Books Reviewed

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 985, 30 May 1930, Page 16

Books Reviewed

ROGUE MERRIES. ROMANCE has engaged the attention of Hugh Walpole in “Rogue Herries,” his - latest novel. It may ba mentioned for a start that Mr Walpole, like J. C. Powys, J. B. Priestley and H. M. Tomlinson, has in this book become more expansive than prevailing literary fashions dictate, *is novel running to 726 pages. He has left contemporary lif«, too, his story having the eighteenth century for its period, and the Lakes district for its setting. The hero, Francis Herries, is a wildly passionate man, enslaved completely by liY passions, and haunted all the time by an unattainable dream. He was an adulterer and vagabond who in a freakish moment had sold his mistress at a public fair for forty

jbillings, and later killed liis wife with unkindness. He had driven one of his daughters from home, and had sheltered under his roof a notorioue witch. He had, in short, offended against every canon of John Bull decency. The witch girl. Mirabell Starr, became for him the reincarnation of his extraordinary and unattainable dream. • vmle Francis was all evil, his son David was all good. He passed fearlessly through boyhood to prosperity, at the same time cherishing a mighty love for his worthless father. Only once did he abandon rectitude, and that was the occasion when he stole his wife from the shelter of her uncle’s home, and in self-defence he killed the uncle.

While the character-drawing generally is not as convincing as it might be, the novel will be remembered for

•s admittedly conventional romance, but it i 3 a relief to come upon work done in the genuine romantic spirit at a time when most novelists are overabsorbed in realism and psychology, mainly of the Freudian kind. In “Rogue Herries” the reader has full breath of eighteenth century inns and tap-rooms. There are two duels, and one murder, and the drowning of an old witch. The capture of Carlisle by the Young pretender is vividly described, and the football match in which a whole dale is engaged is described with zest and vigour that could not be bettered. Mr Walpole is at his best when he is creating these scenes, and he has much more success with them than with his c/haracterisation. “Rogue Herries,” whatever faults it may have, is a memorable book. “"a—Herries.” Hugh Walpole. Mac - ” and Co. Our copy from the publishers. A Generous Author “The Eldest Miss Collingwood,” by W. Pett Ridge is a book that one, for want of a better term, is forced to call cld-fashioned. The phrase is not intended as criticism, but as a recognition of the generosity of the author, who is as lavish with his plot material as ever Dickens was. There is enough incident and movement in the book to make half-a-dozen stories if the efficient Edgar Wallace had the writing of them, but Mr. Pett Ridge gives it.all without stint as who should say:

“Take it. I’ve plenty more'” The eldest Miss Collingwood’s mother wearies of her husband, walks out of the house and disapepars—one story. Miss Collingwood works for her father in the shop and makes a great success of it—another story. She fails in love with a mysterious stranger in curious circumstances on Armistice Day in London and the stranger vanishes and is only found after long search —a third story. She travels to Spain and Morocco with a rich woman friend and the two become entangled in a series of adventures from which international complications develop and which involve the mysterious stranger—a fourth story. She collaborates in the writing of a play which becomes a huge success so that she makes a small fortune —parts of a fifth story. But all the stories come in one volume and all dovetail together neatly and end satisfactorily. The mysterious lover is discovered and plays an important part toward the end; the mother is found and everything finishes happily for everyone. It is a pleasant, sprawling, looselywritten story, in places exceedingly amusing. “The Eldest Miss Collingwood,” by W. Pett Ridge. Published by Methuen and Company. Limited, London. Our copy direet from the publishers. A Good Mystery Yarn. In this case Mr Adams’s mystery concerns a double murder —the strange case of the brothers Ankaret, who were killed on the same night, in the! same hour, at places 40 miles apart. The unravelling is the task of two young amateurs, and tlieir methods are reasonable, although the trail leads them into strange places, and involves them in some sensational happenings “Oddways” is well up to the standard of Mr Adams’s previous “thrillers.” “Odliways.” Herbert Adams. Methuen and C. 0., 'Ltd. Our copy from the publishers. Reply to Pessimism. Courage, faith, friendship, and mastery of pain, weariness, and death —those, according to Ronald Gurner, author of "Pass Guard at Ypres,” were the lessons that the soldier learned from war. And so, although not glossing over its horrors or futilities, he gives to us a better picture of the Great War than those that have been enclosed in the jackets of volumes that have tumbled so hastily from the presses of late. “Past Guard at Ypres” is an answer to the pessimism and disillusionment of those who have sought to portray the greatest conflict of all, following the example of “All Quiet on the Western Front.”

