What do you think?
Rate this book
Die gelbe Schlange
Stephen Narth steckt in argen Schwierigkeiten. Da kommt eine Nachricht seines Onkels aus China gerade recht. Der alte Joe Bray hat nicht mehr lange zu leben. Er möchte, dass sein Geschäftsführer Clifford Lynne, der Teilhaber seiner Goldminen ist, ein Mädchen aus Narth Familie ehelicht. Andernfalls soll Clifford das gesamte Vermögen erben und Narth ginge leer aus. Eine aufregende und gefahrenvolle Reise nach China beginnt, denn jemand scheint es auf Clifford abgesehen zu haben.
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2012
About the author
Edgar Wallace
2,560 books269 followersRichard Horatio Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.
He is most famous today as the co-creator of "King Kong", writing the early screenplay and story for the movie, as well as a short story "King Kong" (1933) credited to him and Draycott Dell. He was known for the J. G. Reeder detective stories, The Four Just Men, the Ringer, and for creating the Green Archer character during his lifetime.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 10, 2012
3 1/2 stars really. A rather Fu Manchu-like plot, but entertaining, at least. The hero is a little too good to be true, but there are flashes of humour thoughout the book that lift it up (actually, it's true of most Edgar Wallace I've read). Very politically incorrect in its treatment of "Chinamen", but usual for the time it was written (mid 1920s). I am beginning to be in awe of this man. You know what's really scary? I'm only a year younger than he was when he died, having written 175 novels and goodness knows what else in the course of his life. Now that's what I call productive! And he didn't have a word-processor to help him.
March 22, 2026
This was a lot more complex and funny than I expected, while still being very similar to the Fu-Manchu style of story with a Chinese villain aiming for world domination. A thumping good adventure with a very likable couple as protagonists.
July 22, 2019
Only read this novel if you get it for free and have lots of time to kill. Lots of unanswered questions at the end & a purely crazy ending it is. Would be a great theme for CSI or the Mod Squad, etc.
September 7, 2011
The Yellow Snake is a delightfully trashy and outrageous 1926 thriller by Edgar Wallace.
As you might gather from the title this time Wallace is dealing with the Yellow Peril. To be more specific, a nefarious Chinese secret society known as the Joyful Hands.
Stephen Narth is a crooked British merchant banker. He has been speculating with client’s money, and needs to find £50,000 to keep out of prison. Suddenly salvation seems to be at hand. A distant relative, Joe Bray, has made a fortune from mining and trading in China and has unexpectedly left his fortune to Narth. Only there are complications. Bray’s will stipulates that in order for this fortune to come his way Narth must ensure that one of his daughters should marry Bray’s mine manager Clifford Lynne.
Stephen Narth’s daughters, Mabel and Letty, are very anxious to marry money but they take one look at Clifford Lynne and refuse to have anything to do with the scheme. He has a long bushy beard, is generally unkempt and dresses eccentrically. And he is, after all, a mere employee of their distant relative. They come up with a clever plan - the will actually stipulate that Clifford should marry a female member of Narth’s family, not necessarily a daughter. So they will force their penniless cousin Joan Bray to marry the uncouth mine manager.
Joan agrees and it’s soon clear she’s made a rather good bargain - once he’s cleaned up Lynne is actually quite good-looking. And he’s not a mere employee. In fact he owns considerably more of the Yun Nan Concessions than Joe Bray does. He is immensely wealthy. He’s certainly eccentric but Joan has already decided that he’s rather fascinating.
Salvation hasn’t come quite in time for Stephen Narth - he needs the £50,000 immediately. Now another benefactor appears on the scene - the fabulously wealthy Oxford-educated Chinese businessman Grahame St Clay (whose real name is Fing-Su). He lends Stephen the money he needs, but this loan very definitely comes with strings attached. The unlucky banker is now well and truly in Fing-Su’s clutches and is hopelessly involved in the conspiracies of the Joyful Hands.
Fing-Su’s immediate objective is to obtain one of the 49 founder shares in the Yun Nan Concession. These are the only shares with voting rights and he already has 24. Once he has control he intends to use the company’s immense wealth to finance a very ambitious plan. He is aiming at nothing less than control of China. He is of course quite mad.
