A fun, frivolous, and cheesy bit of pulp adventure escapism that is not at all great writing, but works as a quick read to pass the time in a boring afternoon. It’s the perfect airport/waiting room reading -- the kind of novel where the wind is always “shrieking” and the rain is “a solid sheet.” The bad guys twirl their mustaches and exclaim "Meal mush and goat's milk!", while the good guys (in this case, “Señor Zorro”) are always everywhere at once (when the hell does this guy sleep?) to save the fair señorita from some mildly threatening occurrence. The novel was published in a pulp magazine in 1929 in five parts, and it reads like it. We know the identity of Zorro practically from page one, which I can only hope was McCulley’s intention. (I mean, if you’re shocked by the reveal at the end, I imagine you were probably also blown away by Clark Kent’s clever glasses disguise…) While Zorro himself is a memorable character as the Spanish Robin Hood of the American southwest, the supporting stock characters are totally forgettable. The plot is silly and flimsy and clichéd, but perfect for adapting into the kind of Saturday morning serial television show that would be produced in the 50s. Not recommended, unless you’re curious to read the original Zorro tale. And even then there are better versions and adaptations (both literary and cinematic) that would give you the same bit of adventure at a higher quality.