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The Dark Crusader
Eight job advertisements. Eight jobs. Eight specialists in modern technology required. Eight scientists to fill them. Applicants to be married, with no children, and prepared to travel. Highly persuasive salaries. One criminal mastermind. Eight positions filled. Eight scientists - and their wives - disappear. Completely. One secret agent to stop him.Advertisment no.9. Sydney, Australia. Fuel specialist required. Looks like a job for John Bentall-
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
126 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
About the author
Alistair MacLean
344 books1,206 followersAlistair Stuart MacLean (Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair MacGill-Eain), the son of a Scots Minister, was brought up in the Scottish Highlands. In 1941, at the age of eighteen, he joined the Royal Navy; two and a half years spent aboard a cruiser were to give him the background for HMS Ulysses, his first novel, the outstanding documentary novel on the war at sea. After the war he gained an English Honours degree at Glasgow University, and became a schoolmaster. In 1983, he was awarded a D. Litt. from the same university.
Maclean is the author of twenty-nine world bestsellers and recognised as an outstanding writer in his own genre. Many of his titles have been adapted for film - The Guns of the Navarone, The Satan Bug, Force Ten from Navarone, Where Eagles Dare and Bear Island are among the most famous.
Maclean is the author of twenty-nine world bestsellers and recognised as an outstanding writer in his own genre. Many of his titles have been adapted for film - The Guns of the Navarone, The Satan Bug, Force Ten from Navarone, Where Eagles Dare and Bear Island are among the most famous.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
July 11, 2012
Oh, the magic and the mystery of the printed word! Isn't it remarkable how an old paperback book--a mass of thinly cut wood pulp and ink marks--can sit ignored on a bookshelf for many decades, gathering dust, and yet, when ultimately opened and perused, maintain its ability to convey information and transport the reader? So I was reminded yet again, when I recently read the 95-cent Fawcett Gold Medal edition of Alistair MacLean's "The Black Shrike," which had been sitting on my shelf since around 1968, when I purchased it after seeing the filmization of MacLean's "Ice Station Zebra." Initially published in 1961 in Britain under the title "The Dark Crusader" (which sounds more like a Batman title to me!) and with the MacLean pen name of Ian Stuart, it was the author's seventh novel, out of an eventual 28, and, preceding MacLean's 1962 offering "The Satan Bug" and 1963 offering "Ice Station Zebra" as it did, demonstrates what a terrific roll the Scottish author was on at the time.
In this gripping spy thriller, British physicist turned secret agent John Bentall tells his tale. (It is an interesting choice of names. "Bentall" seems to suggest some physical damage, which the character certainly undergoes by the story's end, and if the name does indeed rhyme with "mental"...well, anyone who does what this character does during the course of the novel would HAVE to be! And if John Bentall shares the same initials as the more famous Ian Fleming secret agent, it would seem a mere coincidence; this agent is not nearly as smooth an operator, although, as events prove, just as ruthless.) It seems that his superior, Col. Raine, "a small dusty man in a small dusty room," had recently given Bentall a particularly nasty asssignment. Eight scientists, along with their wives, had responded to newspaper advertisements for research positions in New Zealand and Australia, and all had disappeared without a trace while en route. Thus, Bentall and sexy agent Marie Hopeman, posing as his wife, respond to the latest advertisement, are kidnapped while in Fiji, and ultimately find themselves on the lonely (fictitious) island of Vardu, only to become embroiled in a labyrinthine plot involving impersonation and the purloining of the British Navy's experimental superweapon: the solid-fuel ICBM known as the Black Shrike....
MacLean's novel is a genuine thriller, its chapters arranged cliffhanger fashion as if daring the reader to STOP reading. The author throws in any number of exciting action set pieces, such as Bentall's run-in with a berserk Doberman and his knife fight with two Chinese henchmen, and the suspense quotient in the book is very high (especially in the book's first half, when Bentall makes two nighttime explorations of Vardu). The novel's two main "bad guys," LeClerc and his Neanderthaloid assistant Hewell, are villains in the classic mold, both well drawn and memorable, and the tale builds to two terrific endings; the first one of no small emotional impact, the second featuring a stunning twist that goes far in explaining many of the novel's niggling questions and inconsistencies. This twist, I might add, is wholly earned and was indeed set up near the book's outset, while MacLean makes sure to drop clues along the way to justify this surprising finale. The book is admirably and complexly plotted (some might say overly plotted), and the reader is given just enough rocket science to become impressed without getting bogged down with too much scientific gobbledygook. Bentall, our narrator, turns out to be an extremely likable guide, both ordinary and self-deprecating (no one criticizes him more than himself for the many gaffes and blunders that he makes during the course of the affair) yet at the same time relentless, ruthless and remarkably intelligent. He is also, at times, quite humorous, such as when he describes Marie as having an "hour-and-a-half-glass figure," and when, after describing the brutish, hulking Hewell, he adds "He would have had a terrible time making the romantic lead in a musical comedy"! What a terrific film "The Black Shrike" would make! It is a wonder that it has never made it to the big screen, a la MacLean's "The Guns of Navarone," "The Satan Bug," "Where Eagles Dare," "Ice Station Zebra," "Breakheart Pass" et al. As Col. Raine tells Bentall near the book's conclusion, as the agent finishes his tale, "Fantastic...I have heard some strange tales in this office, but...." I could not agree more with the small dusty man in the small dusty room. And speaking of which, I am so glad that I finally dusted off this book and gave it a read! It cannot be had for 95 cents anymore, but the current in-print edition, from Sterling, would surely be a worthwhile investment....
In this gripping spy thriller, British physicist turned secret agent John Bentall tells his tale. (It is an interesting choice of names. "Bentall" seems to suggest some physical damage, which the character certainly undergoes by the story's end, and if the name does indeed rhyme with "mental"...well, anyone who does what this character does during the course of the novel would HAVE to be! And if John Bentall shares the same initials as the more famous Ian Fleming secret agent, it would seem a mere coincidence; this agent is not nearly as smooth an operator, although, as events prove, just as ruthless.) It seems that his superior, Col. Raine, "a small dusty man in a small dusty room," had recently given Bentall a particularly nasty asssignment. Eight scientists, along with their wives, had responded to newspaper advertisements for research positions in New Zealand and Australia, and all had disappeared without a trace while en route. Thus, Bentall and sexy agent Marie Hopeman, posing as his wife, respond to the latest advertisement, are kidnapped while in Fiji, and ultimately find themselves on the lonely (fictitious) island of Vardu, only to become embroiled in a labyrinthine plot involving impersonation and the purloining of the British Navy's experimental superweapon: the solid-fuel ICBM known as the Black Shrike....
