The Washington herald., 1917-12-09
BOOK REVIEWS

The Red Planet, by william J.
Locke, author of The Wonderful
Year" New York: John Lane and
Company. Price $3.50.
The Red Planet, a story Of a war
time romance, is the latest story by
William J. Locke, author OF THE
Wonderful Year" 1t has for its set
ting a small English village contain
ing the mothers, wives and sweet
hearts OF boys who have left for the
front.
It's hero Is an old soldier, who, un-
able to fight for his country, plays a
novel part in this story of mystery
and devotion. Being very interest
ing book and one that holds the at
tention of the reader from the be-
ginning to the end of the story. 1t
would make a very acceptable Christ
mas gift for both the young and old.
1t is a story of war time, but not OF
war itself The great struggle touches
the lives OF the people in the story.
for they are real human people in this
world today; but the story Is one of
love and mystery and kindliness.
The Broken Gate, by Emerson
HOugh. Illustrated. New York: d.
Appleton and Company. Price $3.50
net.
The Broken Gate" Is a story of
great dramatic force and with many
fine Situations" one feature of 1t is
somewhat on the order of The Scar
let Letter." The woman is good and
suffers. The man Is a hypocrite and
lives as an honored and respected citi-
zen, his people having no knowledge OF
l. l. ho hn Iii pf nannIa
who inhabit the village where the
be real. But the story is dramatic
to the last page.
by the World Forgot. by Cyrus
Townsend Brady. FrontispiecC
Chicago: The \. c. McClurg &c Com
pany. Price, $1.40.
If Stephanie Maynard had considered
her own happiness more. and had I'm.
derstoOd her father a little better, a
good deal Of her unhappiness in her
love affairs might have been avoided
At the same time, Derrick Beekman
would not have been shanghaied or
the ship Susquehanna, and would moi
have gone through a strenuous exist.
| ence aboard ship and on an unknown
island, or have met and loved Truda
Van Room, thus making the way clear
for George Harnash, his partner. tc
marry Stephanie. The course Of true
love did not run smooth by any means
but the story is all the better for that
The Definite Object, by Jeffery
FarnOl. Frontispiece. Boston: Lit
tie, Brown and Company. Price,
$3.50 net
This story of American people and
places, laid chiefly in that part OF
lower New York known as Hell's
Kitchen. shows Jeffery Farnol at hi:
best. His hero is a young American
millionaire, Geoffrey Ravenslee, skill
ed as an amateur boxer and automo-
bile racer. but weary Of living with
out an object in life. To his home uI
the Hudson comes a would-be burglar
who is caught by Ravenslee. Seeing
opportunity for adventure, Ravenslee
agrees not to turn Spike" over to the
police and accompanies the younG
tough home to Mulligan's Flats or
Tenth avenue. Here he meets many
people; among them Spikes half-eis
ter, Hermione, needle expert and gooC
angel for the neighborhood; Bud Nc
Ginnis, the evil companion Of Spike
who would have Hermione for his girl
Mrs. Ann Angelina Trapes, the widow
who takes Godfrey to board, anC
Spider Connolly, good-natured prize
fighter. Adventure on adventure fol
lows; the tale is written in higt
spirits and Farnol is as thoroughly al
home when describing a fist fight al
O'Rourke's as he was in his previous
hook when unfolding a medieval con-
test at arms; while his knowledge oi
Tenth avenue character and vernacu-
lar, acquired during his lean years as
a scene painter in New York studios
is marvellous. The reader will follow
with zest the QuiNotic career OF
Ravenslee through Helrs Kitchen un'
til he wins and makes secure the love
Of one of Mr.. Farnors most appealing
heroines.
Michael, Brother of Jerry, by Jack
London. Frontispiece. New York:
The Macmillan Company. Price
$3.50.
Michael, Brother of jerry" is an
Irish terrier whose adventures and
mishaps, principally nishaps, are
told in Jack Jondon's usual vivid
manner. Michael. happy care-free
puppy, carries the readers heart with
him from the time he is stolen on the
beach of South Sea Island, all oyer
the ocean and the United States Until
he is fnalIy left In California.
Characters that liye and hreatbf