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Fu Manchu #0
Tales of Chinatown
Here is a first-hand description of some of the doings in the slimy, mysterious places of the largest city in England. Here the detectives of Scotland Yard know of many strange things and see the results of the workings of such evil minds as Dr. Fu Manchu. The author is one of the few men who has penetrated the secrets of the Limehouse underworld sufficiently to enable him to write about them authentically and interestingly. Here are sudden deaths in peculiar ways, mysterious disappearances and all sorts of crimes --- where human life is valued none too highly.
376 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1922
45 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Sax Rohmer
492 books124 followersAKA Arthur Sarsfield Ward (real name); Michael Furey.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 8, 2018
Reverend Ronald Knox has set out ten cardinal rules to writing a good detective fiction, and in number 5 is the command: No Chinaman must figure in the story. Sounds really bizarre, doesn't it? Knox explained - "I see no reason in the nature of things why a Chinaman should spoil a detective story. But as a matter of fact, if you are turning over the pages of an unknown romance in a bookstore, and come across some mention of the narrow, slit-like eyes of Chin Loo, avoid that story; it is bad."
I can understand what Knox was talking about after reading this book. But from the space of a hundred years, I actually found it entertaining rather than enraging. There is a high level of racism in the book, but reading it today makes it appear more like a satire about racist attitudes than racism itself. And that's how I read this book, giving Rohmer full benefit of doubt. It gives a complete picture of the local British attitudes of the time to anyone who was not white, male, and well, English. I have no doubt middle class, law abiding English people were very wary of the "shifty eyed Chinamen" and "ruthless Egyptians" going about their business, unaware of their exploitation.
There are ten short stories in the book, each one delightful and taking us on a tour of the mysterious unknown. I enjoyed the first five stories, which were basically thriller stories. But Tcheriapin gives us a supernatural story, and The Dance of the Veils is a bit of a Greek tragedy. We get back to basics with the last three stories again. I did not enjoy the two mentioned above but enjoyed the rest.
That said, this might not be to everyone's tastes. So do think twice before picking this up. If you do, you might just find yourself rewarded.
I can understand what Knox was talking about after reading this book. But from the space of a hundred years, I actually found it entertaining rather than enraging. There is a high level of racism in the book, but reading it today makes it appear more like a satire about racist attitudes than racism itself. And that's how I read this book, giving Rohmer full benefit of doubt. It gives a complete picture of the local British attitudes of the time to anyone who was not white, male, and well, English. I have no doubt middle class, law abiding English people were very wary of the "shifty eyed Chinamen" and "ruthless Egyptians" going about their business, unaware of their exploitation.
There are ten short stories in the book, each one delightful and taking us on a tour of the mysterious unknown. I enjoyed the first five stories, which were basically thriller stories. But Tcheriapin gives us a supernatural story, and The Dance of the Veils is a bit of a Greek tragedy. We get back to basics with the last three stories again. I did not enjoy the two mentioned above but enjoyed the rest.
That said, this might not be to everyone's tastes. So do think twice before picking this up. If you do, you might just find yourself rewarded.
May 3, 2014
I downloaded a copy of this book for free for my kindle. It is a collection of 10 stories.
In all of the reviews that I have seen for this book, they talk about how racist it is. It is true that it is definitely not politically correct by today's standards. But I don't necessarily think it is a reflection of the author's views so much as it is a sign of the times that it was written. Values and sensitivities were different then. In fact, seeing how attitudes were different back then is one of the thing that appeals to me. It just fits so well into this type of pulp story. I feel that if the story was written today, it could be changed to dealing with the yakuza or triads and no one would blink an eye at it.
Rest of review (and rating) to follow.
Now that I have finished, I can honestly say that a lot of the appeal of these stories is getting a glimpse of a different time and the attitudes that were held at that time. Even seeing the types of stories that were popular is telling. The stories cover a range of sub-genres. There are stories that are very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes short stories, others are police procedural (albeit with techniques from an earlier time), and others wandered into the area of horror stories. Of course they are all loosely part of the "yellow menace" pulp stories. The basic stories hold up for the most part.
So I would say these are decent stories that are entertaining and give the readers a glimpse into an earlier time. A time that was less politically correct, drugs were seen differently, and police work was a different process. Enjoy them as they were intended and don't get too hung up on the other stuff
In all of the reviews that I have seen for this book, they talk about how racist it is. It is true that it is definitely not politically correct by today's standards. But I don't necessarily think it is a reflection of the author's views so much as it is a sign of the times that it was written. Values and sensitivities were different then. In fact, seeing how attitudes were different back then is one of the thing that appeals to me. It just fits so well into this type of pulp story. I feel that if the story was written today, it could be changed to dealing with the yakuza or triads and no one would blink an eye at it.