MacLean's novel is a genuine thriller, its chapters arranged cliffhanger fashion as if daring the reader to STOP reading. The author throws in any number of exciting action set pieces, such as Bentall's run-in with a berserk Doberman and his knife fight with two Chinese henchmen, and the suspense quotient in the book is very high (especially in the book's first half, when Bentall makes two nighttime explorations of Vardu). The novel's two main "bad guys," LeClerc and his Neanderthaloid assistant Hewell, are villains in the classic mold, both well drawn and memorable, and the tale builds to two terrific endings; the first one of no small emotional impact, the second featuring a stunning twist that goes far in explaining many of the novel's niggling questions and inconsistencies. This twist, I might add, is wholly earned and was indeed set up near the book's outset, while MacLean makes sure to drop clues along the way to justify this surprising finale. The book is admirably and complexly plotted (some might say overly plotted), and the reader is given just enough rocket science to become impressed without getting bogged down with too much scientific gobbledygook. Bentall, our narrator, turns out to be an extremely likable guide, both ordinary and self-deprecating (no one criticizes him more than himself for the many gaffes and blunders that he makes during the course of the affair) yet at the same time relentless, ruthless and remarkably intelligent. He is also, at times, quite humorous, such as when he describes Marie as having an "hour-and-a-half-glass figure," and when, after describing the brutish, hulking Hewell, he adds "He would have had a terrible time making the romantic lead in a musical comedy"! What a terrific film "The Black Shrike" would make! It is a wonder that it has never made it to the big screen, a la MacLean's "The Guns of Navarone," "The Satan Bug," "Where Eagles Dare," "Ice Station Zebra," "Breakheart Pass" et al. As Col. Raine tells Bentall near the book's conclusion, as the agent finishes his tale, "Fantastic...I have heard some strange tales in this office, but...." I could not agree more with the small dusty man in the small dusty room. And speaking of which, I am so glad that I finally dusted off this book and gave it a read! It cannot be had for 95 cents anymore, but the current in-print edition, from Sterling, would surely be a worthwhile investment....
April 16, 2013
Very typical and predictable plot, but I still loved it, nonetheless. Chanced upon this book in an abandoned corner of the local bookstore along with other Alistair Maclean books. Took around four home, and found this one to be my favourite.
'You and me and the lights of London.' That note was VERY heart-breaking.
'You and me and the lights of London.' That note was VERY heart-breaking.
March 10, 2017
The Black Shrike is the American title of a thriller released originally in Great Britain as The Dark Crusader. It was written by Alistair MacLean and published under the pseudonym Ian Stuart.
I stumbled onto The Black Shrike about the same time I discovered James Bond - the early, gritty, realistic Bond of the first few novels before Hollywood turned him into a cartoon. I had no idea at the time that The Black Shrike was written by Alistair MacLean, who was already one of my favorites.
John Bentall is a spy, during the early cold war, for an unnamed British service. He started out as a rocket fuels scientist but has been co-opted to search out subversives in that industry. He is stubborn, smart, and dedicated, but not the top spy he appears to be at the beginning of the novel. He is of heroic mold, but closer to everyman than to superman. It is Bentall’s humanity that makes him believable, even when the action sometimes isn’t.
Bentall is sent under cover with a female colleague, and falls in love with his “wife”. Without this development, the novel would have been nothing special. It is Bentall as a complete human being that elevates The Black Shrike above other novels in the genre.
For a more complete review, see http://sydlogsdon.com/2016/10/06/231-...
I stumbled onto The Black Shrike about the same time I discovered James Bond - the early, gritty, realistic Bond of the first few novels before Hollywood turned him into a cartoon. I had no idea at the time that The Black Shrike was written by Alistair MacLean, who was already one of my favorites.
John Bentall is a spy, during the early cold war, for an unnamed British service. He started out as a rocket fuels scientist but has been co-opted to search out subversives in that industry. He is stubborn, smart, and dedicated, but not the top spy he appears to be at the beginning of the novel. He is of heroic mold, but closer to everyman than to superman. It is Bentall’s humanity that makes him believable, even when the action sometimes isn’t.
Bentall is sent under cover with a female colleague, and falls in love with his “wife”. Without this development, the novel would have been nothing special. It is Bentall as a complete human being that elevates The Black Shrike above other novels in the genre.
For a more complete review, see http://sydlogsdon.com/2016/10/06/231-...
August 17, 2018
* Read/Reviewed in 2007
Generally speaking, what I like about McLean's stories is fast pace, witty style, underlying technical details, and characters who are not superior in physical strength, but in mental strength and endurance. And then there is drama, twists, and treason. In this way, 'The Dark Crusader' is typical McLean, and thoroughly enjoyable. The 'hero', John Bentall, is a solid-fuel specialist, who is recruited by the British secret agency. He has just returned from a long, dangerous mission, when he is sent on another, with a beautiful female agent, who poses as his wife. Eight top scientists and their wives have gone missing, after they accepted lucrative jobs in Australia. After a while, advertisement for a ninth position appears, and Bentall is volunteered by the agency for the position, under the obvious conclusion that one of the the scientists has befallen a tragedy. He goes on to encounter an eccentric archaeologist and his Chinese henchmen, find out what is 'The Dark Crusader', and finally come to a realization that he has been double-crossed! And that is all I'll say for now, to avoid spoiling the suspense.
Generally speaking, what I like about McLean's stories is fast pace, witty style, underlying technical details, and characters who are not superior in physical strength, but in mental strength and endurance. And then there is drama, twists, and treason. In this way, 'The Dark Crusader' is typical McLean, and thoroughly enjoyable. The 'hero', John Bentall, is a solid-fuel specialist, who is recruited by the British secret agency. He has just returned from a long, dangerous mission, when he is sent on another, with a beautiful female agent, who poses as his wife. Eight top scientists and their wives have gone missing, after they accepted lucrative jobs in Australia. After a while, advertisement for a ninth position appears, and Bentall is volunteered by the agency for the position, under the obvious conclusion that one of the the scientists has befallen a tragedy. He goes on to encounter an eccentric archaeologist and his Chinese henchmen, find out what is 'The Dark Crusader', and finally come to a realization that he has been double-crossed! And that is all I'll say for now, to avoid spoiling the suspense.
