Status
Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Oxford University Press (1997), Paperback, 268 pages
Description
A long-forgotten promise made by Richard Hannay finds him honour-bound to resolve a violent vendetta in which the lives of a young father and his daughter are in danger from unscrupulous and desperate men. Hannay sets out on a high-octane chase from the rural tranquillity of his English manor to the Scottish Borders and, ultimately, to Scandinavia. On the remote Island of Sheep, a final confrontation takes place and everything is decided - once and for all. This, the last of the Hannay adventures - and the last of Buchan's novels to be published during his lifetime - is a rare gem of high drama interwoven with Buchan's personal beliefs about the problems of a post-war world.
User reviews
LibraryThing member baswood
John Buchan's [The Thirty Nine Steps] was published in 1915 and introduced his hero Richard Hannay. The Island of Sheep published in 1936 relates Richard Hannay's (now General Hannay) sixth and final adventure. He survives yet again, but John Buchan had only one more novel to write being busy with
Rapscallions, scoundrels, scallywags, skellums are words frequently used to describe the criminal classes, and although no doubt the world in the 1930's was no less innocent than now, the writing of novelists like Buchan certainly was. Richard Hannay and his chums belong to a social class that is bordering on being aristocratic, there are no money worries and servants and other employees take the strain out of daily living. One dabbles in politics perhaps, or writes or one holds down a job in one of the professions: the legal profession is always useful for those gentlemen that get involved in adventuring. Of course everyone knows how to shoot and most people own a gun and getting time off work is not a problem. The police force is only in existence to clear up the mess. Incidents from past exploits are liable to come back to haunt you, which is the case in this story.
Despite it all feeling like another world, one that is perhaps lost forever (even if it ever existed), there is still much to enjoy. Buchan stories usually have a surprise heroic action at the denouement and this one is no exception and the well put together plotting keeps the pages turning. Buchan's descriptions of the natural world are keen as is his love of the countryside. He also paints lively pictures of his characters once he gets past calling them rapscallions or scoundrels. There is no overt sexism or racism, but there are some allusions to the class system more prevalent in the 1930's even than today; where we might disparagingly refer to the 'white van man' Buchan refers to a tradesman's van "driven by one of those hatless youths". However for me born some twenty years after the events in the story and marvelling at a car chase up the Great North Road (before the motorway system) it holds much charm.
This was an unread book from my bookshelves and the old penguin edition (1956) just about kept together long enough for me to finish. An enjoyable read on a rainy Monday and so 3.5 stars.
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his job as Governor General to Canada; he died in service in 1940. Buchan seems not to have lost his skill in story telling even if his hero has a bit too much of the British 'stiff upper lip" and there are a few too many co-incidences, but this is fantasy adventure writing that is designed to entertain albeit based on solid ground.Rapscallions, scoundrels, scallywags, skellums are words frequently used to describe the criminal classes, and although no doubt the world in the 1930's was no less innocent than now, the writing of novelists like Buchan certainly was. Richard Hannay and his chums belong to a social class that is bordering on being aristocratic, there are no money worries and servants and other employees take the strain out of daily living. One dabbles in politics perhaps, or writes or one holds down a job in one of the professions: the legal profession is always useful for those gentlemen that get involved in adventuring. Of course everyone knows how to shoot and most people own a gun and getting time off work is not a problem. The police force is only in existence to clear up the mess. Incidents from past exploits are liable to come back to haunt you, which is the case in this story.
Despite it all feeling like another world, one that is perhaps lost forever (even if it ever existed), there is still much to enjoy. Buchan stories usually have a surprise heroic action at the denouement and this one is no exception and the well put together plotting keeps the pages turning. Buchan's descriptions of the natural world are keen as is his love of the countryside. He also paints lively pictures of his characters once he gets past calling them rapscallions or scoundrels. There is no overt sexism or racism, but there are some allusions to the class system more prevalent in the 1930's even than today; where we might disparagingly refer to the 'white van man' Buchan refers to a tradesman's van "driven by one of those hatless youths". However for me born some twenty years after the events in the story and marvelling at a car chase up the Great North Road (before the motorway system) it holds much charm.
This was an unread book from my bookshelves and the old penguin edition (1956) just about kept together long enough for me to finish. An enjoyable read on a rainy Monday and so 3.5 stars.
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LibraryThing member Karen_Wells
No period charm, no plot, no suspense, no nothing. Just a potboiler written to make money at the end of his career.
LibraryThing member antiquary
Richard Hannay, famous hero of 39 Steps and Greenmnatle, has settled down as an English landowner with his wife and 14 year old son. But he is roused from his quiet life when his friend Lord Clayroyden shows him a piece of jade left by a Norwegian goldhunter named Hsroldsen, whom he had known in
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Africa. The jade is said to be the clue to a great treasure. Show Less
LibraryThing member leslie.98
Another exciting adventure for Richard Hannay, this time with his 14-year-old son (as well as his old friend Sandy & others).
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
I used to love the Richard Hannay books - still do for old times sake, but despite the well told tale, the wonderful moors and crags and bogs, the imperialist slides into stereotypes of class and gender and race. These days I enjoy the historically based scottish adventures better. Time to brush
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off Rider Haggard (twenty years older than Buchan) and see how he stands up to me getting older.... Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1936
Physical description
268 p.; 7.17 inches
ISBN
0192824333 / 9780192824332