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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am very grateful that my LibraryThing secret Santa picked this book for me. I did not know that there were new publications available of some very old crime fiction books. This one is short but a lot of action is packed into a few pages. The book was released in 1915 as a serial fiction offering. In it we are introduced to Richard Hannay, who is a Scottish ex-pat who has made his fortune in the South African diamond mines, and has found himself in London and at loose ends because he’s bored. In pops a stranger with an even stranger tale to tell and Richard is galvanized into action to complete the job that this stranger had started before he was killed in Hannay’s flat. He begins a dangerous and harrowing journey to get the information that he received into the right hands. The book is a combination of political intrigue, adventure tale, murder and an intimate portrait of the people in Britain at this time, which is just before WW1. Everything falls on Hannay to save his country and people from the danger that threatens, and he faces some implacable enemies and some rough terrain to complete his mission. A very enjoyable little book this was and I shall be checking out other vintage crime books as well.
So I picked up this book mostly because it looked like Alfred Hitchcock married Nancy Drew--two faves of mine, but also because its "classic" mystery, a genre I hadn't explored outside Agatha Christie novels. Overall, it was an intriguing tale, filled with lots of disguises, intense pursuits, and cryptic messages. A word of caution for you English majors out there: the characters are extremely underdeveloped and the plot moves at an almost inhuman pace (an entire adventure in less than 150 pages?!?), two things I found really annoying when reading this book. But keep in mind that the author meant for this book to resemble American "dime store" novels, which is probably why it feels so superficial. Ultimately, this is an entertaining book, and one you could easily read on a snowy afternoon when classes are canceled.
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
You may think you know the story if you have seen the Hitchcock movie or the more recent BBC version with David Tennant. Buchan's original tale holds its own and is worth reading.
I've only fallen asleep while reading with two books, and this is one of them. Even though it's only a 100 pages or so, it felt so, so much longer than that. It reminds me of some movie from the 60s that old white men *love*, but is literally the most boring thing you can imagine.
adventurous
mysterious
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Definitely of its time, but it was a fun read. The mystery is interesting and the plot keeps you engaged.
I think I first heard of this while browsing lists of classic Scottish literature. It's referred to as one of the earliest spy novels, a man-on-the-run thriller really, in which an ordinary man finds himself wrapped up in an international conspiracy with his country's safety on the line. This is the first in half a dozen novels featuring Richard Hannay, and it's been adapted to film multiple times (none of which I've seen), the earliest being a Hitchcock film from 1935. It looks like a new adaptation is in the works as well, due out in 2018.
This is a very short novel, and even at this length I felt it drag on in parts. It begins just before World War I in 1914 with Richard Hannay arriving in London after working in Rhodesia for many years. He's incredibly bored with this new life, so when a stranger with a crazy story begs for his help, he takes the time to listen to him and provide him a place to stay where a busier man may have just moved on. The man claims to have uncovered a plot to assassinate the Greek premier during his upcoming stay in London, with the goal to destabilize the continent in the wake of war. Those chasing him soon turn their attention to Hannay, and he runs north to Scotland with these anarchists in pursuit.
The rest of the story is Richard Hannay sneaking through bushes, being chased through Scottish moors, disguising himself in working class clothing, and participating in some fairly implausible events. I did enjoy Buchan's writing, which was the saviour here, but this wasn't the most thrilling thriller I've read. It feels like its longevity is largely due to it defining a new genre and it having been adapted into a well-loved Hitchcock film.
At this point, I don't think I'll carry on with the series, although I am intrigued. I may let myself be convinced to read further in the future.
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This is a very short novel, and even at this length I felt it drag on in parts. It begins just before World War I in 1914 with Richard Hannay arriving in London after working in Rhodesia for many years. He's incredibly bored with this new life, so when a stranger with a crazy story begs for his help, he takes the time to listen to him and provide him a place to stay where a busier man may have just moved on. The man claims to have uncovered a plot to assassinate the Greek premier during his upcoming stay in London, with the goal to destabilize the continent in the wake of war. Those chasing him soon turn their attention to Hannay, and he runs north to Scotland with these anarchists in pursuit.
The rest of the story is Richard Hannay sneaking through bushes, being chased through Scottish moors, disguising himself in working class clothing, and participating in some fairly implausible events. I did enjoy Buchan's writing, which was the saviour here, but this wasn't the most thrilling thriller I've read. It feels like its longevity is largely due to it defining a new genre and it having been adapted into a well-loved Hitchcock film.
At this point, I don't think I'll carry on with the series, although I am intrigued. I may let myself be convinced to read further in the future.
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