November 21, 2013
Ugh! Alistair, what happened? This book had a great premise, and started off well enough . . . then quickly went south, not only in terms of its geographical locale (an atoll in the South Pacific) but in every conceivable way.
This book made me wonder if Maclean ever met a real live woman in his life. The female character in the story is an embarrassing stereotype of a complete airhead, helpless, emotionally and intellectually vacuous, simply a piece of baggage for the oh-so-tough protagonist to carry. Yet she was introduced as an ace secret agent, competent, experienced, and dangerous. What?!? Of course, that's explained at the end -- but that's no excuse.
The only good thing I'll say about this book is that Maclean had an engaging narrative style that's fun to read. His obvious big influence is Raymond Chandler and he has a talent for simile that rivals that author, but that's about where the resemblance ends.
There are better Maclean books but this one was a rotter.
This book made me wonder if Maclean ever met a real live woman in his life. The female character in the story is an embarrassing stereotype of a complete airhead, helpless, emotionally and intellectually vacuous, simply a piece of baggage for the oh-so-tough protagonist to carry. Yet she was introduced as an ace secret agent, competent, experienced, and dangerous. What?!? Of course, that's explained at the end -- but that's no excuse.
The only good thing I'll say about this book is that Maclean had an engaging narrative style that's fun to read. His obvious big influence is Raymond Chandler and he has a talent for simile that rivals that author, but that's about where the resemblance ends.
There are better Maclean books but this one was a rotter.
August 26, 2011
If you like James Bond style, Alistair MacLean books are quite similar, only show more human, less glamorous side of the events, at the edge of possible and beyond it. One of my favorite authors.
For me, the deepest impression from the book made not the disappearing of best scientists, evil mind on remote tropical island who invented way to make them to do what he required from them, but the start and finish of the book.
Take a look and you will see what I'm talking about.
For me, the deepest impression from the book made not the disappearing of best scientists, evil mind on remote tropical island who invented way to make them to do what he required from them, but the start and finish of the book.
Take a look and you will see what I'm talking about.
October 19, 2018
Oh, no! This was the last of my old "pocket books," as they used to call them - small and thin enough to fit in any pocket; front, back...so 3 stars just on format alone.
Okay, so this isn't great literature. And some of the characters are pretty weak - the female lead is introduced as a real superspy, but then she proves to be totally useless from about page 5 onwards. And the bad guy is not only a cliche evil genius, but he's also a cliche evil genius who looks just like a famous and eccentric scientist who's critical to the plot. But when's the last time you read a James Bond book? MacLean is at least as good a writer as Fleming, and his storytelling certainly isn't any sillier. In fact, there are a number of similarities between The Black Shrike and Doctor No, and in many cases Shrike comes out on top. And while MacLean's first-person narrators all tend to sound alike, they are enjoyably tough, clever and self-deprecating in a Philip Marlowe way that isn't used much any more, but which is more fun to read than the over-seriousness of the Bond books, ("Hewell's two great hands closed over my bad arm and tore it off at the shoulder - later inspection showed it was still there, he must have stuck it back on again - and I swung round lashing out with all the power of my good right arm...").
If you haven't read Alistair MacLean before, in most cases there's no reason to start now (except for some of the true classics, like HMS Ulysses and Ice Station Zebra). But if you grew up with MacLean like so many in my generation, it's good fun to reread some of them now and remember what good pulp used to be like.
Okay, so this isn't great literature. And some of the characters are pretty weak - the female lead is introduced as a real superspy, but then she proves to be totally useless from about page 5 onwards. And the bad guy is not only a cliche evil genius, but he's also a cliche evil genius who looks just like a famous and eccentric scientist who's critical to the plot. But when's the last time you read a James Bond book? MacLean is at least as good a writer as Fleming, and his storytelling certainly isn't any sillier. In fact, there are a number of similarities between The Black Shrike and Doctor No, and in many cases Shrike comes out on top. And while MacLean's first-person narrators all tend to sound alike, they are enjoyably tough, clever and self-deprecating in a Philip Marlowe way that isn't used much any more, but which is more fun to read than the over-seriousness of the Bond books, ("Hewell's two great hands closed over my bad arm and tore it off at the shoulder - later inspection showed it was still there, he must have stuck it back on again - and I swung round lashing out with all the power of my good right arm...").
If you haven't read Alistair MacLean before, in most cases there's no reason to start now (except for some of the true classics, like HMS Ulysses and Ice Station Zebra). But if you grew up with MacLean like so many in my generation, it's good fun to reread some of them now and remember what good pulp used to be like.
August 6, 2023
'The Dark Crusader' by Alistair MacLean.
Rating: 4.25/5.
Review:
I must confess that I knew nothing about Alistair MacLean and his works until a few months ago when I stumbled upon four of his books in a thrift book shop. I had no intentions of purchasing those, but the cover art was strangely reminiscent of the books that I used to read during my school days. It was merely because of that sense of nostalgia that I ended up buying those books. I enquired about Alistair MacLean's books to my fellow bibliophile friends, and one of them raved a lot about 'The Dark Crusader' and its "a small dusty man in a small dusty room". That is how I ended up selecting this book as my gateway book to Alistair MacLean's works.
I'll be completely honest with you all – I didn't enjoy the book at first. The Prologue offered enough intrigue to get me interested enough to continue reading, but it was the sluggish pacing and far too many technical details in the first two chapters that made me put down the book and read something else for a while. However, when I returned to the book a few weeks later, I found the book to be a highly rewarding read. True to the style of the thriller novels published back then, this book, too, starts with a slow setup and then ramps up on the pacing and action all of a sudden. Once John Bentall and Marie Hopeman meet with the strange old Professor Witherspoon, the plot accelerated with such great pacing coupled with some incredible action scenes and brilliant twists and turns that it was almost impossible to take a break from the story to do something else.
