Rohmer, Sax

The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu: Being a Somewhat Detailed Account of the Amazing Adventures of Nayland Smith in His Trailing of the Sinister Chinaman (New Millennium Library)

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The Wiles of the Devil Doctor, Fu-Manchu.
Well written time capsule of early 20th century views of east/west relationships
An Exciting, Action-packed, and Chilling Romp of Pulpiness
Unbelievable
Sax Rohmer and the Devil Doctor

The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu: Being a Somewhat Detailed Account of the Amazing Adventures of Nayland Smith in His Trailing of the Sinister Chinaman (New Millennium Library)
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: New Millennium Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583483276

Book Description

The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu is the first title in the famous series of "Yellow Peril" novels published by English writer Sax Rohmer, aka Henry Sarsfield Ward (1883-1959), between 1913 and 1959. The novel, like its many sequels, pits the "evil genius" of the Far East against the British Duo, Denis Nayland Smith and his sidekick Dr. Petrie.

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Sax Rohmer's novels of fabulous adventure reflect the unusual life of their creator. The sinister Fu Manchu became his most widely-read creation.

Customer Reviews:

The Wiles of the Devil Doctor, Fu-Manchu........2006-07-03

_The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu_, republished by Dover Publications, is an American edition of the first book of Sax Rohmer (a pseudonym for the author Arthur Sarsfield Ward (1883-1959)), published in America as _The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu_ (1913) and in England as _The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu_. Sax Rohmer (a pseudonym meaning "blade roamer") published these stories of a Chinese criminal mastermind in magazines in America and England before cobbling them together into book form as they appear here. These stories detail the exploits of the devil doctor, Dr. Fu-Manchu, a criminal mastermind of Chinese extraction, and part of the Young China movement, seeking to destroy the white race. Fu-Manchu is described as "Imagine a person, tall, lean, and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, a close-shaven skull, and long, magnetic eyes of the true cat-green. Invest him with all the cruel cunning of an entire Eastern race, accumulated in one giant intellect. . . . Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man." In the book, Fu-Manchu heads a Chinese criminal organization and operates behind the front of opium dens and uses dacoits as henchmen. The story is based upon many of the stereotypes about the Chinese people popular at the time, regarding them as cunning and nefarious, and the imminent threat of the "Yellow Peril" against the white race and is certainly unlikely to please the politically correct. Fu-Manchu makes use of many secret means to attack his foes, including the Zayat kiss, the call of Siva, and deadly elixirs which enable him to control life and death, as well as fungal extractions which allow for him to cause madness. Fu-Manchu also makes use of a beautiful Arabian (Oriental) slave girl, Karamaneh, who serves him so as to prevent him from harming her helpless brother Aziz. The heroes of the story include the narrator Dr. Petrie and Nayland Smith, recently returned from Burma and an active servant of king and country. The story mostly takes place in and around London and the Thames river, while the heroes try to capture the mad doctor and prevent him from doing further harm. However, the doctor always escapes their grasp. Dr. Petrie ends up falling under the spell of the beautiful Karamaneh and will attempt to aid her so she can finally free herself and her brother from the devil doctor. As the heroes track the doctor as he murders and causes mayhem, they must fear for their lives as he follows them closely with his evil dacoit henchmen. This story is a fairly interesting one which shows us a picture of the Orientals as seen by an Englishman of the late Nineteenth Century. The character of Dr. Fu-Manchu and the mystery surrounding him will appear again and again in all the writings of Sax Rohmer. He remains a classic villain and his exploits provide an entertaining yarn for those who read of them.

Well written time capsule of early 20th century views of east/west relationships.......2006-07-03

Dr. Petrie is visited by long-time friend Nayland Smith and hurled into adventure. Smith, recently returned from British Burma, is on the trail of mysterious and evil Chinese scientist/political leader Dr. Fu Manchu. Fu Manchu and his fellows will stop at nothing to prevent Europe's leading students of the orient from revealing his secrets, and the plot to overturn the game of Empire as it was played in the early 20th Century to put China at the top of the world.

