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Fu Manchu #2
The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
London, 1913—the era of Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, and the Invisible Man. A time of shadows, secret societies, and dens filled with opium addicts. Into this world comes the most fantastic emissary of evil society has ever known... Dr. Fu-Manchu.
The insidious doctor returns to Great Britain with his league of assassins, the dreaded Si-Fan. He seeks to subvert the realm at the highest levels, but Fu-Manchu has his own secrets—which he will protect by any means.
The insidious doctor returns to Great Britain with his league of assassins, the dreaded Si-Fan. He seeks to subvert the realm at the highest levels, but Fu-Manchu has his own secrets—which he will protect by any means.
278 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 1916
78 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
About the author
Sax Rohmer
488 books124 followersAKA Arthur Sarsfield Ward (real name); Michael Furey.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
December 1, 2022
Who is legendary Dr Fu Manchu and how does he get rid of his opponents? Is their a way to stop this master villain? Who is the beauty assisting him? Great pulp crime with a good dose of mystery, horror and suspense. The action is a bit repetitive but it's okay with regard to that classic character and its reputation. Fast paced, compelling, a bit old fashioned and cliche but definitely worth reading. Recommended!
August 18, 2014
The review from afar – No. 10
Re-revised forward to these overseas reviews:
As I emulate a yo-yo, I continue to rely on an old-style Kindle 3G for any non-technical reading. I tip my hat to the fine folks at Project Gutenberg: virtually every title I have or will be reading in the near future comes from them.
The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu (UK title, The Devil Doctor) continues the battle between Good and Evil as embodied by (for Good) Colonial Police Commissioner (with a Royal Roving License) Denis Nayland Smith and his friend and associate (and narrator), Dr. Petrie and (as Evil as can be) Doctor Fu Manchu and his various henchmen, dacoits, creatures, and, of course, the alluring, enchanting, and bewitching beauty Karamaneh.
I think that the prolific and imaginative Sax Rohmer (nee’ Arthur Henry Ward) has been judged too harshly especially by those who may not have read the source material, but only know his characters (probably only Fu Manchu himself) from derivative material. (I can imagine that the Warner Oland films were even more racist in some ways than the novels.) Rohmer was a talented man who transitioned from writing comedy and songs for music hall entertainment to weird, occult fiction (pulp, if you will) often with an Oriental twist. There are decent author profiles here in Goodreads and elsewhere. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
In this novel, Fu Manchu has reappeared in England (surviving his almost-certain death in the previous novel) and is moving against our two heroes. While his agents appear again and again, Fu Manchu is used with more restraint and this, I think, shows the author’s strength and skill. Rather than dilute the franchise (even inexhaustible malevolence can be tiring) he arranges it like accents in a symphony. Yes, the Doctor is there when he needs to be, but then he retreats into the shadows while events move one way or another.
He now bears a personal grudge against Nayland Smith for disrupting his plans, but he still feels obligated to deal with him and Smith in an honorable way. There is mutual respect of ability, if not respect of ideals, here and it goes both ways – even when it tears at Smith or Petrie to hold to a bargain they have made. But he makes mistakes: he trusts Karamaneh to execute his instructions even though she has (surreptitiously) rescue the Englishmen numerous times and has grown fond of Petrie. He even thinks that Dr. Petrie is more of an intellectual and scientific equal than could ever possibly be true – despite all direct evidence to the contrary. (Think Watson a’ la` the Jeremy Brett series, but still Watson.)
The story was written for serial publication, so it is broken up into a series of smaller tales that one imagines were included in one or two issues. This has a way of making the story seem choppy, but it also gives an impression of speed that might not have been there if written as a single, long manuscript. Inevitably, there is some similarity (dare I say repetition) as the attacks and plot twists come at predictable intervals (must have excitement in every installment). But the story redeems itself with regularity, also.
In my review of The Insidious Doctor Fu Manchu, I touched on the “Yellow Peril” racism and the reality that Rohmer’s audience wanted to read what he wrote. So I will skip most of that here. Fu Manchu wasn’t popular because of or in spite of the anti-Orientalism, it was popular because the characters (Good and Bad) appealed to his readers. Yes, he built on the previous buddy relationship of Holmes and Watson (even to the point of aping their chosen professions: crime fighting and medicine), but he took that concept and made it something different. While Holmes would become judge and jury when the mood took him, Nayland Smith has a royal Roving Commission that empowers him to seek succor or coerce assistant from any and all.
By our enlightened standards, we consider Fu Manchu to be decidedly un-politically correct. But he is more than that. He is the archetype for brilliant, evil, fiends bent on world domination. And I, for one, would mourn a world that did not have him and his sinister spawn. Since I have been reading a lot of older material, I accept that the styles, beliefs, and prejudices of the authors in their day reflect more their world than anything innate. That may be more or less true depending on the individual, but I am reading for enjoyment and diversion and I can tolerate a lot in pursuit of a good story. And, despite the rough edges (part of their appeal originally), these are good stories and Doctor Fu Manchu is a most wonderful adversary!
Three (3.0) Solid Stars for the actual writing, but Four (4.0) Stars awarded for creating one of the Baddest of the Bad Guys of All Time.
