The Prisoner of Zenda
1894
What if you woke up one morning and had to be a king? That's the absurd, exhilarating premise at the heart of The Prisoner of Zenda. Rudolf Rassendyll is a carefree English gentleman on holiday in the tiny Alpine kingdom of Ruritania when he discovers he bears an uncanny resemblance to the rightful monarch. When the King is drugged and imprisoned by his villainous half-brother on the eve of his coronation, Rudolf faces an impossible choice: flee, or step into the crown and impersonate a king he has never met. What follows is a breathless adventure of swordfights, court intrigue, and impossible romance. Rudolf must outwit the treacherous Black Michael and his deadly ally Rupert of Hentzau, all while falling for the luminous Princess Flavia, and knowing he can never truly have her. First published in 1894, this novel invented an entire genre of fiction and has been delighting readers for over a century with its wit, daring, and bittersweet heart.
