The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service

by ErskineChilders (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  1952

  $3.77

  A simple invitation to join his friend Davies on a yachting expedition in the Baltic is the beginning of an extraordinary and dangerous adventure for the bored and worldly but clever Carruthers. As the two of them navigate the waters and treacherous, shifting sands of the Frisian Islands on board the Dulcibella, it is soon clear to Carruthers that Davies has more on his mind than a little duck shooting. As they encounter danger at every turn, Carruthers warms to his courageous and brave-hearted friend and through him begins to discover new strengths within himself and a sense of moral purpose. Sounding a warning of the dangers of a German invasion of Britain across the North Sea, Childers's gripping tale of espionage received immediate critical acclaim when it was published in 1903 and today retains its preeminent place in the genre.

• Used

  Paperback
  1986

  $3.28

• Used

  Hardcover
  1998

  $3.28

  This novel pitches two amateur sailors-cum-sleuths against the secret forces of mighty Germany, before World War I. Powers of deduction and navigational skills prove important in uncovering a plot which threatens personal and national security.

• New

  paperback
  

  $10.87

  'About this coast...In the event of war it seems to me that every inch of it would be important, sand and all.' Executed in 1922 for his involvement in Irish republicanism, Childers in remembered most vividly for his ground-breaking spy novel, The Riddle of the Sands (1903). In spite of good prospects in the Foreign Office, the sardonic civil servant Carruthers is finding it hard to endure the emptiness and boredom of his life in London. He reluctantly accepts an invitation from a college friend, Davies, the shyly intrepid yachtsman, and joins him on a sailing holiday in the Baltic. The regeneration of Carruthers begins as he is initiated into the mysteries of seamanship, but the story builds in excitement as Carruthers and Davies discover a German plot to invade England. Like much contemporary British spy fiction, The Riddle of the Sands reflects the long suspicious years leading up to the First World War and the intricacy of its conception and its lucid detail make it a classic of its genre. This edition is complemented by a fine introduction which examines the novel in its political and historical context. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.