This volume has two of the early novels of P.C. Wren, the author of
the famous Beau Geste soldier of fortune series. "Cupid in Africa"
- Bertram Walsingham Greene is a clever and studious young man who
is a sad disappointment to his father, Major Walsingham Greene.
Bertram, who worships the Major, resolves to go to war and enlists
as a Second-Lieutenant in the Indian Army Reserve. He does his
training (such as it is) in India but is soon sent to Africa to
take part in the bloody fighting there. He changes from a
wet-behind-the-ears, but thoroughly nice man into a battle-hardened
fighter and learns a lot about himself as he goes along. The early
stages of the story are rather funny, but as Bertram battles his
way through the jungle and swamp of Africa, leading his men, things
become much more serious in tone. The descriptions of the fighting
between the mostly native troops under British command and the
askaris who, under their German leaders, oppose them are
wonderfully done. * * * * "Snake and Sword" is a powerful book. A
pregnant woman, terrified of poisonous snakes, is stuck in a dark
room with one trapped under her foot. The mental shock is so great
that she transmits it to her unborn child. The child, Damocles de
Warrenne, or Dam, as everyone calls him, grows up the typical all
around British empire builder, except that he collapses in a "fit"
at the sight of any snake. This causes people to think he is a
coward. Instead of becoming an officer in the army he becomes a
private and hides his identity, losing, he fears, the respect and
love of the woman he loves. With a large touch of realism it is the
story of a "fallen gentleman" who remains a "British" gentleman
even in the adversity of the private ranks. Wren is very forthright
and critical of the life of a private soldier-he describes it as
being unnecessarily cruel and tough-and after quite adequately
describing the difficulties of a private in the British cavalry, he
mentions that the only worst military life is the French Foreign
Legion. * * * * This volume includes the complete text of both
books, published in 1920, and 1914, respectively. * * * * Check our
other Children's, Juvenile, and Adult books at
www.FlyingChipmunkPublishing.com, or Like us on Facebook for our
latest releases.
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