NEW BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 27

NEW BOOKS

'FAR CARAVAN 1 Air E. V. Timms made a hit with ‘Conflict,’ which dealt with events in' France and England at the time of the Stuarts. Now he has given us another fine historical romance in ‘ Far Caravan.’ The scone is laid in Russian territory, and the foundation of the story is the strife between the celebrated patriarch Nikon, who carried the new Latin cross, and those who stood true to the old eight-pointed cross of the Orthodox Church. Among the half-civilised people of the Caucasus and the Steppes the fires of religious hatred burnt furiously, and terrible deeds were done. Mr Timms has the historical sense, much knowledge, and a graphic pen. He gives brilliant pictures of the long caravan routes, the gathering of the caravans and the armed Cossack hosts, the fierce fighting men of the Caucasus, the soulless barbarians, and the craft, splendour, and callousness ot Moscow and its court. This is a convincing book. Mr Timms has caught the atmosphere of those wild, lawless times when human life counted for little, when passions were unrestrained, and ambitious men ruthless. The publishers of ‘ Far Caravan ’ are Angus and Robertson, Limited, Sydney.