Knight Books
2 total works
In Greenmantle (1916) Richard Hannay, hero of The Thirty-Nine Steps , travels across war-torn Europe in search of a German plot and an Islamic Messiah. He is joined by three more of Buchan's heroes: Peter Pienaar, the old Boer Scout; John S. Blenkiron, the American determined to fight the Kaiser; and Sandy Arbuthnot, Greenmantle himself, modelled on Lawrence of Arabia. The intrepid four move in disguise through Germany to Constantinople and the Russian border to face their enemies - the grotesque Stumm and the evil beauty of Hilda von Einem. In this classic espionage adventure Buchan shows his mastery of the thriller and the Stevensonian romance, and also his enormous knowledge of world politics before and during the First World War. This edition illuminates for the first time the many levels beneath the stirring plot and romantic characters. This book is intended for general public, war historians, students on Scottish literature courses.
In "The Three Hostages" (1924) Richard Hannay leaves his quiet and happy family life in the countryside to face the most evil opponent of his career. Dominick Medina, a seductive fallen angel, a master of thought control, and trusted by many of Britain's leaders, is a twisted product of the years shattered by war in Europe. In this `shocker', which is also a sophisticated masquerade, Hannay must use all his ingenuity to save not only three innocent hostages but also his own life - and his sanity. "The Three Hostages" explores the psychological consequences of war and the world of international business crime. In his introduction Karl Miller puts this swift and sinister novel in its idelological and literary context, drawing some eerie parallels with the threats and fears that face us today. This book is intended for students of Edwardian fiction.