Rest of review (and rating) to follow.
Now that I have finished, I can honestly say that a lot of the appeal of these stories is getting a glimpse of a different time and the attitudes that were held at that time. Even seeing the types of stories that were popular is telling. The stories cover a range of sub-genres. There are stories that are very reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes short stories, others are police procedural (albeit with techniques from an earlier time), and others wandered into the area of horror stories. Of course they are all loosely part of the "yellow menace" pulp stories. The basic stories hold up for the most part.
So I would say these are decent stories that are entertaining and give the readers a glimpse into an earlier time. A time that was less politically correct, drugs were seen differently, and police work was a different process. Enjoy them as they were intended and don't get too hung up on the other stuff
December 31, 2014
The review from afar – No. 20
Re-revised forward to these overseas reviews:
Since emulating a yo-yo, I continue to rely on the old-style Kindle 3G for any non-technical reading. I tip my hat to the fine folks at Project Gutenberg: virtually every title I have or will be reading in the near future comes from them.
Tales of Chinatown is a short story collection with all of them set in London’s Chinatown (Limehouse in the day they were written) more or less. Like Sax Rohmer’s Egyptian story collections, they do not all involve the same characters and Fu Manchu is decidedly absent. The ten tales are:
1) THE DAUGHTER OF HUANG CHOW
2) KERRY'S KID
3) THE PIGTAIL OF HI WING HO
4) THE HOUSE OF GOLDEN JOSS
5) THE MAN WITH THE SHAVEN SKULL
6) THE WHITE HAT
7) TCHERIAPIN
8) THE DANCE OF THE VEILS
9) THE HAND OF THE MANDARIN QUONG
10) THE KEY OF THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
The first two centrally involve Chief Inspector Red Kerry (he of “Dope” fame).
The third is narrated by that friend of Paul Harley (who is himself absent) and involves Detective Sergeant Durham and his boss Chief Inspector Red Kerry.
The fourth, fifth and sixth have Paul Harley back in action.
The seventh is perhaps Rohmer’s most famous and best-written short story.
The eighth tale is set in Kerry’s domain of Limehouse although he is only referred to.
The ninth tale is again a friend of Paul Harley (who is out of town once more) caught up in a story of intrigue and revenge.
The final tale is about a femme fatale who fascinates and charms all the men who meet her. Is it pheromones or drugs, or hypnotism?
Like most collections, it’s an uneven assembly of writings, but that’s always half the thrill – finding out which ones appeal to you. The best stories for me were 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, (i.e. all the Harleys), 8 & 9. While Tcheriapin gets high marks from most readers, the others just struck me as more fun. While many of the novels were written as shorter stories for serialization, these have to wrap up better in a shorter length – to their advantage!
Four (4.0) short and sweet Stars.
You can get this book for free from the Gutenberg Project site.
August 4, 2010
I like reading old stories. Stories from the 20s and 30s have a different way of being told than stories from today. There are different assumptions regarding what should be common knowledge to the reader, different interactions between men and women, Asians and English, that all play a part in these Sax Rohmer stories. He's better known for the Fu Manchu tales, but I was in a short-story mood when I found Tales of Chinatown as a free Kindle Download.
Some of the stories share a few threads here and there, but each has a "gotcha" element, one that even when you think you've figured it out, still pokes you with a "gotcha" at the last.
Modern readers may have issue with some of the racial epithets and stereotyped descriptions, but they are the product of their time.
Some of the stories share a few threads here and there, but each has a "gotcha" element, one that even when you think you've figured it out, still pokes you with a "gotcha" at the last.
Modern readers may have issue with some of the racial epithets and stereotyped descriptions, but they are the product of their time.
November 30, 2017
NSFS(Not Safe For Snowflakes). Written in the 1920's these group of short stories employ every kind of stereotype imaginable. Those looking for an excuse to be offended will find no shortage of material here. Besides the requisite inscrutable Chinese, there are underhanded Jews, greedy Americans, hairy Greeks, jealous Spaniards, superstitious Egyptians, servile Africans, pugnacious Scots, drunken Irish, pugnacious and drunken sailors, rude French, generic sneaky Asians, and, naturally, the Mormon Menace. Any women of note are incredibly beautiful and naive victims, and if they are of Asian extraction then they are unfathomably gorgeous. But only if they are half-Asian. Full blooded Asian women do not bear mentioning.
