MobileRead Discussion: The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan (spoilers)

[pilotbob]

So... how did you all find this book?

[edbro]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

So... how did you all find this book?

Well, somebody provided a link making it easy to find.
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)

I thought the book was good but not great. It was a quick, short read. I guess I was thinking it was going to be better than it was because it was labeled a "classic thriller".

[HarryT]

The reason it's such a familiar story to a modern reader is simply that it's been so much copied. When it was written, it was a new kind of story, which is why it's regarded as a classic.

[voodooblues]

It was a quick read. i was unimpressed with the story. The good thing is that I finished it quickly and went on to read Shutter Island.


Reading "One Second After"
by William R. Forstchen

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by edbro

Well, somebody provided a link making it easy to find.
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)

Hey... I knew it was a softball. I wanted to see who would be the first to take the bate.

Originally Posted by edbro

I thought the book was good but not great. It was a quick, short read. I guess I was thinking it was going to be better than it was because it was labeled a "classic thriller".

Same here. I was hoping for a page turner... and this was not that. To me it seemed a vague story about hide-n-seek without knowing who the seekers were or why they were playing the game.

BOb

[GA Russell]

One thing struck me. 80% into the book, Buchan used the phrase "mean streets". I thought that that phrase had been coined by Raymond Chandler in his essay The Simple Art of Murder in the late 40s, but here we see it published in 1915!

I enjoyed the book very much, in that I looked forward each day to reading a chapter. I'll look forward to reading the next book in Harry's omnibus soon.

[lila55]

Originally Posted by edbro

I thought the book was good but not great. It was a quick, short read. I guess I was thinking it was going to be better than it was because it was labeled a "classic thriller".

I feel very similar about it. It has been some weeks that I finished reading it and in the meantime I can only recollect very little of the story - a clear sign that the book did not impress me much

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The reason it's such a familiar story to a modern reader is simply that it's been so much copied. When it was written, it was a new kind of story, which is why it's regarded as a classic.

I think this is a very good comment. But although excellent for its time, I think it doesn't stand up well to subsequent work.

I was a bit unhappy about the disguise aspects of it, especially the end scene, but willing to go along for the story. I did rather like the section with the road maintainer.

I'm afraid the sections of travel and pursuit across Scotland compared very unfavourably for me with the scenes in Kidnapped. I also found the idea of Hannay ending up at the one house he would not wish to be at very unlikely. Especially as this was clearly not a house suddenly rented for the purpose, but their house even before Hannay went to Scotland. (Else why the explosives?)

I was also disappointed by Hannay's decision to try to leave the train between stations. He was pretty inconspicuous until then!

But I must admit that I'd forgotten it was written so early. But it's still not one I plan on re-reading.

[asterion]

I thought the book was good but not great. It was a quick, short read. I guess I was thinking it was going to be better than it was because it was labeled a "classic thriller".

I totally agree with you: While it's a great masterpiece it's entertaining. One thing that puzzled me is that he had to do all the things to the end: as a roadman for example. He had to believe in what he was doing but I think that's stupid for you can believe in it the while you need it if not leave it cause you have to escape no to maintain a road or do a favor to the real roadman (the bad guys had already gone so you can continue your escape)

[asterion]

I think the film is much better in the sense that it gets of the story all Buchan can't get.

[asterion]

Also the novel is just going around and hide. I liked it but it can't compare to [I]Uncommon Danger[I]by Eric Ambler, which has a similar approach. I really recommend it, it's really great.

[Trebro]

Originally Posted by edbro

Well, somebody provided a link making it easy to find.
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)

I thought the book was good but not great. It was a quick, short read. I guess I was thinking it was going to be better than it was because it was labeled a "classic thriller".

I think that just about sums up my feelings as well. I was not resentful of the time I spent reading the book, but it in no way made me want to read any other books by Buchan. It was interesting to read post-WW1 propaganda, but it's also only interesting up to a point.

To me, the book's biggest sin is that NOTHING goes wrong for the protagonist. All the "dangers" are fixed magically and conveniently. After about the 5th time that happened, I grew bored.

[TimMason]

I read several of Buchan's thrillers when I was a boy, growing up in the years immediately after WWII. I remember enjoying them, but 'The 39 Steps' was by no means my favourite. Try the South African novels, such as 'Prester John'. There is also a good one set mainly in Scotland, if I remember rightly, in which the hero is a retired grocer, who strikes up a friendship with a bunch of working-class boys from Glasgow while trying to rescue a Russian princess. It's called 'Huntingtower', and it's available on Gutenberg, and it's a good read. Or it was to a nine-year-old boy.

[WT Sharpe]

I rather enjoyed the book. It wasn't the finest thing I've ever read, but it was short, and best of all, it provided a breather to catch up with some of my other reading.

Originally Posted by HarryT

The reason it's such a familiar story to a modern reader is simply that it's been so much copied. When it was written, it was a new kind of story, which is why it's regarded as a classic.

Exactly.

[voodooblues]

Removed