The Mark of Zorro - The Curse of Capistrano

Zorro #1

by Johnston McCulley

This is the original story about Zorro (Spanish for Fox) set in Spanish California by McCulley first published in 1919. Originally called The Curse of Capistrano, it later became known as The Mark of Zorro. Many times Zorro was featured in films including 1920 The Mark of Zorro with Douglas Fairbanks, 1940 The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power, 1958 and 1959 with Guy Wiliams, 1974 The Mark of Zorro with Frank Langella, 1998 The Mask of Zorro with A. Banderas and 2005 again with Banderas. Many European films were made featuring Zorro, including 1975 Zorro with Alan Delon.

Genres: Classics, Adventure, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Westerns

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 1919

About the author

Johnston McCulley (February 2, 1883 – November 23, 1958) was the author of hundreds of stories, fifty novels, numerous screenplays for film and television, and the creator of the character Zorro.

Many of his novels and stories were written under the pseudonyms Harrington Strong, Raley Brien, George Drayne, Monica Morton, Rowena Raley, Frederic Phelps, Walter Pierson, and John Mack Stone, among others.

McCulley started as a police reporter for The Police Gazette and served as an Army public affairs officer during World War I. An amateur history buff, he went on to a career in pulp magazines and screenplays, often using a Southern California backdrop for his stories.

Aside from Zorro, McCulley created many other pulp characters, including Black Star, The Spider, The Mongoose, and Thubway Tham. Many of McCulley's characters — The Green Ghost, The Thunderbolt, and The Crimson Clown — were inspirations for the masked heroes that have appeared in popular culture from McCulley's time to the present day.

Born in Ottawa, Illinois, and raised in Chillicothe, Illinois, he died in 1958 in Los Angeles, California, aged 75. -wikipedia

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daring, Dashing and Delightful!

Originally released as a serialized novel, each chapter reads as a mini-story thus producing a loosely connected full novel. Zorro, aka Don Diego, wages war single-handedly against the corrupted and aids the downtrodden. The comical back and forth between the personas as he manipulates the rich men of California lightened and brought life to the novel.

He is passionate towards the fight and towards the love of his life. And I was swept into this story by his righteousness beliefs and the ardent desire to set things life really motivated the story. It's quality that I haven't seen in many novels and it was riveting.

However that does not diminish the blatant racism and sexism scattered in unexpected bursts though this novel. I had to keep reminding me that this is a product of its time and to change or ignore this would be disingenuous.

Is this book realistic? Nope - not one bit. There's no way Zorro could so easily fool everyone. All his deceptions seemed so blatantly obvious to myself.

Does it require a suspension of belief? Yes - the personas of each character are exaggerated and their actions are too choreographed to be considered natural.

But, was it fun to read? Absolutely. The language and the plot aren't encumbered by it's age (originally published in 1919) - surprisingly readable! If all romantic novels were like this, count me in!

YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Much. Fun.



Top to bottom, this was great. As an adventure story, this has it all - swordfights, near escapes, secret identities, romance, and deliciously colorful villains!
Normally when I hear that something was serialized, I just assume it's going to be a bit too long and full of unnecessary filler that the author was using to pad out his word count.
Not this time. McCulley wrote this in 5 easy installments, each one chock full of nothing but pulpy goodness.




The story is seemingly set in the late 1700s to early 1800s when California was still under Spanish rule. Although, I'm not an expert and I believe some of the movies depict the time period as under Mexican rule.
Point is, this was before California was a part of the United States and the West was still wild.
Our hero, Don Diego Vega, is rich and handsome but pretends to be a lifeless dud so no one will suspect that he is actually the swashbuckling hero Zorro - righter of wrongs and defender of innocents!



Fun Facts:
In Spanish zorro means fox, so if you're wondering what all the references to the fox are about in this thing, there's your answer.
Also, this was originally titled The Curse of Capistrano when it came out in 1919, but after the popularity of the silent film The Mark of Zorro, the book was re-released in 1924 with the same name.



I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as The Scarlet Pimpernel, but I did. If I had to pick between the two of them it would be tough, and Orczy’s adventure tale has been my go-to for a classic that is actually fun to read for years.
Highly Recommended!

[Orient · Rating 4 out of 5]

A playdate-BR with Alex and Craig to revive the legend of El Zorro and test our skills in writing the first letter of our names using smth sharp :D Yeah, IKR, I should give up reviewing and start carving 😃



I guess we don’t need introduction to the Spanish Robin Hood. But to tell the truth, I didn’t know that there were books about Zorro, till recently. So probably like some of you, I fell in love with Zorro after watching him on screen. In my case it was A. Banderas… *drools*



To my shame, I didn’t pay great attention to Don Diego back then and decided to correct this mistake by reading this book. The story in this book is a great example of classics, though, if you look for complicity, well.. there is none. But what hooked me and made me fall in love with this book – is interaction and action scenes. It’s a thin mystery and quite evident that Don Diego is a pretender as his dullness feels a bit forced, but the credulity of those who surround him, how they see only what they want to see, that was interesting and funny to observe. To add the spices, this Mr. Fox can be tough, cruel, rude but also witty and charming. Also I enjoyed the fights so kindly provided by McCulley. The author set quite a quick pace for the story. My total faves were fights between Zorro and Captain Ramon.