The astute reader will recognize that the English do not escape the stereotyping. The upperclass gentry are all class conscious snobs, while the working class are uncouth brutes with a weak grasp of the English language. London itself is reduced to a grimy waterfront perpetually shrouded in fog.
The stories themselves are entertaining though the short story format limits the amount of mystery in the murder mysteries. Interesting is the historical context, where the lead detective of New Scotland Yard disdains guns and prefers to handle things with his fists, doesn't have a police car but must use public transportation to combat crime, and only recently added a phone to his house because of work. Also shocking is the number of times that the prime suspect escapes punishment, sometimes simply because it's better to avoid a societal scandal. Almost all take place in the Limehouse area of London (Chinatown) and all but the last few are police/P.I. mysteries, usually murders. The last few are more in the range of ghost stories, complete with disembodied hands and evil enchantresses.
The astute reader will recognize that the English do not escape the stereotyping. The upperclass gentry are all class conscious snobs, while the working class are uncouth brutes with a weak grasp of the English language. London itself is reduced to a grimy waterfront perpetually shrouded in fog.
The stories themselves are entertaining though the short story format limits the amount of mystery in the murder mysteries. Interesting is the historical context, where the lead detective of New Scotland Yard disdains guns and prefers to handle things with his fists, doesn't have a police car but must use public transportation to combat crime, and only recently added a phone to his house because of work. Also shocking is the number of times that the prime suspect escapes punishment, sometimes simply because it's better to avoid a societal scandal. Almost all take place in the Limehouse area of London (Chinatown) and all but the last few are police/P.I. mysteries, usually murders. The last few are more in the range of ghost stories, complete with disembodied hands and evil enchantresses.
August 5, 2010
This has a very personal resonance for me. I go to London's Chinatown often. Today it is squeezed into a pocket of sleazy Soho next to glitzy cinemas and intellectual cafés but when these stories were written it was in Limehouse, a few hundred yards up the river from where I now live and a mile or two from where my grandparents lived. There are still many Chinese here but now they live in luxury new flats, which the developers market in China because native Londoners prefer to live in draughty Victorian houses with original features like chimneys, fireplaces and sash windows. Nowadays when the police come they are raiding the flats of young handsome rich Russians who are running expensive escort services and drug rings. The exotic beauties are on the arms of investment bankers and insurance brokers. Pragmatic middle aged white women can be seen walking troops of pedigree dogs for their owners. In the secluded roads along the river are parked bright new sports cars in which young Indians and Pakistanis have lascivious trysts out of sight of their families, watched only by the gangs of mainly Indian teenagers who gather around a bench or two to share a disgusting blend of expensive alcohol and cheap fizzy cola. The stories have a sentimental core, which I love, and a passion for the strangeness of China. They are a little bit stilted and not as gripping as the Fu Manchu novels but recognisably Sax Rohmer nonetheless.
July 25, 2015
"Sometimes a furtive shadow would move out of some black gully and fade into a dimly seen doorway in a manner peculiarly unpleasant and Asiatic."
Funny, but only because I'm not Chinese, I'm afraid. If I were, I'd be cringing. (Although the author did have a go at my ethnicity too; apparently I'm also quite degenerate! Not bad.) But passages like this:
"The long, magnetic eyes, the handsome, clear-cut features, above all, that slow and alluring smile, appealed to the husband of the wilful Pat rather as evidences of Oriental, half-effeminate devilry than as passports to decent society."
...passages like this make me happy in my pants!
Funny, but only because I'm not Chinese, I'm afraid. If I were, I'd be cringing. (Although the author did have a go at my ethnicity too; apparently I'm also quite degenerate! Not bad.) But passages like this:
"The long, magnetic eyes, the handsome, clear-cut features, above all, that slow and alluring smile, appealed to the husband of the wilful Pat rather as evidences of Oriental, half-effeminate devilry than as passports to decent society."
...passages like this make me happy in my pants!
June 18, 2011
A collection of short stories that take place in London's Chinatown, mostly murder mysteries. As a free download, I can't complain because it was a free download for my Kindle. They were written a long time ago, making it a bit easier to overlook the blatant racial stereotyping of many nationalities. Each story was short enough to enjoy but also long enough to allow its characters to develop. Some of the stories had the same characters so it was almost as if I had been reading about "old friends."