Fu Manchu has limited resources--a few practicers of Thuggee and Dacoits, but his scientific skills make up for this lack. He has access to rare poisons, secret gasses, trained monkies, and control of a beautiful woman willing to lead men to their doom. This woman, however, turns out to be a key to Smith's investigation when she falls for Petrie, saving him--and Smith--from certain death at the hands of Fu Manchu.

The opening novel in the long-running Fu Manchu series (Rohmer wrote approximately 14) is well constructed and fast-moving with Smith and Petrie always a step behind the brilliant Fu Manchu, yet willing to continue with plucky British spirit. Author Sax Rohmer shows a grudging respect for the evil Fu Manchu, but reflects the fears of his time--that the 'yellow peril' is fearsome indeed, and that a clash of civilization between the west and the inscrutible east is under weigh. That Fu Manchu's nation was largely occupied by western armies, forced to admit the Opium that poisoned some of China's finest minds, and that much of the rest of the east was a part of the British Empire added only the slightest tinge of sympathy for the evil Fu Manchu.

At a time when China is set to become the world's leading economy, fears of the 'yellow peril' are increasingly common and I felt it worthwhile to give THE INSIDIOUS DR. FU MANCHU another look. I thought Rohmer's writing held up well and that this story, unlike some of his later works which rely much too extensively on coincidence and luck. All in all, FU MANCHU makes for interesting reading an serves as a bit of a time machine into the mind of the British man-in-the-streets who saw the British Empire at its greatest extent, yet felt ever-threatened by the mysterious east.

An Exciting, Action-packed, and Chilling Romp of Pulpiness .......2006-01-17

When Nayland Smith, late of Burma, arrives on the London door-step of his friend (and our narrator) Dr. Petrie (no first name given), he reveals that he is in pursuit of a singularly evil man, "tall, lean, and feline, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan," who has come to spearhead the Yellow Peril conspiracy against the White race: the insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu.

Thus begins "The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu" (known as "The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu" in its native England) the first of a series of famous and infamous tales of one of the most famous super-villains in pulp fiction. Sax Rohmer's Fu-Manchu is evil personified: brilliant, ruthless, with a variety of weapons in his arsenal, murdering without a second thought. He is also a fictional face on an irrational, ambiguous prejudice, the Asian hordes waiting to enslave Europe and the United States. And through a series of events, Smith and Petrie (characters deliberately reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson) thwart this sinister villain, with mixed success.

As other reviewers have noted, Rohmer's work incorporates the racism prevalent in the society of the days. Taken from that prospective, "The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu" is really nothing more than a curious artifact of a less enlightened time. The modern reader has to accept that reality, or they will never be able to appreciate the book beyond that level.

And that would be a shame, for setting aside the racism, Rohmer is a good storyteller. In particular, Rohmer has a knack for atmosphere. There's a creepiness that hangs over the novel, as Fu-Manchu employs various bits of weirdness to carry out murders, including insects, poison gases, and spooky men who climb walls and howl in the night. Rohmer knows exactly what adjective use to describe Smith and Petrie's mounting horror at each new gimmick Fu-Manchu employs, creating some legitimate tension. A scene where Smith tells Petrie to run for his life is quite gripping, perhaps because it is so easy to imagine oneself in that position. Rohmer also has a strong sense for action, as our heroes find themselves in various physical fights, gun battles, and explosions. This aspect of Rohmer's writing certainly helps, since his dialogue is of the overwrought Victorian dime novel variety (naturally), and the character development is enough to make the plot work, but no more than that. Also, while the plot is entertaining, it's episodic, so don't expect too many twists or turns, or any real sophistication in the narrative. It's simply Smith and Petrie running to this event and that event, trying to thwart Fu-Manchu.

It's hard to be objective about this book and this character. On the one hand, Fu-Manchu is a great and scary villain. On the other hand, Fu-Manchu represents the ability to be completely racist without rationality. Ultimately, I think simply enjoying the ride while acknowledging the realities of this series is the pragmatic approach. For, the first novel is an exciting, action-packed, and chilling romp of pulpiness that is completely enjoyable.