John Bentall, the protagonist of this tale, was a delight to read. Unlike most stories focusing on Secret Service agents, Bentall is a protagonist who is often riddled with self-deprecating thoughts. He is highly resourceful, but his self-deprecating humor and his sarcastic remarks are what make this book a thoroughly entertaining read. Another great highlight of this book is Bentall and Marie's budding relationship amidst the life-threatening situations. It is a thrilling tale that is equally tragic and might make you weep even if your heart is made up of rock.
The book has some incredible moments that make it highly memorable, but I think Alistair MacLean reserved the best for the last. The epilogue was, inarguably, the best part of the book. Bentall visits his boss after his mission, and we are left hoping that he might finally get a happy ending – perhaps by reuniting with someone who might have miraculously survived. But, the epilogue is more sinister in tone than we are led to believe. There was a surprising reveal that even left me astounded, but it wasn't farfetched since there were hints alluding to this reveal embedded subtly in the earlier parts of the story. In the end, Bentall triumphs to the effect that we are left in awe at his character journey as well as MacLean's writing prowess.
The book isn't perfect; it has its flaws. Being published in 1961, some concepts are far too outdated and might be considered problematic in modern times. It is, indeed, a product of its time. But once you look past these flaws, you can not ignore the sheer brilliance of Alistair MacLean's writing. I had my doubts regarding the writing style earlier on, but it won me over as the story progressed.
Finally, I can understand why my bibliophile friend was raving about the "a small dusty man in a small dusty room" line even after reading the book decades ago. It was such an ingenious move to start and end the story with the line. Once you come across the reveal in the epilogue, the impact of it is so immense that the above-mentioned line truly becomes indelible.
In short, 'The Dark Crusader' was a remarkable and thoroughly riveting read. I'm grateful to my friend who recommended it as a gateway book to MacLean's thrillers. The exhilarating experience I had while reading this book has, in turn, bolstered my confidence to read more of his works.
There was no question but that the man was a criminal: but there was equally no question that he was a criminal genius. I was no criminal, but I was no genius either. We belonged in different leagues – the top and the bottom.
Rating: 4.25/5.
Review:
I must confess that I knew nothing about Alistair MacLean and his works until a few months ago when I stumbled upon four of his books in a thrift book shop. I had no intentions of purchasing those, but the cover art was strangely reminiscent of the books that I used to read during my school days. It was merely because of that sense of nostalgia that I ended up buying those books. I enquired about Alistair MacLean's books to my fellow bibliophile friends, and one of them raved a lot about 'The Dark Crusader' and its "a small dusty man in a small dusty room". That is how I ended up selecting this book as my gateway book to Alistair MacLean's works.
I'll be completely honest with you all – I didn't enjoy the book at first. The Prologue offered enough intrigue to get me interested enough to continue reading, but it was the sluggish pacing and far too many technical details in the first two chapters that made me put down the book and read something else for a while. However, when I returned to the book a few weeks later, I found the book to be a highly rewarding read. True to the style of the thriller novels published back then, this book, too, starts with a slow setup and then ramps up on the pacing and action all of a sudden. Once John Bentall and Marie Hopeman meet with the strange old Professor Witherspoon, the plot accelerated with such great pacing coupled with some incredible action scenes and brilliant twists and turns that it was almost impossible to take a break from the story to do something else.
John Bentall, the protagonist of this tale, was a delight to read. Unlike most stories focusing on Secret Service agents, Bentall is a protagonist who is often riddled with self-deprecating thoughts. He is highly resourceful, but his self-deprecating humor and his sarcastic remarks are what make this book a thoroughly entertaining read. Another great highlight of this book is Bentall and Marie's budding relationship amidst the life-threatening situations. It is a thrilling tale that is equally tragic and might make you weep even if your heart is made up of rock.
The book has some incredible moments that make it highly memorable, but I think Alistair MacLean reserved the best for the last. The epilogue was, inarguably, the best part of the book. Bentall visits his boss after his mission, and we are left hoping that he might finally get a happy ending – perhaps by reuniting with someone who might have miraculously survived. But, the epilogue is more sinister in tone than we are led to believe. There was a surprising reveal that even left me astounded, but it wasn't farfetched since there were hints alluding to this reveal embedded subtly in the earlier parts of the story. In the end, Bentall triumphs to the effect that we are left in awe at his character journey as well as MacLean's writing prowess.
The book isn't perfect; it has its flaws. Being published in 1961, some concepts are far too outdated and might be considered problematic in modern times. It is, indeed, a product of its time. But once you look past these flaws, you can not ignore the sheer brilliance of Alistair MacLean's writing. I had my doubts regarding the writing style earlier on, but it won me over as the story progressed.
Finally, I can understand why my bibliophile friend was raving about the "a small dusty man in a small dusty room" line even after reading the book decades ago. It was such an ingenious move to start and end the story with the line. Once you come across the reveal in the epilogue, the impact of it is so immense that the above-mentioned line truly becomes indelible.
In short, 'The Dark Crusader' was a remarkable and thoroughly riveting read. I'm grateful to my friend who recommended it as a gateway book to MacLean's thrillers. The exhilarating experience I had while reading this book has, in turn, bolstered my confidence to read more of his works.
The evidence was all before me now, Bentall with the blinkers off – at last – and I knew the truth, also at last. Counter-espionage, I thought bitterly, they should never have let me out of the kindergarten, the wicked world and its wicked ways were far too much for Bentall, if he could put one foot in front of the other without breaking an ankle in the process that was all you could reasonably expect of him. On flat ground, of course. By the time I’d finished thinking my morale and self-respect had shrunk so much you’d have required an electronic microscope to find them, so I reviewed all that had happened in the hope of discovering one instance where I had been right, but no, I had a perfect and completely unmarred record, one hundred per cent wrong all along the line. It was a feat that not many people could have matched.
September 5, 2021
A British agent is sent on a mission with a female agent he does not know to determine what has happened to some British scientists who have gone missing on the way to taking a job that was advertised in a help wanted ad. They were traveling with their wives who are also missing. The agent and his co-agent are kidnapped from their hotel when their plane was held over for safety reasons. They find themselves imprisoned on a small grungy freighter with an unsavory crew. When the overhear a conversation that leads them to believe they are soon to be killed they plan to escape. Do they make it and what happens next are up to your discovery by reading the book. A bit dated by not a bad read overall.
