Set during the Napoleonic Wars, The Free Fishers is classic Buchan and his last historical novel. It's a fast-paced tale of treason, espionage and romance. You'll smile at the story and the old-fashioned dialogue at times but thoroughly enjoy the pace of the story, the straightforwardness of the characters - villains, heroes - and the dramatic varierty of their experiences. As a historian and a novelist he lovingly creates the reality of the time interwined with the intrigue and motives of the characters that make up this excellent novel.
From the Introduction by Douglas Hurd in The Free Fishers:
'In The Free Fishers John Buchan brought together the gifts and tastes which struggled for primacy in his own life. He was a Scot who loved England, an academic who admired dramatic action, a Conservative with a sympathy for radicalism, a man of conventional habits who was fascinated by secret societies. One such society was that of the Free Fishers. This gathering of good-hearted smugglers gives the novel its name, but they lurk in the background as the
story unfolds.'
| Primary Genre | Historical Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
When Anthony Lammas, minister of the Kirk and Professor of Logic at St Andrews University, leaves his home town for London on business, he little imagines that within two days he will be deeply entangled in a web of mystery and intrigue. But he's no ordinary professor. His boyhood allegiance to a brotherhood of deep-sea fishermen is to involve him and handsome ex-pupil, Lord Belses, with a beautiful but dangerous woman. Set in the bleak Yorkshire hamlet of Hungrygrain during the Napoleonic Wars, this is a stirring tale of treason and romance.
The Free Fishers features in the following genres: Historical Fiction, eBooks of the Month, Fiction, Recommendations
The Free Fishers is available in Paperback
The Free Fishers was written by John Buchan and published by Polygon An Imprint of Birlinn Limited an imprint of Birlinn General
The Free Fishers has 269 pages
