The Sons of the Sheik

The Sheik Saga #2

by E.M. Hull

Continues the story begun in The Sheik with the next generation, the twin sons of Ahmed ben Hassan and Lady Diana Mayo.

Genres: Romance, Classics, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

360 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1925

About the author

See also Edith Maude Hull.

Edith Maude Henderson was born on 16 August 1880 in the Borough of Hampstead, London, England, UK, the daughter of Katie Thorne, of New Brunswick, Canada, and James Henderson, a shipowner from Liverpool.

As a child she travelled widely with her parents, even visiting Algeria, the setting of her novels. In 1899, she married Percy Winstanley Hull (b. 1869) in London and the couple moved to Derbyshire in the early 1900s. They had a daughter Cecil Winstanley Hull, who also wrote a book entitled 'Six Weeks in Algeria' (1930).

She dabbled at writing fiction in the late 1910s while her husband was away serving in World War I. 'The Sheik', her initial effort, was first published in England in 1919 and quickly became an international blockbuster, placing it among the top ten best sellers for both of the years 1921 and 1922 in the magazine 'Publishers Weekly'.

'The Sheik' quickly sold over 1.2 million copies worldwide. Sales further increased when Paramount released a film version with the same title in 1921 and this launched Rudolph Valentino into cinema immortality as the greatest lover of the silent screen.

She also wrote a follow-up to 'The Sheik', 'The Sons of the Sheik' (1925) and she wrote six other novels of the 'desert romance' variety. In 2005 these novels were still classed by some publishers as 'erotic fiction'!

In addition she wrote a travelogue 'Camping in the Sahara' (1926) that included photographs by her daughter Cecil.

She died at age 66, on 11 February 1947 in Hazelwood, in the parish of Duffield, Derbyshire.

Reviews

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading E M Hull's The Sheik which was a fantastic, enthralling, romantic classic captor/captive love story, I wanted to find out more of what happened to Ahmed and Diana and the sons they had.
I couldn't get this book at my library so I hunted it down and found a used copy.
Well to my disappointment I didn't receive by the seller the original 1925 copy but the above copy which is "condensed". And now I understand the meaning of the word.
First off the book starts with young Ahmed secretly meeting with Yasmin and she betrays him..ok..total background missing here..how did they meet?
How far along is their relationship?
It just went from him holding her & speaking of his love than he is duped.
Then we flip to Diana who is crying and upset about her separated twin sons when they were parted at a young age ( not explained why) and upset also that Ahmed senior has been away for so long and she is worried about his return due to the unrest in the desert (condensed)
Then we flip to the other son Caryll who has lived with his grandfather in England since a young age who is bitter and returning home (not explained why) but he sees Yasmin and has fallen in love..Huh?
Now we flip to Raoul who is still holding a torch for Diana all these years and is guardian to Caryll...Huh?
Are you following all this?
Because this was all done in 55 pages.
So I'm thinking, do I want to spoil my vision of what the book should be, and the pleasure of reading time with a ripped off version?
With all due respect to the author who condensed this book..why would you do that if it was a favorite classic of yours?
This book would have probably gotten a 4-5 star if it had been the original, which I plan again to hunt down (more carefully) this time, but for now I end it here..Diana, Ahmed, and Sons and further adventures will have to wait.
By the way this is the cover I should have gotten and would recommend that be read and NOT this version I got!
.

[Sultry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came to me the same way as The Sheik, from my Mom's collection. Both are quite old and the covers worn.
Sons of the Sheik isn't as dynamic as The Sheik possibly because it involves both sons, each completely different and conflicted.
I really loved The Sheik and wasn't totally disappointed by the Sons of the Sheik but the first one will always be the best.
Sultry

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is as racist, and sexist as all get out, but it was written 100 years ago. Still, it was hard to really enjoy. I wondered if I should try to read The Sheik first (the first book, and basis for the Rudolf Valentino film) but most of what I’d have to know was outlined. I enjoyed it a little at the start, I would call it a “burnoose shrugger” in the vein of a “corset ripper”, but the rapes all women seem to secretly crave, the craven stupidity of non-whites made it a no in the end. Most plot points come together too neatly, and others are rushed, if not forgotten. Was atmospheric.

