Fire Below

Chandos #4

by Dornford Yates

Richard Chandos makes a welcome return in this classic adventure story. Suave and decadent, he leads his friends into forbidden territory to rescue a kidnapped (and very attractive) young widow. Yates gives us a highly dramatic, almost operatic, plot and unforgettably vivid characters.

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Dornford Yates (real name Cecil William Mercer) was a popular British novelist.

Reviews

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Richard Chandos adventure, and this time he is back in the Principality of Riechtenburg to save a widow in distress ... only nothing is as it seems. The plot of this one seemed a bit far-fetched even for a book of this period, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Simon Mcleish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog here in October 1998.

Fire Below is one of Dent's series of Classic Thrillers, reprints of the best of their back catalogue from the twenties and thirties. I have yet to pick up a member of this series which does not equal its best modern counterparts; and the thrillers often seem less dated than many written in the seventies.

I've not read any Dornford Yates before, and Fire Below has the distinct air of a sequel, with several references to earlier adventures. (When the series originally started, the re-issues all contained an introduction telling you something about the author and this novel in relation to the rest of his work; Dent have obviously stopped doing this.) It is strongly influenced by the Ruritanian novels of Anthony Hope, being the story of the involvement of a pair of upper class English gentlemen in the affairs of the fictional mid-European grand duchy of Riechtenburg. (It is even possible to trace a close correspondence between most of the main characters and those of The Prisoner of Zenda.)

Richard Chandos is married to Leonie, the Grand Duchess, who rejected the ruler of Riechtenburg, Prince Paul, to who she was destined to be married had he not turned out to be a cowardly blackguard. The story of this marriage is the earlier adventure referred to.

Unable to go to Riechtenburg because of Prince Paul's emnity, the couple are holidaying on one of Leonie's estates just over the border in Austria, with their friend George Hanbury. There they have arranged to meet up with Marya Countess Dresden of Salm, a friend still remaining in Riechtenburg. They receive a telegram from Marya saying she won't be coming and warning of an obscure danger. This telegram immediately gets Richard and George to smuggle themselves across the border, so they can go to Marya and help her escape from this danger. It is only when they reach her house and she tells them that she never sent the telegram that they realise that they have walked into a trap set by Prince Paul.

[Victoria Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple story, Richard Chandos is married to Leonie, Grand Duchess who turned down prince of small country next to Austria. They go back for a holiday "Deauville would have been safer" George Hanbury. Her lady in waiting is being held, used as decoy and tricked into marrying to save them. They leave the country but go back in,he is captured, nearly dies in wheel of mill, girl dies and no-one regrets death of blackmailer whose name I have forgotten. Quite violent, very good descriptions Again they join a circus like Cost Price and girl in love with him but he is loyal to wife. I think I read twice!

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A direct sequel to Blood Royal Chandos and co (once again minus Jonathan "Jonah" Mansel) return to Reichtenburg to pick up Marya Dresden, but find it more challenging than it sounds. While the plot wasn't quite as forced as in Blood Royal the book wasn't quite as exciting as some of the others. Rather than culminating in a big action scene, like the escape from the well in Blind Corner the book ends in court case.