Suspense

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The thirty-nine steps, dated

Reprobate, successful

The thirty-nine steps, dated

This short spy novel was published in 1915 in Great Britain and retells the circumstances of Europe's entry into a new war, in an entertaining tone, cultivating suspense. The author's intention seems to be to make us forget the anxiety of the ongoing conflict, while encouraging his compatriots to be vigilant and selfless. A curious mix of genres, dated, reflecting an internal struggle between the desire to prolong the carefree era of the turn of the millennium and the duty to defend one's country against enemies presented as true minions of the devil. The final acceleration shows to what extent human talent was preponderant in solving the major strategic problems of the moment, while by transposing this situation today, an AI would have provided the desired answer in a few seconds.

Read in the 1994 edition (Penguin popular classics)

Reprobate, successful

Succeeding in self-publishing is an obstacle course that only modern-day heroes can overcome. The author of this suspenseful crime novel is meticulous and persevering, as evidenced by his passions in life, particularly martial arts, their demands, and their rituals. His characters, described in great detail, share these passions. But that's not enough. The geographical anchoring of the plot, Amsterdam, is a decisive factor in its success. Because there are very few local writers who speak of their city in the present day.

I discovered this novel before traveling to this city, wanting to imagine it through fiction before seeing and touching it in reality. And I hardly had a choice. A quick search reveals that the book's closest competitors are either old or nonfiction. Moreover, upon visiting Scheltema, the large bookstore in the center of the capital, it is clear that the literary creation prized by its inhabitants is primarily of English-speaking origin. The phenomenon is confirmed by the existence of two enormous bookstores selling exclusively English-language books just a few streets away: Waterstones and The American Book Center.

The author's gamble has paid off. Thanks to the careful nurturing of a community of beta readers, the product is perfectly fine-tuned and keeps readers on the edge of their seats while teaching them about Amsterdam, its mysteries, and real life between the canals.

One of those rare examples of successful self-publishing, dated September 2012. Pushdagger Publishing Limited is a private publishing house that only publishes books by this author.

ON THIS PAGE

The thirty-nine steps, dated

Reprobate, successful