Unbelievable.......2005-12-02

I got this book at a used book sale and it was rather startling. It would be hilarious if it wasn't for the fact that books such as these express beliefs accepted by the scientific and literary mainstream at the time they were written. In other words, the book contains countless musings on the "Yellow Peril" facing "White" civilization, the supposedly sneaky, deceptive, crafty nature of all "Orientals", and so on.

The main characters of the book are white male British imperialists at war with an "insidious Oriental". Yet they cannot help being attracted to an Asian woman, who is apparently not herself "racially" capable of returning the "hero's" love in a genuine fashion. It was cartoonish and I actually think this book could be useful for scholarly research as evidence of how bad it really was...and unfortunately is, as the positive reviews by those not "infected" with "political correctness" attest.

Sax Rohmer and the Devil Doctor.......2005-11-25

One evening, the narrator, Dr. Petrie, is invited by his friend Denis Nayland Smith who has just returned from Burma. Smith, exceedingly nervous, shows him the hideous wound on his left arm which he cauterised after being shot at by a mysterious man with an arrow imbibed with the venom extracted from the poison-glands of a hamadryad, one of the most poisonous snakes of the East. Smith believes that this fiend is now in London and that his next victim is likely to be Sir Crichton Davey who held office in India some time ago. Indeed that same evening Sir Crichton is found dead in his house with a strange red mark like the imprint of painted lips. According to his private secretary Mr Burboyne, Sir Crichton shouted "the red hand" just before dying... Could it be the work of "Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man"?
A super-villain, oriental poisons, extraordinary rites, stalwart British heroes who face danger for the King and motherland, such are the ingredients in Sax Rohmer's (a pseudonym for Arthur Sarsfield Ward) novel along with stereotypes such as "the most inscrutably mysterious race, the Chinese" which do not present the Asians in a very positive light. But readers should not forget that this novel was first published in 1913.

The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 1 (Fu Manchu Omnibus) (Fu Manchu Omnibus)

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Do not overlook these classics

The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 1 (Fu Manchu Omnibus) (Fu Manchu Omnibus)
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Allison & Busby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0749002719

Product Description

Since 1913, Sax Rohmer's tales of the sinister Dr. Fu-Manchu have delighted readers and moviegoers alike. For nearly a quarter of a century, they have been out of print, but Allison & Busby is reissuing them all in omnibus editions.

Customer Reviews:

Do not overlook these classics.......2005-05-23

I wish someone had told me earlier how good these books are. I picked up a used paperback of "The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu" and, even before I had reached page 50, I knew that I had to have more. I therefore rushed out to find these omnibus editions. Sax Rohmer wrote the Fu Manchu stories between 1912 and the late 1950s. From a chronological standpoint, then, but also thematically, Rohmer serves as a literary bridge between Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and Ian Fleming's James Bond.
Put the political considerations aside, and enjoy these tales as a reflection of the times. They are worthy of a wider, modern audience.

Adventure Classics : Graphic Classics Volume Twelve (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels)) (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels))

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Ripping good stuff! Tales of pirates, desert sorceresses, lusty women and dangerous men
As exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors

Adventure Classics : Graphic Classics Volume Twelve (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels)) (Graphic Classics (Graphic Novels))
Sax Rohmer , Johnston McCulley , Zane Grey , Alexandre Dumas , Edith Nesbit , Rudyard Kipling , Arthur Conan Doyle , O. Henry , Robert Louis Stevenson , Rafael Sabatini , Damon Runyon , Robert W. Service , Fitz-James O'Brien , Rod Lott , Hunt Emerson , Michael Manning , Mary Fleener , Skot Olsen , and Donald Marquez
Manufacturer: Eureka Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0974664847

