First published in 1869, "Lorna Doone" is the story of John Ridd, a farmer who finds love amid the religious and social turmoil of seventeenth-century England.

He is just a boy when his father is slain by the Doones, a lawless clan inhabiting wild Exmoor on the border of Somerset and Devon.

Seized by curiosity and a sense of adventure, he makes his way to the valley of the Doones, where he is discovered by the beautiful Lorna.

In time their childish fantasies blossom into mature love - a bond that will inspire John to rescue his beloved from the ravages of a stormy winter, rekindling a conflict with his archrival, Carver Doone, that climaxes in heartrending violence.

Beloved for its portrait of star-crossed lovers and its surpassing descriptions of the English countryside, "Lorna Doone" is R.

D. Blackmore's enduring masterpiece.