Jacey Bedford's Journal

Audiobook narrated by James Wilby.

This is a well known story which I first encountered watching the 1952 Stewart Granger movie on TV (itself a remake). Rudolph Rassendyll, an Englishman from a good family, travels to Ruritania where he finds that one of his ancestor's indiscretions has left him with the blood of the Ruritanian royal family running through his veins. Meeting the new king while out hunting he finds that (apart from his beard) they are as alike as twins. Thus begins a story of treachery and deception. When the king drinks himself insensible before the coronation, Rudolph is persuaded by the king's loyal retainer, Zapt, to step up and take the king's place. The coronation is a success, but when Rudolph tries to sneak away to his own life, the king's bastard brother, Michael, kidnaps the king imprisoning him in his secure castle at Zenda. Rudolph must contuinue the deception until the king can be rescued. He's faced with another dilemma. The king is expected to court his cousin Flavia and in doing so, Rudolph falls in love. Flavia, who previously didn't much like the king, falls for Rudolph. There is temptation for Rudolph to let Michael dispose of the king and claim both Flavia and the crown, but dammit, he's English, and just doesn't do that kind of thing. The ending is bittersaweet. Yes he rescues the king, but loses Flavia, condemning her to a loveless marriage. It's a book of its time (1894) but full of derring do and faily races along. The reader, James Wilby, does a fine job of bringing out the emotion and danger of the plot twists.