September 13, 2020
This is the first book I have read by Sax Rohmer. I have read a number of books where I realized how racist the author was, but Rohmer surpasses them all. I know that to some extent books like this need to be read with an eye to circumstances, historical times and attitudes. Rohmer apparently could find opportunities to denigrate every race and ethnicity possible.
All that being said I actually enjoyed the stories. They were intriguing and in some cases rather creepy. I will read more of his stories but I am sure that I will be cringing on occassion.
All that being said I actually enjoyed the stories. They were intriguing and in some cases rather creepy. I will read more of his stories but I am sure that I will be cringing on occassion.
August 11, 2016
A selection of 10 Rohmer stories, more or less set in London's Chinatown. The first two feature one of Rohmer's recurring characters detective "Red" Kerry, who had appeared in "Dope" and would go on to appear in "Yellow Shadows," but there's no sign of Fu Manchu, even in a un-billed guest appearance! The best story by far and probably the best Rohmer ever wrote (bringing the book up from a 3 to a 4 star) is "Tcheriapin."
July 14, 2014
I am addicted to these books! So different from modern fare which rarely manage to avoid gratuitous sex, profanity, and obscenity. A refreshing change of pace and delightful reading.
July 12, 2015
Interesting read. Not for the politically correct. Set in Chinatown part of London in the early 20th century. Anthology of little mysteries as well as stories of the strange. Enjoyed reading it.
September 5, 2022
A collection of short stories on similar themes. They're all of the crime or suspense genre, except one which veers into science fiction. A police detective, Red Kerry, appears or is mentioned in some. Others feature Harley and Knox, Rohmer's imitation Holmes and Watson, but with closer police connections (Harley even gives them orders which are always obeyed), and Knox too disguises himself.
The plots are fairly imaginative. While Fu Manchu never appears, there are plenty of elderly Chinese masterminds, henchman, and beautiful Eurasian women, along with a couple of Jews and other ethnicities. Character descriptions are full of references to behavior and ways of thinking that are Oriental, generally in a negative way.
The constant racism and resort to cliches and stereotypes take stories that are fairly interesting and imaginative and make the whole thing dated in a very negative and upleasant way.
The plots are fairly imaginative. While Fu Manchu never appears, there are plenty of elderly Chinese masterminds, henchman, and beautiful Eurasian women, along with a couple of Jews and other ethnicities. Character descriptions are full of references to behavior and ways of thinking that are Oriental, generally in a negative way.
The constant racism and resort to cliches and stereotypes take stories that are fairly interesting and imaginative and make the whole thing dated in a very negative and upleasant way.
July 23, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book of tales that mostly take place in London, BUT...I was very uncomfortable with all the "chink" this and "chink" that.
I kept comparing the style of writing with the Sherlock Holmes books, as I remembered them. These came off as a bit wanting.
I had a friend in junior high school that loved these books. At the time they didn't catch my fancy, having neither spaceships nor albinos wielding black swords.
I kept comparing the style of writing with the Sherlock Holmes books, as I remembered them. These came off as a bit wanting.
I had a friend in junior high school that loved these books. At the time they didn't catch my fancy, having neither spaceships nor albinos wielding black swords.
August 10, 2021
Rohmer shows a masterly hand in writing evocative short stories, capturing an otherworldly limehouse fantasy setting; with sultry unobtainable and inscrutable ethnic women and an interesting mix of detective and supernatural stories. Highly recommended but beware stories are not PC by today’s social mores.
October 10, 2017
I enjoyed Tales of Chinatown, fun pulp stories set in London's Chinatown Limehouse. Mysterious people, nefarious plots, stolen jewels. It's not PC but hey it was written in the 20's. If you like pulp stories I think you will enjoy Tales of Chinatown. It was wrote by the creator of Fu Manchu.
September 18, 2021
Entertaining listening 🔰😀
Another will written novella with ten short stories about Chinatown in London each different with individual characters. I would recommend this novella to readers of British mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading or listening to books 📚 2021
Another will written novella with ten short stories about Chinatown in London each different with individual characters. I would recommend this novella to readers of British mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading or listening to books 📚 2021
February 10, 2013
Tales of Limehouse and the chinese quarter in Edwardian England - very much a product of its time.
March 17, 2014
Short stories good book for a story before bed.
June 8, 2015
I didn't like the way this book started, but it got better as I read it. It has some dull parts, but it's ok on the whole.
May 23, 2016
read some time in 1989
January 13, 2011
A mixed bag. Some stories are great, others only so-so.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews