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Jasper Shrig Mysteries #1
Peregrine's Progress
He who hath Imagination is blessed or cursed with a fearful magic whereby he may scale the heights of Heaven or plumb the deeps of Hell.
"I went at a good, round pace, being determined to cover as much distance as possible ere dawn, since I felt assured that so soon as my indomitable aunt Julia discovered my departure she would immediately head a search party in quest of me; for which cogent reason I determined to abandon the high road as soon as possible and go by less frequented byways. A distant church clock chimed the hour and, pausing to hearken, I thrilled as I counted eleven, for, according to the laws which had ordered my life hitherto, at this so late hour I should have been blissfully asleep between lavender-scented sheets. Indeed my loved aunt abhorred the night air for me, under the delusion that I suffered from a delicate chest; yet here was I out upon the open road and eleven o'clock chiming in my ears. Thus as I strode on into the unknown I experienced an exhilarating sense of high adventure unknown till now. It was a night of brooding stillness and the moon, high-risen, touched the world about me with her magic, whereby things familiar became transformed into objects of wonder; tree and hedgerow took on shapes strange and fantastic; the road became a gleaming causeway whereon I walked, godlike, master of my destiny. Beyond meadow and cornfield to right and left gloomed woods, remote and full of mystery, in whose enchanted twilight elves and fairies might have danced or slender dryads peeped and sported. Thus walked I in an ecstasy, scanning with eager eyes the novel beauties around me, my mind full of the poetic imaginations conjured up by the magic of this midsummer night, so that I yearned to paint it, or set it to music, or write it into adequate words; and knowing this beyond me, I fell to repeating...."
"I went at a good, round pace, being determined to cover as much distance as possible ere dawn, since I felt assured that so soon as my indomitable aunt Julia discovered my departure she would immediately head a search party in quest of me; for which cogent reason I determined to abandon the high road as soon as possible and go by less frequented byways. A distant church clock chimed the hour and, pausing to hearken, I thrilled as I counted eleven, for, according to the laws which had ordered my life hitherto, at this so late hour I should have been blissfully asleep between lavender-scented sheets. Indeed my loved aunt abhorred the night air for me, under the delusion that I suffered from a delicate chest; yet here was I out upon the open road and eleven o'clock chiming in my ears. Thus as I strode on into the unknown I experienced an exhilarating sense of high adventure unknown till now. It was a night of brooding stillness and the moon, high-risen, touched the world about me with her magic, whereby things familiar became transformed into objects of wonder; tree and hedgerow took on shapes strange and fantastic; the road became a gleaming causeway whereon I walked, godlike, master of my destiny. Beyond meadow and cornfield to right and left gloomed woods, remote and full of mystery, in whose enchanted twilight elves and fairies might have danced or slender dryads peeped and sported. Thus walked I in an ecstasy, scanning with eager eyes the novel beauties around me, my mind full of the poetic imaginations conjured up by the magic of this midsummer night, so that I yearned to paint it, or set it to music, or write it into adequate words; and knowing this beyond me, I fell to repeating...."
- GenresRomance
468 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1922
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Jeffery Farnol
421 books30 followersJohn Jeffery Farnol was born in Aston, Birmingham, England, UK, son of Kate Jeffery and Henry John Farnol, a factory-employed brass-founder. The marriage had three more children, two boys and a girl.] He was brought up in London and Kent. He attended the Westminster School of Art, after he had lost his job in a Birmingham metal-working firm.
In 1900 he married Blanche Wilhelmina Victoria Hawley (1883–1955), the 16 years old daughter of the noted New York scenic artist H. Hughson Hawley; they moved to the United States, where he found work as a scene painter. The marriage had a daughter, Gillian Hawley. He returned to England around 1910, and settled in Eastbourne, Sussex. In 1938, he divorced and remarried with Phyllis Mary Clarke on 20 May, and adopted her daughter, Charmian Jane.
On 9 August 1952, he died aged 73 in Eastbourne, after a long battle with cancer.
Farnol published his first romance novel My Lady Caprice in 1907. The success of his early novels led Farnol toeventually become a professional writer. He produced around 40 novels and volumes of stories, and some non-fiction and children's books. His last book was completed by his second wife Phyllis.
