Stand and Deliver

The Lyon Family

by Andre Norton

Murray Lyon returns to England from the American wilderness when he learns he has become heir to the Earldom of Starr

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Adventure

318 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1984

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treasure from a master story teller

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This review is from: Stand and Deliver (Kindle Edition)

Andre Norton, master of science fiction and fantasy, was a master story teller not limited to one genre. This is a superb, well researched piece of historical fiction full of crime, mystery and adventure. Norton must have invested considerable time and effort just on the dialog. She used period language and slang but in such a way that meaning is clear from context. As always the reader is able to connect with the characters, the physical setting and the time period. For those who don't know, the title is the standard command of an English highwayman (robber) to his victims.

[Valerie]

This is the edition I have.

This book is set in 1807. It might be considered a 'Regency Romance'--except that it's not a romance (it's described as 'swashbuckling', but it's not that, either). The story is told from the point of view of the scion of a noble family who is informed that he is the only heir to a British estate.

The story is almost brutally realistic--not only about the violence of the 'justice' system at the time. but also about the machinations of lawyers and those who use the lawyers and the law to their own benefit.

It's also inconclusive. It reminds me of Kidnapped--there's obvious need for a sequel. I THINK there is one--but I've yet to find it.

There are some points of mitigation. The Bow Street Runners are praised for at least trying to prevent people from being framed--or from being killed for nonviolent robberies. There's an odd subplot involving a man who's running a sideshow documenting the cruelties of 'law enforcement' through history in Britain...and hoping that one day his show will become unnecessary, because (he hopes) things are becoming more humane over time, so that his show will only be a horror story about a history people would like to forget--but mustn't, less things backslide again.

The smugglers in this story are treated with a lot more respect than in many of Norton's works.

Dedication: "For Robert Adams--not a tale of the future but at least a story of the adventurous past"

Table of Contents:

Prelude--Yankee Lyon--English Starr

I Encounter on The Bath Road

II Birth of A Reputation

III Country Visit

IV My Lord And The 'Gentlemen'

V Illuminating Conversation with A Toadeater [a medicine show assistant--I had to look it up]

VI Notes in An Occurrence Book

VII Grave Matters Concerning A Knife

VIII Disappearance of A Lyon

IX Showman's Zeal

X The Barker Rides Once Too Often

XI A Camel, Two Kangaroos, And A Lyon

XII Path of A "Gentleman's" Mare

XIII A Visit to One's Ancestors

XIV Hue And Cry [Note--this was the title of the Bow Street Runners' weekly Journal]

XV City within City

XVI Two Lyons Overtake One Jackal

XVII No Sea Voyage for The Captain

XVIII The Fashioning of An Earl

[Nuranar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Although apparently published much later, it reminds me of Norton's early work, such as Ralestone Luck and The Prince Commands - particularly the latter. But it's definitely its own creation.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andre Norton was a genius. Stand and Deliver is a good Regency era, swashbuckling adventure, filled with crime and mystery. Sort of a modern Rookwood. All that's fine, but Norton gives us all that and A DEADLY KANGAROO ATTACK!
I rest my case.

[Jessica Lerbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

An EXTREMELY-historically-accurate adventure novel with a TON of period slang--so much I had to break out the dictionary (which was fun!). But also...a ton of period animal cruelty and deaths, which wasn't fun at all.

[Carol Reeves]

Stand & Deliver

Of Earls and Highway men the tale of family plays out . Murray Lyon meets friends and foes to prevail in good conscience.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Hood meets the Colonists, with a series of clever and sometimes contrived action, with smugglers, jugglers, and a bit of mugglers all trying to find and either elevate or else eliminate someone to the peerage in Victorian England.

Well put together fun romp through the country side, with the American cousin in his cowboys and Indians get-up, running into, from and with the good guys who are searching for the bad guy who has had the law running after itself from time to time.

Not as good as the Witch World series by the same author, but definitely worth a read.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a historical fiction than what I was expecting but I absolutely love it.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Takes up about 30 years after the other Lyon Family book, Yankee Privateer. Set in 1807 and main character, Murray Lyon, is the son of the protagonist of the first book, Fitzhugh Lyon.