The Golden Spaniard - Review by Stevie P
Posted: Fri 16 Nov, 2007 18:31:47
My second reading of 'The Golden Spaniard' proved just as enjoyable as the first even though I knew some of the twists that were to come. My favourite DW's books have always been the black magic novels but I certainly think that this is amongst his best. In fact DW himself believed it to be one of the best books he'd ever written. He unashamedly admits that it was a plagiarism of Alexandre Dumas's 'Twenty years after' in which the Four 'original musketeers' take opposite sides for political reasons; d'Artagnan and Porthos siding with the court; Athos and Aramis with the Frondeurs.
In the Golden Spaniard the 'modern musketeers', Duke de Richleau and Richard Eaton side with Franco, Simon Aron and Rex Van Ryn with the Socialist-Marxists. It covered all the opening phases of the Spanish Civil War which was 1936.
The Golden Spaniard is actually a young lady, La Espanola Dorada Lucretia-Jose de Cordoba y Coralles or Lucretia for short!!! She heavily supports the Franco nationalists and an is an active operator within their war effort. Not just a pretty face.
The title 'Golden' is due to the Golden colour of her hair.
The second aspect of the 'Golden' title is that she is attempting to get her deceased fathers very good friend (The Duke) to take over control of the 82 million Peseta's worth of gold bullion weighing 10 tons so that it doesn't fall into the hands of the Extremists (as she calls them).
As mentioned above the four friends have their own reasons for being on opposite sides of the Spanish conflict. Simon sides with the Communist's (Page 24) to which the Duke believes will bring disorder, anarchy and chaos. Simon responds with, "If the Fascists come out on top it'ud be every bit as bad" (Page 185).
The story itself really brings to life what it must be like to try to survive when law and order has virtually disappeared; when it is dangerous just to walk out on the streets.
The scenario reminded me very much of the 'Black August setting' - the law of the jungle almost; Kill or be killed.
The whole setting of the internal battles and strife are very effective and atmospheric. You feel as though you are playing a living part in these stark settings.
When Simon gets into a particularly difficult spot and is about to be roasted alive on the site of a burning church he is saved in quite a remarkable way. I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read the book.
I won't go into great detail on the plot of the book as Diamondhairdan has already provided a very precise summary in his review.
There are however various twists and turns, plots and sub plots and several surprises
The following points from the book may be of interest;
Page 9 - A clue is given in this book as to the age of the Duke. On the first page of the first chapter (Arrow paperback) the Duke states, "I am old enough to be your (The Golden Spaniards) grandfather, almost"
Based on the fact that this story is being based in 1936 - (The start of the Spanish Civil War) together with the fact that on page 10 the Duke believes Lucretia to be perhaps 25.
For her to have been his granddaughter we must add at least two lots of 16 years on to her age of 25 which would make the Duke 57 in 1936 which would make his year of birth 1879. I know this isn't precise as I'm not taking into account two, nine - month pregnancies on top of the 32 years but the Duke did say "Almost", so it is not too far out.
Page10 - In this book Lucretia has fine grey eyes (as well as the Duke)
Page 17 - The Duke recounts that Tanith (Rex's wife) of The Devil Rides Out fame died three years ago since giving birth to her 1st child, little Robin. (This story takes place in mid 1936 which would make it mid 1933 when Tanith is supposed to have died).
TDRO was written in December 1933. There's something wrong with the maths!!!
Page 148 & 149 Info dump on Spanish politics
Pages 150 & Chapter 25 Mentions 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. - One of DW's favourites.
Page 185 - The Duke is talking to Simon regarding the attacks taking place in Pre war Germany, "The German Jew baiting is horrible, I know, but it isn't wholesale murder. " Quite ironic - this book was written in 1938!!
Page 230 - Another info dump. The subject this time is about the effect of small countries wanting independence when unity as a group is quite often a safer bet. (Very topical in the UK at the moment with talks of Scotland splitting from the rest of the UK).
Page 242 A plug for Marcel Proust and his book A la Recherché du Temps perdu. Another of DW's admired writers.
Pages 303 - 306 An interesting monologue on Religion, Life after death and Reincarnation. You certainly have to admire DW's faith.
Page 322 - Rex had just bought a small fast plane.
Page 332 - An airman had borrowed Rex's new plane and not returned it, but Rex, was not seriously worried by the loss of his plane. Does anything worry him!!!!
Page 331 - "You and some other Ginks" There's a word you don't hear very often now, in this context.
Page 367 - Chapter 31 is called Plot and Counterplot. This presumably is where the name came from for the 1959 Gregory Sallust compilation volume.
Page 373 and 378 - Plugs for Peter Cheney (another favourite author) -
. ..he (Rex)did not move because he was immersed in a Peter Cheyney thriller.
.. he (Rex)laid down the Peter Cheyney with considerable reluctance
As soon as he had gone Rex grabbed the Peter Cheyney.
He was enthralled by the seductive powers of Mr Cheyney's 'dames'.