December 25, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up. A spy story in the style of a sixties James Bond movie: adventure, exotic scenery, dependent women and a far-fetched plot.
March 5, 2013
This was first published in 1961 and is typical of the period, although it's different in that it's not so strongly West vs East and the setting is in the South Pacific. MacLean was a torpedo officer during the Second War and his knowledge of rocketry is obvious in this plot to steal British technology. John Bentall, who has just returned from intelligence work in the Middle East, is told he is to go straight to Heathrow from where he will fly to Australia with his "wife" and look into the disappearance of several experts who were familiar with the most recent discoveries and had answered newspaper ads offering high pay and free accommodation to work on similar projects. Bentall isn't married but is supplied with an agent named Marie Hopeman who is guaranteed to be very knowledgeable and skilled.
MacLean wanted a vicious villain but he doesn't have that kind of imagination and he is of the generation that says you don't send women into danger or expect them to look after themselves so there are weaknesses in the situations involving Marie. At the very beginning the two agents are kidnapped from their hotel in Suva and stashed in the hold of a tramp steamer where we learn that Marie is terrified of rats to the point of paranoia. Given her background it is quite understandable but what intelligence operation would use someone with that sort of fear? Marie's role is never completely clear, nor is her intelligence background. She reacts to events and relationships as would most middle class girls of her era, but certainly not like the war time agents we've read about and that should have taught the heads of agencies what women are capable of handling. Bentall is bumbling as an agent, but he doesn't seem to have been trained, just pulled away from the rocket programme to investigate a situation in the Middle East. A lot of plot and character weaknesses but a fast moving story.
MacLean wanted a vicious villain but he doesn't have that kind of imagination and he is of the generation that says you don't send women into danger or expect them to look after themselves so there are weaknesses in the situations involving Marie. At the very beginning the two agents are kidnapped from their hotel in Suva and stashed in the hold of a tramp steamer where we learn that Marie is terrified of rats to the point of paranoia. Given her background it is quite understandable but what intelligence operation would use someone with that sort of fear? Marie's role is never completely clear, nor is her intelligence background. She reacts to events and relationships as would most middle class girls of her era, but certainly not like the war time agents we've read about and that should have taught the heads of agencies what women are capable of handling. Bentall is bumbling as an agent, but he doesn't seem to have been trained, just pulled away from the rocket programme to investigate a situation in the Middle East. A lot of plot and character weaknesses but a fast moving story.
July 31, 2009
Early MacLean was the best. His later stuff--think Puppet on a Chain or Goodbye California--was formulaic and usually lacked any really sense of danger. (Interestingly, many critics attacked him for thinking things such as portable atomic mines--the technology just didn't exist back then--but these days, the concept of a dirty bomb, and other variations on the nuclear bomb are part and parcel of the newspaper headlines.)
This is is the story of a John Bentall (it seems like MacLean was playing the expression to "bent") who has been sent on a mission to track down 8 missing rocket scientists, who have disappeared on their way to jobs in the South Pacific. Bentall has a scientific background, but is an operative of the British Secret SErvice.
When he winds up on the Fijiian island of Vanu, he finds more than he was bargaining for, an island paradise where the cold war is being played out.
This was written in the hottest time of the Cold War, and the shadow of the Bay of Pigs, so it was very current when it was written.
It had been a while since I'd read MacLean, so I'd forgotten that he takes a while to set up the characters and the situation. He sets everything up, and then launches you on a roller coaster ride that is exciting and entertaining.
ONe of the things that made this book so interesting to me was the climax. It went completely against everything that was the norm for spy novels of the day--and even today. The denoument, is actually pretty standard, and one that MacLean would return to again and again in his books, but the climax, might not be exactly happy, but it's probably one of the most realistic climaxes you'll find in any spy novel. Counter-espionage is a bloody, gritty world, and in this one Maclean shows you just how tough the choices can be.
The more I think about this one, the more I like it.
This is is the story of a John Bentall (it seems like MacLean was playing the expression to "bent") who has been sent on a mission to track down 8 missing rocket scientists, who have disappeared on their way to jobs in the South Pacific. Bentall has a scientific background, but is an operative of the British Secret SErvice.
When he winds up on the Fijiian island of Vanu, he finds more than he was bargaining for, an island paradise where the cold war is being played out.
This was written in the hottest time of the Cold War, and the shadow of the Bay of Pigs, so it was very current when it was written.
It had been a while since I'd read MacLean, so I'd forgotten that he takes a while to set up the characters and the situation. He sets everything up, and then launches you on a roller coaster ride that is exciting and entertaining.
ONe of the things that made this book so interesting to me was the climax. It went completely against everything that was the norm for spy novels of the day--and even today. The denoument, is actually pretty standard, and one that MacLean would return to again and again in his books, but the climax, might not be exactly happy, but it's probably one of the most realistic climaxes you'll find in any spy novel. Counter-espionage is a bloody, gritty world, and in this one Maclean shows you just how tough the choices can be.
The more I think about this one, the more I like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2018
2.5 stars, really not a good book. The most interesting part was the Attack Doberman and the hero's subsequent descriptions of the excruciating agony of the wound on his arm--because that was the only part of this story that made any logical sense.
There were occasional delightful MacLeanian witticisms, that I will reproduce for your enjoyment below. But otherwise, this is a tedious time waster.
"I made a mental note that all this stuff about oxygen being necessary for life was a tale invented by the doctors. I had completely stopped breathing."
"Tonight, the wise man went to bed and thought about things. If I could get to my bed without being chewed to pieces by dogs or knifed by one of Hewell's Chinese, I would think about things."
"I didn't see why an arm injury should give me a violent headache, but it did. This was something else to take up with the medical profession."
"We all sat around for a couple of minutes in silent sorrow, paying our last respects to this pillar of canine benevolence, and then we got on with our lunch."
..."I tried to envision myself as a bent old man with silver hair but somehow the power of positive thinking failed me, all I could envision was my body with a hole in the back of its head."
"The eighth and final button whose depression would send the Dark Crusader rocket soaring on its nuclear way, was set well away from the other seven, and was labelled EGADS in steel letters - Electronic Ground Automatic Destruct System."
"The air was stuffy and foul, and the mattress-making company had little to fear from the manufacturers of concrete."
