Sir John Dering  ‡

UK Publisher: Sampson Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. (London). First published 1923

eBook at Hathi Trust Digital Library

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Of all the counties in England that Jeffery Farnol loved, that of Sussex lay nearest to his heart. It is not surprising therefore that when he chose to set his romance Sir John Dering against a background of the lovely rolling Downs that enclose the charming villages of Alfriston, Firle, Jevington and many others, he should give to his vast circle of readers one of his finest books. This is the story of two feuds, in both of which Sir John is a principal figure. There are duels, exciting night escapes when the corrupt arm of the law is out hunting for George Potter and his light-hearted band of smugglers, tender love scenes between Sir John and Lady Herminia, and the final thrilling scene of the death of Lord Sayle. This is vintage Farnol.

"... to our delight we found that his latest, "Sir John Dering," is the equal if not the superior of [other Farnol books]. There is a slight trace of the Sabatini hero in Sir John; he reminds us a little of the swash-buckling, swordswinging, death-defying Captain Blood, but at the same time he has all the kindness and mildness of your true gentleman. As for the heroine, Hermione Barrasdaile, a Junoesque beauty who dominates the story throughout, we loved her as we loved Cleone, as we loved the other Hermione, in fact, as we have loved all of Mr. Farnol's beauties. As usual, the other characters are all carefully worked out in a manner which delights the heart. The story is good, nothing spectacular, to be sure, but one which leaves you with a good taste in your mouth when you finish the book. We wish to recommend this latest work of Mr. Farnol's to all who are a little weary of modernism, futurism and all the other isms. You may never remember the plot, the names of the characters or even the author, but you will never forget the delighted chuckle you will give when you have completed this Twentieth-Century fairy tale."  J-P. L, Daily Princetonian, Volume 44, Number 123, 7 November 1923.