Rodney Stone

by Arthur Conan Doyle, Amando Lázaro Ros (Translator)

Novela que generalmente se incluye entre sus obras históricas, pero que más bien es un cuadro vívido y fascinante de la Inglaterra previctoriana, con especial atención al boxeo, que describe en sus comienzos con notabilísima penetración. A puño limpio y sin límite de asaltos, así era este rudo deporte por aquel entonces, en el que una contienda podía prolongarse durante horas. En muchos condados de Inglaterra, el boxeo estaba prohibido: tanto público, como autoridades y representantes, e incluso los mismos púgiles eran perseguidos por la ley; pero nada pudo detener la proliferación de los nomade rings, en cualquier terreno aceptable de cualquier rincón de la ciudad.

Todas estas extensas narraciones tienen un estilo decididamente decimonónico, en los moldes de la gran novela victoriana fijada por Dickens; los protagonistas nos ofrecen inolvidables retratos históricos de los personajes más peculiares del siglo XIX: Lord Nelson, John Lade, Lord Cochrane, el dandi Beau Brummell, Emma Hamilton, o el Príncipe de Gales (Jorge IV); así como de luchadores míticos: Jem Belcher, Joe Berks, John Jackson y Daniel Mendoza.

Genres: Classics, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Historical, 19th Century

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1896

About the author

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle was a Scottish writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for A Study in Scarlet, the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Holmes and Dr. Watson. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction.

Doyle was a prolific writer. In addition to the Holmes stories, his works include fantasy and science fiction stories about Professor Challenger, and humorous stories about the Napoleonic soldier Brigadier Gerard, as well as plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction, and historical novels. One of Doyle's early short stories, "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" (1884), helped to popularise the mystery of the brigantine Mary Celeste, found drifting at sea with no crew member aboard.

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bare knuckles prize-fighting in Regency England!

If you read very, very carefully and remain absolutely attentive to every passing paragraph, you'll realize that RODNEY STONE is a historical mystery.

But, truth be told, the mystery is so subtle as to be almost non-existent and doesn't really form the majority of the story. More than anything else, RODNEY STONE is a convincing and extremely entertaining historical fiction set early in England's Regency period. The topic is the brutal world of bare knuckles prize fighting and it's easy to see that Conan Doyle himself was a very enthusiastic fan with all of the detailed knowledge that an avid follower of the sport would have.

Rodney Stone, the son of a British naval man who, truth be told, spent most of his married years in Nelson's navy fighting off the continental menace of Napoleon Bonaparte, was to all intents and purposes raised by his mother. His uncle, Sir Charles Tregellis, is a wealthy London swell - a sophisticated gentleman, to be sure, but also a high-rolling gambler and a dandy with a full set of outrageously pretentious affectations who regularly vies with socialite Beau Brummel for the attentions of the fashion-oriented set with whom he associates. Tregellis "adopts" young Rodney taking him under his tutelage and attempts to turn him into a well-dress, well-mannered proper London gentleman. But Rodney is made of more earnest steadfast stuff and is much more interested in retaining his lifelong friendship with Boy Jim, the son of John Harrison, a former bare knuckles champion of England now working as a lowly blacksmith. Tregellis does his best to convince Rodney that Boy Jim is beneath his station and is not the sort of person that a young chap like Stone should associate with.

Using convincing story-telling, wonderful historical background about the Bonaparte wars, clear class distinctions, entertaining cameo appearances by dignitaries such as Horatio Nelson, Lady Emma Hamilton, Sheridan Fox, Beau Brummell and even the shallow Prince Regent (George IV), Conan Doyle has created a very solid period piece that describes Regency England and, in particular, the shadowy and, even then, illegal world of prize fighting with bare knuckles.

Oh yeah ... the mystery! Well, it's there and it gets solved and makes for a great way to close out the book but the history is the thing. As a long-time fan of Conan Doyle's Victorian style of writing as it was used in his SHERLOCK HOLMES and PROFESSOR CHALLENGER stories, I was especially pleased to have found and enjoyed this rather lesser known work.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mar 10, 130pm ~~ Review asap.

10pm ~~ This 1896 book is the last fiction title in my 2022 Arthur Conan Doyle project. I discovered his historical fiction a few years ago and wanted to read more, and I have finally managed to do that.