[Isabel Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gustó conocer el después del "happily ever after" de Diana y Ahmed y ver que, a pesar del desastroso comienzo de los dos, pudieron sobrellevarlo y lograr un buen matrimonio; aunque resultó que Diana le sigue teniendo miedo a Ahmed; pero él vive recriminándose lo que le hizo a Diana, así que supongo que existe cierto balance.
El Boy podrían creer que exacto al padre, pero no, es todo lo contrario. Ahmed era déspota porque el equipaje que arrastraba; el Boy no es más que un niño malcriado que cree que todo le corresponde por derecho de nacimiento y me gustó que el padre lo pusiera en su lugar y no le perdone que cometa sus mismos errores.
También creo que faltó profundizar la historia del hermano gemelo del Boy, Carryll, criado en Inglaterra con el abuelo conde, lejos de toda su "herencia" arabe y acumulando resentimiento contra sus padres. Quedó colgado el tema de su relación con Ahmed y Diana.
Y definitivamente no me gustó que después de sufrir secretamente por años por el amor no correspondido de Diana, Raoul terminara como terminó y sin poder siquiera conocer a su hija.
De hecho, la historia termina de forma muy abrupta, y para tantas vueltas y deja la sensación de que fue escrito casi por obligación, para restañar las heridas del primer libro.

[Marilynn Farmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

So after reading The Sheik I went right into the sequel, The Sons of the Sheik, which I purchased as a bundle off eBay. I have to say that although I really enjoyed The Sheik, this book was just okay. I love the author's writing style so that didn't disappoint, but there was sooooo much internal dialog with this one that if left little room for any action. In short, not much actually HAPPENS in this book until the end. The majority of the book delves into the backstory of the two sons and of Raoul St. Hubert. In this one the sons are about twenty now and have barely come of age. I would have preferred to read about the son's lives as they were happening, not as backstory. Also, the story line involves a girl who is kidnapped, just like the first book, and about her coming to love her captor in the end, also just like the first book. Hmmm. Methinks she was pressured by her publisher at the time to repeat her earlier success. Too bad Ms. Hull didn't live to write more about the sons, because their stories could have been interesting.

[Angeles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost want to grab the original "The sons of the Sheik" by E.M. Hull to read, because this storyline was actually kind of fun.

As always with the lovely Barbara Cartland, the story is pure, clean romance. An easy, light read for the beach or pool, and no worrying about little eyes seeing something in print that would shock them!

[Sat Iah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It`s hard to review this book. As much as I liked The Sheik, this sequel was in a way better and in a way worse than the original. I really cared for the characters, I wanted to know how their story develops, but...

First of all, I got the feeling that there was much more going on than was actually explained. As if Mrs. Hull came up with a really complex background story for all the involved characters, which she then decided not to tell in detail (it would either be too long or she didn`t consider it important enough), which is a pity. And so we get most of the individual stories told in hindsight, there is a LOT of internal monologue and hardly any action.

SPOILERS!
The sheik`s son Ahmed is supposed to be the main male character here but he surprisingly gets very little space in this story - and how I would like to read it, it really had the potential for a good romance/adventure/action narration. He was a sympathetic character, but we do not get much background on how he fell in love with his future captive, and sadly, do not learn if they got married in the end (most probably yes, but why can`t you be more precise?).

We see the old Sheik 20 years after the events from the first book. I was surprised to find him regretting what he had done to Diana so long ago when they met, despite the fact that she repeatedly told him all had been forgiven. He is torturing himself. He even withholds information on his son`s captive from Diana not to make her remember her own past.

Generally, nobody is happy in this book. There is so much self-torture and regret and denial and angst, and this family is having huge communication issues in general (to not hurt the others` feelings, mostly). Even their old friend St. Hubert is still clinging to his forbidden love to Diana, how come he has not been able to move on in the past 20 years? I rather felt sorry for him because he didn`t really seem to live his own life and rather acted as a helper to ben Hassan family. And we also do not know if he eventually died in the end (although it was stated several times that he would).

The book is called "The Sons of the Sheik", but their firstborn Caryll does very little to move the plot on, is generally just hating the country and everybody he meets due to his prejudice. This character could have been omitted in the book and the author could have concentrated more on his more interesting brother. I can`t believe nobody explained to him WHY the sheik hates England in the course of the whole book, so he just seethes with anger and was a very annoying character to me. And, why would you name one of your twin sons Caryll and the other Ahmed? Why would loving parents send one of their sons away to England without proper explanation to him?

