Zorro

American author Johnston McCulley first introduced the world to his dashing and mysterious hero Zorro in "The Curse of Capistrano", a five-part story published in the pulp magazine "All-Story Weekly" in 1919. Soon made into a popular silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks as the masked crusader in 1920, Zorro became a famous and beloved champion of the poor and downtrodden. "The Curse of Capistrano" was collected into one volume and published as "The Mark of Zorro" in 1924 to great commercial and critical success. Credited with creating the swashbuckling and romantic hero genre of literature and film, McCulley's story is a heart-pounding and deeply satisfying tale of bravery, kindness, and honor set in Mexican California in the 1820s. The hero spends his days as a timid and vain aristocrat and his evenings as a bold and cunning defender of the oppressed, using his sword to mark his enemies with his signature "Z". Full of impressive sword fights, courageous escapes, and a romantic and passionate love story, it is not hard to understand why this tale of justice and revenge continues to captivate audiences and inspire countless adaptations.

Here begins the legend of Zorro. Spanish Southern California struggles under the governor's tyrannical grip. Missions are raided and innocent peasants are abused and persecuted. But from the desert a savior arises. A masked man named Zorro, or desert fox, rides at night taking revenge on those who would harm the common man. His deadly marksmanship and flashing sword quickly become legendary. Swashbuckling Adventure Awaits!

Here begins the legend of Zorro. Spanish Southern California struggles under the governor's tyrannical grip. Missions are raided and innocent peasants are abused and persecuted. But from the desert a savior arises. A masked man named Zorro, or desert fox, rides at night taking revenge on those who would harm the common man. His deadly marksmanship and flashing sword quickly become legendary. Swashbuckling Adventure Awaits!

To free his people, a masked rider goes to war against an empire in this swashbuckling adventure story In the untamed wilds of California, evil reigns at the mission of Los Angeles. A sinister governor grinds his subjects beneath his boot, bleeding them dry for the sake of the Spanish crown. Only one man dares challenge him. By day, Don Diego Vega is a debonair playboy known for his devil-may-care attitude. But by night, he dons a black mask and a black cape, and fights in the name of justice. When he bests his enemies, he carves a Z in their cheek: the mark of Zorro.   The inspiration for countless films, comic books, and stories, The Mark of Zorro is one of the great action novels of all time.   This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Timid Don Diego Vega grows faint at even the mention of bloodshed and would rather read poetry than defend his own honor. No one suspects that the effete aristocrat is living a double life as Zorro the fox, bold fighter of injustice, whose sword is ever ready to defend the poor and oppressed against a corrupt governor and his merciless army. Zorro's charade fools even the spirited Lolita Pulido, whose father forces her to endure the listless wooing of Don Diego while her heart belongs to the masked hero who laughs in the face of danger. This lighthearted tale of the Robin Hood of Old California unfolds as a suspenseful romp across Los Angeles of the 1820s. Loaded with colorful characters and historic atmosphere, recounted in direct and unpretentious prose, the pulp adventure offers a winning balance of action, comedy, and romance. This edition is of the original 1919 story, published serially as "The Curse of Capistrano," which launched the Zorro legend. Scores of sequels followed, along with movie and television versions, all inspired by this swashbuckling classic.