There were occasional delightful MacLeanian witticisms, that I will reproduce for your enjoyment below. But otherwise, this is a tedious time waster.
"I made a mental note that all this stuff about oxygen being necessary for life was a tale invented by the doctors. I had completely stopped breathing."
"Tonight, the wise man went to bed and thought about things. If I could get to my bed without being chewed to pieces by dogs or knifed by one of Hewell's Chinese, I would think about things."
"I didn't see why an arm injury should give me a violent headache, but it did. This was something else to take up with the medical profession."
"We all sat around for a couple of minutes in silent sorrow, paying our last respects to this pillar of canine benevolence, and then we got on with our lunch."
..."I tried to envision myself as a bent old man with silver hair but somehow the power of positive thinking failed me, all I could envision was my body with a hole in the back of its head."
"The eighth and final button whose depression would send the Dark Crusader rocket soaring on its nuclear way, was set well away from the other seven, and was labelled EGADS in steel letters - Electronic Ground Automatic Destruct System."
"The air was stuffy and foul, and the mattress-making company had little to fear from the manufacturers of concrete."
July 23, 2009
I finally gave up on this one. Every time I started reading it, the hero was doing or saying something tough, and the love interest was acting like an airhead instead of the strong undercover agent she was said to be in the first chapter. I never did find out what 'The Black Shrike' was, and I just don't care.
* UPDATE *
For some reason, I picked this one up and gave it a second chance. The Black Shrike is a missile, and our hero does eventually save the day. After plenty of time to show us how brave and tough and manly he really is. I'm honestly not sure why I did finish it, but it was pretty much like I expected. Maclean can be a great storyteller, but this time there wasn't enough of an original story to tell.
* UPDATE *
For some reason, I picked this one up and gave it a second chance. The Black Shrike is a missile, and our hero does eventually save the day. After plenty of time to show us how brave and tough and manly he really is. I'm honestly not sure why I did finish it, but it was pretty much like I expected. Maclean can be a great storyteller, but this time there wasn't enough of an original story to tell.
May 12, 2019
I still love Alistair Maclean. I remember hunting through piles of books in charity shops to find the paperbacks I was missing, and petitioning my mum for the change to buy them with. He wrote brilliant, churningly, wrenching stories - ripping good yarns, almost always; but every now and then one of them would tear your heart out. HMS Ulysses, at every step. Puppet on a Chain for that one scene. And The Dark Crusader for Johnny and Marie, Johnny and Marie and the lights of London.
A+, would recommend. One of my comfort reads, though now I need a strong cup of tea. <3
A+, would recommend. One of my comfort reads, though now I need a strong cup of tea. <3
July 8, 2017
The Black Shrike
A good novel in typical Alistair MacLean style. The plot has a few unpredictable twists which make the story more entertaining. Though not one of MacLean's best, the novel does keep one's interest and is not hard to get through ... at least for those who have memories of the Cold War!
A good novel in typical Alistair MacLean style. The plot has a few unpredictable twists which make the story more entertaining. Though not one of MacLean's best, the novel does keep one's interest and is not hard to get through ... at least for those who have memories of the Cold War!
July 30, 2012
Unfortunately, this book doesn't stand the test of time. Reading about 60's technology in 2012... joke's on me. The main character is this lame version of your average spy, and his female companion is just ridiculous. The ending was OK, but it was too little and too late.
September 28, 2019
Didn't work.
May 14, 2019
MacLean wrote some noteworthy thrillers, but this James Bond pastiche is not among his finest. The plot beings well--an agent is assigned to investigate the disappearance of several rocket scientists and their wives in the South Pacific--but rapidly enters cartoon territory, with improbable escapes, a mysterious love interest, a global conspiracy and a stock villain. This has been done far better many, many times before.
May 28, 2022
I got interested in this particular MacLean novel by reading about the conspiracy theories surrounding the so called "Black Knight Satellite", a mysterious satellite supposedly orbiting the Earth unaffliated with any government, intelligence service or military anywhere on the planet. Stories about the Black Knight are said to go back all the way to the pre-WW1 era where Nikola Tesla, the Serbian inventor of alternating current electricity, reportedly made radio contact with the satellite, though it is often difficult to tell exactly when a particular conspiracy theory originated with several turning out to be much younger than common knowledge has it. (see the Nazi UFO mythos or much of the folklore surrounding the Roswell crash)
This novel revolves around an experimental super-missile developed called the Dark Crusader which gets stolen by terrorists, and the novel follows the agent tasked with either recovering or destroying the missile before the terrorists can use it. Notice the similarity between "Black Knight" and "Dark Crusader". I then started wondering if the conspiracy theories either inspired Maclean to write this book, or conversely if his novel ended up feeding the conspiracy theories depending on which of the two came first. As soon as I had started reading, it also turned out that the "main hook" of important scientists in Britain disappearing mysteriously later turned up elsewhere in conspiracy theory lore as a key pillar of the Alternative 3 narrative.
The nuts-and-bolts of "the Dark Crusader" remind me of Ian Fleming's James Bond and the earliest film adaptations starring Sean Connery but a level more serious in tone than either. Maclean displays the same sense for slowly and carefully moving the different strands of the plot into motion I recognise from the realistic WW2 novels he's better known for like "The Guns of Navarone" and "Where Eagles Dare". The combination of a meticulously constructed slow burn narrative structure with some quite riveting action scenes once things explode is one I find very few other authors of military/espionage action-adventure novels to do better. The most memorable of the action sequences are probably those involving the protagonist being chased through an elaborate underground tunnel network by attack dogs! You can tell even in Maclean's more sensationalistic and less realistic novels like this one that he had himself served in some of World War Two's most hellish naval battles, having a level of first hand experience with combat and military operations that you do not encounter so often in action-adventure novelists these days. There is also some interesting information here in the exposition about the dismantling of the British colonial empire in the post-WW2 era, and the resulting political fallout having some ugly consequences during the Cold War.
Oh, and it looks like shark-repellant spray isn't something that DC Comics made up for Batman's arsenal.
"The Dark Crusader", which in some markets has been titled "The Black Shrike" instead and in others been published under the pseudonym "Ian Stuart", might not be one of MacLean's better known novels but it is definitely worth reading if you want either an interesting middle ground between the Ian Fleming and John Le Carré schools of spy fiction or a look into where several conspiracy theories surrounding space exploration might have originated.