You can get this story for free from the Gutenberg Project site.
April 10, 2021
The second Fu-Manchu novel, originally published in 1916 by Sax Rohmer (Arthur Henry Ward) continues the tales of the “most diabolical evil genius of all time”. Published in the UK under the name, “The Devil Doctor”, the story is told once again from the first-person perspective of Dr. Petrie who acts as a sort of Watson to the more adventuresome Nayland Smith, a colonial police commissioner in Burma who has been granted a roving commission that allows him to utilize any group that can help him in his mission. When this book was written the western world was in the midst of the “Yellow Peril” and thus a diabolical mastermind intent on subjugating the West was a well-received idea.
Just as in the first book, this one is filled with idealized adventure much as one would find in the pulps and it never lets up on the accelerator. It is sort of episodic in nature, reflecting the way in which the stories were first published so we bounce from one adventure to the next. Smith and Petrie come very close to catching their nemesis, but this is matched only by the number of times they are themselves captured and must escape the clutches of Dr. Fu Manchu.
A prominent character and one of Dr. Fu Manchu's primary agents is the "seductively lovely" Kâramanèh, a former slave to Egyptian flesh peddlers. A major question running through this book is whether or not Kâramanèh is really working for Fu Manchu or is trying to sabotage his efforts and assist Dr. Petrie whom she seems to be falling for. There are also some supernatural aspects to parts of the book (at least the main characters think so) including a jaunt through a haunted house as well as a visitation by a mummy!
As always with pulp books from that era, today’s readers will have to accept the inherent racism that dwells within these pages. If that can be done, there is a lot of fun adventure to be had.
Just as in the first book, this one is filled with idealized adventure much as one would find in the pulps and it never lets up on the accelerator. It is sort of episodic in nature, reflecting the way in which the stories were first published so we bounce from one adventure to the next. Smith and Petrie come very close to catching their nemesis, but this is matched only by the number of times they are themselves captured and must escape the clutches of Dr. Fu Manchu.
A prominent character and one of Dr. Fu Manchu's primary agents is the "seductively lovely" Kâramanèh, a former slave to Egyptian flesh peddlers. A major question running through this book is whether or not Kâramanèh is really working for Fu Manchu or is trying to sabotage his efforts and assist Dr. Petrie whom she seems to be falling for. There are also some supernatural aspects to parts of the book (at least the main characters think so) including a jaunt through a haunted house as well as a visitation by a mummy!
As always with pulp books from that era, today’s readers will have to accept the inherent racism that dwells within these pages. If that can be done, there is a lot of fun adventure to be had.
August 26, 2019
Before I go into why I enjoyed this particular piece of literature so much, there may be the off chance some of you have no idea who Dr. Fu-Manchu actually is. Although the only time you might have heard of "Fu-Manchu" was when your bored college roommate decided to try and grow a gnarly mustache. That is indeed not the case. The character Dr. Fu-Manchu was created by Sax Rohmer (such a badass name) in the early parts of the 20th century when, instead of trolling the comments sections of YouTube, reading was the cool thing to do. Sure, the fact that he's an Asian villain and his portrayal can be considered a bid racist at times, but that is not at all why I considered this to be a great piece of literature. Actually, that would make me kid of a jerk and I would wholeheartedly accept your criticism. The reason I couldn't put this down is because the book's characters and settings bring you back to a much simpler and mysterious time.
You can read John's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read John's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
May 18, 2023
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
Another will written British 🏰 murder mystery old time radio 📻 pulp fiction adventure thriller novel by Sad Rohmer. I remember listening 🎶 to Fu-Manchu on the radio 📻 as a youngster plus lots of other radio 📻 shows. The mystery is interesting with well developed characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to the unexpected conclusion. I would highly recommend this novel and author to fans of old time radio. 2023 😀👒☺
Another will written British 🏰 murder mystery old time radio 📻 pulp fiction adventure thriller novel by Sad Rohmer. I remember listening 🎶 to Fu-Manchu on the radio 📻 as a youngster plus lots of other radio 📻 shows. The mystery is interesting with well developed characters lots of action, misdirection, and violence leading to the unexpected conclusion. I would highly recommend this novel and author to fans of old time radio. 2023 😀👒☺
March 11, 2012
Not as racist as the first book, "The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu" (a.k.a, "The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu"). And, frankly, the novel suffers because of it. "The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu" reminds you of that really racist elderly relative that you only see on holidays and is always belting out racial slurs because he or she was raised during a time when the concept of political correctness didn't exist (i.e., The concept of white people looking down on minorities is as natural as eating or breathing). They're so ridiculous that not only do you forgive them for it, but you find them to be kind of fun to be around.
As for the story line, "The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu" isn't really all that different from its predecessor. Two wealthy Brits, Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith, with the privilege to carry guns and shoot whomever they please, try to bring the evil Dr. Fu-Manchu to justice. They both repeatedly narrowly escape assassins, one of them tries to bed Fu-Manchu's Arab slave girl, an opium den burns down, and, in the end, Fu-Manchu is presumed dead.
