NOVELS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18754, 6 January 1923, Page 2

NOVELS FOR THE NEW YEAR

A HOLIDAY SURVEY. Dr Constant Reader There never was a time when new novels were more plentiful than at the beginning of 1923; and if there is no one book which stands out, from the rest, at, least there is an abundance of quite readable stories such its the average holiday reader turns to with relief. Among holiday stories the Wild West yarn is over a favourite, and “The Rider of the Golden Bar,” by William Patterson White (London: Hodder and Stoughton. Dunedin: Whitcombo and Tombs), is a first-class tale of this popular type. Mr White has already done good work in “Hidden Trails” and “The Owner of the Lazy ‘D,’ ” but in Billy Winpo, the hero of his new novel, he has fairly surpassed himself. Because they thought tha f

Billy would be as wax in their hands the pjang of crooked politicians and rogues who ruled the roost in Crocker County made him sheriff, only to discover to their dis may that Billy was determined to run straight at all costs. In his endeavour to do the right Billy had the support of his sweetheart. Hazel Watson, and the couple, as a consequence, were placed in ail sorts of precarious situations. “The • Rider _of tho Golden Bar” pictures a lawless condition of things, whore thrills are in plenty and hair-raising incidents everyday affairs, and the fights and mix-ups_ in the story should satisfy the most voracious appetite. It is essentially a book for holiday reading, andit mav safely be put at the top of the list. If Billy Wingo be judged a “tophole” Wild West hero, then “Two Gun Sue,” by Douglas Grant (London and Melbourne: Hurst 'and Blackett. Dunedin: whitcombe and Tombs), must be voted- his female partner. In “The Fifth Ace” and “The Single Track” Mr Grant has shown his skill in. catching the atmosphere of the cattle_ ranch, which in .this story is with the speculative spirit of the city of New York. Somehow a set of speculators' discover the existence of oil in payable quantities on Susan Poindexter’s ranch at Circle Six, and, failing all measures of peaceful persuasion, they enter into alliance with a gang ot villains and cattle rustlers to compel "Two Gun Sue” to abandon the patrimony which she regards as a sacred heritage. But Sue’s fighting blood is_ up, and in the end she triumphs and marries tho man she loves after a series of exciting adventures of a regular hair-raising sort. _ Mr Grant may be congratulated on haying placed l to his credit . yet ..another rattling story. Next to-.the stpries j ,of the Wild West, detective stories rank in favour for idle holiday reading, and Miss Isabel Ostrander has shown much skill in inventing new and striking situations for this typo of novel. In “How Many Cards,” her latest excursion in detective literature, she has contrived a baffling ' mystery around the murder of Eugene Christopher Groveling, famumrly known as “Million-a-month.” One of Miss ■Ostrander’s best known creations, ex-rounds man Timothy M'Cnrt-" takes a hand in solving the mystery, which embraces some extraordinary ramifications, and eventually leads to tho discovery of an extensive criminal conspiracy. The great point about the story is that it leaves the reader gasp ing and guessing at the end of almost every chanter. which is lust what the book is designed to do. That she succeeds so thoroughly is the highest praise that can be given to Miss Ostrander. For readers who despise detective stories and who are openly contemptuous of Wild West yarns, there yet remains the fascination of the extravaganza in which the mos: incredible events are made to seem quite credible. In this department Mr Selwyn Jepson is an adept, as readers of that delightful story, “The Qualified Adventurer,'’ will readily admit. In “Puppets of Fate (London and Melbourne: Hutchinson and Co. Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs) Mr Jepson has again placed his admirers under an obligation, for he succeeds in transferring to an English atmosphere all the thrills and excitements to which America is in dined to lay prior claim. It is refreshing, therefore, to know that good old England is not played out in the matter of villainies, conspiracies, and excitements generally, of which fact “Puppets of Fate” is proof posi tive. Joseph Harper, head of Harper’' Stool Corporation, is troubled about his sou Paul, whom he wishes to see married to his secretary, Joyce Churchill, and ooyce shares his dissatisfaction. Hie trouble about Paul is that life has treated- him welh there has been nothing to put tho “steel” into his blood. An attempt on tho part of one Turpon, Harper’s rival in the steel business, to steal the plans of a new and important invention gives Paul his chance. On a sudden Paul and Joyce are caught up in the whirl of_ a series of incredible adventures, in which their lives are continually in danger, adventures in which it is ultimately discovered old man Harper has taken a hand. It is an amazing story, capitally told, and with a freshness and unusualness quite refreshing. If Miss Stella Benson has a fault it is that she is too clever, and she is prone to exhibit her cleverness in her books. This was the case with “I Peso” and “Living Alone,” and it is even more apparent in her new story, “The Poor Man,” which, un fortunately, follows right in the wake of that undoubted success, “Babbitt.” Mr Sinclair Lewis has pictured a phase of American life as he knows it; Miss Benson, who has evidently but a sojourner’s acquaint-, ance with tho States, essays a similar task to Mr Lewis, and with less success. In “The Poor Man” (London: Macmillan and Co. Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs) a young Englishman, Edward R. Williams by name, is set down in San Francisco, whore he is made the butt and the gibe of a section of American society. This_ gives Miss Benson the opportunity she desires of picturing America and things American in the most unfavourable light, and with an unconcealed • edge.” The story also enables lier to get oil' a number of the epigrams of which she is fond. Presently Edward R. Williams changes his habitat from San Francisco to Peking, and a discussion follows on China and things Chinese. “The Poor Man” is a brilliant piece of work, but somehow the brilliancy degenerates into boredom before the end of the book is reached. A welcome change from both English and American fiction are tho translations from foreign authors now provided in such numbers. and of which “The House of the Enemy,” by,Camille Mallarme (London: Jonathan Cape. Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs), is a typical example. The scene of tho story is Spain, in that least known of Spanish provinces, La Mancha, made immortal in Don Quixote. The heroine of tho novel is Capdicla, a castaway infant, brought up in the most primitive surroundings by an old herdsman and his wife, and who is gradually drawn into the sinister atmosphere of the “Cara Seoa,” the “Dry House” set in front of “two black mountains, hostile as gaolers.” It is a study in tho development of a girl so situated, and it is told with poignancy and pathos not unir.ixed with a note of tragedy. The merit of the book consists in its faithful description of life in a sequestered corner of Spain iii additki to which the story commands attention for its own sake.

