The Riddle of the Sands
While on a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea, two young adventurers-turned-spies uncover a secret German plot to invade England. Written by Childers—who served in the Royal Navy during World War I—as a wake-up call to the British government to attend to its North Sea defenses, The Riddle of the...
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While on a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea, two young adventurers-turned-spies uncover a secret German plot to invade England. Written by Childers—who served in the Royal Navy during World War I—as a wake-up call to the British government to attend to its North Sea defenses, The Riddle of the Sands accomplished that task and has been considered a classic of espionage literature ever since, praised as much for its nautical action as for its suspenseful spycraft.
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Format: paperback
ISBN:
9780812966145 (0812966147)
Publish date: 2002-12-10
Publisher: Modern Library
Pages no: 336
Edition language: English
Category:
Adventure,
Classics,
Literature,
Historical Fiction,
20th Century,
Mystery,
War,
Spy Thriller,
Espionage,
Thriller,
Mystery Thriller,
Crime
This is between a three- and four-star book for me. I’m bumping it up to four stars because much of what I struggled with is a simple matter of style. The Riddle of the Sands was written more than a hundred years ago, so the writing is more complex, and the dialogue denser, than today’s spy novels.H...
As for the other two, the girl when I saw her next, in her short boating skirt and tam-o'-shanter, was a miracle of coolness and pluck. But for her I should never have got him away. And ah! how good it was to be out in the wholesome rain again, hurrying to the harbour with my two charges, hurrying t...
WHY IT'S ON MY TO-READ LIST: Considered the first modern spy novel, mentioned in contrast with Maugham's Ashenden stories (favorites of mine). Childer's spies are super heroes, brilliantly outwitting diabolical enemies, as opposed to Maugham's protagonist who is charming but fallible, detached but i...
Considered to be the first of the modern spy/espionage thriller genre, this book set prior to World War I, was purported to have given the British Admiralty a wake-up call about the vulnerability of England should the Germans wage a surprise attack and to take action to prevent that from happening. ...
I have officially OD'd on sailing jargon.Read the review on PGP
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