As for the story line, "The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu" isn't really all that different from its predecessor. Two wealthy Brits, Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith, with the privilege to carry guns and shoot whomever they please, try to bring the evil Dr. Fu-Manchu to justice. They both repeatedly narrowly escape assassins, one of them tries to bed Fu-Manchu's Arab slave girl, an opium den burns down, and, in the end, Fu-Manchu is presumed dead.
January 31, 2014
Another wonderfully crafted Fu Manchu mystery & the second in this series. It contains exciting elements like, protecting the British Empire and saving a beautiful woman from a devil's grasp...
Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie must once again battle their clever fiend Fu Manchu who now continues his evil deeds in England...
Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie must once again battle their clever fiend Fu Manchu who now continues his evil deeds in England...
May 22, 2019
Relistening. My original comments are below.
====================
As enjoyable as the first, with Dr. Petrie unable to decide if Fu Manchu's sexiest operative is completely evil or just faking it. No matter, because one whiff of that perfume turns him into her slave (more or less). To the understandable frustration of our hero, Wayland Smith. Western imperialism has never been so entertaining.
====================
As enjoyable as the first, with Dr. Petrie unable to decide if Fu Manchu's sexiest operative is completely evil or just faking it. No matter, because one whiff of that perfume turns him into her slave (more or less). To the understandable frustration of our hero, Wayland Smith. Western imperialism has never been so entertaining.
August 9, 2014
A good, but not great sequel to the first in the series. I have to say that having the Dr simply focused on removing Smith and Peitre was a bit disappointing. There was no global domination plot, etc... So far, without read #3, these seems to have been a between book and not one that really stands on its own.
With that said, the characters improved and the visuals that were conjured of the times and places was well written.
I did find it interesting that in the versions of the books that I read, Mr. Rohmer seems to have 'modernized' his writing style a little. For example, he changed from the old world spelling of 'clew' to the more modern version that we use exclusively now of 'clue'. I really am glad to see that our language and writing styles evolve and that we retain the old books as they are as a way to record that history.
Overall an enjoyable, short, easy read to pass the time.
With that said, the characters improved and the visuals that were conjured of the times and places was well written.
I did find it interesting that in the versions of the books that I read, Mr. Rohmer seems to have 'modernized' his writing style a little. For example, he changed from the old world spelling of 'clew' to the more modern version that we use exclusively now of 'clue'. I really am glad to see that our language and writing styles evolve and that we retain the old books as they are as a way to record that history.
Overall an enjoyable, short, easy read to pass the time.
June 1, 2009
I came to this with a familiarity of the characters based on other media: movies, serials, and especially Marvel's MASTER OF KUNG FU comic book. I don't know what I expected, but I certainly did not expect the writing to be so abysmally bad, or the story to be so uninvolving, or for the characters to be so flat that they disappear when y'turn 'em sideways. This was a big disappointment. Couldn't even finish the damn thing.
January 13, 2023
I was going to give this book two stars and initially opened my observations on it by writing 'This book escapes the dreaded one star by the skin of its teeth' but then couldn't think of any justification as to why it should.
I felt that Rohmer, caught out by the success of the first Fu Manchu book, cobbled together some magazine pieces into a book and called it a novel. It isn't. It's a series of episodes featuring the usual chase, by Petrie and Nayland Smith and escapes, of Fu Manchu . What few good moments there are (mainly Manchu's fiendish methods of dispatching, or otherwise, his adversaries) are undermined by the tediousness of getting to that point.
The book also includes lots of appearances by the beautiful conflicted slave Karamaneh who Petrie is besotted with and will, at every turn comment on her lovely ankles, lustrous hair, wonderful eyes etc ad nauseum. The best moment in the book is when Nayland Smith, who is as sick of this gush as the reader is, calls Petrie 'an imbecile' for carrying on that way and putting them both in peril as a result. If only Rohmer would take his own creations' advice and bump her off I would be a lot happier.
One of Rohmer's weakest books and a nadir of the Fu Manchu's I have read thus far. If you can find an early edition you do get an iconic cover for your sins!
I felt that Rohmer, caught out by the success of the first Fu Manchu book, cobbled together some magazine pieces into a book and called it a novel. It isn't. It's a series of episodes featuring the usual chase, by Petrie and Nayland Smith and escapes, of Fu Manchu . What few good moments there are (mainly Manchu's fiendish methods of dispatching, or otherwise, his adversaries) are undermined by the tediousness of getting to that point.
The book also includes lots of appearances by the beautiful conflicted slave Karamaneh who Petrie is besotted with and will, at every turn comment on her lovely ankles, lustrous hair, wonderful eyes etc ad nauseum. The best moment in the book is when Nayland Smith, who is as sick of this gush as the reader is, calls Petrie 'an imbecile' for carrying on that way and putting them both in peril as a result. If only Rohmer would take his own creations' advice and bump her off I would be a lot happier.
One of Rohmer's weakest books and a nadir of the Fu Manchu's I have read thus far. If you can find an early edition you do get an iconic cover for your sins!
February 24, 2016
When the indefatigable Burmese police commissioner Nayland Smith and his trusty friend and sidekick Dr. Petrie both receive a mysterious midnight summons, the deadly import of the ruse soon dawns on them - the fiendish Dr. Fu-Manchu is back on the loose in London!
