What do you think?
Rate this book
Duke de Richleau #5
The Forbidden Territory
The Duke receives a coded message from his missing friend, Van Ryn, who had been hunting for treasure lost during the Soviet takeover of Russia and is now in prison somewhere in that vast country.
Along with the Duke, good friends Simon Aron and Richard Eaton set off on a secret mission to secure Van Ryn's escape. Without official papers, they lead a thrilling caper, hunted by the Secret Police through Siberia and across the plains, mountains, and forests of Soviet Russia.
Along with the Duke, good friends Simon Aron and Richard Eaton set off on a secret mission to secure Van Ryn's escape. Without official papers, they lead a thrilling caper, hunted by the Secret Police through Siberia and across the plains, mountains, and forests of Soviet Russia.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 1933
21 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
About the author
Dennis Wheatley
377 books251 followersDennis Yates Wheatley (8 January 1897 – 10 November 1977) [Born: Dennis Yeats Wheatley] was an English author. His prolific output of stylish thrillers and occult novels made him one of the world's best-selling authors in the 1950s and 1960s.
His first book, Three Inquisitive People, was not immediately published; but his first published novel, The Forbidden Territory, was an immediate success when published in 1933, being reprinted seven times in seven weeks.
He wrote adventure stories, with many books in a series of linked works. His plots covered the French Revolution (Roger Brook Series), Satanism (Duc de Richleau), World War II (Gregory Sallust) and espionage (Julian Day).
In the thirties, he conceived a series of whodunit mysteries, presented as case files, with testimonies, letters, pieces of evidence such as hairs or pills. The reader had to go through the evidence to solve the mystery before unsealing the last pages of the file, which gave the answer. Four of these 'Crime Dossiers' were published: Murder Off Miami, Who Killed Robert Prentice, The Malinsay Massacre, and Herewith The Clues.
In the 1960s his publishers were selling a million copies of his books per year. A small number of his books were made into films by Hammer, of which the best known is The Devil Rides Out (book 1934, film 1968). His writing is very descriptive and in many works he manages to introduce his characters into real events while meeting real people. For example, in the Roger Brook series the main character involves himself with Napoleon, and Joséphine whilst being a spy for the Prime Minister William Pitt. Similarly, in the Gregory Sallust series, Sallust shares an evening meal with Hermann Göring.
He also wrote non-fiction works, including accounts of the Russian Revolution and King Charles II, and his autobiography. He was considered an authority on the supernatural, satanism, the practice of exorcism, and black magic, to all of which he was hostile. During his study of the paranormal, though, he joined the Ghost Club.
From 1974 through 1977 he edited a series of 45 paperback reprints for the British publisher Sphere under the heading "The Dennis Wheatley Library of the Occult", selecting the titles and writing short introductions for each book. This series included both occult-themed novels by the likes of Bram Stoker and Aleister Crowley and non-fiction works on magic, occultism, and divination by authors such as the Theosophist H. P. Blavatsky, the historian Maurice Magre, the magician Isaac Bonewits, and the palm-reader Cheiro.
Two weeks before his death in November 1977, Wheatley received conditional absolution from his old friend Cyril ‘Bobby’ Eastaugh, the Bishop of Peterborough.
His estate library was sold in a catalogue sale by Basil Blackwell's in the 1970s, indicating a thoroughly well-read individual with wide-ranging interests particularly in historical fiction and Europe. His influence has declined, partly due to difficulties in reprinting his works owing to copyright problems.
Fifty-two of Wheatley's novels were published posthumously in a set by Heron Books UK. More recently, in April 2008 Dennis Wheatley's literary estate was acquired by media company Chorion.
He invented a number of board games including Invasion.
-Wikipedia
His first book, Three Inquisitive People, was not immediately published; but his first published novel, The Forbidden Territory, was an immediate success when published in 1933, being reprinted seven times in seven weeks.
He wrote adventure stories, with many books in a series of linked works. His plots covered the French Revolution (Roger Brook Series), Satanism (Duc de Richleau), World War II (Gregory Sallust) and espionage (Julian Day).