This novel revolves around an experimental super-missile developed called the Dark Crusader which gets stolen by terrorists, and the novel follows the agent tasked with either recovering or destroying the missile before the terrorists can use it. Notice the similarity between "Black Knight" and "Dark Crusader". I then started wondering if the conspiracy theories either inspired Maclean to write this book, or conversely if his novel ended up feeding the conspiracy theories depending on which of the two came first. As soon as I had started reading, it also turned out that the "main hook" of important scientists in Britain disappearing mysteriously later turned up elsewhere in conspiracy theory lore as a key pillar of the Alternative 3 narrative.
The nuts-and-bolts of "the Dark Crusader" remind me of Ian Fleming's James Bond and the earliest film adaptations starring Sean Connery but a level more serious in tone than either. Maclean displays the same sense for slowly and carefully moving the different strands of the plot into motion I recognise from the realistic WW2 novels he's better known for like "The Guns of Navarone" and "Where Eagles Dare". The combination of a meticulously constructed slow burn narrative structure with some quite riveting action scenes once things explode is one I find very few other authors of military/espionage action-adventure novels to do better. The most memorable of the action sequences are probably those involving the protagonist being chased through an elaborate underground tunnel network by attack dogs! You can tell even in Maclean's more sensationalistic and less realistic novels like this one that he had himself served in some of World War Two's most hellish naval battles, having a level of first hand experience with combat and military operations that you do not encounter so often in action-adventure novelists these days. There is also some interesting information here in the exposition about the dismantling of the British colonial empire in the post-WW2 era, and the resulting political fallout having some ugly consequences during the Cold War.
Oh, and it looks like shark-repellant spray isn't something that DC Comics made up for Batman's arsenal.
"The Dark Crusader", which in some markets has been titled "The Black Shrike" instead and in others been published under the pseudonym "Ian Stuart", might not be one of MacLean's better known novels but it is definitely worth reading if you want either an interesting middle ground between the Ian Fleming and John Le Carré schools of spy fiction or a look into where several conspiracy theories surrounding space exploration might have originated.
February 20, 2025
The hero of "The Dark Crusader" is Johnny Bentall, a brilliant scientist with a specialization in solid fuel rocket technology, who has been recruited by the British Secret Service to investigate a disturbing trend of missing top British scientists. This trend has emerged after a series of enticing advertisements promising lucrative jobs in Australia lured numerous scientists along with their spouses, only for them to vanish without a trace. Bentall is paired with the resourceful and determined female Secret Service agent, Marie Hopeman. Their mission is critical: to uncover the fate of the missing individuals and to determine who is behind their mysterious disappearances.
To execute their covert operation, Bentall adopts the identity of a fellow scientist responding to the same enticing job offer, while Marie poses as his unsuspecting wife. Their supervisor holds a strong belief that they will be targeted for abduction, which he hopes will ultimately lead them to the architects of this conspiracy. However, the assignment is fraught with peril, and the possibility of capture looms large; this is merely part and parcel of life as a counter-espionage agent.
True to their fears, the agents soon find themselves ensnared in a harrowing kidnapping. Their captors, a crew aboard a dilapidated and disreputable schooner commanded by a morally ambiguous Australian captain, whisk them away into the unknown. While the seemingly outlandish circumstances of their abduction may initially seem implausible, readers can rest assured that MacLean’s robust plotting skills ensure that even the most outlandish elements coalesce into a coherent narrative.
Once aboard the ship, Bentall and Marie's harrowing journey culminates on a remote and enigmatic Pacific island. Here, they encounter Witherspoon, an eccentric yet brilliant English archaeologist who has uncovered revolutionary discoveries that promise to reshape the field of archaeology. However, the island harbors secrets beyond those of ancient artifacts, and Bentall quickly realizes that his scientific expertise is of keen interest to those orchestrating the events surrounding him.
In a genre characterized by unexpected twists and turns, MacLean elevates the standard with an avalanche of shocking plot developments. Just when the narrative seems to settle into a rhythm, yet another twist emerges, leaving readers enthralled and guessing at every turn.
MacLean's approach to thriller writing contrasts sharply with fellow Scotsman Ian Fleming. He deliberately distances himself from the Bond style, avoiding sex and graphic violence, his novels are gritty and bleak. His ruthless villains often resemble the good guys, and his heroes find themselves in harsh, unglamorous settings, like the barren phosphate mine island in "The Dark Crusader". Despite his immense popularity, MacLean was often underrated as merely a storyteller, yet he took bold risks. Happy endings are uncertain; his protagonists might succeed but at a high cost.
To execute their covert operation, Bentall adopts the identity of a fellow scientist responding to the same enticing job offer, while Marie poses as his unsuspecting wife. Their supervisor holds a strong belief that they will be targeted for abduction, which he hopes will ultimately lead them to the architects of this conspiracy. However, the assignment is fraught with peril, and the possibility of capture looms large; this is merely part and parcel of life as a counter-espionage agent.
True to their fears, the agents soon find themselves ensnared in a harrowing kidnapping. Their captors, a crew aboard a dilapidated and disreputable schooner commanded by a morally ambiguous Australian captain, whisk them away into the unknown. While the seemingly outlandish circumstances of their abduction may initially seem implausible, readers can rest assured that MacLean’s robust plotting skills ensure that even the most outlandish elements coalesce into a coherent narrative.
Once aboard the ship, Bentall and Marie's harrowing journey culminates on a remote and enigmatic Pacific island. Here, they encounter Witherspoon, an eccentric yet brilliant English archaeologist who has uncovered revolutionary discoveries that promise to reshape the field of archaeology. However, the island harbors secrets beyond those of ancient artifacts, and Bentall quickly realizes that his scientific expertise is of keen interest to those orchestrating the events surrounding him.
In a genre characterized by unexpected twists and turns, MacLean elevates the standard with an avalanche of shocking plot developments. Just when the narrative seems to settle into a rhythm, yet another twist emerges, leaving readers enthralled and guessing at every turn.
