SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 52, 24 November 1917, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

A New "Chambers." It is some time now since the popular American novelist, Mr. E. W. Chambers f«m° s ? mw MWenßth novel, and I he Dark Star" (D. Applcton and Co., Nc«r lork; per S. and W. Mackay) is therefore all the more welcome. It is a 6toiy which should nt once become very popular, for it is brimful of exciting incident, a story told with all that fascinating dramatic entrain which niado Air. Chamber's "Ashes of Empire," "King in Yellow," "Maids of lariulise, Xorraino," and other of his earlier ■ productions such excellent reading. Tho plot centres round some plans of tho fortifications of tho Dardanelles, rrado at.Slamboul before the war by a German spy, at whoso death they passed into the possession of an American missionary who takes thorn away to a quiet . New England villatro to whioh he has retired on a pension from his society. When war brenks out, tho Germans make strenuous efforts to discover the whereabouts of tho precious documents, end Russian emissaries aro also on the look-out for them. By a curious chanco they fall into the hands of Jack Neehvnd. a young American artist, in lovo with the missionary's daughter. Tho latter is cheated into a shsmi marriago with nn unscrupulous New York Rambler, but is rescued on her wedding dav by tho artist, who 6onds her away to Paris to study art, under tho protection of a Eussian princess, an old friend of his. Tho missionnry and his wifo die, nnd when war breaks out Neeland gets nn urgent wire from tho princess to secure tho mysterious box of papers which hn<l been left in tlio old people's homo. Be straightway sets forth to executo his mission, but finds a German lady spy I beforo him. The papers only become his property after an exciting struggle, and when taking them to Europe, tho artist is tho object of several daring attacks on his_ lifo, in which'two German agents, of quite incredible resourcefulness and daring, take part. Once in Paris ho is on his way to deposit tho papers in snfo keeping, when a bribed chauffeur and a bogus accident enable tho ever-vigilant Teutons to secure them How in Paris the artist's fortunes become entangled with those of tho missionary's pretty daughter, tlio Russian princess, and a host of other people, it would take too long to tell. Thero ie a nocturnal fight in a cafe, in which French police ngonta, apaches, American crooks, German spies, and Russian and Turkish officers nil take part, which is a veritable triumph of dramatic narrative. Mr. Chambers proves that his hand has not lost any of its old cunning. Ho is to bo conRratulated upon giving ue a really firstrate story of sensation, plus that little dash of sentiment which many readers find so agTceable. By all means put "Tho Dark Star" on the next list you send to your bookseller. You will find it an excoptionally entertaining 6tory. Tho Worldly Hope. The war is well to the front in "Tho Worldly Hope," by "F. 0.0." (Eveleigh Nash; per Whitcombo and Tombs). Tho author, it may be Temembered, wrote thoso two excellent books, "With tho Guns" and "The Making of a Gunner," nnd naturally enough, when his hero, John Partington, goes to tho front, ho does so as nn artilleryman. His military enthusiasm does not prevent his falling in lovo with a married lndy whoso husband is in a mental hosm'tnl. Tho hero is torn asunder by conflicting emotions of love and patriotic -duty, but duty triumphs. Tho end is almost brutally cruel, for when tho gunner is finally granted long leavo and hastens to tho woman who has at length been set free by tho death of her insano hnsbnnd, ho finds hor lying dead as the result of a taxi accident. The war scenes aro dramatic and convincing, find the story is rich in psychological studies. T wouhf. however, Uiat the author had chosen to mako these two very fine people finally happy. Tho Postmaster's Daughter. Mr. Louis Tracy is a practised storyteller. His novels mako no prctenco to any groat literary merit, but they always grip and retain the interest of their readers. With Mr. Tracy there are no "longuours," no padding. With him "the fitory'fl tbo thing." In "Tho Postmaster's Daughter" (Cnssell nnd Co., per H. and W. Mackay), ho gives us nn exceptionally good "detective" yarn. A beautiful actress is found murdered just outsido tho grounds of a novelist of rising repute, who for some time lies under grave euepioion of h&vißg got ,

yid by foul moans of a woman who was jiKely to prove troublesome to him. Tlio lieromo, daughter of the village postraasWγ. and tljo novelist's sweetheart, reiuses to boliovo ho is guilty, and stands by him through thick and thin. In tho unravelmeut of tho mystery and tho sheeting homo of the crime to a local chemist, who suffers from homicidal insanity, two Scotland Yard detectives Play a prominent part. Each in his way is a. very shrewd and entertaining character. A capital story in its <nvu class.

Grapes of Wrath. book by tho author of "Action Front" and "Betweon tbo Lines" is sure of a hearty welcome, and Mr. Boyd table well lives up to his reputation as £ writer o f wm , s t or ; M j n j,j g ] n test book, Grapes of Wrath" (Smith, Elder and w>.; per Georgo Robertson and Co., Melbourne). Tho now story deals largely with the fighting on tho Sommo. Most ol it written while tho author was actually in tho Sommo area or between visits to it, and although tho fictional iorm has been adopted, tho author's leading idea lias been to describe what a Big 1 usli is liko from tho point of view of an ordinary, averago infantry private, how much he sees, and knows, and suffers JJ 1 .".big battle, with Rlimpses of tho spirit that animates tho new armies, tho enduranco that has mado them moro than a match for tho Germans, the acceptance of appalling and impossible horrors as tho workaday business and routine of battle, and the discipline and training: that lias fused such a mixture or material into tempered fighting metal." jur. Cable introduces us moro particularly to four chums, Larry Arundel, son of a wealthy London merchant; Billy binison, a Board School product, oxerrand boy, and "counter-hand" in a nttlo suburban "emporium"; Ben Sneatli, an «x-London waif, "frankly of (ho lower orders , "'; and Jefferson Leo, otherwise Kentuck." an American of the Americans. The Tcader follows tho fortunes of the four through many weeks or fighting, and becomes fascinated by a narrative which never flags in interest, and which will only bo put down when the end is reached. Mr. CaWe brings tio war ngnt home to us. He is never theatrical, but ever realistic. The humorous note Ts not absent, though it is occasionally somewhat grim. Here and tliere we get glimpses of tho Anzac, and iind them in high favour with the "Tommies. Anyono who wants to know the exact working of tho "Pepperpots" and tanks should turn to Mr. Cable's vi«orosshMyrfcton chapters. Amongst the bewildering deluge of war books, this of Mr. Cable's should certainly not bo overlooked.