The Fu-Manchu novels of Sax Rohmer are shameless Sherlock Holmes rip-offs. The characters and roles of the sleuth and his assistant are entirely lifted from Conan Doyle's earlier model.
The big difference is the figure of Fu-Manchu himself, an ever-present Moriarty.
Fu-Manchu is an oriental scientist and criminal genius, assisted by a legion of stealthy dacoits (agents), a menagerie of dangerous beasts and Karamaneh, a beautiful Egyptian acolyte and ambiguous temptress who the narrator, Petrie, is rather partial to, constantly mooning over her like a silly schoolboy.
Petrie's sappiness is the least of the problems with this book, however. I can forgive all the 'Yellow Peril' nonsense when it's personified in Fu-Manchu, but not when the xenophobia is widened out towards orientals in general, which it occasionally is.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the one Jewish character, Abel Slattin, is treated with equal contempt, an oily and grasping stereotype: 'with unerring Semitic instinct he had sought an opening in this glittering Rialto'.
Unpleasant period racism aside, Rohmer further blots his copy book with pages of consistently hammy, at times truly atrocious dialogue, e.g. "That eerie call! like the call of a nighthawk — is it some unknown species of—flying thing?"
Also hard to ignore is the complete absence of plot. In place of one Rohmer merely strings together chapter after chapter of lurking dangers, screams in the night and histrionic murders.
Perhaps exciting in serial form, the thrills suffer from a complete lack of suspense.
The Fu-Manchu novels of Sax Rohmer are shameless Sherlock Holmes rip-offs. The characters and roles of the sleuth and his assistant are entirely lifted from Conan Doyle's earlier model.
The big difference is the figure of Fu-Manchu himself, an ever-present Moriarty.
Fu-Manchu is an oriental scientist and criminal genius, assisted by a legion of stealthy dacoits (agents), a menagerie of dangerous beasts and Karamaneh, a beautiful Egyptian acolyte and ambiguous temptress who the narrator, Petrie, is rather partial to, constantly mooning over her like a silly schoolboy.
Petrie's sappiness is the least of the problems with this book, however. I can forgive all the 'Yellow Peril' nonsense when it's personified in Fu-Manchu, but not when the xenophobia is widened out towards orientals in general, which it occasionally is.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the one Jewish character, Abel Slattin, is treated with equal contempt, an oily and grasping stereotype: 'with unerring Semitic instinct he had sought an opening in this glittering Rialto'.
Unpleasant period racism aside, Rohmer further blots his copy book with pages of consistently hammy, at times truly atrocious dialogue, e.g. "That eerie call! like the call of a nighthawk — is it some unknown species of—flying thing?"
Also hard to ignore is the complete absence of plot. In place of one Rohmer merely strings together chapter after chapter of lurking dangers, screams in the night and histrionic murders.
Perhaps exciting in serial form, the thrills suffer from a complete lack of suspense.
February 12, 2025
Not really much to say about this one. It's a sequel, but it feels more like a remake of the previous book as it follows the two leads, Smith & Petrie, getting into all sorts of scrapes with Fu Manchu. Lots of aimless galavanting, their confidant dies unexpectedly - thanks to you know who, Petrie falls in love with the exotic Arabic woman (again), and the ending is left ambiguous whether it really is the end for our Oriental criminal mastermind. *SPOILER*
(and Sax Rohmer just cranked them out right until the end) Insert footage of Rohmer during a rant - I won't get into specifics but you probably have some sort of idea.
Despite this I actually enjoyed it more than the first one, which kind of dragged, but I'd still hesitate to call it good. Rohmer's turgid prose and melodromatic descriptions do nothing to draw out the characters and what makes them tick (and this is coming from a person that's read countless stories of H.P Lovecraft including some of his lesser work), it simply presents them as bog standard caricatures of super sleuths who go on crazy adventures. The setpieces are well executed but the story feels like it's not amounting to anything, which also bugged me in the previous book. Still it's an interesting relic from the past, albeit one that has lost much of its shine.
(and Sax Rohmer just cranked them out right until the end) Insert footage of Rohmer during a rant - I won't get into specifics but you probably have some sort of idea.
Despite this I actually enjoyed it more than the first one, which kind of dragged, but I'd still hesitate to call it good. Rohmer's turgid prose and melodromatic descriptions do nothing to draw out the characters and what makes them tick (and this is coming from a person that's read countless stories of H.P Lovecraft including some of his lesser work), it simply presents them as bog standard caricatures of super sleuths who go on crazy adventures. The setpieces are well executed but the story feels like it's not amounting to anything, which also bugged me in the previous book. Still it's an interesting relic from the past, albeit one that has lost much of its shine.
September 24, 2017
The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is the second book of the Fu-Manchu thrillers by Sax Rohmer. Originally published in 1916, it is true pulp fiction at its best and the stuff that those old Hammer movies were made of and that I sat through Saturday matinee serials. (Do you remember those?)
