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The horse is perfect in all its parts—a splendid steed, saddled, bridled, and otherwise completely caparisoned. In it there appears nothing amiss—nothing to produce either wonder or alarm. But the man—the rider? Ah! About him there is something to cause both—something weird—something wanting! By heavens! it is the head! (Excerpt from the Prologue) The Headless Horseman is a novel by Mayne Reid written in 1865 or 1866 and is based on the author's adventures in the United States. The Headless Horseman or a Strange Tale of Texas was set in Texas and based on a South Texas folk tale. Vladimir Nabokov recalled The Headless Horseman as a favourite adventure novel of his childhood years - which had given him a vision of the prairies and the great open spaces and the overarching sky. At 11, Nabokov even translated The Headless Horseman into French alexandrines.(Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Fiction, Adventure

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‘Sapper’, the pseudonym of Colonel. H.C. McNeile M.C. was one of the most popular English writers of thrillers between the two world wars. And Hugh (Bulldog) Drummond was his most popular leading character. This book, the first of the series, is of its time. Opinions are expressed which would not pass muster today and the books are strongly laced with jingoism, racial stereotypes and hostile references to foreigners. Naturally all the villains are masters of disguise and invariably put off murdering the hero until later whist they think of something absolutely beastly. Nevertheless the story is a good one and well told. (Summary by AJM)...

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Mystery, Adventure

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The Giaour is a poem by Lord Byron first published in 1813 and the first in the series of his Oriental romances. The Giaour proved to be a great success when published, consolidating Byron's reputation critically and commercially....

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Adventure, Poetry, Romance

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In a surreal turn-of-the-century London, Gabriel Syme, a poet, is recruited to a secret anti-anarchist taskforce at Scotland Yard. Lucian Gregory, an anarchist poet, is the only poet in Saffron Park, until he loses his temper in an argument over the purpose of poetry with Gabriel Syme, who takes the opposite view. After some time, the frustrated Gregory finds Syme and leads him to a local anarchist meeting-place to prove that he is a true anarchist. Instead of the anarchist Gregory getting elected, the officer Syme uses his wits and is elected as the local representative to the worldwide Central Council of Anarchists. The Council consisting of seven men, each using the name of a day of the week as a code name; Syme is given the name of Thursday... (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Adventure, Spy stories

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How to describe this book? In a word – savage. For those regular Le Queux mystery listeners, this book is a step in a different direction by the author. The book starts out like most Le Queux. Our hero, Richard Scarsmere, befriends an individual (Omar) at an English boarding school who turns out to be an African prince from a kingdom called Mo. Omar receives a visit from one of his mother’s trusted advisers. His mother, the Great White Queen, seeks him to return home immediately. Omar convinces Scarsmere to return to Africa with him since there is little opportunity awaiting him in London. What follows is a tale of deceit, treachery, barbarity, and mystery. (Summary by Tom Weiss)...

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Adventure, Fiction, Mystery

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Fantômas is the first of 32 novels penned from 1911 to 1913 by Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre. The title character is a ruthless thief and killer, a bloodthirsty successor to LeBlanc's Arsène Lupin. The first five novels were made into silent film serials. The character and the movies caught the eye of the French Surrealists who admired the primal violence of Fantômas, as well as his portrayal in the films, which are considered landmarks in French Cinema. In Fantômas , the Marquise de Langrune is savagely murdered and Inspector Juve, who is obsessed with capturing Fantômas, arrives to solve the murder. (Summary by Alan Winterrowd)...

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Mystery, Adventure

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Beowulf. [Translated by Francis Barton Gummere].This is a short but beautiful book, and the Gummere translation really captures the feel of the Old English. Beowulf tells the story of a mysterious young warrior who saves the Spear-Danes from the terrible monster Grendel and his venomous mother. Long a mainstay of English Literature 101 courses at universities around the world, it is not only one of the oldest, but one of the most exciting English folktales ever invented. (Summary by Caeristhiona)...

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Adventure, Poetry

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Described by the author, best known for his King Solomon's Mines, as a tale of victorious faith, this story begins on a Sunday afternoon in an English church. Most of the book, though, is set in Africa, and the adventure story is as engaging as any of Haggard's African tales. What makes this one different is the religious question: What has happened to miracles in the church? Is there any power left in Jesus' promise, Whoso that believeth in me, the works that I do he shall do also, and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do?...

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Fiction, Adventure, Religion

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On August 13-15, 2010, A hearty band of volunteers, led by Bob Ledrew and Sean McGaughey, recorded selections from the Spell of the Yukon by Robert Service with patrons, musicians and organizers of the festival. We chose Robert Service because he is an iconic Canadian poet. It was our intention to record the whole volume, but the festival was disrupted by torrential rains on its final day. For more information on the Ottawa Folk Festival, check out http://www.ottawafolk.org/ . Sean McGaughey also prepared a behind the scenes podcast of this project at http://www.ductapeguy.net/2010/12/for-the-sake-of-the-song-live-from-the-ottawa-folk-festival/ (Summary by Sean McGaughey)...