In the thirties, he conceived a series of whodunit mysteries, presented as case files, with testimonies, letters, pieces of evidence such as hairs or pills. The reader had to go through the evidence to solve the mystery before unsealing the last pages of the file, which gave the answer. Four of these 'Crime Dossiers' were published: Murder Off Miami, Who Killed Robert Prentice, The Malinsay Massacre, and Herewith The Clues.
In the 1960s his publishers were selling a million copies of his books per year. A small number of his books were made into films by Hammer, of which the best known is The Devil Rides Out (book 1934, film 1968). His writing is very descriptive and in many works he manages to introduce his characters into real events while meeting real people. For example, in the Roger Brook series the main character involves himself with Napoleon, and Joséphine whilst being a spy for the Prime Minister William Pitt. Similarly, in the Gregory Sallust series, Sallust shares an evening meal with Hermann Göring.
He also wrote non-fiction works, including accounts of the Russian Revolution and King Charles II, and his autobiography. He was considered an authority on the supernatural, satanism, the practice of exorcism, and black magic, to all of which he was hostile. During his study of the paranormal, though, he joined the Ghost Club.
From 1974 through 1977 he edited a series of 45 paperback reprints for the British publisher Sphere under the heading "The Dennis Wheatley Library of the Occult", selecting the titles and writing short introductions for each book. This series included both occult-themed novels by the likes of Bram Stoker and Aleister Crowley and non-fiction works on magic, occultism, and divination by authors such as the Theosophist H. P. Blavatsky, the historian Maurice Magre, the magician Isaac Bonewits, and the palm-reader Cheiro.
Two weeks before his death in November 1977, Wheatley received conditional absolution from his old friend Cyril ‘Bobby’ Eastaugh, the Bishop of Peterborough.
His estate library was sold in a catalogue sale by Basil Blackwell's in the 1970s, indicating a thoroughly well-read individual with wide-ranging interests particularly in historical fiction and Europe. His influence has declined, partly due to difficulties in reprinting his works owing to copyright problems.
Fifty-two of Wheatley's novels were published posthumously in a set by Heron Books UK. More recently, in April 2008 Dennis Wheatley's literary estate was acquired by media company Chorion.
He invented a number of board games including Invasion.
-Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 10, 2014
Dennis Wheatly was a very popular writer of British mystery, espionage, and occult from the 30s to the 60s. His heroes were the precursor to James Bond in that they tend to be debonair but manly. If The Forbidden Territory is typical. his characters love adventure, adore the ladies, and relish a little top secret action now and then. But they seem to be very British...er...civilized. They never kill unless totally necessary. In this case, unlike James Bond who had a license to kill, they have a learner's permit.
The Forbidden Territory was Wheatley's first published novel (1933) but not his first written novel. His heroes are essentially a trio consisting of French aristocrat Duke de Richleau, the Jewish financier Simon Aron, and wealthy American Rex Van Ryn. One must applaud Wheatley's decision to have such a diverse group yet on paper they all come out sounding rather British. The plot hinges around Richleau and Aron going to Soviet Russia to save their friend Rex from prison. It seems he wandered off to "forbidden territories" that are closed to foreigners. He does have a secret agenda that supplies the motive and thrills for this adventure. On the way one of our rescuers, Simon, has a romance, runs into an especially nasty villain, and all concerned learn how to fly a plane on the run. If I seem a little tongue in cheek, it's because I'm not always sure how serious the author wishes us to take this. It's quite a romp with rather good action but I feel that the author is saying, "Gee! Isn't this clever?". But all in all, it's a lot of fun.
One of the more interesting elements is Wheatley's description of Stalinist Russia in the 30s. I do not know how accurate his description was for the time but Wheatley did have military intelligence background. He does seem to get across a good sense of what it may have been like to live under this dictatorship yet also communicate the basic geniality of the Russians. In this way, this novel may be a capsule of the British's, and American's, perception of the pre-cold war Soviet Union. It is one of the most interesting part of the book. But it is basically good adventure tale and a popular one for its time. Recommended for those who like rip-roaring tales and foreign intrigue.