To get this share from Clifford Lynne he needs to exert some pressure, and he decides the best way is by threatening Lynne’s intended bride.
There are countless further plot complications including several murders and kidnappings and a horrific initiation ritual that Stephen Narth must endure. Clifford and Joan find themselves menaced at every step by ruthless assassins.
it goes without saying that this is a very politically incorrect book, if that’s something that bothers you.
It’s all outlandish to the highest degree and it’s tremendous fun. Wallace is these days very unfashionable indeed, something that I find quite mysterious. His thrillers are always entertaining and colourful and he is surely ripe for rediscovery. The Yellow Snake is a total hoot.
As you might gather from the title this time Wallace is dealing with the Yellow Peril. To be more specific, a nefarious Chinese secret society known as the Joyful Hands.
Stephen Narth is a crooked British merchant banker. He has been speculating with client’s money, and needs to find £50,000 to keep out of prison. Suddenly salvation seems to be at hand. A distant relative, Joe Bray, has made a fortune from mining and trading in China and has unexpectedly left his fortune to Narth. Only there are complications. Bray’s will stipulates that in order for this fortune to come his way Narth must ensure that one of his daughters should marry Bray’s mine manager Clifford Lynne.
Stephen Narth’s daughters, Mabel and Letty, are very anxious to marry money but they take one look at Clifford Lynne and refuse to have anything to do with the scheme. He has a long bushy beard, is generally unkempt and dresses eccentrically. And he is, after all, a mere employee of their distant relative. They come up with a clever plan - the will actually stipulate that Clifford should marry a female member of Narth’s family, not necessarily a daughter. So they will force their penniless cousin Joan Bray to marry the uncouth mine manager.
Joan agrees and it’s soon clear she’s made a rather good bargain - once he’s cleaned up Lynne is actually quite good-looking. And he’s not a mere employee. In fact he owns considerably more of the Yun Nan Concessions than Joe Bray does. He is immensely wealthy. He’s certainly eccentric but Joan has already decided that he’s rather fascinating.
Salvation hasn’t come quite in time for Stephen Narth - he needs the £50,000 immediately. Now another benefactor appears on the scene - the fabulously wealthy Oxford-educated Chinese businessman Grahame St Clay (whose real name is Fing-Su). He lends Stephen the money he needs, but this loan very definitely comes with strings attached. The unlucky banker is now well and truly in Fing-Su’s clutches and is hopelessly involved in the conspiracies of the Joyful Hands.
Fing-Su’s immediate objective is to obtain one of the 49 founder shares in the Yun Nan Concession. These are the only shares with voting rights and he already has 24. Once he has control he intends to use the company’s immense wealth to finance a very ambitious plan. He is aiming at nothing less than control of China. He is of course quite mad.
To get this share from Clifford Lynne he needs to exert some pressure, and he decides the best way is by threatening Lynne’s intended bride.
There are countless further plot complications including several murders and kidnappings and a horrific initiation ritual that Stephen Narth must endure. Clifford and Joan find themselves menaced at every step by ruthless assassins.
it goes without saying that this is a very politically incorrect book, if that’s something that bothers you.
It’s all outlandish to the highest degree and it’s tremendous fun. Wallace is these days very unfashionable indeed, something that I find quite mysterious. His thrillers are always entertaining and colourful and he is surely ripe for rediscovery. The Yellow Snake is a total hoot.
October 11, 2018
Excellent polar anglais pour achever ma liste de lecture de ce mois d’Octobre.
Le récit se déroule entre l’Angleterre et la Chine sous couvert d’une étrange société secrète.
Une histoire qui tient le lecteur véritablement en haleine, et démontre en même temps combien la supériorité et les ambitions malsaines et démesurées peuvent conduire à d’odieux crimes :Kidnappage, chantage, avidité et autres ignobles actes sont employés à des fins de suprématie.. !
Le récit se déroule entre l’Angleterre et la Chine sous couvert d’une étrange société secrète.