Product Description

Adventure Classics is the second multi-author anthology in the Graphic Classics series. The book presents thirteen stories and poems of danger, horror, comedy and romance; all told in new comics adaptations. Included are "The Valley of the Sorceress" by "Fu Manchu" author Sax Rohmer, "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, and "Tigre" by Zane Grey. Plus a classic war story by Damon Runyon, a saga of Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini, and a noir crime tale by "Zorro" author Johnston McCulley. Also more stories from O. Henry, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert W. Service, Edith Nesbit, Robert Louis Stevenson and Fitz-James O'Brien, as illustrated by Hunt Emerson, Michael Manning, Mary Fleener, Don Marquez, Mark A. Nelson and more great contemporary artists. With a dramatic cover painting by Chris Moore.

Customer Reviews:

Ripping good stuff! Tales of pirates, desert sorceresses, lusty women and dangerous men.......2005-09-17

The mysterious desert. The high plains. The stormy seas. The dense jungles. These are the places where actions speak louder than words, where the sharp retort of a six-gun decides who is right and who is dead, and a blind tiger stalks with preternatural senses and determination. These are the settings for Adventure Tales, a genre of literature prominent in the 1900's, in which many of the finest authors of the period plied their trades.

In this, their 12th volume, Graphic Classics has assembled an anthology of some of the greatest adventure stories of the time, full of hot blood and cold nights, mystery and magic. These classic tales have been interpreted by a host of talented illustrators, lending their own unique insight into the authors original stories. This is their second anthology book, like Volume 10 "Horror Classics," combining many workers in the genre rather than focusing on a specific author.

Some of the best authors are on display here. Robert Louis Stevenson, author of "Treasure Island," Sax Rohmer, creator of Yellow Peril villain Fu Manchu, Alexander Dumas, creator of The Three Musketeers, renowned cowboy author Zane Grey, Damon Runyon, author of "The Idylls of Miss Sarah" which was adapted as the musical "Guys and Dolls," Rafael Sabatinin master of Pirate Tales and creator of Captain Blood, Johnston McCully creator of the swashbuckling Zorro, Sherlock Holme's creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling, author of "The Jungle Books."

Finally, there is O. Henry, whom if it weren't for Graphics Classics, I might have known nothing more of than the sweet Christmas fable, "The Gift of the Magi," rather than met him as a scribbler of dark cowboy adventures.

This volume contains:

The Wind Blew Shrill and Sharp - A lusty sea poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. Skot Olsen provides an excellent and strong sailor to accompany the compelling verse.

In the Valley of the Sorceress - Egypt was a mysterious and magical place at the time, and Sax Rohmer weaves a web of desire and danger. An archaeologist attempts to open the hidden tomb of Sorceress Queen Hatasu, but finds his efforts daunted, and his soul beguiled by a beautiful Arab maiden. Illustrator JB Bonivert brings a unique and fanciful style to this classic adventure.

The Masked Ball - By Alexander Dumas. A short and dark tale of heartbreak and desire, accompanied by a hedonistic masked ball where people seek to drown their loneliness and hide their faces. Michael Manning provides a dark atmosphere, heavy with black spaces, as an appropriate accompaniment.

Tigre - The jungles of Mexico are the setting for this tale of lust and revenge. By Zane Grey, an old farmer is a master of wild animals, particularly his blind brutish tiger named Tigre. The only thing he can't tame is his young and pretty wife. Who stalks who in the dense jungle? A straight-forward but perfect comic book adaptation by Don Marquez, particularly of the lovely Senora.

The Shooting of Dan McGrew - A popular cowboy poem by Robert W. Service, adapted with humor and pathos by Hunt Emerson. A lonely miner, a dangerous gambler, and the lady that's known as Lou.

Two Men Named Collins - Damon Runyon gives us a sad and silently heroic of two soldiers who share the same name. On is lonely and ugly, one is popular and handsome. But the one holds the secret of the other, and nobility is not always what it seems. Illustrator Noel Tuazon does a spectacular adaptation of this tail, lending even more weight and atmospher to the yarn.

