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A Novel
by Isabel AllendeFrom the book jacket: A swashbuckling
adventure story that reveals for the first time how Diego de la
Vega became the masked man we all know so well. Between
California and Barcelona, the New World and the Old, the persona
of Zorro is formed, a great hero is born, and the legend begins.
After many adventures -- duels at dawn, fierce battles with
pirates at sea, and impossible rescues -- Diego de la Vega, a.k.a.
Zorro, returns to America to reclaim the hacienda on which he was
raised and to seek justice for all who cannot fight for it
themselves.
Comment: Once they got over the shock of Allende writing
about a fictional cartoon character in the first place, most critics came out in
favor of Allende's version of the Zorro story, but a few found the character a
little one-dimensional. However, overall, most agreed that if one is in
the market for swashbuckling entertainment, then you can't go too far wrong with
Zorro!
Publishers Weekly and Booklist both give it
their highest rating - a starred review; while the Houston
Chronicle sums things up nicely describing it as, 'One of those
rare and perfect matches of subject and author... Sinfully
entertaining ... Serious fiction."
If you enjoy Zorro, you might also want to check out
Captain Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte.
About the character of Zorro
The first Zorro story, The Curse of Capistrano, appeared as a 5-part
serial in All-Story Weekly (an American pulp fiction
magazine) starting in the August 9, 1919 issue. It was
written by Johnston McCulley (a 36-year-old former police
reporter) who set his story in early 19th century
California. Don Diego de la Vega is the son of a rich land
owning family and would rather read poetry than participate
in anything violent. However, just like all the other
masked heroes we love so much, this is all a ruse - when
night falls he becomes Zorro (zorro is Spanish for fox) -
defender of the weak and oppressed!
Douglas Fairbanks took on the lead role in The Mark of
Zorro (1920) which broke box office records.
This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in June 2005, and has been updated for the
May 2006 edition.
Click here to go to this issue.
If you liked Zorro, try these:
by Michael Chabon
Published 2008
Zelikman and Amran are escorting a young prince to reclaim his usurped throne. Getting there – along a path paved with warriors and whores, evil emperors and extraordinary elephants, secrets, swordplay, and such stuff as the grandest adventures are made of – will be much more than half the fun.
by Luis Alberto Urrea
Published 2006
A spectacular novel as grand as a western sunset, the story of a girl coming to terms with her destiny, with the miraculous, and with the power of faith. It is the tale of a father discovering what true love is and a daughter recognizing that sometimes true love requires true sacrifice.
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Not doing more than the average is what keeps the average down.
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