Three Hostages (Wordsworth Classics) [Paperback]

John A. Buchan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wordsworth Classics | Publication Date: April 1, 1998

Following the end of the First World War Richard Hannay, the hero of John Buchan s The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle and Mr Standfast, has retired to the Cotswolds with his wife and young son. There, news comes to him of three kidnappings and a plot of political and financial magnitude that would shake the world. Hannay abandons his Gloucestershire idyll to counter the threat, and the adventure takes him from the frenetic dance-halls and high society of 1920 s London to a gripping climax in the wild Scottish Highlands where he meets his most formidable enemy.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This early (1924) spy adventure is one of five Buchan novels featuring the heroic Richard Hannay. Hannay is called out of retirement to rescue the kidnapped offspring of three highly placed British citizens. Hannay soon uncovers a global syndicate supporting a single man who has notions of world domination. The story suffers from exaggerated descriptions of its characters. For instance, the kidnapper, Medina, is not just a good shot, he's the best shot in England next to the King. The British are portrayed as wonderful people, but other races fare less well. Yet the story is undoubtedly good fun and is enhanced by the modulated voice and subtle characterizations of British actor Edmund Dehn. For large suspense collections.
Mark Pumphrey, Polk Cty. P.L., Columbus, N.C.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Review

'Don't forget John Buchan ... very much a writer for our troubled times' THE CATHOLIC HERALD 'For his time, Buchan defined the spy story formula' --The New Criterion --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wordsworth Editions Ltd (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853262528
• ISBN-13: 978-1853262524
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thanks, Wordsworth!, April 2, 2001

By 

Joseph W. Smith "[e-mail]" (Fairvale, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Three Hostages (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

Kudos to Wordsworth Classics for keeping these four books in print -- affordable, too! I've now read all but one of the Hannay adventures (this one, plus "39 Steps" and "Mr. Standfast") and thoroughly enjoyed them all. "Hostages" moves a bit slower and doesn't have quite as much "local flavor" as the others; but it's a fine book, with much to recommend it and much to remember.

I enjoyed especially the respectful portrait of Hannay's wife, every bit as smart and tough as he -- quite surprising in an era (and culture) that I had assumed would be somewhat chauvinistic -- and a real relief from other spy stories in which the women simply scream helplessly until The Man comes along. Mind you, I have no political agenda -- and indeed am quite conservative about gender roles; but I just find it so much more sensible and realistic when women characters act like human beings!

"Hostages" is also remarkably prescient about the onset of WW2, and how Hitler would try to rule the world not merely through brute force but through propaganda and mass hysteria. There is also some fine thematic development here, esp. the notion that a spy mission may achieve "success" without "victory."

But the best thing about the book is its final chapter; as in "Standfast," "Hostages" has a split climax; the main conflict is resolved about 35 pages before the end of the book, and then there's a further, more nitty-gritty, down-to-earth duel at the end. Fantastic!

These books are great for folks looking for good old-fashioned adventure like James Bond, but without the girls and the violence.

Highly recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is a great story, but..., October 21, 2010

By 

D. Drake (Apalachin, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Three Hostages (Kindle Edition)

The story is pretty good, but paying 4 dollars for an ebook that is filled with the same errors and lack of pagination as the free Project Gutenberg version is ridiculous. What a waste of money...

2 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little bizzare, February 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Three Hostages (Wordsworth Classics) (Paperback)

I have enjoyed many of John Buchan's novels: The Thirty Nine Steps, John McNab, Huntingtower (especially amusing), The Island of Sheep. But this Richard Hannay novel is rather strange, involving the use of hypnotism as a means to gain political power. Most of his novels are rather far-fetched, but fun. I'd give this one a miss though. Really out-there!