The Forbidden Territory was Wheatley's first published novel (1933) but not his first written novel. His heroes are essentially a trio consisting of French aristocrat Duke de Richleau, the Jewish financier Simon Aron, and wealthy American Rex Van Ryn. One must applaud Wheatley's decision to have such a diverse group yet on paper they all come out sounding rather British. The plot hinges around Richleau and Aron going to Soviet Russia to save their friend Rex from prison. It seems he wandered off to "forbidden territories" that are closed to foreigners. He does have a secret agenda that supplies the motive and thrills for this adventure. On the way one of our rescuers, Simon, has a romance, runs into an especially nasty villain, and all concerned learn how to fly a plane on the run. If I seem a little tongue in cheek, it's because I'm not always sure how serious the author wishes us to take this. It's quite a romp with rather good action but I feel that the author is saying, "Gee! Isn't this clever?". But all in all, it's a lot of fun.
One of the more interesting elements is Wheatley's description of Stalinist Russia in the 30s. I do not know how accurate his description was for the time but Wheatley did have military intelligence background. He does seem to get across a good sense of what it may have been like to live under this dictatorship yet also communicate the basic geniality of the Russians. In this way, this novel may be a capsule of the British's, and American's, perception of the pre-cold war Soviet Union. It is one of the most interesting part of the book. But it is basically good adventure tale and a popular one for its time. Recommended for those who like rip-roaring tales and foreign intrigue.
December 27, 2016
My understanding of Dennis Wheatley goes something like this.
His first book (this one) was a best seller in 1933. Following that success, he was one of the best selling British authors up to his death in the 70s. His American contemporaries would include Edgar Rice Burroughs. Wheatley mainly wrote in two genres - adventure (usually spy fiction) and occult horror, or sometimes a mix of both. Wheatleys series of novels around Gregory Sallust (of which this is not one) is often cited as an influence on Ian Flemming and the James Bond series. In a case of art imitating life, Wheatley also used his expertise and helped Britain during the war, i.e. writing real-life espionage plans against the Nazis.
Wheatley's name has faded, possibly as he was a writer of his times and maybe not all of his thoughts are modern. I picked up this as a discount ebook in what was part of a major relaunch of Wheatley, with plugs from Neil Gaiman among others. Perhaps I should have stocked up, but I didn't know how it was going to go, so I started with #1.
What's interesting of course is the book was published in 1933, It predates James Bond (as mentioned above) but a lot of adventure writers, including much of the spy genre and masters of the craft like John Le carre or those who have taken it to extremes like Mark Millar. Of note, it actually is a Cold war book despite the date really. The story is of our two suave European protagonists who travel to Siberia (see the title) to rescue an imprisoned American. Wheatley draws a strong picture of Stalinist Russia that bests many storytellers
I give it positive points in that it does this story quite well. It jumps into action and fleshes out the characters enough that it neither slows down the book nor skimps to make them quickly drawn caricatures. The characters are debonair and knowing and certainly would fit in with Bond or his many imitators. What is impressive is how well it stands up even after decades of what has come sense. The logistics are more Bond than Le carre. Things just work out in the nick of time. It's more adrenaline rush than cerebral combat.
Books like this do run the risk of running out of steam and Wheatley does a pretty masterly job of moving from scene to scene. The book is as much of a pageturner as anything on the shelves in this current year.
My main criticism is the book seems like it loses some momentum when it switches between the three protagonists. There are logistical reasons why it might make sense, but the book seems to downshift when focused on the less colorful character. I don't have the problem with the teamup as the three work in a complimentary way, and certainly the story and heroes would work well as a graphic novel.
I liked this and would recommend to those interested in the genre and particularly the history of the genre. I think I would like to try his other books.
His first book (this one) was a best seller in 1933. Following that success, he was one of the best selling British authors up to his death in the 70s. His American contemporaries would include Edgar Rice Burroughs. Wheatley mainly wrote in two genres - adventure (usually spy fiction) and occult horror, or sometimes a mix of both. Wheatleys series of novels around Gregory Sallust (of which this is not one) is often cited as an influence on Ian Flemming and the James Bond series. In a case of art imitating life, Wheatley also used his expertise and helped Britain during the war, i.e. writing real-life espionage plans against the Nazis.
