The Riddle of the Sands

Description

Erskine Childers’ novel, written in the early 1900s, is often referred to as the first spy novel ever written. The narrator, Currthuers, receives a surprising duck shooting invitation from an old friend. He soon finds himself involved in a strange mystery that seems to involve far more than an issue as simple as his own position in society. With something truly unusual brewing in Germany, and the actions of a few people potentially risking an international incident of the highest magnitude, it is difficult to keep from admiring and engaging into the outstanding storyline of The Riddle of the Sands.

With a curious, carefully developed plot that will gradually increase the suspense and make you look forward to exploring the novel in depth, The Riddle of the Sands is a story that, even though is far from being the “perfect” spy novel, it brings plenty of outstanding – and, at the time, new – elements to the scene. It created quite a stir when it was first developed, and for a generally slow-paced world of the early 20th century, it seemed like a brand new, original bestseller that everyone in the literary world should keep a close eye on.

Childers and his espionage novel enjoyed a remarkable level of popularity prior to the first World War, and the accurate geographical data and beautiful, as well as genuine landscape descriptions from areas where Childers himself has been before, will undoubtedly captivate even readers who would normally not be very impressed.

The book also has great historical value. As Childers’ biographer, Arthur Boyle pointed out, the book became one of the most outstanding and ingenious literary answer to Britain’s military lack of preparedness for the Great War. With critics considering it the first genuine thriller novel, or even naming it among the 100 best novels of all time, The Riddle of the Sands is worth looking forward to, even in our times.
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