Une histoire qui tient le lecteur véritablement en haleine, et démontre en même temps combien la supériorité et les ambitions malsaines et démesurées peuvent conduire à d’odieux crimes :Kidnappage, chantage, avidité et autres ignobles actes sont employés à des fins de suprématie.. !
November 30, 2021
În tot Siangtan-ul nu se găsea o casă asemănătoare cu cea a lui Joe Bray. Dar şi Joe era un om original, chiar şi pentru China, unde din timpurile lui Marco Polo se cuibărise o sumedenie de oameni extraordinari.
Casa era din piatră şi planurile fuseseră concepute de Pinto Huello, un arhitect portughez, care avea darul beţiei. Huello fusese nevoit să părăsească ţara sa natală în împrejurări foarte puţin onorabile pentru el şi ajunsese prin Canton şi Wuchau, în oraşul acesta mare şi murdar.
În genere se spune că Pinto elaborase planurile în mod genial. Într-o singură noapte, când casa era pe jumătate gata. Din cauza aceasta, jumătate din casă semăna cu celebra pagodă de porţelan şi rămânea să servească ca monument pentru gusturile excentrico-fantastice ale lui Pinto. Cealaltă jumătate semăna cu un depozit de mărfuri, cum se pot vedea cu duzinile pe malurile canalului şi oglindea minunat dispoziţia de după beţie a portughezului.
Joe era un munte de om, care iubea China şi băutura, plăcându-i să viseze toată ziua. Concepea atunci planuri admirabile; niciunul însă practicabil. Se bucura şi era încântat că din acel colţ îndepărtat putea pune în mişcare pârghii şi macarale, care ar pute aduce modificări radicale omenirii.
Când îl apucau asemenea „dispoziţii”, Joe semăna un Hârűn al-Rashâd. S-ar fi dus deghizat printre săraci şi ar fi împărţit bani acelora care o meritau. Dar nu întâlnise încă pe săracii care ar fi fost demni de filantropia lui.
China este o ţară în care se poate visa cu uşurinţă. Din locuinţa sa, Joe putea privi în depărtare, spre valurile fluviului Siang-Kiang, pe care se clătinau corăbii. Reflexul apusului de soare strălucea pe valuri.
Multe vaporaşe alunecau spre mare. Pe pânzele lor se reflectau razele soarelui în culori arămii. Mişcarea populaţiei semăna cu aceea a unui roi de albine. Dar de la distanţa de unde se afla Joe nu prea se putea distinge lămurit şi ― ceea ce era mai important mai ales pentru China ― nici mirosul caracteristic oraşelor chinezeşti nu ajungea până la el.
Bătrânul Joe Bray însă era obişnuit cu mirosul acela specific, care nu-l mai înspăimânta. El cunoştea toată ţara asta mare, din Manciuria până la Kwangs şi de la Şantung până în valea Ini Kiao-Kie, unde se vorbea o franţuzească de neînţeles. China reprezenta pentru Joe cea mai mare şi cea mai importantă parte a lumii. Întâmplările barbare şi mirosul caracteristic erau pentru el dovezi normale de viaţă. Gândea chinezeşte şi ar fi trăit în totul ca un chinez, dacă nu ar fi fost împiedicat de tovarăşul său.
Joe străbătuse pe jos toate provinciile Imperiului şi pătrunse în oraşe şi locuri unde albii n-aveau voie să intre. Odată fusese prins dezbrăcat de veşminte şi dus în Yamenul teribilului Fu-chi-ling, care fusese un timp guvernator al Su-Kiangului, spre a fi ucis. Dar. Joe plecă de acolo încărcat cu onoruri ca un mandarin şi fu condus la palatul fiicei cerului.
Dar toate acestea îl lăsau indiferent pe Joe Bray, care din naştere era englez; apoi deveni american, când America căpătă influenţă mai mare. De altfel, îşi putea permite toate lucrurile, căci era milionar, ba mai mult chiar. Casa era un palat. Câştigase enorm de mult la întreprinderi miniere şi altele. Câştigurile astea se înmulţiseră în ultimii zece ani atât de mult încât deveniseră averi fantastice.