Blood Money - An adventure of Rafael Sabatinin's celebrated rouge Captain Blood. A straight-forward comic book adaptation by Kevin Atkinson, this is a clever celebration of the key to Captain Bloods success. Pure luck.

Gunga Din -Rudyard Kipling gives us a blood-rousing poem of an Indian water bearer and the Thuggee wars. The prose is amazing. "But when it comes to slaughter, you will do your work on water, an' you'll lick the bloomin' boots of 'im that's got it." Great illustrations by Mary Fleener, this was the first time I had read this classic poem.

The Man without a Shadow - An Irish short story author, this is a companion piece to "A Day-Dream" which appears in "Horror Classics." A whimsical adaptation by Milton Knight of a clever tale.

The Mystery of the Semi-Detached - I always knew Edith Nesbit as the author of the children's tales "The Boxcar Children," but little did I know she had this tale of murder and ghosts in her. With excellent Victorianesque illustrations by Antonella Caputo.

The Stolen Story - Johnston McCully is best known for swashbuckling, but this tale of fictional theft is equally gripping. A man's dreams are met, although they turn into a nightmare. With appropriately grotesque illustrations by Chris Pelletiere.

The Crime of the Brigadier - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had many characters, one of them Brigadier Gerard, a teller of tall-tales and adventurer in Napoleon's army. This funny yarn is comically adapted by Nick Miller is a suiting style.

The Roads We Take - Another black tale of cowboys by O. Henry, a story of betrayal, and a man's true character. Outlaw Shark Dodson saw two roads ahead of him, both leading to the same ending. A bleak story, with a perfect adaptation by Pedro Lopez. So good I immediately read it again after finishing it.

As exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors.......2005-08-11

The twelfth volume in the "Adventure Classics" series of graphic novels and short story collections, the reader is treated to some of the finest adventure writing by some of the most talented authors, and adapted to the graphic novel format by illustrators and artists of matching caliber. The stories comprising this issue include: "In the Valley of the Sorceress" by Sax Rohmer, ill. by J. B. Bonivert; "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, ill. by Michael Manning; "Two Men Named Collins" by Damon Runyon, ill. by Noel Tuazon; "Tigre" by Zane Grey, ill. by Don Marquez; "Blood Money" by Rafael Sabatini, ill. by Kevin Atkinson; "The Stolen Story" by Johnston McCulley, ill. by Chris Pelletiere; "Gunga Din", by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Mary Fleener, and more. Thrilling tales of the past century brought to life in a wide variety of bold, black-and-white styles make Adventure Classics Volume 12 as exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors.

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They just don't write them like this any more

The Mask Of Fu Manchu
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Pyramid
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GSGQ5Y

Customer Reviews:

They just don't write them like this any more.......2006-08-06

The story starts after Van Berg, Greville, The Chief and their party have excavated the artifacts of long-gone and heretical Islamic sect. Once they located the wonderful works in gold and jewels - the only things that an archaeologist would care about, y'know - they pack them up to take back their civilized country. The silly wogs around there wouldn't really appreciate them the way a British orientalist would, so it's only proper. Oh, and they dynamite the reliquary on their way out. Once the gold's gone, the shrine is of no further interest, right? At least, not to anyone who matters. All in a day's work.

(Yes, little one, people used to write books like this. Not just books, but whole series of books. And people used to read them - and not squirm while they read.)

But that shadowy sect isn't as gone as Greville and the others might have hoped. That explosion at the tomb is taken to be the heresiarch's second coming, and all of the near East is rumbling with unrest. In mysterious and dangerous ferment, an even more mysterious and dangerous force appears: the invidious Dr. Fu Manchu. Implacably evil, but strictly moral according to his own dark code, he siezes upon this chance to bring the East back into world prominence. "The East," for current purposes, is a uniform blob including China, the parts of Turkey that don't wear neckties, the Muslim world, and just about anything else outside of Europe. Except Africa, of course, which doesn't really count for much no matter how you look at it.

(Yes, little one, people back then were just as deliberately ignorant of world geography and culture as now. Maybe, if such a thing were possible, even more so).

