Proper adventure book with British government in peril, beautiful rich women in peril and a lot of good eggs dashing around. Set before the railways (about the first decade of the 1800s)so most of the dashing around is done by coach. Wonderful technical descriptions of the transport - lots of different types of coaches/carriages and horses. Several crashes and near misses :-

"By God sir," Robin gasped. "That's the nicest bit of coachmanship I ever seen." "Simple enough," said Sir Turnour coolly, "if you keep your head and know the meaning of proper harnessing. I couldn't have done that if the pole chain hadn't been the right length - and the wheelers properly curbed up."

A bit 'Top Gear' with horses, but the real delight is the the Scottish vernacular and all the tearing around. I still like 'John Burnett of Barnes' best. But this rates 3 and a half stars. ( )

John Buchan was notoriously embarrassed by the huge success of his spy thrillers: he'd very much have preferred to be remembered as the reincarnation of Sir Walter Scott, but somehow his historical novels never quite worked. They were always just a little bit too staid and respectable, and his historical characters always seemed a bit too much like the usual John Buchan characters dressed up in historical costumes.

This one is set mostly in the Borders and in Norfolk in what seems to be April, 1812. Despite Buchan's well-known passion for angling, it turns out not to be a fishing story at all — the Free Fishers of the title are East Coast fishermen, but for reasons never properly explained they have been roped in by the authorities to assist in a counter-espionage operation on shore. Amongst those involved is the youthful Professor Nanty Lammas of the University of St Andrews — philosopher, minister of the Kirk, and man-of-action manqué. Together with a young Lord, a couple of salty fishermen, some intrepid Scottish ladies, and a stage-coach-driving English baronet (because this is the Regency, after all) they set out to foil a dastardly plot by French agents to assassinate the Prime Minister, Spencer Perceval, and put the blame on a beautiful young woman.

Lots of colourful Scots dialect, a few good chases over the moors, but rather a lot of tedious four-in-hand driving, and far too many conferences. And all the potentially interesting small-boat stuff happens offstage. They sent him off to govern Canada soon after this came out, and he took the hint and gave up trying to write historical novels... ( )

Proper adventure book with British government in peril, beautiful rich women in peril and a lot of good eggs dashing around. Set before the railways (about the first decade of the 1800s)so most of the dashing around is done by coach. Wonderful technical descriptions of the transport - lots of different types of coaches/carriages and horses. Several crashes and near misses :-

"By God sir," Robin gasped. "That's the nicest bit of coachmanship I ever seen." "Simple enough," said Sir Turnour coolly, "if you keep your head and know the meaning of proper harnessing. I couldn't have done that if the pole chain hadn't been the right length - and the wheelers properly curbed up."

A bit 'Top Gear' with horses, but the real delight is the the Scottish vernacular and all the tearing around. I still like 'John Burnett of Barnes' best. But this rates 3 and a half stars. ( )

Classic Buchan high adventure! The principal character is Anthony ("Nanty") Lammas, Professor of Philosophy and Logic at St Andrews University during the post-Trafalgar phase of the Napoleonic wars. Ostensibly a figure of great respectability (and indeed, an ordained official of the church) Lammas had grwon up in the smuggling ports of East Fife, and as a consequence of his adoloescent contacts he has been inducted as a member of The Free Fishers, a secret society of privateers.
However, The Free Fishers are not quite what they seem as they are often used by the Government to conduct espionage against the French and their accomplices. It is in just such a mission that Lammas become embroiled.
As always with Buchan, the prose is meticulous, and the descriptions of the countryside are quite astounding. As usual, there is perhaps too heavy a dependence upon outrageous coincidence, but for the most part the plot is perfectly sound.
There are the usual cast of characters, including the almost mandatory female housekeeper who proves more stalwart than most of the men.
A thoroughly enjoyable read! ( )

This was the first John Buchan novel outside the Richard Hannay series that I have read, and therefore the first of his historical books. I enjoyed it more than I expected to, the plot was entertaining and fast-paced, the descriptions of the scenery as good as those in the other Buchan novels I've read, and the chracters were realistic and likeable. In addition, it was refreshing that the author avoided the cloying sweetness of the predictable 'happy ever after' ending. I'm looking forward to reading the other books by Buchan I have sat on my shelves. ( )