Rounding up 3.5 stars because it's a great swashbuckler, tightly paced, and no longer than the meager depth of story and characters can stand. McCulley knows what he's trying to write and follows through on the promise of adventure, and since he never promises more, I can't fault him for not delivering more.

Of course, if you've seen the Banderas blockbuster, you head into the book knowing Zorro's real name. But McCulley writes with a carefully omniscient point of view that never deeply enters any character's perspective, even Zorro's, so maybe 1919 readers got a great surprise in the final "unmasking" scene...unless they'd read The Scarlet Pimpernel, which had been out fourteen years by then.

I guess that's the main reason I'm underwhelmed by this one. Orczy smartly lets us in on the secret early so we can invest our hearts in the noble man who's risking so much. McCulley keeps the secret and keeps the reader at arms' length. On top of that, Zorro's mask--the languid persona of Diego--can't hope to measure up to the delightful exaggerated foppishness adopted by Sir Percy. While I love Marguerite's and Sir Percy's hearts enough to reread the story of their heroism, devotion, and passion, I won't reread Zorro's as there's nothing emotionally deep enough to continue mining for.

Still, as the first appearance of a legendary rogue hero, it's worth the read. Now to check out both the Fairbanks film and the Tyrone Power film!