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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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:
No
adventurous
tense
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:
No
For the first spy novel, this was bloody great. I read it in one go, and I'm so glad I did. It's fast paced and punchy, and the plot is exciting.
There is a hefty dose of casual racism, however, and the main character is a bit of a selfish, wreckless ass, which endangers people often.
I feel like this wouldn't be published today but for a book from over a century ago, it's very good.
Bonus fact: This book contains the word 'funk', which I never knew is over a century old.
There is a hefty dose of casual racism, however, and the main character is a bit of a selfish, wreckless ass, which endangers people often.
I feel like this wouldn't be published today but for a book from over a century ago, it's very good.
Bonus fact: This book contains the word 'funk', which I never knew is over a century old.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Thirty-Nine Steps was an incredible, over-the-top, old school spy novel originally published in 1915. It is set in 1914 England and Scotland, starring our hero, Richard Hanney, who has the uncanny talent for getting out of difficult situations, often in fantastical ways.
In this first book of a series featuring the reckless, thrill-seeking Hanney, he stumbles upon international intrigue within the first few pages, and the breakneck pace continues through to the very end of the tale. There have been several film adaptations, and the story itself does have the potential for making spectacular action movies.
After learning that the stability of Europe is in danger, Hanney flees both the English police and a shadowy nefarious spy organization, heading north to the countryside in Scotland. As he attempts to decipher what exactly is happening, and how he can prevent disaster, he madly dashes across the countryside, only just ahead of those pursuing him. What follows are close calls, improbable situations, and lucky encounter after lucky encounter.
While this is typical of the 'sacrifice everything for country' breed of espionage novels, this was a little too implausible to be something that I would want to re-read. There are several things I disliked about the book - casual racism, careless endangerment of bystanders, and an overly-cocky hero walking the line between swashbuckling and manic alphahole with a knack for incredibly lucky escapes.
The good parts are the pacing - it is what it is, a fast, action-filled historic thriller.
In this first book of a series featuring the reckless, thrill-seeking Hanney, he stumbles upon international intrigue within the first few pages, and the breakneck pace continues through to the very end of the tale. There have been several film adaptations, and the story itself does have the potential for making spectacular action movies.
After learning that the stability of Europe is in danger, Hanney flees both the English police and a shadowy nefarious spy organization, heading north to the countryside in Scotland. As he attempts to decipher what exactly is happening, and how he can prevent disaster, he madly dashes across the countryside, only just ahead of those pursuing him. What follows are close calls, improbable situations, and lucky encounter after lucky encounter.
While this is typical of the 'sacrifice everything for country' breed of espionage novels, this was a little too implausible to be something that I would want to re-read. There are several things I disliked about the book - casual racism, careless endangerment of bystanders, and an overly-cocky hero walking the line between swashbuckling and manic alphahole with a knack for incredibly lucky escapes.
The good parts are the pacing - it is what it is, a fast, action-filled historic thriller.
mysterious
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
fast-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Back when I was just getting into reading as a kid I remember my best friend lending me a copy of this book when I mentioned that I liked Sherlock Holmes
And I did end up enjoying it back then .
The more I read these days the more I’m willing to pay for that feeling where I could pick up any book from the library and enjoy it , all there’s left today is an grumpy soulless reader soul who’s sick of everything
Fast forward to present when I found an audible freebie of this book and me being out of options to read decided why not revisit an old friend .
And right from the beginning I smelled bullshit..
You’re bored and unstimulated and someone comes upto you with a “world-saving mission “ , BUT HAS NO PROOF of anything he has said but will show it tomorrow , just let him sleep AT YOUR FUCKING PLACE , and guess what ?? he ends up getting killed AT YOUR PLACE .. so guess who’s stimulated now ???
And somehow with all this absurdity, the book still manages to be so dry and BORING.
He keeps going to everyone blindly and keeps doing the same ass bullshit he did in the beginning.
And his dry-ass can’t even be entertaining about it.
Note to self : don’t go digging up your old reads
And I did end up enjoying it back then .
The more I read these days the more I’m willing to pay for that feeling where I could pick up any book from the library and enjoy it , all there’s left today is an grumpy soulless reader soul who’s sick of everything
Fast forward to present when I found an audible freebie of this book and me being out of options to read decided why not revisit an old friend .
And right from the beginning I smelled bullshit..
You’re bored and unstimulated and someone comes upto you with a “world-saving mission “ , BUT HAS NO PROOF of anything he has said but will show it tomorrow , just let him sleep AT YOUR FUCKING PLACE , and guess what ?? he ends up getting killed AT YOUR PLACE .. so guess who’s stimulated now ???
And somehow with all this absurdity, the book still manages to be so dry and BORING.
He keeps going to everyone blindly and keeps doing the same ass bullshit he did in the beginning.
And his dry-ass can’t even be entertaining about it.
Note to self : don’t go digging up your old reads