Greenmantle

By: John Buchan

Narrated by: Peter Joyce

Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

The second of Richard Hannay's adventures takes him from the trenches of the First World War on a mission of vital importance to the British campaign in the East. In an attempt to manipulate their Turkish allies the Germans have created a religious figurehead, a prophet of a new order to unify the disparate tribes of Asia and crush the allied offensive. Pursued by the barbaric General Stumm, Hannay and his old South African friend and teacher Peter Pienaar with fellow soldier Sandy Arbuthnot and American engineer and less than ‘nootral’ John S. Blenkiron make their different ways to Constantinople to find the elusive Greenmantle and do what they can to avert disaster.

But who is Greenmantle and what dastardly part has the sinister fanatic Hilda von Einem to play in the game which will determine the outcome of the war. Packed with incident and incredible feats of derring-do the story culminates at the offensive. Buchan’s life in politics and his work for the Intelligence Corps gave him knowledge and an insight that few others could have at the time. With remarkable prescience he reveals the main theme and keeps the attention to the last.

About Assembled Stories: Over the years the national press have reviewed Assembled Stories titles as ‘excellent’, ‘remarkable’, ‘entrancing’, ‘superb’, ‘magic for sure’, ‘masterly’, ‘wonderful’, ‘a class act’ and ‘a splendid example of audio at its best’.

©2008 John Buchan (P)2008 Assembled Stories

Critic reviews

"Peter Joyce is the most remarkable one-man band in audiobook publishing. Joyce, an experienced actor, reads them all himself." ( The Independent)

Not as good as the first book

I didn't like this book in the series(book 2) vs book 1. The story of greenmantle for me just wasn't very interesting. The narrarator was excellent though.

Greenmantle

Would you listen to Greenmantle again? Why?

Yes. I have listened more than twice.

What other book might you compare Greenmantle to and why?

The Thirty Nine Steps. It's the first book in the Hannay series.

What does Peter Joyce bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Joyce gives good voice to a story written in first place. And growing up in the days of black and white movies and radio drama I can see in my mind what I am listening to.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A spy and his friends. A woman whose lures cannot be denied. A villain to. flee from. A War to End all War's.

Any additional comments?

I've always loved radio drama. Closing my eyes and just listening and imagining the sights that go with the sound.

A great action

This is the second in the series and a great second act. An action story the gas some basis in truth.

Drags a bit in the middle

Whilst a jolly romp happy coincidences take away from the plausibility Bd it drags in the middle.