This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
Major Alfred Edward Woodley Mason (7 May 1865 Dulwich, London - 22 November 1948 London) was a British author and politician. He is best remembered for his 1902 novel The Four Feathers.
He studied at Dulwich College and graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 1888. He was a contemporary of fellow Liberal Anthony Hope, who went on to write the adventure novel The Prisoner of Zenda.
His first novel, A Romance of Wastdale, was published in 1895. He was the author of more than 20 books, including At The Villa Rose (1910), a mystery novel in which he introduced his French detective, Inspector Hanaud. His best-known book is The Four Feathers, which has been made into several films. Many consider it his masterpiece. Other books are The House of the Arrow (1924), No Other Tiger (1927), The Prisoner in the Opal (1929) and Fire Over England (1937).
Do you like it when the hero has no idea what he’s getting into? When there is a promise of instant death or unfathomable riches? When the hero loves with no promise of recompense? Do you like a villain who grows more evil with each passing chapter? This is the book for you. This one starts out in one of the most unpromising settings to find loyalty, honor, and love, at a drunken gambling party. In fact, for a chapter or two, we aren’t even sure who will accept the challenge and become the hero of the story. Then slowly the hero takes up the challenge and rides to answer the call for help. From there on out, you follow the mystery from his point of view; either getting more puzzled or rushing to rescue the helpless. It was quite an adventure story. I had a hard time separating this book from Treasure Island. It has an isolated location, pirates, buried treasure, chases, and a self-effacing narrator. The style and rhythm are extremely similar. It’s a good story in its own right, but a little slower than Stevenson’s book. It was a very clean book and probably aimed at a young audience. Even the romance was rather muted compared to the suspense and action. Free audiobook on LibraVox.
One of Mason's better ones, a bit like Treasure Island and a bit ghostly. Starts with boy bursting in, much laughter, good description of door opening and he highly embarassed and frightened, is made to stand on table and explain story. Hero, an onlooker, decides to go and help. Woman is very beautiful and heiress but she was a ward, real son cut off inheritance. She promised to marry him on return (We later find out she was hypnotised). Hero knows, watches her waiting for man's return because he knows where the treasure is. He gets captured, but saved by man who wants revenge. His son was on boat and was hypnotised to dangle his legs in and get taken by a crocodile.(we find this out at the end). Horrid. Many of Mason's are cruel and about murder. Back to his old self.