Rodney Stone follows a typical pattern of an old man remembering incidents of his youth. In this case Rodney looks back to the early years of the 1800's when he was around seventeen and had the first grand adventure of his life.

While we learn about Rodney's youth, we also learn about the early days of boxing. Bare knuckle boxing without gloves, long before the Marquess de Queensbury rules came into play. This was even back in the day when the two men who were to fight each threw their hats into the ring to show who would be facing each other. I have heard that phrase many times but never realized it was ever actually a real thing! lol

Since Doyle liked his history so much, this story was full of real people as well as his own fictional characters. Even Admiral Lord Nelson made an appearance, and Emma Hamilton. There was a dinner attended by Corinthians of the day (amateur sportsmen, the rich dandies of the Regency era) mixed with the actual fighters famous back then, including Bill Richmond, the first Black boxer in England. I looked up a few names to see if they were actual people, but enough were that I took the rest of that chapter on faith. Same thing happened when Rodney and his father (career Navy) went to their own seaman's dinner and saw many of the grand Navy men of the day, those whose commands may not have been as famous as Nelson's, but who were with him at the Battle of Nile.

To tell the truth, that particular chapter was a bit dull, but I appreciated Doyle's attempt to weave so much history into his story. He even included Beau Brummel, who became the last word in fashion at the time, or at least right after the time of our story. Before Beau was Rodney's rich uncle, who as far as I could tell was a made-up character. Doyle used these personalities to illustrate the manner of Society men at the time, and he was not exactly approving of them and their eccentricities!

But another thread running through this story was a mystery about a grand estate house that had been vacant for years following the violent death of the Lord, and the disappearance of the person who was possibly to inherit the title. All held up in legal limbo, and at first that is all we know about that situation. Until after the fight.....then what a surprise we all had!

This was a fascinating story and I enjoyed it very much, the same as I have the other Doyle titles I have read as part of this project. I never enjoyed Sherlock Holmes tales as much as I have these historical tales. Maybe because I HAD to read Sherlock Holmes; seems like we were always reading him for school way back when. I never even knew there were other options when it came to books by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'm glad I learned about them, and now I will finish off this project with Doyle's autobiography Memories and Adventures. It will be interesting to get to know the man himself a little better!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rodney Stone has been described as a gothic mystery and boxing novel. However, it is much more than that. It's also a coming-of-age story for both Rodney and his friend Boy Jim. The book is character-centric, with some memorable characters such as Rodney's uncle Sir Charles and Boy Jim's foster father Jack Harrison, the retired champion boxer. This book was so much fun! I didn't want it to end.

[eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

was voor mijn bap!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

From BBC radio 4 Extra:
Episode 1 of 4

Rodney Stone and his friend Jim, two young lads from the country, find themselves drawn into the racy. colourful but dangerous world of boxing and gambling, and become involved in a series of exciting adventures set in an England where the Prince Regent is all but King and Lord Nelson all but God.

Written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and first published in 1896, it is dramatised for radio in 4 parts by Constance Cox.

Rodney Stone ... Sean Arnold
Jim Harrison .... Stuart Organ
Champ Harrison ... Henry Stamper
Mrs Harrison .... Charlotte Mitchell
Sir Charles Tregellis ... John Rye
Miss Hinton ... Jill Balcon
Anson Stone ...Peter Woodthorpe
Mrs Stone .... Jean Trend
Ambrose ..... Michael Bilton
Lord Frederick ..... James Kerry
Gypsy Lee .... James Bryce
Ellen .... Hilda Schroder

Directed by David Johnston

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1983

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000...

[Caíque Apolinário · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leia mais em https://multiversonews.com

Apesar de todo apelo ao romance policial que ficou característico ao nome de Sir Arthur Conan Doyle com suas maiores obras envolvendo o os carismáticos detetives Sherlock Holmes e Dr. John Watson, este grande conto tem a dizer sobre um período bem característico da Inglaterra. Onde a nação está começando a parar de ser uma nação guerreira e forte, e passa a ser uma nação conformada em bens materiais e suas futilidades. Porém, dois assuntos dominam todo o livro e mostram que nem todos na Inglaterra são assim. O boxe e a guerra naval.

