Zenda (1894) tells the story of Rudolf Rassendyl, a dashing English gentleman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the ruler of the fictional kingdom of Ruritania. Rassendyl masquerades as the king in order to save the country from a treacherous plot and secures the release of the wronged prisoner. In the process he wins the heart of the beautiful princess Flavia, but ultimately surrenders the crown and the hand of his beloved princess to the rightful ruler.

Rupert of Hentzau, which ends in tragedy rather than triumph, is the darker, more problematic sequel to The Prisoner of Zenda. Full of swash-buckling feats of heroism as well as witty irony, these adventure tales are also wonderfully executed satires on late nineteenth-century European politics.

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
"I wonder when in the world you're going to do anything, Rudolf?" said my brother's wife. Read the first page

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Concordance

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

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4.5 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the Movie..and the Movie was GREAT!, Jan 21 2004

By

H. S. Wedekind "Mr. Weekend" (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Penguin Classics Prisoner Of Zenda And Rupert Of Hentzau (Paperback)

I am not going to rehash the plot. The other reviewers have already done that, probably better than I could have. I just wanted to comment that this novel is quite entertaining and not at all boring. It is well-written (at times more exciting than many current "popular" adventure novels) and not as stuffy as one would think of a book published in 1894. It offers cliffhanging chapters, foreign intrigue, romance, swordplay, and lots of derring-do. The villain, Rupert, is a nastier character than all of the other nasties that Rudolf contends with...but he's somehow likeable. I guess because I actually saw him as the movie star Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. portrayed him. At any rate, it's no wonder this novel was made into a great movie. It's a great book.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Fate does not always make the right the man King, Dec 26 2002

By

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Penguin Classics Prisoner Of Zenda And Rupert Of Hentzau (Paperback)

Rudolf Rassendyll, cadet of a minor British aristocratic
family, unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in central European politics--thanks to his uncanny resemblance to the King of Ruritania--who is actually his distant, red-headed cousin. Obliged to play the part of the incommoded King for the coronation, Rudolf must perpetuate the royal imposture much longer than the loyal conspirators had planned, for the evil Duke of Strelsau has set in motion a diabolical scheme to seize the Crown and the beautiful Princess Flavia for himself. Aided by the The Six, who would march into Hell for him, black-haired Michael wages a secret but murderous war to remove this new threat to his unbridled ambitions.

How long can Col. Sapt and faithful Fritz von Tarlenheim protect the true identity of the play-actor king, while preserving the life of the real king, who languishes in a prison at the Duke's stronghold of Zenda? Must a man sacrifice his pasion to maintain loyalty to a newly-met cousin?

And what of a maiden's heart--is it noble to toy with the affections of a princess? What sacrifice must their red-haired cousin make in the name of national peace? As one character wisely remarks: "Pawns rarely are allowed to indulge in passions of their own." Rudolf experiences the ultimate trade-off: King for 3 months in a tiny kingdom, yet he rules forever in her heart! This swashbuckler is a great tale of intrigue
which reads swiftly and is sure to entertain all who crave action, romance and adventure.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A light, but fast-paced, old fashioned escapade!, April 16 2001

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Stuart W. Mirsky "swm" (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

No gravitas to this one, but it's a tale of action and high spirits, beginnning with a young English nobleman who bears an uncanny resemblance (as he is soon to find out) to the new king of a small (and fictional) European kingdom, Ruritania, due to an indiscretion of a female ancestor. The indolent, if honorable, Rudolf Rassyndyll, younger brother of the English Lord of Burlesford, takes a vacation in Ruritania on a lark (and for lack of anything better to do) and is soon swept up in political intrigue, obliged to masquerade as the king in order to save that royal gentleman's life, no less than his kingdom. But Rassyndyll finds he is not at all averse to the role, especially when he falls in love with the king's intended, the beautiful Princess Flavia. Then he must contend with his own sense of honor, no less than with his look-alike's mortal enemies, to bring the king safely out of the castle of Zenda alive while yet preserving the king's own heritage, despite his inclinations to the contrary.

A good tale, fast moving and written in a manner which in no way impedes the "read". I read it in a single sitting and enjoyed every page. Regretted it wasn't longer though. (Note that this tale is a sort of bridge between the older form of the 19th century historical romance, as practiced in Victorian England from Sir Walter Scott's time, and the more modern twentieth century political thriller. Lots of swashbuckling and derring-do and plenty of political intrigue as well. But, in the end, it's just an entertainment. You'll find no great depth here.)

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Most recent customer reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars The Cover Tells the Whole Story!!
I'm surprised no other reviewer noticed! Why did Penquin place Ronald Colman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. prominently on the cover? Read more

Published on Nov 21 2003 by Mcgivern Owen L

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Action/Adventure Book
When will I learn to listen to my mom? She told me to read this book several times, so finally I did, and I am so GLAD! This is the best action book I have ever read. Read more

Published on Mar 21 2001 by Andrea Rasmussen