As thrilling and interesting as a sherlock novel.

The Tragedy of the Korosko isn’t one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s better known stories and after reading it I can well understand why. There is an abundance of dialogue but there is more action in a field of daisies on a sunny day. I had to pinch myself to stay awake and pure tenacity kept me reading and turning pages. I was looking for something to set this story apart and deserving of a third star but alas it wasn’t to be found. I wasn’t really impressed with his Sherlock Holms stories so this might be a reason this one didn’t particularly impress me. I wouldn’t recommend this book but what do I know?

I read this book because I was aware that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was tired of his Sherlock Holmes, and thought that his genius lay in other works. This work is pallid in comparison.

A tale of Islamic Terrorists and Victorian Tourists. It starts out as a simple travelogue. I was actually starting to get bored with it. Some of the characters are incredibly annoying, but then what a twist! Who will come out a hero? How far will they sacrifice for each other?
It does show Doyle's view on religion clearly. That was the sad part.
It wasn't Doyle's best work, but it wasn't too bad.

For a while, I thought this was a novelization based on some true events. But the events within seemed a tad bit too dramatic and tropey, so I checked and confirmed that it is indeed fictional.

As a story, it is quite entertaining to read and would certainly leave you with certain things to reflect upon. The novel deals with the tribulations and self-discovery of a certain group of Westerners who are kidnapped by a bunch of Islamist Dervishes near the Nile. The masterful crafting of Doyle is unmistakable.

The novel gives you a feeling on how a Victorian British aristocrat may have viewed things around in the world - the very subtle endorsement for British imperialism, a rather illustrious character in the form of an upright British officer and Doyle's concerns regarding the religion of Islam.

Character (4/5),
Well-defined unique characters each having their roles in the story.

Setting (4.5/5)
It is set in Egypt and the descriptions paint a very vivid picture of the desert terrain, the picturesque landscapes as our characters travel around.

Plot (4/5)

Writing Style (4/5)
Easy to follow. Brings in anticipation and tension at the correct spots.

Value (3/5)
The value in this book lies in reckoning with Doyle's rather astute observations regarding faith and in the ways struggle and suffering can bring about change within oneself.


Total: 19.5/25

Good, quick read.
Introduced from Mark Steyn's new website "founder" push (haven't joined, but figured the book seemed to be timely, brief, and along the lines of other thing's I've read recently).
Not disappointed.
Vacationers off of the Nile head into Egypt and get overcome by a band of Jihadists. Americans, Irish, French and English prisoners suffer through and eventually win the day.
Predictable, but humbling to realize that groups of people in the Middle East continue to terrorize Westerners for centuries.

Μια πολύ ωραία έκπληξη μας επιφύλασσαν οι εκδόσεις Seλίνι, μεταφράζοντας στα ελληνικά το "Η τραγωδία του Κορόσκο", ένα όχι και τόσο γνωστό αλλά πάντως κλασικό στο είδος του μυθιστόρημα του Σερ Άρθουρ Κόναν Ντόιλ. Μόλις είδα ότι κυκλοφόρησε, το τσίμπησα και δεν άργησα πολύ να το πιάσω στα χέρια μου και να το διαβάσω, σε δυο μεγάλες καθισιές. Πρόκειται για μια ωραία, κλασική περιπέτεια στην έρημο, έτσι όπως τις έγραφαν κάποτε οι Βρετανοί συγγραφείς στις τελευταίες δεκαετίες του 19ου αιώνα. Είναι μια περιπέτεια που σε αρκετά διαφορετικά επίπεδα δείχνει τα χρόνια της, όμως διάολε εγώ μια φορά απολαμβάνω τα μάλα τέτοιου είδους ιστορίες, που διαδραματίζονται τα παλιά τα χρόνια σε μέρη μακρινά και εξωτικά, και τέλος πάντων εδώ μιλάμε για ένα έργο δια χειρός του Σερ Άρθουρ Κόναν Ντόιλ, έτσι; Απόλαυσα τα τοπία, τα σκηνικά, την όλη ατμόσφαιρα, ο συγγραφέας με την πένα του, με τις ζωντανές και ρεαλιστικές περιγραφές του, με την όλη σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων και την αποτύπωση των τότε κοινωνικοπολιτικών δεδομένων, με ταξίδεψε στον χρόνο και με απόκοψε από την πεζή πραγματικότητα. Αντικειμενικά, δεν είναι κάτι το φοβερό και το τρομερό, σαν περιπέτεια δηλαδή δεν εντυπωσιάζει και τόσο πολύ πια τους σύγχρονους αναγνώστες, αλλά μια φορά εγώ πέρασα τέλεια διαβάζοντάς την, και για μένα αυτό έχει σημασία. Και η αλήθεια είναι ότι στα ελληνικά δεν κυκλοφορούν και πολλές τέτοιες περιπέτειες, που να έχουν γραφτεί τα παλιά τα χρόνια και να διαδραματίζονται σε ερήμους, ζούγκλες κ.λπ.