O Boxe é tratado como uma válvula de escape para a população masculina que é fanática por agitação e ação, porém nunca teria isso de forma legal vivendo sua vida normalmente. Por isso, surge um pugilismo que era tratado como algo profissional, mesmo surgindo de forma amadora, sendo bem organizado, movendo muitas apostas e tendo um tratamento cavalheiresco de uns com os outros pugilistas. Algo bonito de se ver, e muito bem explorado pela linda narrativa de Conan Doyle que como sempre, tem uma frase profunda e bonita sobre qualquer assunto. Com analogias simples, porém sofisticadas.

Na época em que se passa a narrativa de Rodney Stone e companhia, vemos que há uma tensão enorme em que a Inglaterra está tentando se segurar contra os avanços intermináveis de Napoleão Bonaparte e a maior parte das batalhas são travadas em pleno mar europeu e toda a inquietação dos soldados e capitães que querem a todo custo defender a sua nação é explorada de forma às vezes tediosa e em outras, com certa admiração. Entretanto em meio a dois universos diferentes mas de grandes proporções, há a futilidade da classe rica.

Os nobres endinheirados têm certo vigor e travam batalhas de egos interessantes de se acompanhar, porém, ainda são seres completamente fúteis que se preocupam com coisas completamente desinteressantes e superficiais. Isso, nos mostra uma certa decadência em cabeças pensantes inglesas que retratam muito bem a mente europeia antes das duas grandes guerras que abateram todo o globo. A indignação de Conan Doyle é compreensível e nos faz pensar nos jovens e adultos que levam uma vida parecida. O que me fez torcer para que eu não caia nesta armadilha bem feita por séculos de voluntária ignorância e mesmice.

Soco na Cara é uma obra de arte, um belo quadro que deve ser admirado e é para ser aproximado em nossos corações e mentes para total reflexão na sofisticada porém simples dizeres narrativos do experiente e pensativo Sir Arthur Conan Doyle que nos traria também o maior detetive das artes: Sherlock Holmes. Está servida na mesa, mais um prato tremendamente delicioso de intelectualidade e simplicidade. Servido?

Leia mais em https://multiversonews.com e https://bookstimebrasil.blogspot.com.br

[Dan Reiste · Rating 1 out of 5]

A bit of a slog to get through and the plot points couldn’t hold my interest. The old English style of writing made it difficult to keep my attention as well.

[Sona · Rating 4 out of 5]

qué pedazo de plot twist, la concha de mi madre

[Rose-Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rodney Stone” was published in 1896, when Arthur Conan Doyle was 35.
I used the Kindle Edition for my reading; I found my links to Wikipedia very useful for learning more about some of the characters mentioned.
This book has been described as a boxing / Gothic mystery / coming of age story. After reading it, I can agree Add to these a good dose of English naval history.

I can divide my remarks among the major theme elements.

Gothic mystery:
There are rumors of a ghost at Cliffe Royal, arising from dramatic events during a big-stake card game between Lord Avon; his brother, Captain Barrington; Avon’s cousin, Sir Lothian Hume; and Rodney’s uncle, Sir Charles Tregellis.

Naval history:
Following the tradition in his family, Rodney’s father Anson named his first son after his favorite English Admiral. Anson has made a career in the Royal Navy, and hopes Rodney will also. Doyle mentions several naval battles, actual ships and heroes. Admiral Horation Nelson may change Rodney’s life.
All England is upset about Napoleon’s despotism. In his “Through the Magic Door” (1906), Doyle drew upon his large collection of writings, letters, and memoirs from the Napoleonic Wars.

Coming of age:
The book is narrated by Rodney, in 1851 thinking back over the events 1803, when Rodney was 17 and his best friend, Boy Jim, was 19. This is the year Rodney’s uncle comes to introduce the boy to London society. Sir Charles is a dandy, and a friend of Beau Brummell and the Prince of Wales. But Rodney’s father has hopes for his son going into the Royal Navy.
Boy Jim also has a life decision to make. He has been raised by Champion Harrison as a blacksmith, but after befriending an alcoholic ex-actress, he yearns to see more of the world, at least London.

