Geek Syndicate Issue 5 | Page 98

Geek Syndicate
BOOK REVIEW

Daughter Of Fu-Manchu, By Sax Rohmer
Image © Titan Books, 2012

teries (The Hand of Fu-Manchu). Spolier Alert! This book is set around five or so years after the events of The Hand of Fu-Manchu, with Dr Fu-Manchu believed dead. The protagonists, Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith, journey to Cairo, where events lead them to speculate that Dr. Fu-Manchu may still be alive. They soon discover, however, that it is actually his daughter Fah Lo Suee who is behind the suspicion arousing events and the supposed death of an old friend of theirs. With her father believed gone, they deduce that Fah Lo Suee has taken his place as president of the Si-Fan – The Council of Seven whose sole purpose is world domination. Smith and Petrie along with Superintendent Weymouth and Mr Shan Grenville must determine what Fah Lo Suee took from the Tomb of the Black Ape, how it fits into her plan and how to stop her. End Spoiler Being a book that was written back in the nineteen-thirties, there were some phrases that I was unaccustomed to such as ‘Dacoit.’ Thanks to Google, however, I didn’t let that dampen my enthusiasm for this novel (Indian Outlaw Bandit, for those who are interested!). The plot is wellwritten, with clues throughout

and explanations that are ingenious rather that ridiculous. I really loved how the action jumps from exotic old Cairo to London. I was gripped from the first page and read the novel in a single sitting. Sax Rohmer wrote nine more novels after this, so if after reading this you want more like I did, then you will be kept busy for a while. I had not read any of these books before, but downloaded the three previous ones and read them in a couple of days. They were so easy and enjoyable to read, with each story dragging me in until I suddenly realised that I was on the last page again. They may be old, and they may not be fashionable like say ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ (Don’t bother, trust me!!), but that is a good thing. Dr Fu-Manchu takes you back to a time when novels were intelligent and beautifully written, with the sequels do not lose anything along the way. Pick up a Dr Fu-Manchu novel and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Author: Sax Rohmer Publisher: Titan Books

Across the sands of Egypt, Nayland Smith pursued Fah Lo Suee, the deadly daughter of Fu-Manchu. She was possessed of all her father’s subversive secrets and driven by his unquenchable thirst for power. She had pillaged the tomb of the Black Ape for the key to its ancient mysteries –and therefore leadership over all the evil cults of the East. No one could stop her – unless it was Fu Manchu himself! Originally published in 1931 and now re-released with new covers by Titan Books, this is the fourth in the Dr. Fu-Manchu series written by Sax Rohmer. His earlier books being: The Mystery of Dr Fu-Manchu (US Title: The Insidious Dr Fu-Manchu), The Devil Doctor (The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu) and The Si-Fan Mys-

Wendy Sims
Rating:

GG ((??((