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Adventure, Poetry

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volunteers bring you 13 recordings of The Spell of the Yukon by Robert W. Service. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for December 27th, 2009.

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Adventure, Historical Fiction, Nature, Poetry

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Robin Hood is a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his Merry Men. Traditionally Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes. The origin of the legend is claimed by some to have stemmed from actual outlaws, or from ballads or tales of outlaws....

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Adventure, Fairy tales, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Myths/Legends, Teen/Young adult

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volunteers bring you 10 recordings of Up The Line by Will Carleton. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for February 7th, 2010.

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Adventure, History, Westerns, Poetry

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Charlemagne's nephew Orlando (AKA Roland) is driven insane by the infidelity of his beloved Angelica. Angelica's relationship with him and others loosely unifies multiple story lines to produce a rich tapestry of romance, fictionalized history, and pure fantasy. This romance-epic is a sequel to the less distinguished and unfinished romance Orlando Innamorato, by Mattteo Maria Boiardo. (Summary by Thomas A. Copeland)...

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Adventure, Erotica, Fantasy, Myths/Legends, Tragedy, Poetry

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With Clive in India gives a vivid picture of the wonderful events of the ten years, which at their commencement saw Madras in the hands of the French--Calcutta at the mercy of the Nabob of Bengal--and English influence apparently at the point of extinction in India--and which ended in the final triumph of the English, both in Bengal and Madras. There were yet great battles to be fought, great efforts to be made, before the vast Empire of India fell altogether into British hands; but these were but the sequel of the events described. (Summary by G. A. Henty)...

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Adventure, Historical Fiction, History

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Set in an English-Scottish border village during the waning days of the Napoleonic era, this adventure story introduces us to Jock Calder, whose quiet way of life is shattered when a mysterious stranger steps ashore near his home. The stranger changes forever the lives of Jock, his cousin Edie, and his best friend Jim, sending the young men into the jaws of the final battle to defeat The Great Shadow that threatens to devour the whole of Europe. Don't look for Sherlock Holmes in this well-written tale, but do expect a wonderful glimpse of life at the end of the Napoleonic era, including an exciting rendition of The Battle of Waterloo. (Introduction by Christine Dufour)...

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Fiction, Adventure, Historical Fiction

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After The Three Muskateers and Twenty Years After the adventurous story of Athos, Porthos, Aramis and D'Artagnan continues! The Vicomte of Bragelonne: Ten Years Later (French: Le Vicomte de Bragelonne ou Dix ans plus tard ) is the last of the Musketeer novels. It is usually divided into four volumes and this first volume contains chapters 1-75. (Summary by Diana Majlinger)...

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Adventure, Historical Fiction, Literature, Romance, Humor

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Tarzan of the Apes is Burroughs’ exciting, if improbable, story of an English lord, left by the death of his stranded parents in the hands of a motherly African ape who raises him as her own. Although he is aware that he is different from the apes of his tribe, who are neither white nor hairless, he nevertheless regards them as his “people.” When older, larger, stronger apes decide that he an undesirable to be killed or expelled from the tribe, it is fortunate that Tarzan has learned the use of primitive weapons.Although small and weak by ape standards, Tarzan is a human of god-like strength and agility to men who discover him. By studying these people, he gradually decides he is not an ape at all, but human.And when he meets Jane, a beautiful American girl marooned with her father and friends on the hostile coast of Africa, Tarzan conceives love for her. When they are unexpectedly rescued before Tarzan can find a way to reveal his feelings to Jane, he determines to become civilized and follow her into the world of people – to find her and wed her, though he must cross continents and oceans, and compete with two other suitors for he...

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Adventure, Teen/Young adult

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volunteers bring you 5 recordings of To the Man of the High North by Robert Service. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for November 28, 2010. Robert William Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) was a poet and writer, sometimes referred to as the Bard of the Yukon. His writing was so expressive that his readers took him for a hard-bitten old Klondike prospector, not the later-arriving bank clerk he actually was. In addition to his Yukon works, Service also wrote poetry set in locales as diverse as South Africa, Afghanistan, and New Zealand....

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Adventure, Fiction, Instruction, Literature, Nature, Philosophy, Poetry

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What would you do if you discovered a dragon living in a cave on a hill above your home? Make friends, read poetry together? It turns out that not all dragons are intent on pillaging the countryside. Some might actually enjoy peace, quiet, and the occasional banquet. The Boy of this story knows how to handle dragons, and life is good… until a knight in shining armor arrives in town to exterminate his friend! It doesn’t matter that it’s a “good” dragon — rules are rules, you know! (Summary by Mark)...

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Children, Adventure, Fantasy

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The Sea Hawk is a novel by Rafael Sabatini, originally published in 1915. The story is set in the late 16th century, and concerns a Cornish sea-faring gentleman, Sir Oliver Tressilian, who is villainously betrayed by a jealous brother. After being forced to serve as a slave on a Spanish galley, Sir Oliver is liberated by Barbary pirates. He joins the pirates under the name Sakr-el-Bahr, the hawk of the sea, and swears vengeance against his brother. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Adventure, Sea stories, Teen/Young adult, Romance