Sequels are seldom a success, especially when, in order to their existence, it is necessary to bring to life again a man deemed to bo dead. “Blue Pete, Halfbreed,” will bo remembered aa quite a readable story, but the same can scarcely bo said' of “The Return of Blue Pete” (London: Herbert Jenkins. Dunedin; Whitcombe and Tombs). Mr Luke Allan haa brought Blue Pete into existence again mainly for the purpose of describing life into one of the great railway construction camps of Northern Canada, peopled _ by Dagoes, Poles, Italians, and Hungarians, and other "bohunks,” a dangerous crowd, because infested with. the ideas and doctrines of the I.W.W. Commanding these troublous spirits, enforcing order by fist and revolver, stands big Jim Torrance and his daughter Tressa. The action of the story is confused, and the interest is not sufficient to sustain the interest of the reader. Nevertheless i hero are some good patches in the book. Admirers —and they are many—of “A Dominie’s Log” and “A Dominic Dismissed” will welcome the appearance of Mr A. S. Neill in a now book entitled “A Dominie Abroad” . (London: Herbert Jenkins. Dunedin; Whitcombe and Tombs). The fact that psycho-analysis is so much in the air will lend additional interest to this dissertation. Always original, alike in his actions and his ideas, the Dominie decides to found an international school at Hellerau, and gather from the several nations all that was best in their respective educational systems. His first step was to buy a dictionary and start to learn the language; the next was to record his impressions. His difficulties were many. With cheery optimism he quite forgot that -he was in a community with definite laws on education; he quite forgot difficulties of finance. And then there was the tragic fact that the Dominie’s favourite tobacco was unobtainable within five hundred square miles. Behind all, however, is the Dominie’s humour and his ioy in the great work he has in hand. He still remains •». rebel; but with this difference—that he is now a construe five rebel.