If the spirited lessons claimed by the voices of Ypres in the closing paragraphs of the book were the outcome of the war then it was not altogether in vain. Constructed like Schnauweeker’s “Fiery Way” in a co-ordinated series of vivid impressions, the book is eminently worth while. It traces the career . of Freddy Mann, a subaltern fresh from school, and the gradual mastery that Y r pres and its defence gained over his soul. To him, sent first to Ypres and remaining always-at Ypres. assisting grimly to hold that liell-swept salient, Ypres became the war and the holding of 'he shell of a city the most important task of life, not to be aban doned until Ypres and death claimed the soldier. In the vivid chapters are beautifully-etched portraits of officers and men. To read “Pass Guard at Ypres” is to be proud of one’s race The author has added another to his list of successful and constructive novels. “Pass Guard at Ypres.” Ronald Gurner. 7 M. Dent and Sons. London. Our copy from the publishers direct. Plenty Of Thrills. Frankly melodramatic, with all the usual aids to sensation. “Burden’s End,” by Bridget Lowry, nevertheless is a creditable first, attempt at a mystery story. This novel is one of those accepted for publication in Methuen’s competition for detective novels, and from one of the “clue" series. Tiler® are amateurish features about the construction, but the action is continuous and brisk. The plot concerns a girl wbd refused to believe that her father had commuted suicide, and in consequence, with t er friend Peter Merrick, became inv- d in a series of crimes which ende*. In he discovery of the murderer. “Durden’s End.” Bridget Lowry. - Methuen and C. 0., Ltd., London. Our copy v rom the publishers direct. . Romance —With Gore Mr. Jethro Uvedale had been murdered—foully murdered on a lonely road. Complete failure to discover the criminal. Enter the heroine, lovely but poor: gipsies, a self-appointed detecttive. No crooks, no Chinese secret societies, no poisoned darts, no deathdealing powders. Just a plain, foul murder. “A Bridport Dagger,” by John Milbrook, concerning which the above is but a brief outline, is really our old melodrama in modern clothes. Xowa-

I days readers of this kind of literature I seem to prefer their romance tinged j with gore. Perhaps it is a healthy rei lief from over-much sentiment: I “A Bridport Our copy comes direct front the publishers, John Lane, the Bodley Head, London. An Artistic Fellowship j Angus and Robertson, Limited, the enterprising Australian publishers who have lately presented some very readable collections of random reminiscences by eminent men of the Austra- | lian literary world, have added anI ether volume to this series. “Knock- ; ing Round” is by Mr. J. Le Gay Brere- | ton, who was an intimate friend of Lawson and many of his gifted contemporaries, and not only writes knowledgeably about tlieir styles, but adds some intimate little glimpses of the men themselves. It was a brilliant generation in which Le Gay Brereton moved. The wit of its conversation and the charm and colour of its writings represented the first distinctive appearance of a genuine artistic fellowship in Australia. The author’s smooth and fluent prose style adds to the value and interest of this collection. “Knocking Round,” by J. Le Gay Brereton. Published by Angus and Robertson, Limited, Sydney. Our copy from the publishers. A Masked Nemesis A gripping story of a mysterious gentleman crook (of the type beloved by Edgar Wallace) is provided by George Goodchild in “The Splendid Crime. - ” As the masked Nemesis of certain prosperous worthies the source of whose wealth would not bear too close investigation, the “Reckoner” provides plenty of action. A murder in the first chapter, an abduction or two, a master criminal with a band of roughs to do his dirty work, a Scotland Yard inspector who gives his quarry little rest, a persecuted damsel, and a zealous one, are the principal Ingredients of “The Splendid Crime.” The author shows unconventionality in revealing the identity of the Reckoner when the story is little more than, half-told, although the average reader will probably have discovered him long before then. “The Splendid Crime,” by George Goodchild, published by 1-fodder and Stoughton, I,td., London. Our copy from the publisher’s Sydney representative, Mr. W. S. Smart. “Stiil More Maori Tales.” That there is a demand in New Zealand for tales of the Maori people is amply proved by the success of the series of humorous stories of the Maori, of which “Still More Maori Tales” is the third volume, which has set new records for book sales in New Zealand. The first book, “Maori Tales,” was published in 1926, and Is now in its thirtieth thousand. The second book, “More Maori Tales,” followed in 1927, and has since accounted for 16,000 sales. The third, and latest collection, “Still More Maori Tales,” as Its compiler, Mr. Pat Lawlor, explains in his introduction, will be more suited to the general taste, for there is a fair amount of serious and informative matter interlarding the lighter stories. In addition to the letterpress, the new book contains a selection of illustrations by New Zealand artists. “Still More Maori Tales.” Published by New Century Press (N.Z.), Ltd., 11 Panama Street. Wellington. Psychology and Fiction Fifty years of change from the Russia of the Imperial Tsars and glittering nobility to a land of gloom and death and decay, where a peasant general ruled—Russia immediately after the Revolution—are chronicled in ■•pilgrim to the Abyss,” a translation from the German. An interesting, human document, yet containing at most ten lines of direct speech, all spoken by the one man, it is rather a study in psychology, noth individual and national, than a true novel. The strange story of her Imperial Highness Princess Olga Borisovna indeed has a strong basis of history, but so presented that it could be read for either story or fact without the other Intruding unduly. Anarchists and aristocrats, international crooks and financiers, philosophers and poets all contribute to this picture of European society between the years of 1566~ and 1924. In its closing pages the author suggests that the icy savagery of Princess Olga and the blind groping after truth which inspired the Russian Revolution show life to be utterly meaningless—“a striving toward Nothingness, to the Abyss”—but his • final note is not. one of utter despondency.

“Pilgrim to tho Abyss,’’ by Axel Eggebreeht. translated from the German by Mildred M. Bnzmnn. Our copy from the publisher, Methuen and Co., London.