MacLean's approach to thriller writing contrasts sharply with fellow Scotsman Ian Fleming. He deliberately distances himself from the Bond style, avoiding sex and graphic violence, his novels are gritty and bleak. His ruthless villains often resemble the good guys, and his heroes find themselves in harsh, unglamorous settings, like the barren phosphate mine island in "The Dark Crusader". Despite his immense popularity, MacLean was often underrated as merely a storyteller, yet he took bold risks. Happy endings are uncertain; his protagonists might succeed but at a high cost.
September 22, 2018
Very exciting, though I could predict some of the plot twists. Some of the whole set up seemed a little forced, a secret lab in the South Pacific?
Main character deep and interesting, though the falling in love part seemed rushed and artificial.
5 stars because despite its minor flaws and strange set up generally nothing better out there today.
Main character deep and interesting, though the falling in love part seemed rushed and artificial.
5 stars because despite its minor flaws and strange set up generally nothing better out there today.
May 15, 2017
Reading a couple of old titles by A.M. -- ok, there's no new titles by MacLean -- and I liked this one much better than Caravan to Vaccares because the main character is more human.
Both of them feature a spy with Bond-like powers, only without the massive ego The difference between the two self-deprecating spies is that this one shows honest emotion. Otherwise, the books are much the same: Spy on isolated mission with babe faces almost insurmountable odds: Hugely outnumbered and outgunned, he has to find a way to thwart the bad guys' evil scheme.
There are a few plot holes that surprise with such a well-known thriller writer .
Both of them feature a spy with Bond-like powers, only without the massive ego The difference between the two self-deprecating spies is that this one shows honest emotion. Otherwise, the books are much the same: Spy on isolated mission with babe faces almost insurmountable odds: Hugely outnumbered and outgunned, he has to find a way to thwart the bad guys' evil scheme.
There are a few plot holes that surprise with such a well-known thriller writer .
May 24, 2018
One of two thrillers MacLean wrote under the pseudonym Ian Stuart - for no other reason, apparently, than to prove it was the pace and excitement of the stories that counted rather than his name on the cover - ‘The Dark Crusader’ was published in 1961, the same year that ‘Fear is the Key’ appeared under his own name. ‘TDC’ shares with ‘FitK’ a sardonic first person narrative, downbeat prologue/epilogue circularity, and at least one recycled set piece. It also hints at the sloppy overwriting that would become the bane of MacLean’s fiction in later years. But these are minor gripes: ‘TDC’ moves like hell from the first page to the last. The suspense never flags. The protagonist bucks the trend of later ubermensch MacLean heroes, his narration laced with self-deprecation that segues, in the final stages, to self-loathing when he’s faced with a horrible, inevitable decision.
November 29, 2012
Another ho-hum one from Maclean. I tend to disagree with the critics and find his later work much more polished. The characters are just so cartoony and the dialogue is once again ridiculous. If they did talk that way in real life back in 1961 I am glad that times have changed. Maclean really has no clue about women and they seem to always be doe eyed innocents that slap the main character, put him down at every turn but lo and behold-they are madly in love with him. It is a most infantile characterization that drives me nuts. On the whole though his books are escapist fun and I still get a kick out of him.
March 19, 2018
The Dark Crusader is another clever Alistair Maclean spy thriller which will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Bentall, the main character, is a larger than life secret agent who is sent out on a secret mission somewhere in the Pacific. He is accompanied by a woman agent, at best described as an enigma and more a page filler. The plot is the strongest featured with its twists and turns but marred by Maclean’s attempts to be too clever with metaphor and similarly, and an apparent need for better proofreading ― not a good look for the publisher. Nevertheless, this is a book well worth reading.
September 11, 2013
Berdebu, puluhan tahun yang lalu
Dengan deskripsi yang ekstensif dan alur yang tidak sekejap-sekejap, gado-gado antara James Bond kelas bawah dan sedikit whodunnit ini kuat dalam menghadirkan karakter tokoh-tokohnya. Kita jadi serasa mengenal mereka (tidak sekadar mengikuti kisahnya). Sebuah kekuatan penggambaran, yang bukan tidak mungkin membuat kita masih bisa mengingat beberapa detail pentingnya, bahkan setelah beberapa puluh tahun kemudian.
Dengan deskripsi yang ekstensif dan alur yang tidak sekejap-sekejap, gado-gado antara James Bond kelas bawah dan sedikit whodunnit ini kuat dalam menghadirkan karakter tokoh-tokohnya. Kita jadi serasa mengenal mereka (tidak sekadar mengikuti kisahnya). Sebuah kekuatan penggambaran, yang bukan tidak mungkin membuat kita masih bisa mengingat beberapa detail pentingnya, bahkan setelah beberapa puluh tahun kemudian.
Laki-laki kecil berdebu di ruangan kecil yang berdebu pula.Itu, misalnya.
November 21, 2014
Vintage Alistair MacLean. A good adventure, true good guys, bad bad guys, some great twists. However, as with all of MacLean's books, some folks are not who they seem to be. This one breaks out of his standard mold even more so with the "big" surprise.
If you are a MacLean fan, you will like this one. If you have not read him before, this is a good one to introduce you to him.
The plot is fairly fast-paced, along with some credible (and some not-so credible) escapes. But he does a good job of tying them in.
If you are a MacLean fan, you will like this one. If you have not read him before, this is a good one to introduce you to him.
The plot is fairly fast-paced, along with some credible (and some not-so credible) escapes. But he does a good job of tying them in.
August 13, 2016
A small dusty man...a beautiful beginning leading to an awesome ending. Although today, this plot would seem cliche and overdone, back when the book was first released, it was a brand new idea. The author never set out to create a super spy, but a character that can be defined in one word:ruthless. As such, he's unpredictable, resourceful and willing to do what it takes to protect his country. If you're looking for a "happily ever after," stay away from this one. Not that I'm a cynical guy, but too much happy makes me puke. I prefer satisfying endings. And this one has one.
November 14, 2014
Another classic spy drama from master thriller writer Alistair MacLean. As usual in his books, the lead character is fallible and in danger throughout, which makes all his plot twists even more exciting as you have no idea how the hero will respond and also how that will impact the storyline.
A down to earth read, packed with suspense, intrigue and drama from another era in time when technology was not omnipresent – and happily this story hasn’t dated because of the lack of it.
A down to earth read, packed with suspense, intrigue and drama from another era in time when technology was not omnipresent – and happily this story hasn’t dated because of the lack of it.
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