What annoyed me a bit. As I mentioned before I wasn’t fooled by Don Diego’s innocent nature at all, maybe it was because I already knew his secret or maybe the mystery was too thin and too long kept “hidden”. And of course, I was a bit annoyed by a really long wooing between Don Diego and his love interest. These things took some joy from me while reading this book.

I guess it’s the excitement I got watching the movies about Zorro. The way connection between Zorro and Don Diego was concealed on the screen…. And the suspense…. I think movies created a more thrilling and engaging Zorro for me. I just can’t wait to see the older movies to continue my playdate with Zorro 😊

To sum up, it’s quite an enjoyable read, I’ll definitely look into more books about Zorro as I’d like to know the backstories of some of the characters: Zorro, Don Alejandro, Bernardo, Don Carlos and his family :)

PS. Antonio ❤ I want you to know….

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apr 3, 2025, 830pm ~~ Marco and I are in the middle of a Zorro festival these days. We are watching a 2007 Spanish language telenovela called El Zorro: La Espada Y La Rosa (Zorro: The Sword And The Rose), and we just finished reading this 1924 edition of the original Zorro story. It was a reread for me but the first time Marco had heard the tale and I think it is safe to say he enjoyed it as much as I did.

I can't add much to this original review below except to say that if you ever get a chance to read this book read it aloud. Even if you are all alone in the house, read it aloud. You'll have even more fun that way!

It is my turn to pick the next title for the Zapata Reading Club. I hope Marco likes the book I have decided on as much as he did this one. I won't tell him what it will be until Saturday. It is not a book that is on our list, so there will be a little mystery for him to think about. I just hope I don't pop from anticipation before then!

Mar 4, 2025 ~~ After the ZRC finished Loka a few days ago, I sent a list of the other titles in our reading pile to Marco since it was his turn to choose the next book.

This was his choice, and it will be great fun to introduce him to the original Zorro.

I will return to update the review when the adventure is over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 31, 2021 230am ~~ Review asap.

March 31, 1120am ~~ Not too long ago I read a book about the history of Zorro, from the original story to the latest movie. And at some point during my reading, I realized that even though I knew the Zorro story since childhood and had seen most of the movie versions, I had never read the original story that introduced our hero to the world.

So here we are, thanks to Project Gutenberg, which has the 1924 edition of the tale available free at this link. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/61620/...

This is not the original original. That was published in 1919 in a pulp fiction magazine of the day. The Gutenberg edition was re-published in 1924 and dedicated "To Douglas Fairbanks The Original 'Zorro' Of The Screen". This is because Fairbanks had taken the 1919 story and created a film version in 1920. And the rest, as they say, is history.

This story was fun to read, fast-paced, and very exciting. Snappy dialogue, a great contrast between Don Diego Vega and his alter ego Zorro, and plenty of humor too, since of course the reader knows who is who throughout the tale.

A couple of things caught my wandering eye here. Zorro only draws his trademark Z once, and then it was on the forehead of a man he was having a duel with. He was much more subtle about signing things now than he became later, I guess. lol

And at one point the author had Diego Vega dress himself up for a leisurely ride to visit a hacienda. He pulls on some "sheepskin riding mittens". Maybe back in 1919 gloves were sometimes called mittens, but we all know there is a big difference between the two. I knew Diego was wearing gloves, because it would be very hard to ride a horse while wearing mittens, but for the longest time I could not get that image out of my head. So fair warning: if you should read this story, remind yourself not to picture Diego (or Zorro) wearing mittens!

[Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many other noted authors before and after him, Illinois-born American pulp-era writer Johnston McCully (1883-1958) learned the writer's craft as a journalist, in his case as a police reporter. After service in World War I as an Army public relations officer (another job that provided a grounding in competent prose style), he moved to Los Angeles and turned his attention to script and fiction writing. A prolific author, besides numerous film (and, later, TV) screenplays, he would write some 50 novels and hundreds of short stories, creating several series characters who were popular with readers of that day; but the most enduring and iconic of these was the masked and caped, sword-wielding Zorro [Spanish for fox], an outlaw in the tradition of Robin Hood, who defends the oppressed victims of injustice. The character was introduced in this novel, originally titled The Curse of Capistrano and published serially in 1919 in the pulp magazine All-Story Weekly. One of the delighted readers was actor Douglas Fairbanks, who spearheaded the making of a (silent, black-and-white) movie adaptation, titled The Mark of Zorro. (Subsequent reprints of the book adopted that title.) It proved so popular that McCulley, who had originally intended the novel to be a stand-alone, went on to write three more books and over 50 stories featuring the character. Zorro has become an American pop-culture staple, featuring so far in over 30 films and at least six TV series.

