SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 232, 25 June 1921, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

“The People of the Ruins.”Mr. Edward Shanks, the author of "The People of the Ruins” (W. CoI,V U6 f Sons and Co., per Whitcombe Tombs), is one of the cleverest of tNv younger school of English poets and literary critics, being th© author of that fine poem "The Queen of China," and an amusing novel, “The Old Indispensables," as well as assisting Mr. J. C. Squire in editing that now famous literary magazine, the "London Mercury. In “The People of tho Ruins, a story of the English Revolution and After," he depicts tho English of 2070 living amidst the remains of a world torn asunder by revolution. Tho rneang by which his hero, after witnessing _ tho outbreak of the revolution, is deprived of consciousness for close upon a. century and a half—the revolution occurs in 192-I—is very ingeniously imagined. U’heii the young scientist of 192-1, Jeremiah Tuft, wakes Tip, he finds, to employ an expression he had heard just before the universal flmash, that "the Gohlen Age had tripped over tho mat.” The world to which he awakens is, to tell the truth a- very horrible affair. All progress,’ almost all civilisation as we understand it to-day, had gone by the board. Most pf the conveniences, most of tho comforts, some even of the decencies of tho old English life had disappeared. War, alas, still remains, and the young scientist finds himself put to the work of repairing and reconstructing certain ancient guns with Yhich the Speaker,” or President of the Government which rules Southern England, hopes io vanquish enemies from tno North and from Wales. Also, very happily, love remains, and the hero nromptlv becomes enamoured of the autocrat’s "pretty daughter. There is some pretty love-making to relieve the general drabness and grimness of the young man’s surroundings, but the story ends in tragedy, for the "Speaker « killed in the war brought against him by the Northerners and the Welsh, and the poor scientist and the lovely Lady Eva, after wandering miserably over the bu--sex downs, seeking escape to branch, eventually suffer the same fate. Mr. Shanks might have been a little more generous in his description of the actual ways of living °f the English of 2970-how Mr. 11. G. Welle would revel in such a task-but he deals more with wavs of goverument-or misgovernment -and truth (o tell, his picture, if it be possessed of any prophet.n; value, is far from alluring. An ingeniously conceived and well-written novel.

"Sarah and Her Daughter.” Life in the New York Ghetto, and more particularly in the struggles against a persistently evil fortune of a hard-working, very worthy woman and her children, are tho subjects of Bertha Pearl’s novel, "Sarah and Her Daughter" (N.Y., Thomas Seltzer; per Whitcombe and Tombs). Poor Sarah Mardels first husband is a Talinud-revering Jew from Memel, whose strict observance of tho Jewish Sabbath proves a heavy handicap against his worldly success. The earlier scenes in the story, vffiere the Mendels almost starve amidst the sordid atmosphere of a peculiarly horrible slum, make painful reading. Later on. tho unlucky Eneas dies, and tlia widow, with characteristic self-resource and energy, manages to start wliat promises to ho a successful business, a business, however, which involves a dull slavery for her children. She marries again, and the oliler-t girl, who has been better educated, rebels, and goes out to make her own way in the world. Poor Minnie is, however, almost as unlucky as her mother has been. Before marriage relieves her from unremitting toil and almost unspeakable hardship, her fine independent spirit is almost broken. There is tragedy in the story, but there is much rc'ieving comedy, one or two of tlie characters reminding the reader of that amusing pair, Messrs. Potash and Perlmutter. As a picture of industrial conditions in New’ York Jewry, tho story has a distinct sociological value. Two Stories by Katherine Tynan.

