REVIEWS FOR READERS.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2813, 13 September 1915, Page 4

REVIEWS FOR READERS.

"LOVE-BIRDS IN THE COCONUTS." ' Peter Blundeil is one of the quaintest of modern novelists, and lie works over a, ground, Malaya, that has not been exploited l>y other writers so that olio would notice it. "The Einger of Mr Blee" and "Oh, Mr Bidgoocil" wero each reviewed in the SStak, as they were published. Now cometj "Love-birds m the Coco-nuts," also appearing in the Bodley Head Library, and sent out by John Lano Ltd., London. Tho Blundeil characters are now and quite unusual, and the author retains their quaintness by tiie manner of the narration of tno tale, which is sometimes told by the chicl character, Lolina, the gorgeous one who inherited a hotel from an aged husband, and sometime* by her understudy, Mr NubkiMs, "tiie famous London author." The story centres round Lohua and Ferdinand, the marriage of nephew and aunt, the intrigue on Lolmas part to capture in marriage a passion-stricken European Magistrate ivho thought he was too cunning for even an astute Eurasian. Ferdinand is a great piece of character-drawing, and he brings the East so vividly to tho Western minu that Mr Blundeil has scored as great an achievement with Ferdinand Fernandez a.s with Mr Blee. Give us some more of tho East and its types and customs, Mr Blundeil. "ON DESERT ALTARS." Norma Lonuiier, with "A Wife Out of Egypt," "By the Waters of Sicily," some other travelogues and now "On Desert Altars," may be taken to be a much-travelled lady. She us red-blooded, too; for her tales are really too tropical for Mrs Grundy and the loung Person, for whom "On Desert Altars'" was certainly not written. It is no use condemning this sort of novel, xlie more indignant tho critic becomes with the sex-pro-blematical novel, ,the more they flourish. Miss Ixwimer preaches the gospel of freedom of action, and demonstrates how the Nonconformist Conscience operates against the freelover. Whilst her heroine is deterred from going into the Tunisian desert with her lover because of what mother might think, she 'gives herself for much-needed money to a wealthy Jew vi London without stopping to consider what her husband would think. Aud that is the tragedy of "On Desert Altars," which is published in Stanley Paul's Empire Library (Whitcombo and Tombs, THE LATESI MAGAZINES. Romance for September (.from the New I'ietion Co., i\ew York) iias an excellent novelette ol mystery, "The disappearing Diamonds," by George EUieioert Walsh, and June Wellington's strango serual, "The Master of the Ghosts,'' becomes more absorbingly interesting. Louise Rice, who lias an expert Knowledge of delineation by handwriting, Letts the second mystery of the House of the Graphologist. There are nine other short stories, their writers including Allan Dunn and Octavus Roy Cohen. "The Underlying Moiiive," by Gay F. Stant, is unusually good. There are, in addition to the above items, four pieces of verso and better.

People's for September (from the editor) presents thu unusual even m an ail-iiction magazine—a complete book-length novel uealing with motorcar racing, "High by Clinton H. Stagg. The same author tells tno first of a series of up-to-date episodes,

"Tho Movie Makers" ("The Camera or Courage"), neadon Hill, one of England's most expert writers ox mystery stories, provides the first instalment of ins latest novel, "The Plunder Ship." The themes of the short sturies are baseball, business, polo, mysicry, soldiery in the Philippines, robbery at sea, smuggling —ami love, of course. There are 22-5 pages for the shilling.

Town ToptcSj New York's smartest weekly society journal, which comes to us regularly through the courtesy of Editor Colonel Maun, has broken out in a new place: it is publishing ihe v genealogical trees of prominent American iamnies—most interesting ami h.storie compilations.

The iViotion Picture News, dales up to August 7 (.from thy editorj, is big with Uio activities of managers, promoters, ;mu players in and out of conventions during Exhibition time and also with enterprises in the production of serial and short photoplay*. Admirably aud profusely pictured, well written, freely paged with attractive advertisements, the News is a great medium for the trade as well as pationfe of tho picture show business of America.