Barb and I read this in the 2007 reprint by Townsend Press, which is the one the BU library has. (A possible caveat --which I was unaware of when, in my librarian capacity, I selected the book for the library-- is that Townsend's classics series is billed as "carefully edited to be more accessible to today's students." I'm not sure whether or not this means that it's abridged here, or that the style and vocabulary are dumbed down; and I can't determine that without comparing the text with an older edition. But while I'm normally skeptical of that sort of textual tampering, this edition is so gripping and reads so well that I'm willing to endorse it without probing any more deeply. :-) )

Our setting here is southern California, around the "pueblo," or small town, of Los Angeles (here always called by the older name of Reina de Los Angeles, "Queen of the Angels;" it was evidently named for the Virgin Mary). No date is given in the text, but it alludes to the fact that the government was taking agricultural land away from the Catholic missions and harassing the friars. That would fit the situation right after Mexico became independent, when Emperor Augustin I confiscated the lands of the California missions and granted them to aristocratic crillo families, who became essentially feudal lords. (These families are the caballeros often alluded to in the book.) The Indian population is also being mistreated, along with the poor whites and even aristocratic families who aren't in the good graces of the ascendant political faction. So a date in the early 1820s seems most probable to me. (It's indicated late in the book that these conditions have been going on for 10 years, but the long war for independence may have already fostered plenty of opportunities for oppression and abuses of the law by the powerful.) A short Background Note at the beginning of this edition indicates that the rise of outlaws resembling Senor Zorro, who defended the Hispanic and Indian population from oppressive authorities, was actually a phenomenon that arose after the U.S. takeover of California following the Mexican War; but McCulley seems to have projected it back into the preceding period.

This is a very gripping and suspenseful novel, with a fast pace and a lot of action and excitement. It's also quite tautly structured, taking place over a period of about a week, in a small geographic area, and with a single, linear plot strand. (So while it doesn't follow all of Aristotle's prescribed "unities" for a drama to absolute, literal perfection --he wanted action completed in one day, and one building or other narrow location-- it certainly observes them about as tightly as a novel can realistically be expected to.) The characters are vivid and memorable (some might say that they're "types," but they're types found in actual life, and drawn with lifelike precision). McCully writes in the Romantic style, and uses one of the classic tropes of that school, hidden identity, quite effectively. As the anonymous nine-page Afterword (which briefly discusses the publication and reception of the novel and main character, but is mainly a very astute appreciation of the positives of McCulley's art here) notes, many modern readers may already know Zorro's identity, or guess it from clues in the text; but the tale doesn't lose any interest on that account.

Besides the factors already noted, Barb and I both appreciated the author's deft leavening of humor in places, and the chaste romance that enhances without overwhelming the plot (it's quick to develop, but as I've indicated in other reviews, that's not necessarily unrealistic in the pre-modern setting). There are no content issues (violence is present, but not unnecessarily graphic, and the body count is low). Though the author lacked a college education, he was a serious history buff and especially knowledgeable about pre-1848 California; besides his extensive Zorro corpus, a lot of his work is historical fiction set in the same milieu, and I felt he evoked it capably here. A hallmark of great fiction, to my mind, is dynamic character growth for the better through moral decision. IMO (and the Afterword brings this point out well), though Zorro himself doesn't significantly change here, he provokes this kind of growth in others; and I give McCully high marks for that. This is also one of the few, and first, works in American literature from this period to present a Hispanic hero; it was a part of the multi-cultural mosaic that's our heritage long before "multiculturalism" was a buzzword, much less a thing.

Both Barb and I ate this up with a spoon! I would highly recommend it to all fans of the pulp tradition, all readers who appreciate action-oriented historical fiction, and to anyone (of any age above that of young grade-schoolers) who might want to explore older classics without starting with doorstop-sized chunksters.

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zorro - the beginning

Johnston McCulley was a pulp writer who created Zorro for magazines. After its unexpected wave of popularity, he expanded it into a novel which became a major best seller. Since then Zorro, in one form or another, has always been available to the public. Books, stories, radio, movies, television, comics, toys and games, even clothing.

Unfortunately the book is not as good as the legend. It is an entertaining action/adventure/romance novel worth reading for Zorro fans but is far from being a great novel. For instance, the setting is Spanish Colonial California but there is very little about that place and time in the novel. Basically there is a lot of excitement and action with little depth.

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse of Capistrano, otherwise known as The Mark of Zorro by Johnson McCulley was published in 1919 as a pulp hero of the early Wild West period when the Presidio fortress was established as a Spanish foothold in the early United States. This book came to my attention through the blog I share with my best buddy for over 37 years: The Mustache and the Beard. A few years ago, for our 100th post we were asked to give our 50 Novels a Geek Must-Read Before Dying. One of my western offerings was Zane Grey's Riders of the Purple Sage, #44 on my list. The Mark of Zorro was #18 on the Beard's list. After reading / listening to this audiobook. I have elected to eliminate the Zane Grey and replace it with this book. This book has everything. It has romance. It has swashbuckling action. It has pistols, a masked hero, and a righteous cause. It has historical significance, and most important of all to a Puerto Rican, ill-accustomed to heroes looking like me, it started a series of books with an ethnic hero fighting for justice. The audiobook swept me away and what seemed like just a short while later, it was finished. I loved it. Classic. Romantic. Perfect.

[Jay Schutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are old enough, like me, to remember the late 50's Zorro series by Disney, then this is a must read for you. It's full of the swashbuckling adventure and romance that you would expect of the Old California era. The sly fox, Zorro, has the soldiers of Los Angeles running in circles as he dashes about the countryside using two identities protecting the oppressed and persecuted. A fun read.

[Nayra.Hassan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Z.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old-time Spanish adventure, set in old California. A mysterious caballero is riding and plundering in true Robin-Hood fashion, punishing the state-sanctioned plunderers and greedy soldiers, setting by the heels all the boasters who pretend that they are easily able to catch him. Of course he runs into more trouble when he falls in love with a fair lady whose father is out of favor with the current governor and who soon draws the eye also of his rival, the unscrupulous boaster Captain Ramon.