Boxing:
This is not the boxing of today, it is bare-knuckle boxing. Doyle was knowledgeable about the sport. In “Through the Magic Door”, he discusses quite a number of books about boxing and biographies of boxers, in particular, “Pugilistica”, an encyclopedic history of boxing and boxers (1863).
Some actual boxers of renown who have key roles in the plot of “Rodney Stone” are Jem Belcher, Dutch Sam, Caleb Ramsbottom (Baldwin), Daniel “Dada” Mendoza, and Berkeley Craven; more about their careers can be found on Wikipedia.


England (and London) of the time:
We see two of the gentlemen’s clubs at the time, White’s (which attracts Tories) and Brookes’s (whose members are Whigs. Some of the gentlemen in the book attended these clubs. The Prince of Wales may be seen at Brookes’s; Beau Brummell attends both clubs.
The story takes place during the Regency Era. The King is George III. The Prince of Wales (who is also the Earl of Chester) is the heir apparent.

Even though boxing is not one of my interests, I found this novel very interesting. I liked the characters and plot.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

“With your permission, then, we will push my own personality as far as possible out of the picture. If you can conceive me as a thin and colourless cord upon which my would-be pearls are strung, you will be accepting me upon the terms which I should wish.”

Such are the words with which Rodney Stone describes himself in the third paragraph of Arthur Conan Doyle’s historical novel. Indeed Conan Doyle seems to be slyly acknowledging the truism common to most adventure stories, which is that the hero or narrator is the least interesting character in the book.

In most of these books, the hero is, as Conan Doyle acknowledges a ‘colourless cord’ on which the pearls of the adventure are strung. He is not an active participant in his fate so much as a passive figure. He does not make events happen. Events happen to him, and he merely reacts to them.

In the case of Rodney Stone, such a description flatters the narrator if anything. We might even say that nothing at all happens to Rodney Stone to justify naming the book after him. He does nothing of note in the book, and nobody does anything of note to him. He merely describes what happens to others.

Consider the book’s four main plot points. There is a mystery concerning a murder and a ghost. Rodney’s only role here is that his uncle knew the suspected culprit, and he entered the haunting house with a friend.

Roddy is offered the opportunity by his well-meaning but foppish uncle Sir Charles Tregellis to become a Regency dandy. While Rodney is dressed for the part, he does nothing of the sort, and merely learns about the life of fashionable men during the Regency period via his uncle’s experiences.

An opportunity is made available for Roddy to fight against Napoleon in the employ of Lord Nelson. This chance only arises because his father is a sailor. In the event, Roddy views a ship and meets Nelson and Lady Hamilton, but does no fighting, at least during the book.

Finally Roddy’s friend Boy Jim takes up boxing, but Roddy only observes this via his uncle, and plays no part in any of the events relating to the boxing matches.

By now I have summarised the entire book for you via the experiences of the inert gas who narrates the adventures of others, but who has no apparent life of his own.

I suspect that Arthur Conan Doyle was not himself greatly inspired by his own book. Either that or he was writing under pressure to finish the book quickly or keep it short. Rodney Stone packs in four story threads, and yet is less than half the length of the Sir Nigel books. This has an unfortunate effect in terms of not allowing space for any of the stories to breathe.

In some ways the book follows the template of Conan Doyle’s other historical novels. There is suspense and adventure. There is a good deal of name-dropping, as famous figures pass through the novel. There are a number of discussions about contemporary issues that allow Conan Doyle to show us his research.

Overall though, Conan Doyle would have been better either writing a longer book or removing some of the various plot threads that fill it. I would also argue that Conan Doyle does not choose wisely which stories he would most like to follow.

My personal favourite storyline is that involving the Regency fops of the day. Conan Doyle does a good line in showing their amusing foibles and affectations – the cultivated eccentricities, the arguments over obscure items of fashion, and the astounding rudeness with which they talk to one another.

Nonetheless Conan Doyle feels a certain affection for the Regency dandies. He is quick to find praise for Roddy’s uncle, and even for the other poseurs of the day. Perhaps that amused sympathy is what allows Conan Doyle to write about them so well.

I doubt that Conan Doyle is the kind of writer who could make a comedy of manners about the absurdities of Regency England. He has a good eye for the frivolity and foolishness of the age, and a good ear for reproducing their affected speech patterns, often laced with French expressions. What Conan Doyle lacks is the patience for such a book. His main interest is in writing adventure and suspense stories.

