The Prisoner of Zenda

On the eve of his coronation, the King of Ruritania is drugged into a stupor, and the plotters have him where they want him. His only hope is Rudolf Rassendyll, an idle English gentleman who happens to be a distant cousin and a near-perfect double. Pressed into a royal masquerade, Rassendyll must hold the throne, outwit the scheming Black Michael and the dashing villain Rupert of Hentzau, and try not to fall for the Princess Flavia he has no right to court. Anthony Hope’s 1894 adventure proved so popular it named a whole genre, the Ruritanian romance, and its blend of swordplay, disguise, and reluctant honor has been filmed again and again. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available to download.