In 1898, when Arthur Conan Doyle first published "The Tragedy of the Korosko", Egypt was under English rule for 16 years. The second half of the nineteenth century was, according to Eric Hobsbawm, the Age of Imperialism. English domination was very present in different parts of the world-in North America (Canada), in Australia, in India and other Asian locales and in Africa (Scramble for Africa). Numerous books on the matter tell us that this was done in order to protect and further the economic interests of each of the colonial powers, with civilisational and other benefits streaming from it, coming only (if) in second place. Naturally, the hostility of the indigenous peoples towards the colonists/occupiers was the result of the colonial power games. The English had to fight off numerous insurgencies against their government, and they didn't always win (defeat of Gordon in Khartoum). Into this political and historical context, Conan Doyle weaves his story. What happens when a group of tourists, different in their characters, creed etc, travels down the Nile, on a steamer, fitted out with every Western comfort imaginable, to the still not pacified borders of Nubia, with the intent of seeing temples, rocks and desert?

Although champion for the wrongly accused and convicted, Conan Doyle wrote this novel from the colonial standpoint, with all that comes of it, abasing on the way, indirectly, everything Oriental, or not English. This dichotomy is typical for most of the colonial literature of this age. There are quite some usages of black Africans as N..., and his stance on Orientals/Arabs is only slightly better. This was the part of the novel I quite disliked. But Conan Doyle redeems himself with great characterisation of the protagonists (and antagonists as well!!), with the descriptions of the Egyptian countryside (the narrow strip of fertile land by the Nile and the barren desert surrounding it) and with something I am not quite sure how to term it, but spiritualism and justified retribution would come nearest. All in all, the novel left me with some indescribable and mixed feelings.

A sly litle book this one with a little digs at everyone.

Even though this is Arthur Conan Doyle, this is not Sherlock Holmes and Scotland Yard. It is an entertaining book about tourists in 1890 or so Egypt who get captured by insurgents. It is written right in the middle of the Sherlock Holmes-Doyle did write several novels and short stories other than the master crime solver ones. It is fairly short, without mystery. Probably at the time, it was of interest to those in England because of circumstances in Egypt.

Is it worth a read today? Yes, but not a must read, but an interesting one from a good writer. (I really rated this as a 3 1/2 rather than a 3.( One warning: a lot of language acceptable in 1890's, particularly concerning races and religions may be offensive to those reading it today. On the other hand, Doyle's descriptions will be reticent of some of the events in this day and age.

For more on my thoughts on this book, take a look at my blog.

La guerra mahdista del Sudán de finales del siglo XIX está hoy en día casi completamente olvidada por el gran público, pero en su momento tuvo un eco enorme y atrajo la atención de medio mundo, y prácticamente pintores, periodistas, escritores y muchos otros dedicaron tiempo a ella. De estos últimos desde Churchill, Kipling, Salgari, Sienkiewicz, Mason...pero también Conan Doyle, el celebérrimo padre de Sherlock Holmes.

"La tragedia del Korosko" es una novela de aventuras bastante interesante, donde además de plantearnos un secuestro y posterior resolución de los europeos por parte de los derviches, se plantean temas como el turismo, la fe, las relaciones internacionales y por supuesto la supervivencia casi darwinista en situaciones límite.

Escrito en la etapa de "desintoxicación" de las novelas de Holmes (al final como sabemos volvería a "reincidir") no se encuentra entre lo mejor de Doyle -sobre todo por situaciones muy poco verosímiles argumentales- pero al que le interese el tema y el autor, es una lectura que no molesta.

Though the volume was penned at the end of the 1800s, nevertheless some of the descriptions and dialogue seem as if they are being played out in the present. Instead of the culprits being cultural terrorists in the 21st Century Levant, they are 19th Century Dervish Warriors from Upper Eqypt; but the similarities are stunning. The tale chronicles the capture and conveyance of several European tourists who have wheeled up the Nile to Abousir on the Korosko. Their captors are cunning and cutthroat. Yet the captives grow and change through the ordeal, exposing character flaws as well as genuine courage. There are places where old British colonialism shows through the story, along with it's rationale, which will likely surprise North American readers in its prescient description. It is a book ideal for the younger and older. I happily recommend the book.