Yet curiously Conan Doyle gives short shrift to the story that might seem to play most to his strengths. The murder mystery would seem to be safe ground for Conan Doyle, but this story strand disappears out of the novel for a long time, only reappearing at the end. Perhaps Conan Doyle wanted to make clear that this is a historical romance and not a Sherlock Holmes story.

Conan Doyle also finds little time to develop any story surrounding the Napoleonic Wars. This may be because he had just written The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard, a series of short stories portraying the same war from the other side.

As it is, Roddy meets Nelson, and sees how the great man is shamelessly flattered by his mistress. He does not see any fighting however, and we only learn of his role in the war against France during the last chapter. This would seem to be a potentially interesting plotline, and one that would have given Roddy something to do. However Conan Doyle allows the chance to slip away.

Instead we get a lot of attention paid to the least interesting part of the book, the boxing matches with Boy Jim. Conan Doyle was fascinated with boxing. He was a pugilist himself. He wrote several short stories on the subject. He even suggests in one story that Sherlock Holmes was a successful boxer, but this idea is wisely forgotten in later books.

So the book is filled with descriptions of the boxing scene of the day, and the fights held by the prominent men of the ring in the Regency period. I personally have no interest whatsoever in boxing, though I like a few anti-boxing movies such as Raging Bull, The Set-Up and Million Dollar Baby.

Curiously even this story ends in anti-climax. Boy Jim does not fight in the climactic match and the role is taken on by his father (a man who has been out of practice, and has had no training for many years!). However even this match reaches no final conclusion.

Rodney Stone is a perfectly readable book, and I enjoyed the parts describing the dandies of the day. It is one of the weaker historical romances by Conan Doyle however.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many people, I only really know Conan Doyle for his Sherlock Holmes and Professor Challenger novels, so I was eager to take a look at the rest of his canon. RODNEY STONE is a good place to start, a standalone novel set a century before the author sat down to write it, during the era of Napoleon. It's an accessible, amusing and thoroughly warm-hearted read written as a tribute to the British character, and bringing to life turn-of-the-19th-century society in an engaging way. Conan Doyle has clearly done his job when it comes to the research, because this is an extremely thorough book in which the world-building is next to none: Beau Brummell, Lord Nelson and the Prince of Wales all appear as supporting characters, and you get a real sense of not just the sights and smells of that era, but also the social attitudes. In terms of plot, it's a real mixed bag of genres and themes, from coming of age to gothic mystery, with a heavy dose of boxing action thrown in to boot. By turns thrilling, moving, suspenseful and exciting, it's everything I could have hoped for in a book.

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its sad that this book doesn't get more attention. The characters are engaging and entertaining and the story is relatable while still be intriguing.

Boy Jim is now included in the hall of characters that have taken a piece of my heart.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir Conan Doyle is a Master Storyteller. Despite the fact that I was not hugely interested in the boxing, the description of joy and pain of the sport was fascinating..the mystery of the manor was an added bonus and very well plotted.

[Rob Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the vast literary landscape of Arthur Conan Doyle's bibliography, "Rodney Stone" emerges as a fascinating, if somewhat uneven, exploration of early 19th-century British life. Far removed from the gaslit streets of Baker Street, this novel plunges readers into a world of bare-knuckle boxing rings and rolling naval decks, where adventure and social intrigue dance a complex waltz.

Doyle, a master storyteller better known for his detective fiction, weaves a narrative that is at once expansive and intimate. The novel breathes with the raw energy of its time—a period teetering between the refined manners of Georgian society and the brutal realities of human competition. Through the eyes of young Rodney Stone, we are transported to an England pulsing with masculine bravado, where a man's worth is measured by his courage in the boxing ring and on the high seas.

The prose flows like the tide, sometimes gentle and descriptive, other times crashing with the intensity of a naval battle or a championship bout. Doyle's research is impeccable, his descriptions so vivid that readers can almost smell the sweat of the boxers and feel the salt spray on a naval frigate. He captures the zeitgeist with an almost journalistic precision, rendering historical details not as dry facts but as living, breathing experiences.

