🎧 Emma's Library Audiobook cover: The Prisoner of Zenda

The Prisoner of Zenda

Classic Fiction · No. 45 — A double crown, a stolen king, and the heavy price of honor in Ruritania..

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About this audiobook

While vacationing in the fictional Central European kingdom of Ruritania, English gentleman Rudolf Rassendyll discovers he is a distant relative and near-exact double of the country's crown prince, Rudolf V. On the eve of the coronation, the prince is drugged by his treacherous half-brother, Duke Michael of Strelsau, who seeks the crown for himself. To prevent a coup, loyalists Colonel Sapt and Fritz von Tarlenheim persuade Rassendyll to impersonate the king. The coronation succeeds, but Michael's henchmen kidnap the real king, imprisoning him in the castle of Zenda. Rassendyll must continue the masquerade, falling deeply in love with the king's betrothed, Princess Flavia, while navigating the deadly intrigues of Michael's ruthless mercenary, Rupert of Hentzau. As tensions peak, Rassendyll leads a daring rescue mission to Zenda. He kills Michael's men, but Michael is betrayed and slain by Rupert, who escapes. Rassendyll rescues the weakened king and restores him to the throne. Despite their profound love, Rassendyll and Flavia choose duty over desire; she remains to rule Ruritania, and he returns to England in quiet anonymity, forever bound by their sacrifice.

Why it's worth a listen

Step into a world of shadow-drenched castles, secret passages, and high-stakes political deception where a single misstep means death. Follow an ordinary English traveler thrust into the ultimate masquerade as he impersonates a kidnapped king to save a foreign throne. This thrilling tale explores the agonizing boundary between personal desire and public duty, showing how a temporary lie can permanently reshape a man's soul.

A question to keep

Is it more honorable to maintain a noble lie for the stability of a nation, or to speak the truth even if it invites chaos?

Based on the book by Retold from Anthony Hope, published by Emma's Library original retelling

Chapters

  1. The Red Hair of the Elphbergs
  2. A Crown of Borrowed Gold
  3. The Secret of the Castle
  4. The Whispers of Summer Houses
  5. The Drawbridge at Midnight
  6. A Question to Keep