Fu-Manchu is a cunning, evil genius trying to take over the world and to destroy his arch enemy Nayland Smith and his faithful companion, Dr. Petrie. Smith has been back in Burma and has heard that Fu-Manchu is still alive and has returned to England to get his revenge on them. The book is a series of incidents that find Smith and Petrie trying to find Manchu and battle his Dacoits and other implements of his terror. The beautiful Karamaneh, the woman of mystery from the first book, returns. Whose side is she on? Can Petrie and Smith trust her? Petrie definitely wants to, as she is forever on his mind and a constant distraction. The steady Inspector Weymouth of Scotland Yard also assists when he can. All in all, it's a wandering thriller and Smith and Petrie find themselves in dangerous situation after situation. How will it all end up? (3 stars)
Fu-Manchu is a cunning, evil genius trying to take over the world and to destroy his arch enemy Nayland Smith and his faithful companion, Dr. Petrie. Smith has been back in Burma and has heard that Fu-Manchu is still alive and has returned to England to get his revenge on them. The book is a series of incidents that find Smith and Petrie trying to find Manchu and battle his Dacoits and other implements of his terror. The beautiful Karamaneh, the woman of mystery from the first book, returns. Whose side is she on? Can Petrie and Smith trust her? Petrie definitely wants to, as she is forever on his mind and a constant distraction. The steady Inspector Weymouth of Scotland Yard also assists when he can. All in all, it's a wandering thriller and Smith and Petrie find themselves in dangerous situation after situation. How will it all end up? (3 stars)
March 10, 2021
Membaca buku ini kesan yang kudapat adalah kata "kuno". Bukan klasik, tapi kuno, outdated. Setelah berkenalan dengan Dr. Fu pada buku sebelumnya, di mana di buku tersebut masih banyak unsur kejutan dan plot twist yang tergolong mengasyikan, sequelnya ini lebih merupakan pengulangan tanpa ada tambahan apa pun. No character development, no story progresing. Fu Manchu masih gitu-gitu aja, Karamaneh makin membosankan, Smith dan Petrie gak beda. Yang semakin terasa kurang adalah tidak ada penjelasan lebih detail akan rencana kejahatan besar yang dilakukan Fu Manchu. Yang ditekankan hanya dia bawa-bawa makhluk/monster ini itu untuk bunuh-bunuhin orang. Motifnya apa, keuntungan yang dicari apa, tujuannya apa, gak jelas. Dari seluruh cerita di buku ini, satu yang kutangkap adalah presumsi-presumsi khas dunia barat (yang sekarang ketinggalan jaman) tentang dunia timur dan budaya oriental.
Mungkin ini yang menjadi sebab tokoh Smith-Petrie ini jauh lebih tidak dikenal dibandingkan Holmes-Watson orisinal yang bisa dibilang sama-sama jadoel - dan sering punya presumsi yang sama terhadap dunia timur, tapi dalam penceritaannya lebih punya isi, misteri dan keunikan yang "klasik" dan tak lekang oleh terpaan zaman.
Mungkin ini yang menjadi sebab tokoh Smith-Petrie ini jauh lebih tidak dikenal dibandingkan Holmes-Watson orisinal yang bisa dibilang sama-sama jadoel - dan sering punya presumsi yang sama terhadap dunia timur, tapi dalam penceritaannya lebih punya isi, misteri dan keunikan yang "klasik" dan tak lekang oleh terpaan zaman.
June 26, 2019
My fascination with the original Fu Manchu novels started a good couple of years ago when I visited one of my favourite book stores of all times: ADVENTURES IN CRIME AND SPACE in Austin, TX. No idea if that place still exists. Haven't been in Austin in ages but that store was a mandatory stop whenever I was there.
Had purchased two or three of the Pyramid editions and fell in love with the cover design (as well as of course the stories). Over the years I gradually acquired the remaining Pyramids and read the books in random order.
And now have finally come around to reading the last piece of the collection, chronologically speaking the second in the actual series.
Unfortunately this is also one of my least favourite novels. Probably because they were initially conceived as short stories and only later combined into a novel format, the individual parts of the plot feel very random. There are moments when it seems as if one had accidentally skipped a few pages when we're being introduced to new characters in the middle of an important conversation and most of the rescues are very deus ex machina.
Still, even a very average Fu Manchu is a-ok in my book.
Had purchased two or three of the Pyramid editions and fell in love with the cover design (as well as of course the stories). Over the years I gradually acquired the remaining Pyramids and read the books in random order.
And now have finally come around to reading the last piece of the collection, chronologically speaking the second in the actual series.
Unfortunately this is also one of my least favourite novels. Probably because they were initially conceived as short stories and only later combined into a novel format, the individual parts of the plot feel very random. There are moments when it seems as if one had accidentally skipped a few pages when we're being introduced to new characters in the middle of an important conversation and most of the rescues are very deus ex machina.
Still, even a very average Fu Manchu is a-ok in my book.
December 27, 2023
I was very impress with the first Fu-Manchu novel, and my opinion is only solidify with the second novel. A novel published in the 1910's that is still able to give me great enjoyment in late 2023 is quite a feat. The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is an excellent detective/thriller with a flair of occult/mysticism. The doctor himself is a superb creation, but it's the writing talent of Sax Rohmer that make the novel so good. The choices of the words, the flow of the sentences and the general storytelling style of the author are definitely upper level stuff. The Fu-Manchu of the novels is way better than anything that was portray on camera, so I encourage anybody who enjoy Sherlock Holmes, Arsène Lupin etc. to read Sax Rohmer most famous creation.