I figured out pretty quickly who Zorro was, but it sure was a fun tale to read through.

Free copies can be found at archive.org and Librivox.

Content: A bit of fighting and a whipping
Language: "by the saints" frequently; d* twice

[Dfordoom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnston McCulley’s The Curse of Capistrano, serialised in the pulp magazine All Story Weekly in 1919, marked the first appearance in print of Zorro. The character was destined to become one of the iconic adventure heroes of course, but while the novel was quite successful what really got the ball rolling was the 1920 movie adaptation.

The movie changed the title to The Mark of Zorro and was a huge hit, propelling Douglas Fairbanks to superstardom. It was so successful that the original novel was published in book form under this new title in 1924.

The setting is California in the early 19th century when it was still a possession of the Spanish crown (it became part of Mexico in 1822 and then part of the United States in 1848). The setting of the novel is not strictly accurate historically but it does succeed rather well in conveying at least part of the particular flavour of Spanish California. The ruling class, the caballeros, are obsessed by lineage and honour. To have the right blood is everything. And their concept of honour hearkens back to the chivalry of the early Middle Ages. These are very proud people and they are very sensitive to even the smallest points of honour.

This is something of a problem for Don Diego Vega. He certainly has the blood. No-one in the pueblo of Los Angeles can boast a more exalted bloodline than Don Diego. But while most caballeros are excessively eager to resort to their swords to defend their honour Don Diego is a languid and rather effete young man who prefers to read poetry. Respect for blood is so ingrained that no-one would dare accuse him to his face of being lacking in manliness, and the Vega family is also immensely powerful and politically influential. No-one dislikes Don Diego but privately there is some concern about his lack of physical prowess and his abhorrence of violence.

The famous outlaw Zorro has become a legend not just because of his skill with the sword but also for his concern for justice. The governor is corrupt, taxes are crippling, and many honourable families have seen their wealth ruthlessly stripped from then by the governor and his voracious minions. The one man who is prepared to take a stand against this injustice is Zorro. Zorro is not just a friend to oppressed and financially ruined caballeros however. He also steps in to defend the Franciscan friars who are being victimised and fleeced by the corrupt government. He is equally ready to defend the Indians whenever and wherever they are mistreated. Zorro is in essence Robin Hood in a different setting.

Don Diego’s father is rather displeased by his son’s apparent lack of spirit, and even more displeased that Don Diego has yet to marry and produce an heir. This is of course a vital necessity for any aristocratic family and Don Diego is his father’s only child. Under pressure from his father he is rather listlessly wooing the beautiful young Lolita Pulido. Her family has blood almost equal to that of the Vega family but her father Don Carlos has fallen out of favour with the political leadership and has lost most of his land and most of his wealth. Don Carlos is desperately anxious for a marriage alliance with the Vegas. Unfortunately Lolita is not impressed by Don Diego. She wants a real man. She also wants a lover who is romantic and passionate, and Don Diego seems uninterested in either romance or passion.

When Lolita encounters Zorro it is a different story. This is a man whom she could love. And Zorro is obviously interested.

While Don Diego is listlessly wooing Lolita a rival has appeared on the scene in the form of Captain Ramon. Ramon’s courtship is more than insistent - he goes so far as to threaten her honour. This is something that Zorro will not tolerate. And while all this happening the Pulido family is facing not just complete ruin but the accusation of treason. Zorro has to find a way to save both Lolita’s honour and her family. He will also have to protect his old friend, the friar Felipe. Felipe may be a man of God but he’s a pretty tough hombre who is afraid of no-one and who stands up for the rights of the oppressed.

Don Diego has formed an unlikely friendship with the boastful and violent Sergeant Gonzales. Gonzales is flattered to have a friend of such high rank, and the friendship is useful to Don Diego. Being a man of peace and something of a wimp it’s handy to have a friend who is both a tough guy and an important member of the local troop of soldiers.

The true identity of Zorro is not revealed until the end of the book but anyone who has ever seen any Zorro movie, comic book or TV episode already knows who he is and it really is blindingly obvious. In fact I suspect that McCulley expected his readers to figure it out pretty quickly - what’s important is that none of the other characters know his identity. Knowing who Zorro really is doesn’t affect the reader’s enjoyment of the book in the slightest and possibly even enhances it. By the time The Mark of Zorro appeared in book form in 1924 the secret would have been known to everyone who had seen the enormously popular 1920 movie. But on the off-chance that you’re not aware of Zorro’s identity and you don’t want to know until you read the novel, you might want to skip the next two paragraphs.

Beginning of spoilers

You have been warned.

What the people of the pueblo of Los Angeles don’t know of course is that Don Diego is anything but a wimp. He is in fact the notorious outlaw hero Zorro.

Don Diego’s effeteness provides him with the perfect cover for his alter ego. No-one knows Zorro’s real identity but the last person anyone would suspect of being the renowned outlaw is Don Diego Vega. This cover has yet another advantage - it allows Zorro to keep tabs on the local troops. Don Diego has strengthened this advantage by befriending. Don Diego/Zorro always knows exactly what the troops are up to.

End of spoilers.

