Böcker av Erskine Childers

"The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service" (1903) is an early example of the espionage novel, with a strong underlying theme of militarism. It is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest spy novels ever written.

Erskine Childers, the author of this book, was one of the most fascinating figures or the early 20th century. Best known today for his thriller 'The Riddle of the Sands' a nautical yarn which employed Childers' skill as a yachtsman to warn Britain of the growing threat posed by Germany in the run-up to the Great War, he later ironically was notorious for running rifles in his yacht to Irish republicans, of whom he became a fanatical supporter. He was eventually shot by a firing squad of the Irish Free State forces for taking the extreme Republican side in the Irish CIvil War in which he directed Republican propaganda. Earlier in his career Childers was a respected military historian and critic, writing a history of the Boer War which he witnessed as a correspondent. In this volume, which boasts an admiring foreword by Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, he gives a critique of the armament and purpose of the cavalry, using his own experiences in the Boer War and the recent Russo-Japanese war (1904) to bolster his argument that the cavalry should evolve from lancers to mounted infantry, each horseman equipped with swords and carbines. An interesting study in military tactics written by a man who was never content to be an armchair warrior.

When Carruthers receives a letter from his friend Davies suggesting a Baltic sailing trip the vision of a manned yacht, A1 scenery and excellent duck shooting quickly works its charm. Much to Carruther's disgust, the reality couldn't be more different. Why should anyone want to kill Davies? What are the Germans trying to hide?

'It seems pretty clear to me that sooner or later we'll be at war with Germany, whether we like it or not.'

Childers's lone masterpiece, THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS, considered the first modern spy thriller, is recognisable as the brilliant forerunner of the realism of Graham Greene and John le Carre. Its unique flavour comes from its fine characterization,richly authentic background of inshore sailing and vivid evocation of the late 1890s - an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and intrigue that was soon to lead to war.

Word count 22,885

One of the first great spy novels, The Riddle of the Sands is set during the long suspicious years leading up to the First World War. The story builds in excitement as two young men on a sailing holiday discover a German plot to invade England. This edition is complemented by a fine introduction which examines the novel in its political and historical context.

While on a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea, two young adventurers-turned-spies uncover a secret German plot to invade England. Written by Childers—who served in the Royal Navy during World War I—as a wake-up call to the British government to attend to its North Sea defenses, The Riddle of the Sands accomplished that task and has been considered a classic of espionage literature ever since, praised as much for its nautical action as for its suspenseful spycraft.