Rupert of Hentzau

2.5 – 3 stars Rupert of Hentzau is an enjoyable swashbuckler, though I remember The Prisoner of Zenda being better. We rejoin the major players remaining from the first novel three years later when a new crisis threatens the queen’s honour (she’s not very bright, alas) and the dastardly rogue Rupert......more

A sequel that is not as good as the original: the plot is weaker and requires a lot of behind-the-scenes explanations and jumping around the timetable to keep the subplots together. The change in narrator also doesn't help, as Fritz is not present for a good part of the events in the book and it's n......more

I bought this book in Pembroke. This detail is almost irrelevant, except that Pembroke is one of my favourite towns in West Wales and has an extremely impressive castle. But it's not really like the castles of Ruritania, which are probably more Germanic looking. I finished re-reading The Prisoner of......more

While Prisoner of Zenda was a fun adventure, this last in the trilogy is more pensive and multilayered. The relationship between the King and Queen is understandably strained after what happened because 1) the King is a weak character whose egotism turns to excessive reassurance seeking and 2) the Qu......more

A major theme that runs through much of great literature is the conflict betweeen Duty and Love. In "The Aeneid", Virgil has Aeneas choose duty over love. This conclusion was the majority opinion throughout Western history up until the time of the Romantics, who elevated Love above Duty. In a partic......more