This is pure pulp fiction, with action aplenty. The plot races along in fine melodramatic style. McCulley’s style is pulpy but his characters are colourful and he knows how to spin an exciting tale of adventure and romance.

This version of Zorro is as heroic and honourable as his various movie and television incarnations but rather more ruthless. The violence is also somewhat more graphic.

The unusual and exotic setting is a major plus and is utilised quite effectively. McCulley has been criticised for not adhering more closely to the historical background but this is pulp fiction and it’s the flavour that is important, not strict historical accuracy.

Thoroughly enjoyable story-telling, and definitely worth a read.

[Tijana]

Pre nekoliko dana smo u našem domaćinstvu konstatovali kako ne postoji JEDAN pravi Zoro ili makar ultimativni Zoro* nego dugi niz ne-baš-sasvim-idealnih Zoroa, ali opet, sam lik je beskrajno fascinantan i u određenom uzrastu nema tog deteta koje se ne bi najstrašnije primilo na njega (u našoj kuhinji već godinama o tome nemo svedoči jedno malecno Z urezano u zid, tako negde u visini očiju sedmogodišnjaka). Maskirani borac protiv nepravde! Dvostruki identitet! Mač, plašt i mamuze! Bogo moj, ko bi tome odoleo?
Uglavnom: na projektu Gutenberg je sasvim legalno dostupan najprviji Zoro od svih, petparački roman Džonstona Mekalija. I tako je... pa... prosto NEVIN. Autor je spojio najbolje strane "Skerletne vidovčice" (što je valjda prvi junak koji je gajio dva potpuno kontrastna identiteta, javni i tajni) i Robina Huda (zaštitnik sirotinje i nejači) i smestio radnju u jednu dosta izmaštanu Kaliforniju. Ali ceo zaplet je vođen ne samo kao da je namenjen desetogodišnjacima (verovatno i jeste) nego i tako da se ne uvredi ni učitelj ni tetka usedelica. Tokom cele knjige pogine samo jedan (krajnji) negativac i to na samom kraju u spektakularnom i totalno fer dvoboju. Svi drugi budu samo vezani, privremeno onesvešćeni, lako ranjeni u ruku ili rame, ok, padne i jedno javno bičevanje ali znamo da je nevina žrtva snažne konstitucije i da se ubrzo oporavi; prema junakinji se svi redom odnose s krajnjim poštovanjem čija je mera to što je najnajnajstrašnija negativčeva pretnja da će je poljubiti i pre iznuđene svadbe.
Nije ovo dobra knjiga. Repertoar prideva je krajnje skučen (Zoroov parip se bar pet puta naziva "veličanstvenom životinjom"), preokreti gotovo smešni koliko su predvidljivi, likove da i ne pominjemo. Ali ima to lepo zrno čiste avanture i borbe za pravdu koje evo uporno pretrajava i danas (vidim da su trenutno u najavi bar tri TV serije i neka im je sa srećom).


*dok, verujem, svako može da odredi svog PRAVOG Robina Huda, Robin iz srednjovekovnih balada je za mene tek na četvrtom ili petom mestu po PRAVOSTI, žalim, Robine

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this old hardcover edition of THE MARK OF ZORRO for several years and was finally motivated to read it by another review at Goodreads. Of course, Zorro is an iconic figure in both television and movies. I remember watching the old Disney TV series when I was growing up in the 1950's. Mark of Zorro was also made into a couple of movies including a great version from 1940 starring Tyrone Power.

The character Zorro was created by Johnston McCulley and first appeared in 1919 as The Curse of Capistrano which was serialized in five installments in the pulp magazine All-Story Weekly.

The five-part prose story was then republished as a novel entitled The Mark of Zorro by Grosset & Dunlap in 1924.

This was really a great action adventure novel that takes place in old California during the era of Mexican rule. Zorro, of course, is out to settle injustices heaped upon "the friars of the missions and the natives who were treated worse than dogs by corrupt officials and politicians. Even men of noble blood were robbed because they were not friendly to the ruling powers..." The novel is also a love story with Zorro and his alter-ego Don Diego Vega out to woo the beautiful Lolita Pulido who is part of a noble family in disfavor of the governor. The novel is very familiar to anyone who has seen the movies or TV series. Zorro has a deaf and mute servant named Bernardo and he opposes the villainous Captain Ramon and Sgt. Gonzales.

This was definitely a novel of its time. Zorro is a pulp hero whose adventures are in line with other novels of the time including those written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Zane Grey, and others. Very enjoyable for what it is. One thing the novel lacked was a good origin story for Zorro. The last part of the novel tells how he trained himself to fight and to right injustices while taking on an effeminate persona for Don Diego. In the movies, he had actually gone to Spain where he learned his skills. McCulley wrote some sequels to The Mark of Zorro where he might have expanded on this. I did read Isabel Allende's novel Zorro a few years ago which does expand on Zorro's origins and is a great expansion on the Zorro story. I would recommend it along with Mark of Zorro.

[Warren Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a pistol in his left hand aimed steadily at a treacherous mob, the masked and caped avenger barely flinches as he parries the thrusts from a heavily mustachioed sergeant in a candle lit tavern. Now that's some good Zorro right there. And all by the close of the second chapter.