Wheatley's name has faded, possibly as he was a writer of his times and maybe not all of his thoughts are modern. I picked up this as a discount ebook in what was part of a major relaunch of Wheatley, with plugs from Neil Gaiman among others. Perhaps I should have stocked up, but I didn't know how it was going to go, so I started with #1.
What's interesting of course is the book was published in 1933, It predates James Bond (as mentioned above) but a lot of adventure writers, including much of the spy genre and masters of the craft like John Le carre or those who have taken it to extremes like Mark Millar. Of note, it actually is a Cold war book despite the date really. The story is of our two suave European protagonists who travel to Siberia (see the title) to rescue an imprisoned American. Wheatley draws a strong picture of Stalinist Russia that bests many storytellers
I give it positive points in that it does this story quite well. It jumps into action and fleshes out the characters enough that it neither slows down the book nor skimps to make them quickly drawn caricatures. The characters are debonair and knowing and certainly would fit in with Bond or his many imitators. What is impressive is how well it stands up even after decades of what has come sense. The logistics are more Bond than Le carre. Things just work out in the nick of time. It's more adrenaline rush than cerebral combat.
Books like this do run the risk of running out of steam and Wheatley does a pretty masterly job of moving from scene to scene. The book is as much of a pageturner as anything on the shelves in this current year.
My main criticism is the book seems like it loses some momentum when it switches between the three protagonists. There are logistical reasons why it might make sense, but the book seems to downshift when focused on the less colorful character. I don't have the problem with the teamup as the three work in a complimentary way, and certainly the story and heroes would work well as a graphic novel.
I liked this and would recommend to those interested in the genre and particularly the history of the genre. I think I would like to try his other books.
April 21, 2016
Review: FORBIDDEN TERRITORY by Dennis Wheatley
The early 20th century was plentiful with prolific authors: Dennis Wheatley, Sax Rohmer, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and many more. Most hold in common intriguing characters, wildly adventurous plots, and writing that is easily accessible, even nearly a century later. I'm so glad to see Dennis Wheatley's work in new publication. At minimum, his novels provide scenic, adventuresome, heart-in-mouth escapism, a perfect comfortable evening's reading entertainment, and maybe, some food for thought too.
The early 20th century was plentiful with prolific authors: Dennis Wheatley, Sax Rohmer, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and many more. Most hold in common intriguing characters, wildly adventurous plots, and writing that is easily accessible, even nearly a century later. I'm so glad to see Dennis Wheatley's work in new publication. At minimum, his novels provide scenic, adventuresome, heart-in-mouth escapism, a perfect comfortable evening's reading entertainment, and maybe, some food for thought too.
November 3, 2025
The book starts well, with intrigue, suspense, and direction. The chapters are short and the plot moves quickly. Characters are introduced well, each with their own quirks. The first half of the book carries on like this, a solid 4-star affair. But around the halfway point, things become a little more random. Wheatley introduces new conflicts, but either resolves them so quickly and easily that you’re left wondering why they were presented in the first place, or extracts characters from impossible circumstances with barely any effort—prisons without guards, friends where there’s no business being friends. It’s a fun read, mostly, but the latter stages feel lazily plotted, turning a good book into one that’s just okay.
February 10, 2015
The Forbidden Territory features a pleasantly diverse group of adventurers hunting treasure and having to escape from early Stalinist Russia. They enjoy lots of thrills and romance along the way. It's a very British novel, with well drawn descriptions of places and characters. I had previously been familiar with his Occult stories, but he wrote many straight adventure stories as well, and is in fact credited with being a big influence on Ian Fleming's iconic Bond character. Wheatley never gained the popularity in the U.S. that his contemporaries Sax Rohmer and Leslie Charteris enjoyed, though this book reminded me more of the early Saint stories than anything else. This edition has a strangely decorated skull on the cover for no particular reason, and an interesting introduction by the author's grandson. I was pleased to win my copy in a Goodreads giveaway.