Only fast-thinking Nayland Smith can hope to outwit this mysterious Chinese genius, to defeat his world-spanning league of henchmen, to evade the mysterious mind-altering drugs from the Dr.'s mystical pharmacopoeia, and to face Fu Manchu's beautiful but evil daughter without acting like a moon-struck ninny.

Oh, and by the way, there's nothing personal about it. Just the way things have to be, old chap, so it comes as no real surprise when the Evil Doctor sends a very nice wedding present in the end.

(No, little one, I have no idea why people liked this stuff. Me? I read these out of a horrified fascination, like watching a train wreck in progress. For all our failings today, we really have come hundreds of years forward from the time this was written, back in the 1930s.)

//wiredweird

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Old-fashioned adventure
Mystery-Adventure at its Finest
Death by insect, ghost, cat....
MORE OF THE "GOOD" DOCTOR
More adventures of the Devil Doctor

The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu: Being a Somewhat Detailed Account of the Amazing Adventures of Nayland Smith in His Trailing of the Sinister Chinaman (New Millennium Library)
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ASIN: 1417924497

Book Description

1916. Rohmer (Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward) was a prolific English mystery writer, best known for the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu and his opponents Denis Nayland Smith, Dr. Petrie, named after the Egyptologist Flinders Petrie, and the beautiful Karamaneh, the source of Petrie's daydreams. He also wrote under the name Michael Furey. This is the second volume of the 14 Fu Manchu books written by Rohmer. In this action-packed installment the reader will encounter a number of insidious doings including kidnappings, poisonous cats, snake murders, albino peacocks, killer apes, quicksand, a haunted house, rat torture, mummy attacks and more. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

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Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie must once again stop the fiendish Dr. Fu.

Customer Reviews:

Old-fashioned adventure.......2006-10-22

There is certainly no lack of adventure or suspense fiction available nowadays - everyone from Tom Clancy to Dan Brown to Lee Child to dozens of others depending on your tastes - but, for better or for worse, these modern novels are a different animal from the classic adventure tales of the early 1900s. Perhaps best exemplified by Edgar Rice Burroughs and his Tarzan series, these stories often bordered on the fantastic but retained a distinctly pulpy sense of storytelling and often a rather Victorian sense of sex and race. Other authors working in this era include the three H's: Haggard (She, King Solomon's Mines), Hilton (Lost Horizon) and Howard (Conan). And right alongside them was Sax Rohmer, with his tales of Fu-Manchu.

These stories focus on four characters in particular: Dr. Petrie, the narrator who acts similarly to Dr. Watson for Sherlock Holmes; the superheroic character in this case is British super-spy Nayland Smith. There is the mysterious and beautiful Egyptian woman, Karamaneh whose allegiance is often ambiguous. Finally, and most importantly, there is Dr. Fu-Manchu, an evil Chinese schemer intent on conquering the British Empire for his own country. Fu-Manchu is an elusive sort of villain, only actually appearing briefly in his stories, but he is the nonetheless the center of the tales. Despite his evils, he is also the most interesting of the characters; next to him, Petrie and Smith appear particularly flat.

The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu is the second chronicle of the battles between Smith and Fu-Manchu. It is not so much a novel as a series of interconnected short stories in which Fu-Manchu's plots are typically foiled. Fu-Manchu's plots involve lethal poisons, vicious animals and murderous minions, and Smith and Petrie often are able to survive through some miraculous intervention, often by Karamaneh (whom Petrie pines for rather chastely).

Compared with authors like Burroughs, Haggard and the others from this era, Rohmer is clearly on a different level; unfortunately, it is a slightly lower one. I understand that this early pulp fiction style of writing was never intended to be great literature, but Rohmer's storytelling is often lacking. That's not to say that this doesn't have its fun moments, but this book also has its dull ones.