I'm just a sucker for swashbuckling adventure full of vigilante justice, and 1919's "The Curse of Capristrano," later known as "The Mark of Zorro," pushes all the right buttons. A favorite of my mother's, Zorro became one of my first heroes as a child, the prototype of the costumed American superheroes of the last century. An affable, mild-mannered gentleman with a secret alter-ego who punishes injustice, who always seems to be there when help is needed, who is the mouth of those who have no voice, who faces danger with good-natured humor, and saves the day with a flourish, Zorro is everything a little boy ever hoped being a man could be, and everything a little girl could hope to love.

I encourage any fan of classic adventure to read this, the first Zorro story, if you haven't already, and to give it a second read if you have. I also challenge enlightened contemporary readers who get their kicks from deconstructing such classics, seeking to critique this as a product of the white patriarchy full of stereotyped gender roles, to give it a try. Zorro is certainly not an overrepresented white male, and his love interest, the señorita Lolita Pulido, is not your typical damsel in distress. Both characters are as tough as they are noble, and fine role models for anyone.

This isn't to say the book is not without it's flaws, and some scenes were rather irritating. For example, the concept of ardor is a main theme of the novel, and thus we have the following exchange which comes across as awkward to modern sensibilities:

In asking for her hand in marriage, Don Diego toys with Lolita, pretending to be milk toast and thoughtless, purposefully testing her to see if she would easily consent to wed him for his money. Of course, she doesn't know that Don Diego is really Zorro, and this leads to a comedy of errors for a while. In one scene, she berates Diego for his soft attitude toward a captain who insulted her. Don Diego wants to essentially have a stern discussion with the young curr, and perhaps make a complaint about the soldier's conduct to the authorities on behalf of the señorita. But Lolita wants Diego to be "a proper man," who would call this captain to account and pass the blade of a sword through his body for all to witness that a man could not insult the señorita and escape the consequences. Wow! That's a bit high maintenance, don't you think?

The other thing that annoyed me was when Don Diego witnesses one of his friends cruelly whipped unjustly. His friend is battered and bleeding, but what does he do? He starts complaining about his love woes to his friend, who is kindly enough to listen and even give advice though I'm sure he'd have preferred to maybe put some ice on his flayed skin.

So yes, there is some strange narrative choices here that I'm sure unintentionally made our heroes come across as thoughtless, and these issues, along with the rather cartoonishly naïve way the conflict all wraps up neatly at the finale, prevents this classic from reaching five full stars.

But for the most part this is a tight adventure, short and well-paced, with very likeable characters, especially Sergeant Gonzales, one of most sympathetic secondary villains in any story. And the novel has something important to say, reminding modern readers that it takes serious bravery to risk our own comforts to stop social injustice, not just virtue signaling and racy Tweets. It also encourages people to always act with dignity and grace even in the face of adversity.

So eat a hardy helping of "meal mush and goat's milk," strap on your boots, and hop in the saddle for this wild literary ride and learn why Zorro remains a timeless classic.

[Sidharth Vardhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is only while reading this that I thought about how much Batman in particular and masked heroes in general owe to Zorro - the similarities of masks, twin identities and black costumes used to hide in darkness aside; Bruce Wayne was watching a theatrical adoption of Zorro when his parents were killed in the original version of atman. McCulley also apparently wrote in another book about another person who was inspired by a bat to fight against crimes. As if this wasn't enough, he also seem to have laid seeds of contribution toward creation of Joker in another book where he apparently wrote about a villian who leaves a mark behind. And all this from a writer who doesn't even have a profile picture on goodreads!

As for actual reading experience, you will have to look past racism of the book. Apart from that it is even funny at times. You will probably guess from very early on who Zorro is but thats hardly the point after decades of masked hero genre inspired by the work,

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't a bad book. There just aren't any surprises if you know Zorro's true identity before you go in.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically a Spanish-American version of The Scarlet Pimpernel - complete with numerous sequels and an obvious impact on the trope of the masked hero. This is a delightful story that's hard to put down. Definitely recommended to fans of The Scarlet Pimpernel and the masked hero trope as a whole. (I adore the masked-or-anonymous-anybody trope. So good.)

Standard Ebooks (a fantastic site sharing lovely e-editions of out-of-copyright novels) has a free version here: https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/joh...

[Wreade1872 · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pulpy knockoff of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Not particularly well written. Its fine but if you've seen or read any version of the character then you'll find little of interest.
While many people have stolen from the Scarlet Pimpernel over the years, such as batman, there are different levels of theft. Most Batman stories for example are just taking the general concept, whereas 'The Dark-Knight Rises' steals very particular plot points (of course the rest of that movie is a remake of 'Rocky III' anyway).
This story falls into the latter category plagiarizing at least one major element from The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel right down to a particular name, now more associated with superheroes the Avengers.
Their is one spot of originality (unless its stolen from something i havn't read, which is quite possible ;) ), which is the love story. This focuses on the development of the relation between the male and female lead, in the Pimpernel they're already married and all we get to explain why Marguerite would marry such a fop is that he seemed different before the wedding :lol .

Another element which i don't think they meant to steal is the problematic morality of the story, which it shares with Pimpernel. In Pimpernel it was that he was rescuing the rich from the poor, in this its the treatment of the natives. In both cases the hero only comes down on the right side as far as is acceptable for his social position.