November 8, 2008
The terribly evil Dr. Fu-Manchu returns to London and completely baffles the entertainingly racist British detectives pursuing him. This is the second book in the series, and a lot of fun for two reasons. On one hand it is exciting and melodramatic, and on the other it is a glimpse into the mindset of the author, writing at a time when the "Yellow Peril" was seen as a scientifically proven reality. Reading this book is both an absorbing diversion and an interesting comparison to the hidden racism in our own time.
February 20, 2020
Somehow, in the back of his mind, Nayland Smith knew that the evil Dr. Fu-Manchu wasn't dead. In fact, his defeat was no defeat at all, for not only has Fu-Manchu returned but he has been awarded membership in the Sacred Order of the White Peacock. Can he possibly be stopped?
Read it and find out....
This edition also contains a brief Filmography of the evil doctor and contains 25 illustrations.
Read it and find out....
This edition also contains a brief Filmography of the evil doctor and contains 25 illustrations.
March 30, 2020
Enjoyed it, may be slightly hokey since the heroes seem to run into every trap mindlessly. Though the colorful villains and all the dangers that involve clever uses of exotic animals are fun.
Recommended for mystery fans and ones who can appreciate the greater then 100 year difference between these books and now.
Recommended for mystery fans and ones who can appreciate the greater then 100 year difference between these books and now.
February 7, 2013
Having read he first two novels, I reluctantly conclude Fu Manchu stories are not
quite my cup of tea. The stories seem like relatively mundane crime thrillers, and
Fu Manchu seems more like a rather clever criminal than the terrifying diabolical genius
I'm supposed to think he is.
March 9, 2018
Page turner
I have always love 1900 writings. The Dr. comes back to settle some scores. And the killing begins. Smith and Petrie follow his tracks. Arriving minutes after the deed is done. We meet old evil doers and some new ones. As always the Dr. takes us on a ride.
I have always love 1900 writings. The Dr. comes back to settle some scores. And the killing begins. Smith and Petrie follow his tracks. Arriving minutes after the deed is done. We meet old evil doers and some new ones. As always the Dr. takes us on a ride.
April 19, 2019
A cracking good yarn!
Not a politically correct tale by any means. 1920s 'Yellow Peril' stuff, and not that well written to be honest, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Not a politically correct tale by any means. 1920s 'Yellow Peril' stuff, and not that well written to be honest, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat!
February 5, 2020
Crazy crazy but a fun read
December 24, 2017
More of the serialized adventures of Commissioner Nayland Smith and his gentleman companion Dr. Petrie as they battle with the sinister and nefarious Dr. Fu-Manchu. As usual, Dr. Petrie is going about his business when Smith shows up suddenly and whisks him away to show up just too late to stop a bizarre murder. Dr. Fu-Manchu has returned with his Rube Goldberg killing devices to further his ambitions to spread the Yellow Menace over the proper white world. You could easily imagine this book as an old series of half hour radio shows like the Lone Ranger and the Shadow. Or one of those black and white shorts they used to show before the main feature at the theatre back in the 30s, like Boston Blackie.
Dr. Fu-Manchu continues to favor the strange in his murderous plots, killing with snakes and monkeys and poisons and fungi and even ghosts, while the intrepid duo of Smith and Petrie are ever just one step behind and this time are in even greater peril as the Doctor has taken a personal interest in them which leads to the pair being captured more than once. They generally escape either because the most intelligent evil genius the world has ever seen doesn't have the foresight to check his captives for pocketknives before tying them up or the recognition that every time they escape his slave girl is somewhere nearby. Kharameneh the beautiful pawn of Fu-Manchu returns as well, but this time with amnesia so she can once again be the conflicted plot element she was in the first book.
Not as much blatant racism in this one as in the first one but that's probably just an oversight as much more time is spent on atmosphere and action than on character development. Always entertaining to catch the anachronisms in these books, as the main characters only means of transportation are taxi cabs, trains, and subway cars, the streets of London are light by gas lamps, telephones are rarities limited to the wealthy, and once Petrie is even contacted using that newfangled Marconi machine. For a fast paced action packed mystery story you couldn't do better.
Dr. Fu-Manchu continues to favor the strange in his murderous plots, killing with snakes and monkeys and poisons and fungi and even ghosts, while the intrepid duo of Smith and Petrie are ever just one step behind and this time are in even greater peril as the Doctor has taken a personal interest in them which leads to the pair being captured more than once. They generally escape either because the most intelligent evil genius the world has ever seen doesn't have the foresight to check his captives for pocketknives before tying them up or the recognition that every time they escape his slave girl is somewhere nearby. Kharameneh the beautiful pawn of Fu-Manchu returns as well, but this time with amnesia so she can once again be the conflicted plot element she was in the first book.
Not as much blatant racism in this one as in the first one but that's probably just an oversight as much more time is spent on atmosphere and action than on character development. Always entertaining to catch the anachronisms in these books, as the main characters only means of transportation are taxi cabs, trains, and subway cars, the streets of London are light by gas lamps, telephones are rarities limited to the wealthy, and once Petrie is even contacted using that newfangled Marconi machine. For a fast paced action packed mystery story you couldn't do better.
