Anthony Hope Books

Easton Press Anthony Hope books

The Prisoner of Zenda - Collector's Library of Famous Editions

Franklin Library Anthony Hope books

The Prisoner of Zenda - World's Best Loved Books - 1984

Anthony Hope biography

Anthony Hope was the pen name of Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins, an English novelist and playwright best known for his adventure novels, particularly "The Prisoner of Zenda." He was born on February 9, 1863, in London, England, and died on July 8, 1933.

Anthony Hope was educated at Marlborough School and Balliol College, Oxford. After completing his education, he trained as a lawyer and was called to the bar in 1887. However, he soon turned to writing, and his first novel, "A Man of Mark," was published in 1890. While he wrote many novels, short stories, and plays, Anthony Hope achieved international fame and success with his swashbuckling adventure novel "The Prisoner of Zenda," published in 1894.

"The Prisoner of Zenda" is a classic adventure tale set in the fictional European kingdom of Ruritania. The story revolves around a young Englishman named Rudolf Rassendyll, who bears a striking resemblance to the king of Ruritania, also named Rudolf. When the king is incapacitated on the eve of his coronation, Rassendyll is persuaded to impersonate him to prevent a political crisis. The novel is filled with intrigue, romance, and political machinations.

"The Prisoner of Zenda" was a major success and led to a sequel, Rupert of Hentzau (1898), continuing the adventures in Ruritania. These novels have been adapted into numerous films, plays, and other media over the years, cementing their status as classic adventure stories.

Anthony Hope wrote in various genres, including adventure, romance, and comedy, but he never quite replicated the success of The Prisoner of Zenda. Some of his other notable works include The Dolly Dialogues (1894) and Quisante (1900).

Despite not achieving the same level of lasting fame as some of his contemporaries, Anthony Hope's works were popular in his time, and he remains best remembered for his contributions to adventure literature with The Prisoner of Zenda.

The Prisoner of Zenda - The Ruritania Trilogy book 2

Five times made into film versions since its original publication in 1894, The Prisoner of Zenda is a perennially popular adventure and romance story. Hope's swashbuckling romance transports his English gentleman hero, Rudolf Rassendyll, from a comfortable life in London to fast-paced
adventures in Ruritania, a mythical land steeped in political intrigue. Rassendyll must impersonate the rightful king in order to rescue him from the castle Zenda, all the while facing tests of honor with the beautiful Princess Flavia, and enduring tests of strength in his encounters with the
villainous Black Michael and his handsome, debonair bodyguard, Rupert of Hentzau.

Anthony Hope's swashbuckling romance transports his English gentleman hero, Rudolf Rassendyll, from a comfortable life in London to fast-moving adventures in Ruritania, a mythical land steeped in political intrigue.

Rassendyll bears a striking resemblance to Rudolf Elphberg who is about to be crowned King of Ruritania. When the rival to the throne, Black Michael of Strelsau, attempts to seize power by imprisoning Elphberg in the Castle of Zenda, Rassendyll is obliged to impersonate the King to uphold the rightful sovereignty and ensure political stability.

English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll arrives in the country of Ruritania on the eve of King Rudolf the Fifth’s coronation. That night, the king is abducted and held prisoner in a castle in the small town of Zenda. Rassendyll, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the monarch, is persuaded to impersonate him in order to stop his villainous half-brother, Prince Michael, from seizing the throne. Determined to rescue the king and restore him to his rightful place, Rassendyll attempts to free him, but can he defeat the dastardly Count Rupert of Hentzau who stands in his way?

Rassendyll endures a trial of strength in his encounters with the notorious Rupert of Hentzau, and a test of a different sort as he grows to love the Princess Flavia.

Five times filmed, The Prisoner of Zenda has been deservedly popular as a classic of romance and adventure since its publication in 1894.