The only real surprise for me in this was the tone. Its actually very close to that of the Antonio Banderas film, i really assumed it would be more serious.

Fun enough i suppose but i couldn't bring myself to give it 3 stars. Perhaps more acceptable if you don't read a lot.. or watch much film.. or have anything better to be do ;) .

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

The Mark of Zorro is not Antonio Banderas's Zorro. This would be Anthony Hopkins's Zorro as a young man before he settled down. But it's still Zorro, which means swashbuckling aplenty, secret identities (though you'll know Zorro's real identity if you've seen any of the movies), ridiculously well-trained horses, feisty señoritas who will settle for nothing less than ALL the romantic tropes but who can take care of herself just fine thank you very much, and corrupt governors, all set against the backdrop of 1820s California.

Originally titled The Curse of Capistrano and written by a man with more pseudonyms than Aragon son of Arathorn, this story is just a grand old good time. If you want deep philosophical thoughts, look elsewhere. This is a swashbuckling novel of the finest order, and everyone is just a little over the top (or a lot, ha!) and the action is pretty well-written. Some of the material is dated, but not cringingly so and I thought it held up remarkably well considering it'll be 100 years old next year.

The narration by Armando Duran is very well done and he's got a nice soothing voice that suits the characters well and expresses just the right amount of flavor and spice to make the story jump off the page without being too overly dramatic. It's just overly dramatic enough. ;)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah Zorro. As a kid, I remember really enjoying Disney's Zorro series with Guy Williams. More recently I've had a lot of fun with the new Antonio Banderas movies. However, I'd never read any of the original adventures so I decided it was high time I change that. Being very familiar with the character as presented in TV and film, I found a few things surprising as I read his first adventure The Mark of Zorro.

Firstly, I was a little bummed that I already knew about the character because the author holds back and doesn't reveal Zorro's true identity until the very end of the novel. I obviously knew who Zorro really and had a hard time trying to force myself to forget. Based on the characters in the story and the way things played out, I suspect it still would've been fairly easy to guess at his identity, but I suspect it would have made the experience a bit different.

Another difference that I found interesting was the stark similarities to another literary hero with a secret identity…The Scarlet Pimpernel. Like the Pimpernel, Zorro's true identity is kept secret by the hero's acting like a complete "fop" or "dandy." Don Diego feels faint over the slightest exertion and nearly swoons at the mention of any type of violence or bloodshed. He is Perciville Blakeney taken to an even greater extreme.

Probably the biggest distinction (and somewhat a disappointment) was that the Zorro of the novel was a bit less of a swashbuckler than in the recent productions. While the recent movies had Zorro bounding around fighting dozens of soldiers at a time, the Zorro of the book is certainly an adept swordsman but he forces situations into a very equitable one-on-one fight by forcing other would-be-attackers into corners or holding them at bay with his pistol. While he is still an imposing force and certainly daring to be confronting soldiers in their own garrisons, the action sequences left a bit to be desired and were considerably less tense and exciting than I had hoped for.

That general sense of "less than hoped for" sort of sums up my reception to this story. Again, this is likely due to my being tainted by the high action of recent film productions. This is a well crafted story that brings together latin american romance with the fun adventure of an unknown hero standing up for the rights of the poor and oppressed. The character development was interesting but fell into stereotypes at times…again, this could be partly due to film and tv reproductions. These characters were likely not as stereotypical in the early 1900s and in fact I suspect that this book helped form some of the stereotypes we now enjoy in our media today.

Generally I'm glad I read it. I was surprised at the end of the book to see Zorro essentially hang up his cape, hat and mask and state that he would no longer be riding as Zorro. It appears this was intended to be a single book adventure with no long term plans for the hero. The popularity apparently led to additional novels by the same author as well as some additional stories by other authors. I'm curious to see if the continuing stories have more adventure or intrigue. Eventually I may find out.

***
3.5 out of 5 stars

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Hm... how to start? This book wasn’t quite what I expected. I read the Disney version of Zorro, which is what got me into him. I found this story very fascinating. To start off with what I didn’t like: some mild swearing, drinking & smoking; also the romance—lots of (undetailed) kissing & touching; also the lying & trickery that the “good” characters did. Counterbalancing this, though, I really liked Zorro. He took the law into his own hands because the law was lawless; but he was a pretty good guy, though personally I wish he didn’t mock people so much. ;) He was certainly fascinating! His identity was known to me before I started the book, so I wasn’t in suspense over that; but I really enjoyed seeing both sides of his character. He really was hilarious! I love how he stood up for the natives, and he wasn’t a bit stuck up about his position and possessions. The other characters mostly bothered me except the priest. In short, it was a fascinating read, suspenseful up to the very end, and I wouldn’t mind try this author again! 

A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘I have a servant who is a wonder at the guitar,’ Don Diego said. ‘To-night I shall order him to come out and play beneath the señorita’s window.’
“’And not come yourself?’ Doña Cataline gasped. 
“‘Ride out here again tonight, when the chill wind blows in from the sea?’ gasped Don Diego. ‘It would kill me. And the native plays the guitar better than I.’”