October 10, 2018
A cry for help from a friend in a coded letter sends two friends Duke de Richleau and Simon Aron on a dangerous adventure to the bleak landscape of Siberia.
Although listed on my Kindle as Book 5 in the de Richleau series, this was in fact Dennis Wheatley first published novel in 1933. I have read one of his books before and really enjoyed it, they are real boys own adventures and good fun and this was no exception. No time is wasted in getting on with the adventure, there are plenty of perilous exploits, spies, treasure and a little romance thrown in too. Good fun.
Although listed on my Kindle as Book 5 in the de Richleau series, this was in fact Dennis Wheatley first published novel in 1933. I have read one of his books before and really enjoyed it, they are real boys own adventures and good fun and this was no exception. No time is wasted in getting on with the adventure, there are plenty of perilous exploits, spies, treasure and a little romance thrown in too. Good fun.
October 21, 2014
The Forbidden Territory, by Dennis Wheatley—The Prince of Thriller Writers—and published in 1933, is an interesting first novel by a writer that was a bestselling novelist from the ‘30s through the ‘60s.
Mr. Wheatley’s Gregory Sallust series was also a major inspiration for the James Bond series by Ian Fleming. Though Sallust is not infected with Fleming’s reactionary racism.
As well as being well written from a technical perspective—plot, story, dialogue, exposition, The Forbidden Territory is also an interesting window on the late British Empire. For this reason, if no other, the books of Dennis Wheatley are worth reading. These are also worth reading, on the most important level, because they are an enjoyable experience. This pleasure begins with The Forbidden Territory.
The essential story is that one of the Duke de Richleau’s friends has been captured in the Soviet Union during the early Stalinist period. His friend, Rex Van Ryn [remember this was published in ’33 and this sort of character name was not unusual], was treasure hunting [seeking a pre-revolutionary stash] when he was captured and imprisoned. The bulk of the story is taken up with Richleau’s attempts, along with other friends, of rescuing Rex Van Ryn.
Forbidden takes a deeply critical, but not reactionary, view of the Soviet Union, but this does not get in the way of the story.
The sad thing about Dennis Wheatley is not his books, they are a lot of fun, the sad thing is he and his books have been mostly forgotten and they should not be. Even today they read wonderfully. Mr. Wheatley specialized in espionage, occult, science fiction, and in the action/adventure/thriller genres—with a little non-fiction historical work thrown in. Forbidden is an action/adventure/thriller entry and though not at the breakneck pace of today’s thriller it is still a wonderful read.
Although cultural sentiments may be a bit dated and reactionary the heart of the book is very accessible and, more importantly, enjoyable.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
High Recommended to fans of adventure/thriller fiction.
Mr. Wheatley’s books are available on Amazon in Kindle format and for reasonable prices.
Mr. Wheatley’s Gregory Sallust series was also a major inspiration for the James Bond series by Ian Fleming. Though Sallust is not infected with Fleming’s reactionary racism.
As well as being well written from a technical perspective—plot, story, dialogue, exposition, The Forbidden Territory is also an interesting window on the late British Empire. For this reason, if no other, the books of Dennis Wheatley are worth reading. These are also worth reading, on the most important level, because they are an enjoyable experience. This pleasure begins with The Forbidden Territory.
The essential story is that one of the Duke de Richleau’s friends has been captured in the Soviet Union during the early Stalinist period. His friend, Rex Van Ryn [remember this was published in ’33 and this sort of character name was not unusual], was treasure hunting [seeking a pre-revolutionary stash] when he was captured and imprisoned. The bulk of the story is taken up with Richleau’s attempts, along with other friends, of rescuing Rex Van Ryn.
Forbidden takes a deeply critical, but not reactionary, view of the Soviet Union, but this does not get in the way of the story.