Casa era din piatră şi planurile fuseseră concepute de Pinto Huello, un arhitect portughez, care avea darul beţiei. Huello fusese nevoit să părăsească ţara sa natală în împrejurări foarte puţin onorabile pentru el şi ajunsese prin Canton şi Wuchau, în oraşul acesta mare şi murdar.
În genere se spune că Pinto elaborase planurile în mod genial. Într-o singură noapte, când casa era pe jumătate gata. Din cauza aceasta, jumătate din casă semăna cu celebra pagodă de porţelan şi rămânea să servească ca monument pentru gusturile excentrico-fantastice ale lui Pinto. Cealaltă jumătate semăna cu un depozit de mărfuri, cum se pot vedea cu duzinile pe malurile canalului şi oglindea minunat dispoziţia de după beţie a portughezului.
Joe era un munte de om, care iubea China şi băutura, plăcându-i să viseze toată ziua. Concepea atunci planuri admirabile; niciunul însă practicabil. Se bucura şi era încântat că din acel colţ îndepărtat putea pune în mişcare pârghii şi macarale, care ar pute aduce modificări radicale omenirii.
Când îl apucau asemenea „dispoziţii”, Joe semăna un Hârűn al-Rashâd. S-ar fi dus deghizat printre săraci şi ar fi împărţit bani acelora care o meritau. Dar nu întâlnise încă pe săracii care ar fi fost demni de filantropia lui.
China este o ţară în care se poate visa cu uşurinţă. Din locuinţa sa, Joe putea privi în depărtare, spre valurile fluviului Siang-Kiang, pe care se clătinau corăbii. Reflexul apusului de soare strălucea pe valuri.
Multe vaporaşe alunecau spre mare. Pe pânzele lor se reflectau razele soarelui în culori arămii. Mişcarea populaţiei semăna cu aceea a unui roi de albine. Dar de la distanţa de unde se afla Joe nu prea se putea distinge lămurit şi ― ceea ce era mai important mai ales pentru China ― nici mirosul caracteristic oraşelor chinezeşti nu ajungea până la el.
Bătrânul Joe Bray însă era obişnuit cu mirosul acela specific, care nu-l mai înspăimânta. El cunoştea toată ţara asta mare, din Manciuria până la Kwangs şi de la Şantung până în valea Ini Kiao-Kie, unde se vorbea o franţuzească de neînţeles. China reprezenta pentru Joe cea mai mare şi cea mai importantă parte a lumii. Întâmplările barbare şi mirosul caracteristic erau pentru el dovezi normale de viaţă. Gândea chinezeşte şi ar fi trăit în totul ca un chinez, dacă nu ar fi fost împiedicat de tovarăşul său.
Joe străbătuse pe jos toate provinciile Imperiului şi pătrunse în oraşe şi locuri unde albii n-aveau voie să intre. Odată fusese prins dezbrăcat de veşminte şi dus în Yamenul teribilului Fu-chi-ling, care fusese un timp guvernator al Su-Kiangului, spre a fi ucis. Dar. Joe plecă de acolo încărcat cu onoruri ca un mandarin şi fu condus la palatul fiicei cerului.
Dar toate acestea îl lăsau indiferent pe Joe Bray, care din naştere era englez; apoi deveni american, când America căpătă influenţă mai mare. De altfel, îşi putea permite toate lucrurile, căci era milionar, ba mai mult chiar. Casa era un palat. Câştigase enorm de mult la întreprinderi miniere şi altele. Câştigurile astea se înmulţiseră în ultimii zece ani atât de mult încât deveniseră averi fantastice.
June 10, 2019
If you want to learn about all the varieties of racism prevalent circa 1925, this is the book for you. This one makes Sax Rohmer look like a poster child for tolerance and global friendship. Mostly, it’s the Asian that gets the abuse, but there is plenty left over for black folk too.
There is a good plot in this mess — a rich businessman wants to steel the stock of a multi-billion dollar company to fund his effort to become Emperor of China. But to get there — you have to get through more racial epithets than you would find at an average KKK rally. And, ultimately, Wallace is so racist that he can’t really believe his Fu Manchu stand in has the brains and the courage to bring his scheme off, which ends up ruining the plot.