The violence is tame by today's standards, any drug use is implied rather than seen and sex is nonexistent, but this is not a book for young readers. Rohmer, sadly, is a product of his time (and he is not alone among these writers); his views on race are antiquated, to be kind. An adult reader should be sophisticated enough to look past Rohmer's descriptions of "the yellow peril" that threatens the white race. Ironically, Fu-Manchu's intellect and his patriotic motives (sinister as he is, he merely acts to serve his country) make him almost the hero of the stories; doubtless, this was not Rohmer's intent. While I cannot give this a whole-hearted recommendation, it can be entertaining and it does give a glimpse at one of the classic villains of fiction.

Mystery-Adventure at its Finest.......2005-10-20

In the first half of the 20th century, Sax Rohmer was one of the most widely read and highest paid popular fiction writers in the world. In the Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu, he shows why.

Professor John Michael does a fine job putting the novel in historical context in his introduction. He describes Fu-Manchu as an embodiment of England's "King Fear" - that violence practiced by the West in the East will come back to haunt the West, and that a global insurgency will arise, intent on violently upsetting the balance of world power. No one in the US cannot presently identify with these terrific fears.

As for the novel itself - no, it is not Literature, but the stories are superbly crafted and always ingenious; you are constantly immersed in an ominous London mist where consciousness is as tenuous as a spider's web, Death lingers at every turn, and the Hydra-like organization you're up against has every intent in destroying Western civilization and you along with it. The stakes are high, and the enemy is always one step ahead... the novel is filled with so much shadow and fog, so many surprises and so much intrigue, and it is so masterfully drawn, so present, that it can be read repeatedly with delight. Or you can proceed to plow through the entire Fu-Manchu series, which I just may have to do. Come, Petrie!

Death by insect, ghost, cat...........2004-12-01

The plot follows Petrie, a doctor who has dealt with Fu Manchu before. After a mysterious death he is contacted by inspector Nayland Smith, who warns him that Fu Manchu is about. Together they investigate and try to prevent a string of exotic murders The Return of Dr Fu Manchu was written as a serial and it feels that way. The driving force in the story is wierd twisted things that Fu Manchu does to kill people. The characters and plot, which doesn't say much about Fu Manchu's ultimate motives, are just ways of describing this or that exotic death and how it was pulled off. As a serial this would work because the murder happened - cliffhanger. Then in the next installment the murder would be solved. As a novel it didn't work for me because it is so homogenous.

I had heard prior to reading this that Fu Manchu is sooo racist, but I hadn't taken it seriously because so much gets labeled racist by the PC people that I tend to ignore it. Having read this I do think the novel is racist. Fu Manchu's lack of motive is a major point. Basically he goes around killing people with exotic animals, and Smith and Petrie's only explanation for his actions are that he is a, "yellow devil bent on the destruction of the white race" So that was a little blatant for me.

I didn't like this novel because it was built around the gimics that Fu Manchu uses to murder his victims. Character driven is a term I would never ever apply to this book. Fans of Sax Rohmer will want to read this because they know the style and will like it. Fans of the adventure genre should move along.

MORE OF THE "GOOD" DOCTOR.......2002-02-02

This is the second of the 14 Fu Manchu books that Sax Rohmer gave us. Like the first, it is very episodic in nature, revealing its origin as a series of short magazine stories. A reading of the previous book WOULD be helpful for a full enjoyment of this volume, but is not absolutely necessary. Like the first book, this one is jam-packed with fast-moving action and bizarre adventure. It is surprisingly well written; sometimes even elegantly written. Just note the description of the seedy East End in Chapter 11 and you may want to upgrade your assessment of Rohmer as a wordsmith. Anyway, this particular installment of Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie's war against the evil genius Fu Manchu includes kidnappings, wire-jacket torture, poisonous cats, snake murders, albino peacocks, killer apes, quicksand, a haunted house, rat torture, mummy attacks and on and on. It's really remarkable how much stuff Rohmer packs into one short book. You won't be bored, that's for sure!