From Wikipedia
In 1900 he married Blanche Wilhelmina Victoria Hawley (1883–1955), the 16 years old daughter of the noted New York scenic artist H. Hughson Hawley; they moved to the United States, where he found work as a scene painter. The marriage had a daughter, Gillian Hawley. He returned to England around 1910, and settled in Eastbourne, Sussex. In 1938, he divorced and remarried with Phyllis Mary Clarke on 20 May, and adopted her daughter, Charmian Jane.
On 9 August 1952, he died aged 73 in Eastbourne, after a long battle with cancer.
Farnol published his first romance novel My Lady Caprice in 1907. The success of his early novels led Farnol toeventually become a professional writer. He produced around 40 novels and volumes of stories, and some non-fiction and children's books. His last book was completed by his second wife Phyllis.
From Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 20, 2015
A solid four!
Every one seems in agreement that this book is Five/Four Stars, and it was, for the first half of the book which was the first book, (it's split into three). So, I'm going to review that part first.
Starting around the beginning of The Broad Highway, this book is the story of Peregrine, a young man who has been coddled by a well meaning Aunt, his whole life. But, after over hearing his two uncles talking, and realizing why they don't like him, he determines to prove himself to them and show that they were wrong about him, that will account to something one day. He sets out with a handful of change and the cloths on his back to find how to become a man, and along the way loses his money faster than you can say Jack Robinson. He spends nearly all of it on a wild, beautiful, Gypsy girl and innocent that he is, marries her by the law of the Romenys.
The Gypsy girl, Anne/Diane was Farnol's best heroine since Over The Hills and Winds of Fortune, she was spirited, curious and strong, I loved her! She cooked, read a little (the tinker from The Broad Highway taught her), had an excellent memory and was quite funny with her petty thefts. Because of her, Peregrine actualy started to grow up.
Second and Third book
I really didn't like the turn Farnol took in this half, the Shrig Mystery is introduced and along with it several murderers and, worse, Diane is sent off to be "finished" aka, she is taught to be a lady. No morethefts, no more grammar errors and no more Gypsy. Why?? Peregrine did not care for high society, Diane sertainly did not, so if, he couldn't bring her as she was into his world and she couldn't take him as he was into her's, why couldn't they create their own world in between? I just hated her being transformed into a social butterfly, it just wasn't Diane.
But, other wise I loved the book, and I can see why it got such high ratings. If the first half had continued as it was, I would have named this in my top five Farnol's.
A few swears, several murders and a couple rounds of boxing. (Not grafic at all)
Every one seems in agreement that this book is Five/Four Stars, and it was, for the first half of the book which was the first book, (it's split into three). So, I'm going to review that part first.
Starting around the beginning of The Broad Highway, this book is the story of Peregrine, a young man who has been coddled by a well meaning Aunt, his whole life. But, after over hearing his two uncles talking, and realizing why they don't like him, he determines to prove himself to them and show that they were wrong about him, that will account to something one day. He sets out with a handful of change and the cloths on his back to find how to become a man, and along the way loses his money faster than you can say Jack Robinson. He spends nearly all of it on a wild, beautiful, Gypsy girl and innocent that he is, marries her by the law of the Romenys.
The Gypsy girl, Anne/Diane was Farnol's best heroine since Over The Hills and Winds of Fortune, she was spirited, curious and strong, I loved her! She cooked, read a little (the tinker from The Broad Highway taught her), had an excellent memory and was quite funny with her petty thefts. Because of her, Peregrine actualy started to grow up.
Second and Third book
I really didn't like the turn Farnol took in this half, the Shrig Mystery is introduced and along with it several murderers and, worse, Diane is sent off to be "finished" aka, she is taught to be a lady. No morethefts, no more grammar errors and no more Gypsy. Why?? Peregrine did not care for high society, Diane sertainly did not, so if, he couldn't bring her as she was into his world and she couldn't take him as he was into her's, why couldn't they create their own world in between? I just hated her being transformed into a social butterfly, it just wasn't Diane.
But, other wise I loved the book, and I can see why it got such high ratings. If the first half had continued as it was, I would have named this in my top five Farnol's.
A few swears, several murders and a couple rounds of boxing. (Not grafic at all)
September 5, 2020
Fantastic story
Such a deep and thoughtful coming of age love story. Fantastic characters who see such highs and lows and yet through the journey if life find happiness and joy through the pain in the end. Great read.
Such a deep and thoughtful coming of age love story. Fantastic characters who see such highs and lows and yet through the journey if life find happiness and joy through the pain in the end. Great read.
March 3, 2020
I've read this twice now, something I rarely do. One of Farnol's best.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews