SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2950, 9 December 1916, Page 13

SOME RECENT FICTION

"The Exploits of Juve, being the.Fur- ' tlier Pursuits of Fan torn as tie Mysterious." By Pierre Souvestre . and Marcel Allain' (Stanley, Paul,. and CO.). •: _ J

Those who read that remarkable story "Fantomas" will be glad to renew acquaintance with Monsieur Jure, that latter-day prototype of the great Lecocq, whose wonderful exploits in detecting and bringing criminals to justice were' recounted by Gaboriau. Juve's methods are on the approved Sherlock Holmesian lines, modified a little by tho exigencies of the French background, and lie _lia-s a faithful if, not particularly brilliant amateur assistant in a young journalist. The mysterious Fantomas is a desperate criminal, who is always on tho point of- being captured, but always escapes. A disappearing room, a boa constrictor hidden in a, drain pipe, are amongst the weapons Fantomas employs against his pursuers, and we leave him at the end of the book alive and as resourceful as ever, and ready, no doubt, to provide material for another exciting yarn in the same series. Each story in the "Fantomas" series is complete in itself. They are certainly most thrilling specimens of the detective story.

"Ahasuerus," a novel; by Charles

Brumm (T. Werner Laurie., Ltd)

Mr. Brumm has i written a long—an unduly long—story of present-day life in England, into which he lias woven the legend of Ahasuerus. The Wandering Jew, passing tlnough the world during this niost critical, epoch in our history, reviews the causes and the issues of the gigantic conflict, discusses from various sides the vital problems'of which tho lighting nations aro now seeking a solution, appears in various forms, and finally reaches his goal after a pilgrimage of faith and suffering. The sceno of the story is laid mainly in Manchester. Tho author must certainly be credited with a quite extraordinary facility of literary, expression. At times, indeed, his flood of words becomes a littlo turbid, and tho exact trend of the argument' is not so easy to detect. But he has a remarkable gift for vigorous character drawing, and were he to choose a less ambitious subject and chasten the, flamboyance of his style a little, he should givo us a novel very much abavo tho average. "1914," by John Oxenham (Methuen and Co.). '... John Oxenham can always be depended upon for a well-written, essentially readablo story, and his war novel, "1914," should greatly please those who enjoy a .topical interest in their fiction. The story deals with tho wartimo experiences of two families,, especially the younger people, and the author has been almost lavishly generous in his supply of exciting incidents. German spies, tlio' recruiting enthusiasms, the difficulties of British people living in Germany 'at tho outbreak of war, and the gallantry of the Loudon Scottish, are features in a story which is eminently suitable for family reading, and laudably .free from theatricality. "The Man Trail," by Henry Oyen (Hodder and Stoughton, per Whitcombo and Tombs). Young' John I'cabody, son of a Now York millionaire, completely fails to "mako good" in tho "old man's" business, and is packed olf into tho northern backwoods, to his nnclc, a hardbitten old lumber man and trader, who is locally known as 'Wolf John. How this worthy makes a man of his nephew, or, rathor, I should say, brings out tho man that is in him, for the young follow has plenty of grit; how the lad is persecuted by a ruffianly overseer; how ho exposes this fellow's rascality, savos his undo from being swindled, and wins tho love of his' cousin, is all set forth in a well-told yarn, bristling with clramatio incident and decidedly readable. "Hearts of Alsaco: A Story of Our Time," by M. Betham Edwards (G. Bell and Sons, per Whitcombo and Tombs). Miss Betham Edwards has lived many years in France, and has written •many interesting hooks on French life and character. Her new story has Alsaco for a background, and is largely concorned with tho evil deeds of a Gorman Alsatian girl, who becomes a Gorman spy, and corrupts a young

Fronch officer. To some extent tho story recalls M. Reuo Bazen's fine novel "Les Oberlo," for much is made of the awkward consequences of marriages between members of tho two races, always, in Alsace, in open or veiled antagonism.