Yet, for all its rich tapestry, the novel struggles to maintain a consistent narrative rhythm. Characters drift in and out of focus, and the plot occasionally loses its momentum, becoming more of a historical panorama than a tightly constructed story. Rodney himself sometimes feels more like a window into the era than a fully realized protagonist, observing more than acting, painting more than participating.

The boxing scenes are where Doyle truly shines. His understanding of the sport goes beyond mere physical description; he captures its social significance, its unwritten rules, and the complex masculinity that surrounded it. These passages pulse with an almost visceral energy, transforming what could have been mere sporting descriptions into profound explorations of human nature.

Naval sequences are equally compelling, though they can sometimes feel like detailed historical accounts rather than narrative drive. Doyle's love for maritime history is evident, and while history buffs will revel in the authenticity, more plot-driven readers might find themselves occasionally adrift.

Despite its imperfections, "Rodney Stone" remains a testament to Doyle's versatility as a writer. It is a novel that demands patience but rewards the reader with rich, immersive storytelling. Like a complex boxing match or a long naval campaign, it requires endurance and an appreciation for the nuanced struggle beneath the surface.

For those willing to surrender to its rhythms, the novel offers a window into a transformative period of British history—a time when social structures were as fluid as the oceans and individual merit could reshape one's destiny. It is a book that whispers of change, of rising social mobility, of the slow but inexorable march of progress.

Doyle may not have crafted a perfect novel, but he has created something perhaps more valuable: a living, breathing historical document that captures the spirit of an age. "Rodney Stone" is less a traditional narrative and more a literary time machine, inviting readers to step into a world both familiar and utterly foreign.

A sweeping, imperfect, but undeniably fascinating journey through the sporting and maritime cultures of early 19th-century England.

[Flávio Maurício · Rating 3 out of 5]

A única coisa que havia lido de Sir Arthur Conan Doyle após devorar toda a coleção de Sherlock Holmes era uma coletânea de contos de terror. Na época, gostei. Mas era adolescente. Quando vi “Soco na Cara” em destaque na livraria, comprei de impulso. O nome não é convidativo. A capa, com duas luvas de boxe, muito menos. Mas o pacote com o nome do autor lá em cima parecia desafiar paradigmas. Só que não. Tanto capa quanto título mostram-se deveras equivocados. O título original é “Rodney Stone”, nome do personagem narrador. O livro procura mostrar o ambiente das lutas de boxe na Inglaterra da virada do século XVIII pro XIX, quando nem se sonhava usar luvas nas lutas.

O romance tem três objetivos: mostrar a sociedade do início do século, particularmente Londres e seus arredores; o (sub)mundo do boxe e, em menor escala, dos homens da Marinha. Para este fim, Doyle mistura personagens ficcionais com históricos. Entre os marinheiros aparecem Nelson e Cochrane. Entre os boxeadores, muitos campeões de verdade. Na sociedade londrina, lordes e o futuro George IV. E um dos principais personagens, tio de Rodney, é inspirado no lançador da moda dândi, Beau Brummell, que também é personagem. Doyle faz questão de listar os livros que usou de referência para mergulhar na sociedade da época, pois o livro foi publicado em 1896, quase um século depois da história narrada, que se passa quase 60 antes do nascimento do autor.

Até Rodney sair de sua pequena vila do interior e partir para Londres, a narrativa se mostra bem superior aos textos da série Sherlock Holmes, com muitas camadas e indicando várias potencialidades para a trama. Depois, o texto fica mais descritivo se próximo ao que já conhecemos. Mas esse não é problema.

Ocorre que há a subtrama de assassinato que permeia todo livro. Desde a primeira vez que o caso é mencionado, o leitor sabe que não é algo gratuito. Entretanto, é algo fica esquecido por boa parte do livro, não se desenvolve apropriadamente, e só volta a ser abordado na reta final, e de forma tão acelerada que seu desenlace é praticamente contado, em vez de ser literariamente degustado. Pra piorar, o segredo revelado tem motivações deveras broxantes.