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zorro has been an established fictional hero for so long it can be hard to believe he was only created in 1919. Reading McCully's original tale of the Robin Hood of Old California reminds us how exciting he was from the start. While I found the long time taken to reveal his true identity to not work so well, this is otherwise a fast, fun read.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, glorious, hilarious!
RTC

[Nam Do · Rating 4 out of 5]

Được xếp vào dòng văn học classic nhưng truyện rất dễ đọc và hấp dẫn. Kiếm sĩ Zorro hào hoa hiệp nghĩa luôn xuất hiện để bênh vực người cô thế, trừng trị bọn cai trị gian ác. Hình tượng người hùng dấu mặt kiểu này là tiên phong truyền cảm hứng cho các nhân vật hậu bối như Batman.

Phim Zorro của Antonio Banderas chỉ mượn hình tượng Zorro chứ nội dung cải biên khác hoàn toàn so với truyện

[Linda Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun! What a ride! What a melodrama!

This takes place in early California prior to the Bear Flag Revolt, back in the mission days when California had a Mexican governor. Señor Zorro is terrorizing the countryside all along the El Camino Real (King's road, between missions) and the stories of his escapades are 90% exaggerated, so people are terrified. In reality he's like the California Robin Hood trying to save the oppressed from government oppression.

There's a certain young lady, about age 18, ready for marriage. Suddenly several men take an interest in her, but she's hard to please. She becomes the center of the story and Señor Zorro wants to defend her honor from those who would seek to harm her.

This is the novel that started the entire Zorro phenomena and because of its cultural significance and because this is "June on the Range" at Booktube, and because I'm a California native who started a group here at Goodreads called California Reading - I just had to read The Mark of Zorro. I found it to be a fun and worthwhile experience.

Five stars for the historical/cultural significance of this story. It is pulp-fiction, not a great masterpiece, but five stars anyway.

The novel was originally published in 1919 as a five-part magazine serial titled "The Curse of Capistrano." Mission San Juan Capistrano is between Los Angeles and San Diego.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am frustrated because I do not know enough (yet) to decide whether this is a great or terrible book. The author is either a genius or an imbecile and the story is either a cultural prototype or painfully derivative. I just don't know.

Is the stilted language an insightful imitation of a badly translated story or merely bad?

Is the plot stunningly original or numbingly repetitive?

Are the characters the brilliant progenitors of stereotypes or only shadowy successors?

Bob Kane admits the Zorro influence on Batman, but how much has McCulley cribbed from The Scarlet Pimpernel? How much comes from earlier sources (it feels like Robin Hood to me...)

This is why I read, because each new book is not only enjoyable in and of itself but adds layers of context and history that allow me to reevaluate what I already have read, while simultaneously suggesting avenues of exploration I have never considered before.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a blast from beginning to end! Such a fun story and amazing narration. I laughed out loud so many times. It was a fun, light-hearted story.

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ [hibernating] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zorro reminds me of a dashing Antonio Banderas... a perfectly timed cape flourish... and a "Z" carved with a dramatic schwing.
[image error]
(Sorry.. I think there is some technical glitch due to which the images are not being shown)

But before Hollywood got its hands on him... before the endless sequels... there was Johnston McCulley's original, "The Mark of Zorro." It's a delightful, surprising and remarkably understated romp.

Forget your preconceptions of a two-hour action flick. This book is less about breakneck sword fights and more about the delicious, slow-burn unraveling of a meticulously crafted charade.

Don Diego Vega, our titular hero, isn't just a rich fop by day and a masked avenger by night... he's a masterpiece of calculated indolence. His sneer is so perfectly honed, his disdain for all things active so convincingly portrayed, that you almost start to believe he's genuinely the most useless man in California. It's a performance worthy of an Oscar, if only 1919 had them... 🥲🥲

[image error]

Zorro isn't just a brute with a blade. He's witty, sarcastic and possesses an infuriating knack for showing up at precisely the wrong time for the bad guys. Think of him as the original vigilante... but with better tailoring and a more impressive sense of dramatic timing than Batman could ever hope for. (opps! no offense lol)

The real fun here lies in the sheer audacity of Don Diego's double life. It's so funny when he feigns a yawn mid-crisis or pretends to faint at the mere mention of conflict. It's a constant, delightful game of "how will he get out of this one without anyone suspecting?"

There is not much complexity in the story... It's a classic tale of good versus evil. It's comfort food for an adventurous soul like me... a story that delivers exactly what it promises: swashbuckling, romance and a hero who's smarter than he lets on.

Such a great literary escapeeee!!!<3

[Calis Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Out of the night when the moon is bright comes the horsemen known as Zorro"
As a kid I loved Zorro watching it past my bedtime one the Disney Channel. And the 1998 film maizoro mainstream for the first time since the 50s.
Never once did I know that the masked horseman originated from a pulp magazine. While the book follows a bunch of tropes of that time period Gallant gentleman Damsel in Distress corrupt Authority officials ect. Its a pretty simple story, and there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes simple is better especially when it comes to older books. Not everyone is going to like the simplicity of this book, but if you are a fan of Zorro I at least recommend this book to be checked out at least once.

[Genevieve Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ridiculous nonsense is one of my truest and greatest delights. Everyone is so wildly over the top all the time, Zorro most of all. The extent to which Zorro comes into a room and then leaves, then Don Diego comes into a room and then leaves, and then Zorro comes into a room and then leaves, etc. nears Bugs Bunny levels of pageantry. Diego de la Vega must be counted among the greatest and most embarrassing dramatic morons of any age.