May 8, 2017
Like the first book of this series ("The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu"), "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu" is clearly derived from serial installments. (Notice how often author Sax Rohmer repeats the introductory descriptions of various characters and their habits, for instance.) And like its predecessor, "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu" really doesn't have an overall plot. It's really just a series of one incident after another. There's really no narrative thread guiding the book. It's a lot of Sir Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie chasing one lead after another to thwart some vague scheme of the titular Fu Manchu. Exactly what the Devil Doctor's ultimate plans are, we're really not told. Something something "Yellow Peril", something something "China rules the world" or something like that. Because Rohmer never gives us anything really concrete about Fu Manchu's mechanization, it's hard to feel (vicariously) threaten by what his actions, hard to feel the world really is in danger, that Fu Manchu represents a world-wide threat.
And also like the first book, we have a series of Smith and Petrie trying to save someone Smith believes is targeted for death by Fu Manchu and half the time they save the victim, half the time they fail. And of course, the two are captured by Fu Manchu, caught in a silly little death trap that Karamenah, Petrie's great love and Fu Manchu's slave girl, rescues "our heroes" from. It's really the same book as book one, just different locations and events, but not too different.
Ultimately, "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu" is like a roller coaster ride. The loops and curves and speed and drops are thrilling, but ultimately meaningless and pointless. Oh, well, at least the racism isn't quite as bad this time around as in "The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu".
And also like the first book, we have a series of Smith and Petrie trying to save someone Smith believes is targeted for death by Fu Manchu and half the time they save the victim, half the time they fail. And of course, the two are captured by Fu Manchu, caught in a silly little death trap that Karamenah, Petrie's great love and Fu Manchu's slave girl, rescues "our heroes" from. It's really the same book as book one, just different locations and events, but not too different.
Ultimately, "The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu" is like a roller coaster ride. The loops and curves and speed and drops are thrilling, but ultimately meaningless and pointless. Oh, well, at least the racism isn't quite as bad this time around as in "The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu".
November 5, 2020
Having grown up on inherited books from the 1900-1930s, I really enjoy these vintage mysteries. Although there's rarely anything subtle about the plot, they're chock full of atmosphere and cliffhangers.
"The Return" is really a group of three stories, in which we do battle with that nefarious villain Fu Manchu. Our narrator Dr. Petrie is rejoined, in the fight against evil, by his friend (and Fu Manchu arch enemy) Police Commissioner Nayland Smith. Every plot naturally includes the frightening villain working to silence squealers and dispose of our annoying do-gooders in the most creative way possible - ensuring plenty of chills and thrills. And our heroes regularly walk into traps in spite of the warnings of the warlord's beautiful conflicted slave Karamaneh.
Fu Manchu never used conventional weapons such as guns, so his traps are always interesting (and a little spooky), particularly when it comes to deciphering how each corpse ends up so mysteriously and definitively dead.
Unwary readers should be warned - the stories are of their time and present a consistent and often casual racism against those of color that thankfully is inappropriate today. During the 1900s when these books were written, the concept of the "Yellow Peril" - those of Asian decent "invading " western nations - was pervasive in North America and became the foundation of the early Fu Manchu series success.
"The Return" is really a group of three stories, in which we do battle with that nefarious villain Fu Manchu. Our narrator Dr. Petrie is rejoined, in the fight against evil, by his friend (and Fu Manchu arch enemy) Police Commissioner Nayland Smith. Every plot naturally includes the frightening villain working to silence squealers and dispose of our annoying do-gooders in the most creative way possible - ensuring plenty of chills and thrills. And our heroes regularly walk into traps in spite of the warnings of the warlord's beautiful conflicted slave Karamaneh.
Fu Manchu never used conventional weapons such as guns, so his traps are always interesting (and a little spooky), particularly when it comes to deciphering how each corpse ends up so mysteriously and definitively dead.
Unwary readers should be warned - the stories are of their time and present a consistent and often casual racism against those of color that thankfully is inappropriate today. During the 1900s when these books were written, the concept of the "Yellow Peril" - those of Asian decent "invading " western nations - was pervasive in North America and became the foundation of the early Fu Manchu series success.
August 13, 2023
I have a tendency to be exceedingly open-minded about the books I read, because I rarely hold racist or culturally insensitive language against a book I'm reviewing. I do, however, believe that it needs to be acknowledged when encountered. So my first caveat is that there are racially insensitive terms used by Rohmer for Asian and Jewish people. If these trigger you, take this as a Trigger Warning, but you should recognize that the novel was published in 1916, well over a hundred years ago.
I liked this book, a great deal in spite of myself. Dr. Fu Manchu is the perfect mystical villain, chemist, zoologist, intellectual badass, keeper of secret knowledge, and exotic pets. The team of Dr. Petrie and Denis Nayland Smith discover that the villain survived the first book. (That is what happens over the course of the rest of the series. Fu supposedly dies at the end of most of the novels only to return, alive and well, for the next book, continuing his mission to dominate the world.)
