Blood Royal

Last updated

Blood Royal
Blood Royal H&S dustjacket.jpg
1942 H&S dustjacket
Author Dornford Yates
SeriesChandos books
GenreNovel
Publisher Hodder and Stoughton [1]
Publication date
1929 [1]
Media typePrint
Pages320 [1]
Preceded by Perishable Goods  
Followed by Fire Below  

Blood Royal is a 1929 novel by the English author Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer), the third in his Chandos thriller series. The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator) and George Hanbury, with their servants Bell and Rowley. Jonathan Mansel does not appear in this book.

Contents

Plot

Chandos and Hanbury help Duke Paul to succeed as Prince of the fictional Principality of Reichtenburg in place of the incumbent, in the face of resistance from Duke Johann and Major Grieg.

Background

Commenting in 1958 through his character Boy Pleydell, the author acknowledged resemblances between his work and Anthony Hope's The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentzau , specifically citing this novel and Fire Below . [2]

Critical reception

Blood Royal was as well-received when it appeared in July 1929 as his earlier Chandos books had been, and was re-printed four times within the first six months. [3] Mercer hoped to run the story as a serial in the US publication The Saturday Evening Post , but flatly refused the Post's demand that Chandos should be an American citizen. [4]

This was mentioned by Yates in As Berry and I were Saying, along with a discussion with an editor preparing a serialisation of Blood Royal who objected to the car being identified as a Rolls-Royce saying "We don't give advertisements". Yates' response was "..there are two kinds of automobiles - one is a Rolls and the other a motor-car. In Blood Royal I'm referring to a Rolls." The editor was reported to have laughed and conceded the point, [5] but no serialisation of Blood Royal is known to have taken place.

According to Mercer's biographer, AJ Smithers, the author's talent for this type of story was immense. The reader is kept on the edge of the chair, and the pace never flags. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornford Yates</span> English writer and novelist (1885–1960)

Cecil William Mercer, known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous, some thrillers, were best-sellers during the Interwar Period.

<i>The House That Berry Built</i> 1945 novel by Dornford Yates

The House That Berry Built is a 1945 humorous semi-autobiographical novel by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters. It is a lightly fictionalised recounting of the construction of the author's house Cockade in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France.

<i>The Courts of Idleness</i> 1920 short story collection by Dornford Yates

The Courts of Idleness is a 1920 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, his second book. Half of the tales feature his 'Berry' characters.

<i>Adèle and Co.</i> 1931 novel by Dornford Yates

Adèle and Co. is a 1931 comic novel by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters. This was Yates's first full-length Berry novel, following several earlier Berry short story collections. It was the first Berry book to be published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, and not to be serialised in The Windsor Magazine.

<i>And Berry Came Too</i> 1936 short story collection by Dornford Yates

And Berry Came Too is a 1936 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.

<i>The Berry Scene</i> 1947 short story collection by Dornford Yates

The Berry Scene is a 1947 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.

<i>As Berry and I Were Saying</i> 1952 fictionalised memoirs of Dornford Yates

As Berry and I Were Saying is the first volume of fictionalised memoirs of the English author Dornford Yates, published in 1952 and featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters - Berry, Daphne, Boy and Jill. A second volume, B-Berry and I Look Back, was published in 1958.

<i>B-Berry and I Look Back</i> 1958 fictionalised memoirs of Dornford Yates

B-Berry and I Look Back is the second volume of fictionalised memoirs of the English author Dornford Yates, published in 1958 and featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jill and Jonah. The first volume, As Berry and I Were Saying, had been published in 1952. It was his last book.

<i>Blind Corner</i> (novel) 1927 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Blind Corner is a 1927 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. The book was the first in his Chandos thriller series and is narrated in the first person by Richard Chandos. In addition to Chandos and his servant Bell, the novel features a cast of characters who recur in many of the later books: George Hanbury and Jonathan Mansel; their respective servants Rowley and Carson; and Tester the Sealyham terrier. Mansel's character also appears as Jonah Mansel in the author's 'Berry' series of comic books and short stories, though he is not written for comic effect in this nor the later 'Chandos' books.

<i>Perishable Goods</i> 1928 novel by Dornford Yates

Perishable Goods is a 1928 novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the second in his Chandos thriller series and a sequel to Blind Corner. The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator), Jonathan Mansel and George Hanbury, with their respective servants Bell, Carson and Rowley.

<i>Fire Below</i> 1930 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Fire Below is a 1930 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the fourth in his Chandos thriller series and a sequel to Blood Royal. The book was published in the US under the title By Royal Command.

<i>She Fell Among Thieves</i> 1935 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

She Fell Among Thieves is a 1935 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the fifth in his 'Chandos' thriller series. It was serialised in Woman's Journal. The title comes from a phrase in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

<i>Cost Price</i> 1949 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Cost Price is a 1949 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the eighth and last in his 'Chandos' thriller series. It serves as a sequel to his 1932 novel Safe Custody. The book was published in the US under the title The Laughing Bacchante.

<i>The Stolen March</i> 1926 fantasy novel by Dornford Yates

The Stolen March is a 1926 fantasy novel by the English author Dornford Yates, first serialised in The Windsor Magazine.

<i>Safe Custody</i> 1932 novel by Dornford Yates

Safe Custody is a 1932 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was serialised weekly in five parts in The Saturday Evening Post in October and November 1931 as "Your Castle of Hohenems", illustrated by F. R. Gruger.

<i>Storm Music</i> 1934 novel by Dornford Yates

Storm Music is a 1934 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was first serialised in Woman's Journal and Woman's Home Companion.

<i>This Publican</i> 1938 novel by Dornford Yates

This Publican is a 1938 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was first serialised as She Knew Not Mercy in Woman's Journal for November 1937 to March 1938, with illustrations by Forster.

<i>Gale Warning</i> 1939 novel by Dornford Yates

Gale Warning is a 1939 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was first serialised in Woman's Home Companion. Although it includes Chandos and Mansel, as a first person narrative by another character it is not normally counted as one of the author's 'Chandos' books.

<i>Neer-Do-Well</i> 1954 detective novel by Dornford Yates

Ne'er-Do-Well is a 1954 detective novel by the English author Dornford Yates, his only work of the genre. Although Richard Chandos narrates, the book is not generally classified as a 'Chandos' title.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "British Library Item details". primocat.bl.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. Yates, Dornford (1958). B-Berry and I Look Back. London: Ward Lock. p. 148.
  3. Smithers 1982, pp. 148, 150, 151.
  4. Smithers 1982, p. 150.
  5. Yates, Dornford (1952). As Berry and I Were Saying. London: Ward Lock & Co. page 119.
  6. Smithers 1982, p. 149.

Bibliography