Yankee Pasha

by Edison Marshall

Out of the Adirondack Mountains, in the rough-and-tumble days following the American Revolution, comes Jason Starbuck, with some scalps on his pouch and a deep longing in his heart. In colonial Salem he finds Roxanna Reil, half French and half Puritan - proud, bold, beautiful - and the talk (some would say the scandal!) of that staid salt-water town.

Roxanna had survived the Reign of Terror in France only through a daring mind and an unconventional approach to the facts of life. She knows what she wants now. Her sun-struck hair makes Jason think of the Golden Fleece that another Jason searched for, and he loves her with mountain intensity and directness.

When Roxana disappears at sea, Jason sets out to find her. The faint trail begins at the pirate court of Algiers, then moves further into th emysterious East. He becomes, to all appearances, another renegade from the West, willing to fight and kill in exchange for loot. Playing his part to the hilt, he covets blue-eyed Lilith, a fiery and beautiful Circassian, and she is both a solace and a problem for him.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Edison Tesla Marshall (28 August 1894, Rensselaer, Indiana - 29 October 1967 Augusta, Georgia) was an American short story writer and novelist.

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, old-fashioned adventure story. Not as multi-dimensional as Beau Geste or Ivanhoe, but still a very worthy read and one that I have enjoyed re-reading several times.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't 10 minutes into the book before I was hooked, excellent book.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young self-made man uses his frontier skills to build a life and find a wife. A historical romance set in New England and the Muslim world in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Growing up on the frontier, Jason Starbuck is self-educated with the help of this parents and French companion Pierre. When his parents are killed by Indians, after taking revenge, he goes to Salem to find his uncle. That doesn’t work out well. He becomes a sailor, sails around the world, and uses some of the profit to build a fishing boat for market and hire. A love triangle develops between him, the newly returned Roxanne, and a rich aristocratic, Dick Featherstone who hires Jason’s boat. After Dick and Roxanne are set to marry, Jason sails off to see his uncle who is jailed in Charleston and soon to be hung. Meanwhile, Roxanne jilts Dick and goes back to France to be with her father. Eventually, she is captured and enslaved by pirates. Once Jason finds out, the story changes locations to the Muslim world, as he sets out to find and rescue Roxanne. Starting in North Africa pirate dens, he ends up travelling to Constantinople and many places further east, finally obtaining Roxanne from the Cham of the Tartars. Eventually, Jason and Roxanne return to Salem and marry. Great adventures (fights, hunts, escapes, rescues) and a wonderful romance (both Roxanne and Lilith). Love the book; never have seen the movie.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who enjoys Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey and Maturin novels or Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels will quite enjoy Edison Marshall's Yankee Pasha. I'm surprised it has not been republished using that exact marketing.

[Andrzej Cholewa]

Started reading, should be a good one.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic adventure tale for written for men (and marketed to them per the cover art). Our hero goes undercover in Islam to free his bride.

[Karla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well Edison...you started out very well and I thought about a 1/3 of the way through this was going to be a wonderful read, then I came the middle 1/3 and you lost me, but I did not give up and the last 1/3 partly redeemed you....so your final score just a 2 this could have been so much better.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic old time adventure story. Jason Starbuck's travels from the Adirondack Mountains to the seraglios of Constantinople.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

american travels to land of islam in search of kidnapped girl friend. many sub plots, lots of info on ways of muslems fairly treated by author

[Muriel Schwenck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as a youngster. Marshall is a bit odd, but very entertaining,