O universo dos homens do mar é quase um capítulo a parte, que poderia mas não se harmoniza apropriadamente com o todo. É a futilidade da sociedade londrina e o boxe, descrito com minúcias, pois Doyle era fã do esporte, que sustentam a narrativa.
Apesar do início prometer mais do que o romance

[Augustus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is today most known for his timeless adventures of Sherlock Holmes, he also wrote a number of historical novels tied to specific events. This narrative begins in 1851 as the title character recalls his adventures of half a century earlier. The book interweaves two overlapping stories, one of which is a mystery involving disappearance of Lord Avon amid overwhelming evidence that he murdered his brother in the family's ancient mansion at Cliffe Royal. The other story tells how young Rodney Stone travels to London to seek his fortune under the tutelage of his seemingly frivolous uncle, a favorite of the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV). The uncle bets heavily on a boxing match that ends up playing a central part in the narrative, and the protagonist contrasts his quiet life in Sussex with the busy and sometimes artificial world of London.

The historical setting begins during the short lull in the Napoleonic Wars following the Peace of Amiens in 1802, and it features the robust characters and clever conversations typical of the author. Meetings with the Prince of Wales and later with Horatio Nelson and his mistress Emma Hamilton are particularly memorable.

[James Wilson FRHistS · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised when I came across Conan Doyle's obituary in The Times, as it declared Rodney Stone his best work of all. I therefore decided to read it and find out if they were on to something.

Having done so, I can say I enjoyed the book, but it won't shake my extremely unoriginal view that the Holmes stories are still his greatest work and one of the greatest achievements by any author in history. There are many Holmesian touches here - some mystery, then at the end of the book twists as the mysteries are explained. The narration feels sufficiently close to Dr Watson's to be near-unmistakeable, and as ever Conan Doyle's prose is a pleasure in itself.

What I found most interesting was the historical fiction of bare knuckle boxing. Conan Doyle had plainly done his research, and was aided by being well over a century closer to the time he was depicting than we are today.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine historical drama from Arthur Conan Doyle. Most people only know him from his Sherlock Holmes stories, but he wrote a series of short books about different time periods in English history, most from the perspective of a young person. Each is rich with history, characterization, humor, and a love of his country and I recommend them all.

This one is about a mystery, boxing, fop life in London, and the Peace of Amiens during the Napoleonic wars. It covers a lot of ground and is very entertaining in the process.

[Rosemary Orme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought I had read all his books, starting 60 years ago. Very much a boy's adventure tale; interesting sociologically. Morally okay to impose one's will on poorer people and animals for one's own gratification. A sense of entitlement with horses and 'inferiors'. Cruelty and scant regard for decency by upper classes. Brutal 31 round bare knuckle fighting and mad gambling. Entertaining but not a touch on Sherlock Holmes and new world adventures.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining reading 📚

A will written adventure novel of a young man 🚹coming of age during the Georgians Era. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is fast moving as different events in his life are told. I would recommend this novel to historical fans. Enjoy reading 🔰2021 😮

[J Grimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy enjoyable read - Doyle has a good feel for the regency period and was much nearer than we are. He also loved boxing and it really shows

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such language. British English in the 19th century is amazing.

[Marianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like boxing or anything related with this sport, so I found that part somewhat repulsive, but the story - expecially the mystery part - was a very well-crafted one.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent historical fiction, but full-on landlubber. Where's vol. 2??

[Rog Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a big fan of the author when I was at school so I probably read this in 1966.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
historical fiction with a focus on boxing and exploration in the 18th century.

[Dulcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough.

[Cecilia Kvam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Min första av Sir Arthur. Gillade dialogen och uppskattade det lilla mysteriet, men framför allt blev jag fascinerad av den historiska miljön -ett fönster till en spännande tid.

[Patrick]

I just was not drawn in

[John Fetzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conan Doyle wrote in many genres. This was a different one for me, early 19th-century upper-class intrigues and bare-knuckle pugilism. As with his other fiction, it is vivid and has a flowing and compelling plot with twists.It, of course, is dated with the racism and classism of the late Victorian era, but that reflects the attitudes of the characters in the story, too, not just from Conan Doyle's later era. England was steeped in rigid classism where the classes differed tremendously. Racism was part of everyone's thinking. This is a good read to fill out gaps in Conan Doyle's works - not a Hound of the Baskervilles or Professor Challenger level, but good.