In neither of tho two stories in a volume entitled “The Second Wife" (John Murray, per Whitcombe and Tombs;, is Katherine Tynan at her best. In tho first tho heroine has to fight hard to win the love of a rather stupid husband, an artist who fails to perceive her true quality. In the second the heroine, a woman n little over thirty, finds her happiness threatened by a greedy and intriguing little adopted niece. The second story has a French background, which affords some picturesque local colour, but in both stories there is a pervading uir of artificiality, and the dialogue lacks that agreeable piquancy which ha been a characteristic of Miss Tynan s earlier work. It is only fair, however, to say that both stories are written in a light, pleasant style, and are very readable. "The La Chance Mine Mystery.” If ever a story made a special demand for film reproduction it. is Mr. S. Carlieton’s novel, "The I.a Chance Mine Mystery” (Little, Brown, and Co., per Whitcombe and Tombs). The lilaorality of the author in the provision of dramatic incident fairly approaches prodigality — there is enough sensation in the story for quite half a dozen novels. Tho hero is a voting mining engineer, who is in loro with a beautiful but rather mysterious girl of Rus'ian extraction. Before Nick Stretton wins his lovely "dream girl” he has to combat the rivalry and thwart the villainy of o mine manager, Macartney, who is n desperately resourceful scoundrel. Tho lovers win through in the end, but not until Nick emerges victorious from a baffle royal in which nis enemy displays equal determination and cunning. Tim setting of this vigorouslytold ■ storv—as good a yarn nf its kind as o:m could wish to rend—is «nitnlilv picturesque. Frozen forest-., ferocious wolves, daring onflows, villainy made ■_ doubly formidable by the mrbtlenoss of its planning—all th" elements of Wild North drama nre here. “Her Chosen Part.”

Mr. Hamilton Drummond's new novel, "Her Chosen Part” (Stanley, Paul and Co.), is a romance of the Italian Renaissance period, n full-blooded, vigorouslytold story, iu which gallant soldiers, cunning eta teamen, ambitious courtiers, and high-born ladies play leading roles in a brilliantly staged semi-historical drama. The heroine is a very beautiful and almost saintly personage, who, for purely State purposes, is married, regardless ot her private desires and secret personal affections, to a ruffianly prince, a true type, of tho vicious-living fifteenth century Italian aristocrat. Mr. Hamilton is, as usual, very liberal in his supply of exciting incident, and readers of his welltold story are assured of good entertainment. Some Australian Fiction.

From tho New South Wales Bookstall Company, Sydney, come several now volumes in'the popular Bookstall Series: "The Savagery of Margaret Nestor, a Tale of Northern Queensland.” Iry Jack M'Laron: "The Fenceless Ranges,” by jtov Bridges; ‘‘Badger and the Boarders,” bv Ernest C. Ferrell; and "Yellow Silver,’’ bv Edward Meryon. Both bush and citv life are reflected in these storks. which, although perhaps of no great literary merit, will make successful appeal to lovers of the ultra-sensational, or, aa in tho case of Mr. Ferrnll’s story, to those who find delight in fictional comedy. "The Great Accident.” "The Great Accident,” by Ben Aves Williams (Mills and Boon; per Whitcombe and Tombs, Ltd.), is a well-writ-ten story of life in a small industrial centre in Ohio, Hardiston by name. The interest, turns upon a motif somewhat similar to that of Chambers’s well-known story, "The Fighting Chance.” Young Winthrop Chase, expelled from his university for drunkenness, is elected mayor of the city, as the result of a cunning

plot hatched by his father’s bitter political opponent, old Amos Caretali, the Congressman for tho district. He is supported by the "wets,” who hope, under his mayoralty, to have full freedom to violate tho prohibition regulations to which, under “county option,” tho town has become subject. How tho young Mayor struggles, on his own behalf, and in tho brat interests of the town of which an accident has made him chief citizen, against evil influences and interests, how the struggle is complicated by political rivalries and by certain sentimental influences which are brought to bear upon the Mayor bv his faithful sweetheart and her jealous and unscrupulous rival, the Congressman’s daughter, are set. forth in. a very entertaining and, in places, quite exciting l story. Incidentally, the New Zealand reader of tho book will glean some very curious information ns to the methode of municipal administration in the smaller American towns.