We did not get an explanation why Yasmin`s captors made Ahmed believe she betrayed him. If it was for fun or any other reason, it should have been said. Also, where was the turning point that made Ahmed finally believe her? This was very clearly explained in the movie but I didn`t catch it in the book. And there were more things untold which should have been.

Don`t get me wrong. I liked the book, I really enjoyed Ahmed junior and his story. His story is deeper and more believable than his father`s. The rest was not needed, and could have been more logical.

[Jimmy Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was the basis for the 1925 silent feature film "Son of the Sheik," released after star Rudolph Valentino's death. Playing the dual role of the Sheik and his son, it has been said to be his best work. The book has a more complex plot than the film, with the romance for which Edith Maude Hull is famous, but adding in a second son, and a bit of skullduggery related to the outbreak of World War I.

European by birth but nomad-ruling in fact, Sheik Ahmed and his adventurous wife Diane have had two sons since the the adventures in "The Sheik": his namesake or "Boy," and Caryll. The former has grown up in the desert with his parents; the latter has been raised by his grandfather and attended the appropriate schools in England. With the death of that grandparent, it's time for Caryll to come to the desert and meet his parents.

In the process - finding the desert and its disorder, dirt, natives and noise repulsive - Caryll is fascinated by a native girl, a snake charmer. He little realizes that the girl is also fascinating to the brother he didn't know he had, and may be in the employ of individuals looking to overthrow Ahmed and his British allies.

For 1925, it's interesting, and not just because it has photos from the movie. Hull finds the local customs fascinating and the desert beautiful, unlike many contemporary authors. Her romances in her desert series, however, are predicated on the concept that a kidnapped and forcibly raped woman is able to have a life-long, overwhelmingly passionate love affair with her ultimately penitent captor. This idea fascinated 1920's film audiences - who did not see the woman physically attacked, but treated as a slave until she fell in love with his manly domineering ways. "The Sheik" made Rudolph Valentino a star, and "Son of the Sheik" was a multi-million dollar success. That concept of "romantic love" is difficult to understand today.

Like most Anglo-Saxon authors in that time frame, Hull also believed that to be European was to be a notch above any other race, and her philosophy is reflected throughout this story. Be aware also that, should this remain a concern as major plot issues are resolved, a reading of the 1919's "The Sheik" is necessary to explain why Caryll was raised by his grandfather.

[fulano]

cw: racism, kidnapping, rape, violence, murder, death

Like father like son. This one is obviously about the sons of the the white sheikh and his white bitch. It’s difficult to say if I enjoyed it, it was pretty long and had some unnecessary details that I could’ve lived without. It’s also really weird that one of their sons was raised away from them. Like… that’s pretty unfair. It’s such a weird thing to do given that they kept one and chose the other to be raised elsewhere. We see how this has shaped the boy the sent, and we see the effects of it when he comes to visit them.

I liked the son that they kept. He was awful to his love interest, of course, but I enjoy toxicity. And unlike his mom, the love interest here wasn’t a cunt from what I remember.

[Diane Kuhs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it very much . Written almost 100 years ago . Some things are not politically correct for today but a wild ride through the desert sands of long ago !

[Silvia Velázquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

En comparación con el primer libro, el segundo me quedó a deber.

[Liv Vázquez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pésimo libro, lo terminé para no dejarlo inconcluso. Pero hasta el final es decepcionante.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, I buy Photoplay editions, like the one shown, for the marvelous dust jackets and the black-and-white photo inserts, not necessarily the overwrought purple prose. And that's just the dust jacket copy ("thobbing with passion") and photo captions. Rudolph Valentino played the Sheik in the first movie and the son of the Sheik in the sequel -- and this book has some lovely shots of him. My favorite caption has him "glooming" over the perfidious French girl... These are some of the earliest "media tie-in" books with photos from the silent movies. For some silents, the Photoplay can be the only record of the film.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the original. A little to much sensationalism. It is however, always fun to read the early works before the plots become trite and overused.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gustó,pero me dejó con ganas de saber más al final....