Even if you really like Wallace (and many do) just skip this.
There is a good plot in this mess — a rich businessman wants to steel the stock of a multi-billion dollar company to fund his effort to become Emperor of China. But to get there — you have to get through more racial epithets than you would find at an average KKK rally. And, ultimately, Wallace is so racist that he can’t really believe his Fu Manchu stand in has the brains and the courage to bring his scheme off, which ends up ruining the plot.
Even if you really like Wallace (and many do) just skip this.
January 22, 2026
2.75 stars
June 10, 2016
Early on, I worried this might be a bit racist: yellow peril and all. But, although racist, it wasn't nearly so odious as Fu Manchu, which made me sick, although the guy who commented on my review of that book said I didn't understand crap about racism. I asked why, but he didn't respond. So, I think this book is mildly racist, but there are people who have gone on record to claim I don't know jack about racism. Anyway, although a tad racist, I didn't find this particular book to be odiously so. At some point, if you want to read older literature, you've got to put up with some racism. Racism was a part of the the good old days.
That all being said, it was rather a fun book. Joe Bray is a millionaire British trader in China. He tells his manager, Clifford Lynn that he is about to die and has changed his will. Originally, his distant relative in England, Stephen Narth, a financier of questionable competence and integrity was to get all of Bray's holdings. But now, he has entailed a sizable chunk of the fortune on the stipulation that Bray marry off one of the young women in Narth's household to his manager, Clifford Lynn. Narth has two daughters, the stout Mabel and the younger, Letty. Also living in the Bray household is his niece, Joan Bray, who keeps the household and its finances straight.
But, Narth, it seems, has screwed up his finances and faces complete ruin unless he can lay claim to £50,000 within a week. He becomes elated about the possibility of getting the money from the prospective marriage. Hell with a bridegroom site unseen; there's money to be had! He gets some financial help and breathing room from one Grahame St. Clay, who was rather obviously educated at Oxford. St. Clay is also rather obviously Chinese. It turns out that St. Clay is actually named Fing-Su. He was a protégé of Joe Bray. It was Bray who sent him to Oxford in the first place. It seems that St. Clay/Fing-Su has some desire to snag the Joe Bray wealth for himself and perhaps even Miss Letty or Miss Joan.
One other thing we learn about Fing-Su is that he detests Clifford Lynn. The detestation is mutual. Lynn has dubbed Fing-Su as "the yellow snake". Oh yeah, Fing-Su also has delusions of grandeur: he hopes to use the fortune he plans to wangle from Joe Bray's estate into money which he can use to bribe all public officials in China into making him emperor of China.
So we have lots of skulduggery, encounters with death squads and so on. A rather rollicking adventure.
That all being said, it was rather a fun book. Joe Bray is a millionaire British trader in China. He tells his manager, Clifford Lynn that he is about to die and has changed his will. Originally, his distant relative in England, Stephen Narth, a financier of questionable competence and integrity was to get all of Bray's holdings. But now, he has entailed a sizable chunk of the fortune on the stipulation that Bray marry off one of the young women in Narth's household to his manager, Clifford Lynn. Narth has two daughters, the stout Mabel and the younger, Letty. Also living in the Bray household is his niece, Joan Bray, who keeps the household and its finances straight.
But, Narth, it seems, has screwed up his finances and faces complete ruin unless he can lay claim to £50,000 within a week. He becomes elated about the possibility of getting the money from the prospective marriage. Hell with a bridegroom site unseen; there's money to be had! He gets some financial help and breathing room from one Grahame St. Clay, who was rather obviously educated at Oxford. St. Clay is also rather obviously Chinese. It turns out that St. Clay is actually named Fing-Su. He was a protégé of Joe Bray. It was Bray who sent him to Oxford in the first place. It seems that St. Clay/Fing-Su has some desire to snag the Joe Bray wealth for himself and perhaps even Miss Letty or Miss Joan.
One other thing we learn about Fing-Su is that he detests Clifford Lynn. The detestation is mutual. Lynn has dubbed Fing-Su as "the yellow snake". Oh yeah, Fing-Su also has delusions of grandeur: he hopes to use the fortune he plans to wangle from Joe Bray's estate into money which he can use to bribe all public officials in China into making him emperor of China.
