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But let's put that aside. This is after all a world where ''By Jove!'' is a serious expletive, where evil cads give women time to prepare themselves for the prospective of being raped, where blackmailing, gold-digging sirens see the error of their ways with only the gentlest of persuasion, and where hardened American agents have a tendency to say "Gee".
It's frivolous – of course , it is. Put it in the publishing conventions, dare I say the societal conventions of the time, and we have to accept that. Suspend disbelief from the unseen highest rafter and just enjoy the tale.
That's clearly something I can do with ease, because (as with the first) I read this at a rapid click and enjoyed every second of it. If you want to compare it to anything, think of the Indiana Jones movies or Romancing the Stone. Utterly silly, but a joy none the less.
I'm sure that at the time the communist threat to Empire would have leant more of a thrill to the story than one can appreciate at this remove. Was Bulgarin ever at a secret meeting in a college in Lahore plotting with the Chinese, and a conglomerate of European nations to un-do the super-powers of the day? Not only have I no idea, but this isn't the kind of tale to make me want to go look it up. It's pure escapism. Enjoy it for what it is.
If you liked this you’ll love [[Greenmantle by John Buchan]] and obviously , if you didn’t come in at the beginning do check out [[The Mystery of Tunnel 51 by Alexander Wilson|The Mystery of Tunnel 51]]. We also have a review of [[Wallace of the Secret Service by Alexander Wilson]].
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