A review by rbkegley
Greenmantle by John Buchan

3.0

The second of John Buchan's Richard Hannay novels, "Greenmantle" is set in the early days of World War I, when Great Britain, allied with Russia, is battling German forces and Turkish forces in Turkey. While the language is often jarring, and some of the then-current slang terms are mystifying today, the tropes of the modern spy novel appear clearly in this wartime adventure. The reluctant hero, pressed by his country into service for which he feels unqualified, strives against several groups of foes, giving rise to many narrow escapes and fortuitous coincidental meetings with compatriots. Altogether an enjoyable read, "Greenmantle" does not disappoint, though the breathless style is today a near caricature of itself.