So we have lots of skulduggery, encounters with death squads and so on. A rather rollicking adventure.
May 26, 2013
Inhalt:
Joan Bray wächst bei ihrem Onkel, Mr. Narth und ihren Cousinen auf. Bis eines Tages ein Brief von Mr. Narths Onkel aus China kommt, in dem er diesem mitteilt, dass er im sterben liegt, und möchte, dass sein Geschäft in der Familie bleibt. Mr. Narth bekommt 2/3 des Vermögens wenn eine seiner Töchter oder Joan den Geschäftsführer heiratet. Da die Töchter kein Interesse haben einen Unbekannten in einem umbekannten Land zu heiraten. Somit bleibt diese Aufgabe an der unscheinbaren Joan Bray hängen. Nach dem ersten Treffen mit Clifford Lynne ist sie hin und weg von diesem unbekannten Mann. Das Telegramm vom Tod des alten Joe Brays ist eine Finte. Kann die entfürte Joan Bray am Schluss gerettet werden?
Meinung:
Es ist schwer sich eine Meinung über Edgar Wallace zu bilden. Ich habe seine Bücher zum Größten Teil nicht gekauft, sondern bekommen. Dieses Buch hier hat mich nicht vom Stuhl gehauen. Es war nichts dabei was mich wirklich dazu hingerissen hätte länger als nötig daran zu lesen. Was dann wohl auch mit ein Grund dafür war, dass ich dieses Mal 3 Wochen für diese paar Seiten gebraucht habe.
Joan Bray wächst bei ihrem Onkel, Mr. Narth und ihren Cousinen auf. Bis eines Tages ein Brief von Mr. Narths Onkel aus China kommt, in dem er diesem mitteilt, dass er im sterben liegt, und möchte, dass sein Geschäft in der Familie bleibt. Mr. Narth bekommt 2/3 des Vermögens wenn eine seiner Töchter oder Joan den Geschäftsführer heiratet. Da die Töchter kein Interesse haben einen Unbekannten in einem umbekannten Land zu heiraten. Somit bleibt diese Aufgabe an der unscheinbaren Joan Bray hängen. Nach dem ersten Treffen mit Clifford Lynne ist sie hin und weg von diesem unbekannten Mann. Das Telegramm vom Tod des alten Joe Brays ist eine Finte. Kann die entfürte Joan Bray am Schluss gerettet werden?
Meinung:
Es ist schwer sich eine Meinung über Edgar Wallace zu bilden. Ich habe seine Bücher zum Größten Teil nicht gekauft, sondern bekommen. Dieses Buch hier hat mich nicht vom Stuhl gehauen. Es war nichts dabei was mich wirklich dazu hingerissen hätte länger als nötig daran zu lesen. Was dann wohl auch mit ein Grund dafür war, dass ich dieses Mal 3 Wochen für diese paar Seiten gebraucht habe.
April 20, 2022
There's a definite type of hero and heroine that was current in the '20s - neither of them stand out physically, in a crowd. The intelligent but underfed members of the lower middle/upper working class. He is a rather zany character, fearless, irrepressible and energetic, a little older than you'd expect, and with a good education. She is very game, plucky, straightforward: maybe she lost a brother in the war. Both are very practical, inwardly rather serious, with no time to waste - they commit to each other almost straight away. A similar pair is Albert Campion and his wife.
The racism - lets call it stereotyping, and lets call stereotyping using your eyeballs.
The racism - lets call it stereotyping, and lets call stereotyping using your eyeballs.
June 30, 2010
A Chinaman's dreams of world domination, secret societies, Scotland yard, kidnapping, ect. In other words typical Wallace.
A product of it's times i.e. rather racist, but nevertheless an enjoyable yarn. Not really a mystery, we know the guilty party from the start, but some nice twists and turns on the way.
A product of it's times i.e. rather racist, but nevertheless an enjoyable yarn. Not really a mystery, we know the guilty party from the start, but some nice twists and turns on the way.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews