SHORTER NOTICES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7319, 24 December 1910, Page 9

SHORTER NOTICES.

Russo-American. Thu opening episode in Leroy Scott’s novel ol modern Russian life, as studied bv a, smart young business man. from "Chicago (“Tho Shears of Destiny," London, Hodder and Stoughton; Wol--liugton, Whitcombe and Tombs), evokes memories of Archibald Clavering Gun- 1 ten’s story, “My Official Life," for again wo have a young American saving a. lovely Russian lady from arrest by passing her ofi to the police as his wife. , Mr Scott,; however, has written, an original, exciting, and very, readable story, the heroine of which, Sonya (sn rely ail Russia a girls are not christened Sonin, or, Sonya;, is a very charming personage. The story deals very largely with the revolutionary -movement and .possesses some exceptionally well drawn characters. The sentimentally inclined may be disappointed with the conclusion,-but any oilier’ end would have been inartistic and have jarred with the author’s careful analysis of. Sonya’s character. Good Value." i Two reprints from Ward, Lock ami Co." (Wellington: S. -and.- W. Mackay) are published at two shillings! a. : volume,i although ' well bound and illustrated, and of the same format as tlio usual three and sixpenny .editions; ..These are Stanley Weyman’s fine historical novel,, "My Lady Rotha," a story of ,lh6 i Gel-' man wars . of the earlier part of the, seventeenth century, and Mr A. E. W. Mason’s novel, "Lawrence Clavering, ’’ a well-told story of the ■Jacobite revolt in winch Lord Derwentwator and; the northern - nobility who . remained faithful to the Stuarts, played so important a part. “The Prize.” . Sydney Grier's latest , 'Story, “The Prize’’ (Edinburgh : Blackwood's;,- is not exactly a sequel to "'The Heir" and ■•’The Heritage," but it belongs to tue same series of Miss Grier s stories, m which "Uie author deals’ with, politics aigd .life .generally in Eastern- Europe. Like its predecessors -it demands a car-e-. ful ’ gi‘asp"-,of " its- leading' threads.. but once the reader’s attention is; gripped, it is held firmly to the last chapter. The plot of ;;"Th6 Prize" -id.; very ingenious and is even more intricate than is nsuially*-the case with this clever writer. Personally, T like, Miss 'Grier best in her ■ Indian stories. One does, not readily forget “The Warden, of the Marches" and - that; admirable historical story, "'Like,-Another Helen.” v ".V..;,':.'

Master and Man. * Mr Adam Gotrans . 'White’s novel, “The . Templeton Tradition"'! .(Blackwood’s), is a. good workmanlike story of a successful but somewhat cold and seltceutred Scottish .who ’has to contend against some serious difficulties,- the worst of which are ; a strike of his employees .and, a temporary failure, of his firm to maintain its; hold on 1 the market., Hard-hearted as' he is supposed to bo, Templeton offers . fifty pouuHs •to , tlio lather of an .unscrupulous agitator who , has fomented Who trouble at the .works, meaning it to be devoted secretly, to, helping the suffering ’wives,and. .families. Upon this is founded an- aotkm.Wor damages by the trades union secretary, who . puts his -own father, previously most carefully coaoh 7 ed,' into the box. At , a second trial, however,, the, old man’s conscience being awakened,; he makes . a dramatic confession, and-Whe previous verdict;is re-' versed,. The Templeton brothers are Well drawn characters, and there are some very humorous touches in the portrait of oil Sandy llobb, whoprides himself upon being one of "tine ■elect." Also, there is a very pretty love two such .stories, in, fact—interwoven with Who narrative of the Templetons and their fortunes.

A Novel with a Purpose. ; "TheLandof His Fathers.” by A. J. I Dawson {London.: Constable and Co.) is ■a strong? sincere novel iritli. a- purpose, the author's ' object being no doubt to stir tip public opinion in the Old Country. to a due sense" of, the evil; that .is wrought by tire continued existence of ■the. "submerged tenth." A wealthy young Canadian comes to London, and shocked -by the degrading, poverty ho witnesses cheek by jowl with wealth, ease, and; luxury, 1 devotes himself to the •task of helping the poor to help thorneel ves, : in the American phrase, to “make good." There is. of coursei a love interest in'the story, which is vigorously written, and contains some cseeptioaally well drawn characters. Frank Bullen's Latest, Frank T. Bullen is, as we all known by this time, thoroughly And'"specially at home when lie is telling the. story of aUvhalinj; venture. In., hi®:, latest book'vCidgliting. t)ie Icebergs'! (London: a. .‘Dell and .Sons. .Wellington:; Whitcombe and Toiubs), he. relates the adventures ' of a young ; Shots. skipper and his crew: in the Arctic regions,' where tha good Whip Imvuit 1 becomes icebound. Some of the. highly moral; "discourses which;' Mr Dulleu is given to ■placing 'in the mouths, of . his characters - ;", might have . been, omitted with advantage, but the wise reader who taunw' how. to skip judiciously, will find some excellent entertainment, in the story.' 'As’ a...popular, exposition of life in the Arctic regions tue. story has a distinctly educational side.- - For Railway Reading. )’ “The Haunted Shanty, and Other (Stories'"'is the title of a recent .addition |to Thp Bookstall series published by the ‘New South .Waldsi,Bookstall Company, Sydney. Mr Spencer e.vidently knows ithe bush and up-country life, at firsthand, and there is much dry humour gn these sketches. The comments of Otto, Flanagan, and. others, as the various stories are told round the camp fire, are often extremely: tunny. Harry ;J• Weston contributes some very effective illustrations. A very' good *, shilling’s worth, just the book, say, to .take with yon .when next you patronise the. Auckland express.