One thing that has changed since the first book is that Fu finds Smith and Petrie more intellectual equals than in the past. In the first book there is more contempt for the Englishmen. He attempts to kill them several times over the course of this book, and with each failed attempt he grows in admiration. The gorgeous Karamenah returns as Fu's servant, but it is evident that Fu has done something to wipe her memory of the previous adventure.
The book moves at a quick pace, from one adventure to the next with minimal exposition. In fact, the plot is exposed in such small increments, it adds to the suspense, which builds despite the balls to the wall plot points. Definitely, a classic in my book regardless of the racist language. The writer may have been a bigot (I do not assert that he was; that's between he and his maker,) but he can sure tell a pretty compelling story.
I liked this book, a great deal in spite of myself. Dr. Fu Manchu is the perfect mystical villain, chemist, zoologist, intellectual badass, keeper of secret knowledge, and exotic pets. The team of Dr. Petrie and Denis Nayland Smith discover that the villain survived the first book. (That is what happens over the course of the rest of the series. Fu supposedly dies at the end of most of the novels only to return, alive and well, for the next book, continuing his mission to dominate the world.)
One thing that has changed since the first book is that Fu finds Smith and Petrie more intellectual equals than in the past. In the first book there is more contempt for the Englishmen. He attempts to kill them several times over the course of this book, and with each failed attempt he grows in admiration. The gorgeous Karamenah returns as Fu's servant, but it is evident that Fu has done something to wipe her memory of the previous adventure.
The book moves at a quick pace, from one adventure to the next with minimal exposition. In fact, the plot is exposed in such small increments, it adds to the suspense, which builds despite the balls to the wall plot points. Definitely, a classic in my book regardless of the racist language. The writer may have been a bigot (I do not assert that he was; that's between he and his maker,) but he can sure tell a pretty compelling story.
February 29, 2024
I thought it was a one-time thing. I never thought the Doctor had any hold on me. Why did I keep wondering what evil Fu-Manchu was stirring? The next thing I knew I was deep in another adventure with our heroes Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie.
I don't remember what I rated the first book, but I didn't think it was high enough to read the second one, but, obviously, it was. It helps that this is my favorite era to read about -the Holmes atmosphere and mystery.
The two heroes don't get enough attention. People always comment on Dr. Fu-Manchu, but not so much the two characters that get most of the time. Yes, they are Holmes and Watson knock-offs, but not entirely. Petrie is much more productive than Watson. Sometimes discovering things without Smith or pulling Smith out of the fire. Holmes is much more the superhero; Smith seems to blunder as much as he does something impressive. Smith never displays his deduction skills a la Holmes either.
I think the reviewer that said it is probably best not to read them consecutively is spot on. Even just one out stays it's welcome a bit, but I know someday I'll be back.
I don't remember what I rated the first book, but I didn't think it was high enough to read the second one, but, obviously, it was. It helps that this is my favorite era to read about -the Holmes atmosphere and mystery.
The two heroes don't get enough attention. People always comment on Dr. Fu-Manchu, but not so much the two characters that get most of the time. Yes, they are Holmes and Watson knock-offs, but not entirely. Petrie is much more productive than Watson. Sometimes discovering things without Smith or pulling Smith out of the fire. Holmes is much more the superhero; Smith seems to blunder as much as he does something impressive. Smith never displays his deduction skills a la Holmes either.
I think the reviewer that said it is probably best not to read them consecutively is spot on. Even just one out stays it's welcome a bit, but I know someday I'll be back.
December 25, 2024
Interesting prose, light on characterization, ok world building, not much of a story, no theme.
Arthur Ward was born to working class parents in 1883. From his prose (over use of adjectives, made up words, obscure words, mythological references) he appears to be largely self educated, but he made good and he made himself into Sax Rohmer.
The Devil Doctor also published as The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is the second in the series. Dr. Petrie (our narrator) claims the super villain, Dr. Fu-Manchu, is trying to establish a "Yellow Empire". Maybe, I'll take his word for it, although there is no evidence presented for it whatsoever. The book is entirely a sequence of fiendishly clever attempts on the life of Nayland Smith, Petrie, and, near the end, Karamehe (I'm too lazy to check the spelling) Petrie's sometime love interest and full time obsession.
Despite the prose, it's a boy's own adventure. 3-stars for working class Arthur Ward's transformation into the writer Sax Rohmer.
Arthur Ward was born to working class parents in 1883. From his prose (over use of adjectives, made up words, obscure words, mythological references) he appears to be largely self educated, but he made good and he made himself into Sax Rohmer.
The Devil Doctor also published as The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is the second in the series. Dr. Petrie (our narrator) claims the super villain, Dr. Fu-Manchu, is trying to establish a "Yellow Empire". Maybe, I'll take his word for it, although there is no evidence presented for it whatsoever. The book is entirely a sequence of fiendishly clever attempts on the life of Nayland Smith, Petrie, and, near the end, Karamehe (I'm too lazy to check the spelling) Petrie's sometime love interest and full time obsession.
Despite the prose, it's a boy's own adventure. 3-stars for working class Arthur Ward's transformation into the writer Sax Rohmer.
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