Scarlet Pimpernel (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) Book

Odd's Fish ! Is this book an action adventure, a romance, historical fiction?
Baroness Orczy has provided us with all that.
Tis a fun romp, I say.
Had I known how much of this story was romance, I might not have read it but then I would have missed out on how good an all round story it really is.
Baroness Orczy was a playwright and this book was adapted into a play or the play was adapted into the book. I know not which was first.
It does have it's faults but still deserving of it's place in literary history.

Sir Percy Blakeney is an English dandy in his normal life. But it is when he takes on the guise as The Scarlet Pimpernel that he becomes a hero to the French aristocrats. Crossing the English channel on his yacht, The Day Dream, in order to save .these aristocrats from their adjudged doom upon the guillotine. "Tally ho! - and away we go!"

This book's disguised hero story-line, first published in 1905, has been accredited with giving inspiration to several other literary heroes such as Batman, Zorro and The Shadow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Now I know not where those writers received their inspiration but surely there had been other, earlier, similar stories.
First comes to mind, The Bible. Josiah disguised himself in order to make war with Neco, King of Egypt. This adventure didn't turn out good for Josiah. So close, but not quite.
Then I look to ol Willy Shakes. You gotta know Shakespeare couldn't, wouldn't leave this type story-line alone.
Measure for Measure, fitting title I believe, is a play written by Shakespeare back in 1603.
In this play Vincentio, the Duke of Vienna, lets everyone know that he is leaving the city on a diplomatic mission.
What he does then is stay in the city disguised as Friar Lodowick in order to observe the governing of the city in his absence.
At the end of the play The Duke reveals himself in order the save an innocent man from the guillotine.