More adventures of the Devil Doctor.......2000-05-16

Fu Manchu is back in what was originally a series of short stories. Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie must stop his plot to destroy the enemies of the Seven. Contains the fiendish torture device called the Gates of Joyful Wisdom, perhaps the villains most grisly device. Nayland Smith is placedin a compartmentalized trap where rats will work their way up his flesh as each successive gate is opened.

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Fu Manchu for President!!

The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 4
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Allison & Busby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Fu Manchu Omnibus: Volume 1 (Fu Manchu Omnibus) (Fu Manchu Omnibus)
The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu: Being a Somewhat Detailed Account of the Amazing Adventures of Nayland Smith in His Trailing of the Sinister Chinaman (New Millennium Library)
The Return of Dr. Fu-Manchu
The Hand of Fu-Manchu: Being a New Phase in the Activities of Fu-Manchu, the Evil Doctor (New Millennium Library)
Fu Manchu Tu-Fer: The Blood of Fu Manchu/The Castle of Fu Manchu

ASIN: 0749002328

Product Description

Volume Four includes: The Drums of Fu Manchu: The sound of the drums carries a warning to fourteen world leaders who stand in the way of Fu Manchu s desire for world domination: surrender to his schemes, or die at the hands of his secret army. Even Nayland Smith has been marked for death by the beating of the drums... Shadow of Fu Manchu: The devil doctor plots to control the greatest weapon ever created a weapon which dwarfs the power of the atomic bomb and which Nayland Smith must, at all costs, keep from falling into the hands of the most dangerous man in the world. Emperor Fu Manchu: No one in the Western world could be sure what lay behind the Bamboo Curtain, in the remote province of Szechuan. Only Nayland Smith suspects that the mysterious Master whom it hides, the true power behind Communist China, is in fact his old enemy, in a new disguise. His young undercover agent, Tony McKay, must enter Fu Manchu s domain to penetrate the veil of secrecy.

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Fu Manchu for President!!.......2007-05-31

Volume 4 contains The Drums of Fu Manchu, Shadow of Fu Manchu and Emporor Fu Manchu. It's been so long since these were in print so grab them while you can. The news is that Allison & Busby don't plan on reprinting them soon. These Books are racist, politically incorrect and loads of fun! Miss them at your peril!

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Fire-Tongue
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Echo Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Bat Wing

ASIN: 1406840025

Book Description

1922. Rohmer, prolific English mystery writer, best known for the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu and his opponents Denis Nayland Smith, Dr. Petrie, named after the Egyptologist Flinders Petrie, and the beautiful Karamaneh, the source of Petrie's daydreams. Fire-Tongue, the detective Paul Harley is the hero of the tale. The story beings: Some of Paul Harley's most interesting cases were brought to his notice in an almost accidental way. Although he closed his office in Chancery Lane sharply at the hour of six, the hour of six by no means marked the end of his business day. His work was practically ceaseless. But even in times of leisure, at the club or theatre, fate would sometimes cast in his path the first slender thread which was ultimately to lead him into some unsuspected labyrinth, perhaps in the underworld of London, perhaps in a city of the Far East.

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His investigation of the case of the man with the shaven skull afforded an instance of this, and even more notable was his first meeting with Major Jack Ragstaff of the Cavalry Club, a meeting which took place after the office had been closed, but which led to the unmasking of perhaps the most cunning murderer in the annals of crime.

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The Dance Of The Veils
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 141915852X

Book Description

Zahara, staring into the mirror, observed that there was not a wrinkle upon her face, not a flaw upon her perfect skin. Nor in this was she blinded by vanity. Nature, indeed, had cast her in a rare mould, and from her unusual hair, which was like dull gold, to her slender ankles and tiny feet, she was one of the most perfectly fashioned human beings who ever added to the beauty of the world.

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The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu (Scarlet Dagger Crime)

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The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu (Scarlet Dagger Crime)
Sax Rohmer
Manufacturer: Chivers North America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0745164544

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The Bride of Fu Manchu (F-761)
Sax (pen name used by Arthur Sarsfield Ward) Rohmer
Manufacturer: Pyramid Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FMBDYU

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