Customer Reviews

The Trojan Horse

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In 1940, at England under World War II. Kilmartin, an experienced lawyer, has a visit from a Jewish refugee engineer, wanted for murder, who claims that he was framed up by the Nazis spy network in England coveting his invention. Kilmartin takes the story with a grain of salt, but...

It's very early Hammond Innes novel and different from his usual adventure stories in wild nature; rather like Hitchcock suspense movie. Simple and predictable, still compelling and enjoyable.

'The Trojan Horse' was only Hammond Innes' second book, published way back in 1940, but already many of what would become his trademarks are apparent:

* Lawyer Andrew Kilmartin is the standard Innes protagonist: the ordinary 'everyman' who through no fault of his own gets dragged deeper and deeper into a larger conspiracy.

* Freya Schmidt is likewise a typical Innes tomboy-ish heroine, a capable young woman with a love of adventure and the sea.

* Franz Schmidt is the mysterious, obsessive, and possibly mad character whose actions get the protagonist involved in the story.

* Similarly, Sedel and Marburg are shadowy antagonists who may or may not be true villains.

While lacking the epic scope and themes of his later books, `The Trojan Horse' shows that even at this early stage Innes was a good adventure writer. Kilmartin's investigations into the disappearance of Schmidt soon find him being pursued along country roads, locked in bank vaults, running through sewers, stowing away illegally on ships, and courting Schmidt's attractive daughter Freya. The central plot revolves around a stolen engine, with World War 2 and industrial espionage providing the backdrop to the story.

There is a greater emphasis on the action than in Innes' later books, but his appreciation of the environment and nature is already apparent, as is of course his love of the sea.

In all, this is a very good book, and a great early example of Innes' distinctive style. I recommend starting off with one of his earlier books before tackling his later, longer work, and `The Trojan Horse' is as good a place as any to introduce yourself this excellent adventure writer.

This book is an early novel by Hammond Innes with a tight thriller atmosphere. A must if you like other books by Innes.