Fernald, Chester B. John Kendry’s idea. $1.50. Outing.
7–24157.
John Kendry’s idea embodied in such sentiments as “one’s aim should be to live as a conscious part of the whole continuous performance,” and “the one thing true of all life in motion, and the prime instinct of a live man is to go somewhere and do something” is best fostered in the wild free mountain-side surroundings which form much of this story’s setting. At times his idea is submerged in the deadly atmosphere of Chinatown. The pendulum swings between these two environments. On the heights he knows the companionship of a finely-wrought woman, at the foot of the mountain he confronts conventionality, inanities, nay more, plot and villainy.
“It is a story of many startling surprises; in fact, there is an ambush upon nearly every page; that anything like it ever happened, or could happen, we greatly doubt, but that does not prevent its being a highly readable melodrama with a style that comes near to exhibiting distinction.” Wm. M. Payne.
| + | Dial. 43: 252. O. 16, ’07. 310w. |
“This is a lively novel of adventure without any of the sacrifices usually considered necessary in stories of this type. Also his characters, if a trifle heavily emphasized at times, still talk and behave as real human beings might conceivably comport themselves under such startling circumstances.”
| + − | Nation. 85: 143. Ag. 15, ’07. 380w. | |
| + − | N. Y. Times. 12: 540. S. 7, ’07. 510w. |
“His new book has some new interesting glimpses of Chinatown in San Francisco but it is too involved in plot and too improbable in incident to be altogether satisfying.”
| − + | Outlook. 86: 833. Ag. 17, ’07. 50w. |