I was wondering if Peter Cheyney, James Hilton, Marcel Proust & DW's other 'Plug receivers' ever did the same for him in their books?
and finally as the newspaper report below quite accurately describes.
"Never falters in pace or fertility of invention?.peculiarly well worth reading".
The Times
In the Golden Spaniard the 'modern musketeers', Duke de Richleau and Richard Eaton side with Franco, Simon Aron and Rex Van Ryn with the Socialist-Marxists. It covered all the opening phases of the Spanish Civil War which was 1936.
The Golden Spaniard is actually a young lady, La Espanola Dorada Lucretia-Jose de Cordoba y Coralles or Lucretia for short!!! She heavily supports the Franco nationalists and an is an active operator within their war effort. Not just a pretty face.
The title 'Golden' is due to the Golden colour of her hair.
The second aspect of the 'Golden' title is that she is attempting to get her deceased fathers very good friend (The Duke) to take over control of the 82 million Peseta's worth of gold bullion weighing 10 tons so that it doesn't fall into the hands of the Extremists (as she calls them).
As mentioned above the four friends have their own reasons for being on opposite sides of the Spanish conflict. Simon sides with the Communist's (Page 24) to which the Duke believes will bring disorder, anarchy and chaos. Simon responds with, "If the Fascists come out on top it'ud be every bit as bad" (Page 185).
The story itself really brings to life what it must be like to try to survive when law and order has virtually disappeared; when it is dangerous just to walk out on the streets.
The scenario reminded me very much of the 'Black August setting' - the law of the jungle almost; Kill or be killed.
The whole setting of the internal battles and strife are very effective and atmospheric. You feel as though you are playing a living part in these stark settings.
When Simon gets into a particularly difficult spot and is about to be roasted alive on the site of a burning church he is saved in quite a remarkable way. I won't spoil it for those of you who haven't read the book.
I won't go into great detail on the plot of the book as Diamondhairdan has already provided a very precise summary in his review.
There are however various twists and turns, plots and sub plots and several surprises
The following points from the book may be of interest;
Page 9 - A clue is given in this book as to the age of the Duke. On the first page of the first chapter (Arrow paperback) the Duke states, "I am old enough to be your (The Golden Spaniards) grandfather, almost"
Based on the fact that this story is being based in 1936 - (The start of the Spanish Civil War) together with the fact that on page 10 the Duke believes Lucretia to be perhaps 25.
For her to have been his granddaughter we must add at least two lots of 16 years on to her age of 25 which would make the Duke 57 in 1936 which would make his year of birth 1879. I know this isn't precise as I'm not taking into account two, nine - month pregnancies on top of the 32 years but the Duke did say "Almost", so it is not too far out.
Page10 - In this book Lucretia has fine grey eyes (as well as the Duke)
Page 17 - The Duke recounts that Tanith (Rex's wife) of The Devil Rides Out fame died three years ago since giving birth to her 1st child, little Robin. (This story takes place in mid 1936 which would make it mid 1933 when Tanith is supposed to have died).
TDRO was written in December 1933. There's something wrong with the maths!!!
Page 148 & 149 Info dump on Spanish politics
Pages 150 & Chapter 25 Mentions 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'. - One of DW's favourites.
Page 185 - The Duke is talking to Simon regarding the attacks taking place in Pre war Germany, "The German Jew baiting is horrible, I know, but it isn't wholesale murder. " Quite ironic - this book was written in 1938!!
Page 230 - Another info dump. The subject this time is about the effect of small countries wanting independence when unity as a group is quite often a safer bet. (Very topical in the UK at the moment with talks of Scotland splitting from the rest of the UK).
Page 242 A plug for Marcel Proust and his book A la Recherché du Temps perdu. Another of DW's admired writers.
Pages 303 - 306 An interesting monologue on Religion, Life after death and Reincarnation. You certainly have to admire DW's faith.
Page 322 - Rex had just bought a small fast plane.
Page 332 - An airman had borrowed Rex's new plane and not returned it, but Rex, was not seriously worried by the loss of his plane. Does anything worry him!!!!
Page 331 - "You and some other Ginks" There's a word you don't hear very often now, in this context.
Page 367 - Chapter 31 is called Plot and Counterplot. This presumably is where the name came from for the 1959 Gregory Sallust compilation volume.
Page 373 and 378 - Plugs for Peter Cheney (another favourite author) -
. ..he (Rex)did not move because he was immersed in a Peter Cheyney thriller.
.. he (Rex)laid down the Peter Cheyney with considerable reluctance
As soon as he had gone Rex grabbed the Peter Cheyney.
He was enthralled by the seductive powers of Mr Cheyney's 'dames'.
I was wondering if Peter Cheyney, James Hilton, Marcel Proust & DW's other 'Plug receivers' ever did the same for him in their books?
and finally as the newspaper report below quite accurately describes.
"Never falters in pace or fertility of invention?.peculiarly well worth reading".
The Times