The Lonely Road

by Jeffery Farnol

In the lonely road, Mr. Jeffery Farnol tells a stirring tale of pursuits and escape in the troubled times following the breakdown of the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. Jason Wayne fleeing from the red-coats, seeks refuge among the woodlands and valleys of his native Sussex. There he enlists the help of the Romany folk, of rustic smugglers and highwaymen. Above all, love comes to his rescue. At last, when all seems lost, he finds peace and contentment.

There is an irresistible appeal in Mr. Farnol's stories because he lives them, and loves the people he creates. He has a pleasant habit of bringing into his new books old friends from former works. In the lonely road a number of familiar faces appear, the most welcome being of George Potter, that Guileless Sussex smuggler from Sir John Dering. The lonely road is in a true Farnol tradition. It has swift action, colour and romance, flashes of shrewd observation and vivid sketches of rustic character. From start to finish it swings along bravely.

314 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

John 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

Reviews

[Tweety · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed The Lonely Road, it's set around the end of the Jacobite Rebellion and easily classifies as a swashbuckler, so I was already expecting to like it, but it was even better than I thought it would be! I found it every bit as engrossing as Over the Hills, and far more plausible.

Honoria is determined to stop her brother from going after blood money, even if she has to masquerade as a young man to do it. From the very first she believed their uncle to be wrong and the poor fugitive, Jason Wayne, to be right.

That's just how it begins, it only gets more exciting as Honoria learns the truth about Jason Wayne, and where her loyalties really lie.

Mild PG There is some sword play and a supposed "witch" who tells fortunes, but she doesn't tell any fortunes in this book. Though, there is a witch hunt…

This is one of my favorite Farnol's, it's caught between Over The Hills & Winds of Chance.

[Joe Tristram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nonsensical fun! This is the genre that the word swashbuckling was invented for. The plot is full of holes and very obvious, but it made a few days of enjoyment and cost nothing since the lovely battered copy I had was found on the road and had been a Sunday School prize to Beryl Parfrey in 1942. I wonder if she ever read it? She certainly used the title pages to record her Christmas present money from various members of her family!

[Hana]

a stirring tale of pursuits and escape in the troubled times following the breakdown of the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. Jason Wayne fleeing from the red-coats, seeks refuge among the woodlands and valleys of his native Sussex.