“Ah! but a man cannot be held to write down in cold blood the wild and black thoughts that storm his brain when an uncontrolled passion has battered a breach for them…”

"The Prisoner of Zenda" is something of a rarity: a swashbuckling romance as entertaining today as it was in 1894.

It has everything the reader could desire: a brave knight who defends the sacred throne of a nation, despicable villains, beautiful damsels in distress, flashing sabers and charging steeds, castles, kidnappings, and breathless escapes.

If you've ever seen one of the many movie adaptations, you already know the story:

Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman vacationing in the tiny European country of Ruritania, meets and befriends the soon-to-be-crowned King Rudolf—his exact double.

When the dastardly Black Michael kidnaps the King, Rassendyll must act as his political decoy and impersonate the King in the coronation ceremony, all while capturing the heart of the Queen.

ANTHONY HOPE (1863–1933), was an English novelist and playwright. A prolific author, he is today remembered best for his classic The Prisoner of Zenda.