Bulldog Drummond: The Carl Peterson Quartet

Commenting at the end of The Mercury Theater (Radio) production of John Buchan's, 39 Steps, Orson Welles deftly parried anticipated audience response to the broadcast, by agreeing that the version they had just heard was not what they had expected after having seen Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, starring Robert Donat as the hero, Richard Hannay. He went on to explain that he had gone back to the original book, while Hitchccck had wrought his inimitable magic using a screenplay altered to fit his needs. So, too, reading this recent reissue of the first in the series of Bulldog Drummond books, many of us must put aside memories of the first of the talking picture versions of the series, also starring an inimitable British actor, Ronald Colman, in order to enjoy what the book has to offer. To my surprise, I must admit, Bulldog Drummond is a rousing good story built around a hero manifesting all the qualities of the classic swashbuckling adventurer; brilliant officer in The Great War (in which Colman also served) he combines a good heart with both great cunning and great strength. Beloved commander of men, defender of women, Gentleman to the core, he here struggles with a secret conspiracy to conquer England and control the economic resources of the world. Well written, with vigorously composed characters, the book surprised me by being dated little by the years of irony which have sought to undermine our ability to identify with such men. True, as was also characteristic of many of the detective story heroes of the next era of Good Against Evil books, many of the tight scrapes out of which the Sam Spades had to escape were caused by their own poor tactical sense; but, nevertheless we forgive them because they do win out in the end by surmounting their human weaknesses. It is impossible for me to predict how the young adult audiences, for whom this book was primarily written, will take it; however, there is a good chance that male readers of all ages will find it a heartening adventure story in which Good must always conquer Evvil.

I've wanted to read the Bulldog Drummond series for quite a while, and this Wordsworth edition is perfect for that. It's a great collection of the first novels in a nice package for a very nice price!