Secret Identity

[n00n2003]

I'm a fan of Secret Identity theme and was wondering if anyone can recommend any books with Secret Identity.

[John K]

Could you elaborate a little on what you mean by Secret Identity theme?

[DiapDealer]

I would think that a big part of the fun of a secret identity type theme would be in not knowing there was a secret identity to be revealed.

[hildea]

Georgette Heyer "The Masqueraders"

It tells the story of a brother and a sister who, to prevent the brother from getting hanged as a Jacobite traitor, disguise themselves as…a brother and a sister. It’s best to just roll with this. Under their false names and switched genders, they swiftly enter London society without a hint of suspicion. Again, roll with it. And as if things weren’t complicated enough, their father, or, as they call him, the old gentleman, has returned to London, claiming to be Robert Tremaine, Viscount Barham, with the ever so slight complication that Robert Tremaine is supposedly dead, and another cousin is claiming the title. But never to worry. As the old gentleman reminds us, he is a great man. A very great man.

[hildea]

Lois McMaster Bujold: The Vorkosigan Saga

On the backward planet of Barrayar, lord Vorkosigan is the obscure son of a famous father, given a cushy job as courier for Imperial Security because of nepotism. In the wider galaxy, the flamboyant admiral Naismith leads a mercenary company which excels in rescues and intelligence operations. Only a handful of people know that they are the same person, and that the Dendarii Mercenaries work for ImpSec.

You can start with Miles Vorkosigan's story in "Warrior's Apprentice" (also published as part of the omnibus "Young Miles"). Or you can start with his parents' story ("Shards of Honor" + "Barrayar", also published as "Cordelia's Honor") -- it has a lot of secret missions and subterfuge, but only one section of outright secret identities.

[n00n2003]

I mean with a hero who has a secret identity like: Zorro, Scarlet pimpernel and so on.....


Thank you all for this recommendations

[John K]

The Count of Monte Cristo is the first to come to mind.

[n00n2003]

Originally Posted by John K

The Count of Monte Cristo is the first to come to mind.

this is one of my childhood favorites

[hildea]

There's also The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope, which is OK, and the great The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles, which tells the story as it really happened

Prisoner of Zenda (from this review of Henchmen, which spoils Prisoner, so don't read it if that bothers you):

Rudolf V, the new King of (the fictional) small European country of Ruritania, is drugged on the eve of his coronation by those working for his half-brother, Michael, Duke of Strelsau, who wants the throne for himself. In a desperate attempt to stop Michael, those loyal to the king persuade an English gentleman (Rudolf Rassendyll) who bears an uncanny resemblance to the monarch and happens to be holidaying in their country to impersonate the king during the coronation.

Henchmen of Zenda:

Swordfights, lust, betrayal, murder: just another day for a henchman.

Jasper Detchard is a disgraced British officer, now selling his blade to the highest bidder. Currently that's Michael Elphberg, half-brother to the King of Ruritania. Michael wants the throne for himself, and Jasper is one of the scoundrels he hires to help him take it. But when Michael makes his move, things don't go entirely to plan—and the penalty for treason is death.

Rupert of Hentzau is Michael's newest addition to his sinister band of henchmen. Charming, lethal, and intolerably handsome, Rupert is out for his own ends—which seem to include getting Jasper into bed. But Jasper needs to work out what Rupert's really up to amid a maelstrom of plots, swordfights, scheming, impersonation, desire, betrayal, and murder.

Nobody can be trusted. Everyone has a secret. And love is the worst mistake you can make.

A retelling of the swashbuckling classic The Prisoner of Zenda from a very different point of view.

[curtw]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I would think that a big part of the fun of a secret identity type theme would be in not knowing there was a secret identity to be revealed.

Yeah, so I'll ruin another classic by recommending it here: Random Harvest, by James Hilton.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by hildea

There's also The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope, which is OK, and the great The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles, which tells the story as it really happened

I'm going to bite on Henchmen. Thanks!

[Darqref]

Try "The Great Impersonation"

Summary: a man is impersonating a man who is impersonating himself. You can't tell until the end which one is which.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gr...onation_(novel)

[n00n2003]

Originally Posted by hildea

There's also The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope, which is OK, and the great The Henchmen of Zenda by KJ Charles, which tells the story as it really happened

Prisoner of Zenda (from this review of Henchmen, which spoils Prisoner, so don't read it if that bothers you):


Henchmen of Zenda:

I read Prisoner of Zenda in my school like 15 years ago.

[n00n2003]

Originally Posted by curtw

Yeah, so I'll ruin another classic by recommending it here: Random Harvest, by James Hilton.

I watched the movie it was very touching I was yelling at the male lead " remember you, fool " all the time

[n00n2003]

Originally Posted by Darqref

Try "The Great Impersonation"

Summary: a man is impersonating a man who is impersonating himself. You can't tell until the end which one is which.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gr...onation_(novel)

This sounds great I will try to read it