Ruritania Trilogy

When they first meet, Rudolf Rassendyll, a simple Englishman, and the king of Ruritania are both surprised to discover that they look strikingly similar. So, when the king is kidnapped by Black Michael, the biggest fiend in all of Ruritania, Rassendyll must impersonate the king in order to preserve the peace of the kingdom.

This swashbuckling romance transports a droll young English gentleman from his comfortable life in London to a fast-moving adventure in a mythical country steeped in political intrigue. Rudolf Rassendyll, pondering his life's purpose, sets out on a journey to the tiny European kingdom of Ruritania, where he discovers that he bears a marked physical resemblance to the king. Perils and adventures ensue when he decides to impersonate the king in order to defeat a plot to dethrone him, and falls deeply in love with the king's betrothed, Princess Flavia. With its witty hero and shrewd villains, The Prisoner of Zenda became an instant classic when it appeared in 1894 and has been filmed five times since.

This swashbuckling romance transports a droll young English gentleman from his comfortable life in London to a fast-moving adventure in a mythical country steeped in political intrigue. Rudolf Rassendyll, pondering his life's purpose, sets out on a journey to the tiny European kingdom of Ruritania, where he discovers that he bears a marked physical resemblance to the king. Perils and adventures ensue when he decides to impersonate the king in order to defeat a plot to dethrone him, and falls deeply in love with the king's betrothed, Princess Flavia.With its witty hero and shrewd villains, The Prisoner of Zenda became an instant classic when it appeared in 1894 and has been made into a film five times since.

Anthony Hope's swashbuckling classic tale of adventure and romance: Ruritania, a beautiful kingdom in the mountains between Germany and Austria, is in the midst of a power struggle. On one side is the alcoholic lay-about crown prince, Rudolf-popular with the upper class and army-and on the other is his half-brother, Michael, who has the love of the common people. The struggle reaches a new fervor at Rudolf's coronation, when Michael kidnaps his brother and takes him to the Castle of Zenda. Now the only thing in the way of Black Michael's plan is a confused distant cousin in England. But a man named Rudolf Rassendyll could ruin Michael's plan. Rassendyll bears a striking resemblance to the kidnapped king Rudolf. After the king's disappearance, Rassendyll poses as the sovereign in order to maintain order-and finds that it is up to him to find the rightful ruler.