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.
