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A Romance of Wastdale
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- GenresClassics
54 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2001
About the author
A.E.W. Mason
224 books54 followersMajor 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).
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).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 8, 2016
Short first novel, I believe, set in Lake District. Was originally going to be brother and sister. He changed it for three men going mountaineering in Switzerland. One had died and the other two meet up in Borrowdale.
November 11, 2026
Taking place in the small country town of Wastdale over the period of 48-ish hours, this short story is about the implosion of two relationships between three people. A frenamie/acquaintanceship that ends in something much darker and an engagement that is broken just days before a wedding.
I'm not sure if Mason wrote this before or after The Four Feathers, I would guess before as in many ways it feels like a trial run for working out interpersonal dynamics. However, it is quite short so it feels like we barely know people before the drama starts and we mostly get to know them through long sections of dialog, with the narrator occasionally directly telling us about a character. The action itself is more of a "can they/will they carry out their plans?" with purposes heavily implied if not outright stated. It is not subtle, but if you want a short thriller with the tension coming more from plots than psychologically forces, this would be a great quick read (or a great rewriting assignment for an English class).
Content notes: Occasional, mild, period British swearing, mostly from people being startled. A woman is being controlled by a man, but other than put her in compromising situations and trying to kiss her, nothing else stated as happening between them. An accident happens off page that a character wonders if it was actually murder, another murder happens on page and an accidental death, with some gore/injuries described for both.
I'm not sure if Mason wrote this before or after The Four Feathers, I would guess before as in many ways it feels like a trial run for working out interpersonal dynamics. However, it is quite short so it feels like we barely know people before the drama starts and we mostly get to know them through long sections of dialog, with the narrator occasionally directly telling us about a character. The action itself is more of a "can they/will they carry out their plans?" with purposes heavily implied if not outright stated. It is not subtle, but if you want a short thriller with the tension coming more from plots than psychologically forces, this would be a great quick read (or a great rewriting assignment for an English class).
Content notes: Occasional, mild, period British swearing, mostly from people being startled. A woman is being controlled by a man, but other than put her in compromising situations and trying to kiss her, nothing else stated as happening between them. An accident happens off page that a character wonders if it was actually murder, another murder happens on page and an accidental death, with some gore/injuries described for both.
June 2, 2026
A story of friends turned enemies after each falls for the same woman.
A bit slow in places but a decent read nonetheless.
A bit slow in places but a decent read nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews