PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 June 1930, Page 10

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED

“ . . . A love Lorn of his gradual knowledge of the bedrock simplicity and goodness of-her. . . She went out and lie was left alone with the blue flames. Their message was clear at last. You don’t get quite what you wanted, but it turns out all right. There’s a pattern in life. The things that you think are the things that you think aren’t going to make you happy do. Life isn’t cruel. It hurts, but heals the hurt. . . .

If you let it have its way with you, it brings peace and happiness in the end. . . As it did in the interesting story contained in “Blue Flames” (Ilodder and Stoughton), the latest work of Richmal Crompton, a miniature saga, which compares more than favourably with the authoress’s trilogy of “The ‘>7idlings,” so favourably acclaimed by notable critics and the reading public alike. “Blue Flames” gives us a de : lightful study of borne life and interesting characters and character studies. Interest aroused at the outset by a charming true-to-life account of a lad’s twelfth birthday, his hopes and aspirations, increases as we are taken from 1899 lo 1909, then from 1919 to 1930 through a scries of changing adventures and experiences by no means devoid of excitement. And all the time it is bright, human and wholesome. Bichmal Crompton's novels are always welcome.

Max Brand is a deservedly popular writer of fiction who has given us some very good stories. In “Mistral,” another production of those prolific publishers, Messrs Ffodder and Stoughton (per their Australian and New Zealand representative, Mr W. S. Smart), we are provided with another—one quite different yet none the less enthralling. Mistral, we learn, is a magnificent greywhile stallion, swift and fierce as the wind after which he was named. They called him the “grey fiend” too, for with all his strength and speed, lie was tameless and had been twice a “killer.” This is not only the story of Mistral, hut of Lin Bister too, a young man who knew a horse when he saw one, and was willing, in several well-written impressive scenes, to sacrifice his heritage and everything he owned rather than part with Urn brute. How lie tamed Mistral and together with the stallion rode a great race, how treachery and misfortune robbed him of his chance to win, and how the grim hazard lie took brought him another last opportunity, make one of the most thrilling, breathtaking stories Max Brand has written. One’s imagination is strained at times, hut the impression on the reader remains vivid.

So much success attended the publication of Bat. T.awlor’s "Maori Tales” (now in its thirteenth thousand—a great achievement) that the New Century Press Ltd. brought- out another volume, "More Maori Tales,” which is now followed hv a' third similar publication, “Still More Maori Tales,” which also seems destined to achieve much success. Those tales 1 lave appealed so greatly to a section of the reading public that Mr Lawlor is wondering what title to give the fourth volume, which he thinks will he demanded. Perhaps he may light upon "Fill ’em up again, Maori Tales.”