Before You Begin

Before you begin.

Rudolf Rassendyll, an English gentleman with a taste for travel, arrives in the small Central European kingdom of Ruritania. A striking family resemblance and a sudden political crisis draw him into the life of a royal court, where every alliance has a price and the old castles hold more than ceremony.

Anthony Hope published The Prisoner of Zenda in 1894. Its invented kingdom, quick-moving adventure, and questions of duty and identity made the novel a defining example of late-Victorian romantic adventure. The story balances court intrigue with a light touch, carrying its narrator from English drawing rooms to Ruritanian forests and fortresses.

This illustrated edition follows the novel through its 22 chapters. Maps, distinct character portraits, relationships, scenes, and Story Medallions accompany Rudolf’s journey; chapter recaps unlock as you read, keeping each one within the part of the story you have reached. Begin with the journey east, and let Ruritania reveal itself a chapter at a time.