Reviewing Anthony Hope's "The Prisoner of Zenda"

One of my favorite books—and perhaps my favorite of any adventure/swashbuckler—is Anthony Hope’s The Prisoner of Zenda. I began reading this book completely ignorant of its genre or plot. In fact, I believe it was one of the books I’d had on my shelf for a decade or so, and had originally purchased at a library used book sale just because I liked the cover and thought the title intriguing.

As it turns out, this book is one of those action-packed, romantic, larger-than-life plots set in a fictional, vaguely European country and peopled by beautiful heroines, dastardly villains, and chivalrous heroes.

Rudolph Rassendyll is an Englishman visiting the land of his ancestors, Ruritania. His visit coincides with the coronation of a distant cousin of his, also coincidentally named Rudolph. And, coincidentally, they happen to look exactly alike. All these coincidences are coincidentally fortunate because King-to-be Rudolph’s jealous brother Michael drugs the heir apparent and has him kept prisoner in a castle in the town of Zenda (hence the title).

Michael and his henchman Count Rupert of Hentzau (yes, for some reason Hope seems fixated on names starting with “R”) hope that by missing his coronation Rudolph will give Michael the chance to usurp the throne. Unfortunately for them, loyal attendants of Rudolph find Rassendyll and persuade him to impersonate the King through the coronation. Things get even more convoluted as the King’s betrothed, Flavia, falls for Rassendyll instead (and the feeling’s mutual), and an Englishman is technically crowned sovereign over Ruritania.

All this political maneuvering may seem a bit dry in summary, but really this book has romance, sword fights, daring rescues, and all sorts of other shenanigans. In short, The Prisoner of Zenda is highly entertaining, and I would recommend this book*—and its movie adaptations**—to anyone who enjoys the sort of Errol Flynn, Three Musketeers sort of stories.

*I do NOT, however, recommend its sequel, Rupert of Henzau. Even though it sees the return of our hero Rassendyll and the charmingly wicked Rupert, the tone is off throughout the entire book and the ending just seems to undermine the first book’s conclusion.

**I’ve seen two movie adaptations, one from 1937 and the other from 1952, which is basically a colorized version of the 1937 one (I mean, the dialogue is practically word-for word!). Because they're basically the same movie, they're both equally good, though each cast brings a different twist in portraying their respective characters.  Sometimes I wish I could pick-and-choose actors from different adaptations and form my own Master Adaptation with all my favorites!