The sad thing about Dennis Wheatley is not his books, they are a lot of fun, the sad thing is he and his books have been mostly forgotten and they should not be. Even today they read wonderfully. Mr. Wheatley specialized in espionage, occult, science fiction, and in the action/adventure/thriller genres—with a little non-fiction historical work thrown in. Forbidden is an action/adventure/thriller entry and though not at the breakneck pace of today’s thriller it is still a wonderful read.
Although cultural sentiments may be a bit dated and reactionary the heart of the book is very accessible and, more importantly, enjoyable.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
High Recommended to fans of adventure/thriller fiction.
Mr. Wheatley’s books are available on Amazon in Kindle format and for reasonable prices.
April 28, 2012
Although this was Wheatley's first published novel it shows that he was already a very accomplished author. It was not the first Wheatley book that I read, but it contained the Duc De Richleau, Rex and Simon, characters from several other of his novels, and the reason I chose to read it. At first I was a little disappointed that this was not an occult novel, but I soon got into it. It is actually a rip roaring adventure story for adults, with intricately described landscapes, complex plots and familiar characters.
October 9, 2013
This was not what I expected and really isn't my taste.
However, for one who does like this era and the "genteel" man who adores the ladies, this book is for you. The author is classically talented with a unique ability to stroke his words. He has earned his literary stature with his distinctive descriptive manner and crisp story weaving.
However, for one who does like this era and the "genteel" man who adores the ladies, this book is for you. The author is classically talented with a unique ability to stroke his words. He has earned his literary stature with his distinctive descriptive manner and crisp story weaving.
December 8, 2013
A fascinating tale of derring-do, written in Mr Wheatley's crisp style... the Duke is especially ruthless
August 4, 2025
In this novel set in the pre-war Soviet Union Dennis Wheatley conjures up well the control the state exerted during then (and, unfortunately, still does now). The OGPU (forerunner of the KGB) listens to every conversation it can and the only semi-safe place to talk is in the open air. All travel for foreigners is controlled by Intourist, and if you are not where you should be at the time you are expected there, the hunt is on for you. Only designated areas are open to foreigners (or even Soviet citizens who have no legitimate reason to be elsewhere). There are some areas that are particularly forbidden because of activities the Soviets do not wish anyone to know anything about - the "Forbidden Territory" of the novel. I remember this well from my trips to Soviet Russia before the fall of the communist regime, even down to my taking a wrong turning (fortunately not into Forbidden Territory though!) when driving to Leningrad and being escorted by armed guards back to the correct route. Dennis Wheatley never visited the Soviet Union, but he researched it well and the atmosphere he depicts gives the impression he really knew the country and the regime very well.
One slight error is his assertion that it was only criminals who were sent to forced labour camps in Siberia, and that political opponents of the regime, whilst still exiled to Siberia, were allowed to live there and conduct their trades or professions as normal. Given he wrote this novel over 40 years before the publication of The Gulag Archipelago, at a time when very few if any in the West were aware of the extent of the Gulag, this is not surprising.
The novel introduces us to the characters who later appear in Wheatley's "The Devil Rides Out". It is a good idea to read "The Forbidden Territory" first if you intend to read "The Devil Rides Out", but there is no black magic in "The Forbidden Territory", which is a gripping adventure novel. The main characters in this novel who then appear in the later "The Devil Rides Out" are the Duke de Richleau, Simon Aron, and Rex Van Ryn, with the fourth friend from "The Devil Rides Out", Richard Eaton, appearing towards the end. Dennis Wheatley thought of them as his "modern musketeers" and they appear in a number of his novels usually listed as the "Duke de Richleau" series. In this novel (or perhaps just in this edition?) the Duke de Richleau is misspelled as Duc de Reichleau, but the name that appears in all the other books in the series is the Duke de Richleau.
As is the case with many Wheatley books, there is both love interest and action in this novel. The love interest is discretely told rather than outlined in garish detail. The action develops well, keeping you wanting to turn the next page. The main protagonists show clear moral character, taking decisions they know may not seem to be in their own best interests but which they also know are ethically the right decisions.
I really enjoyed this read, feeling fulfilled when I read the final thrilling page.
One slight error is his assertion that it was only criminals who were sent to forced labour camps in Siberia, and that political opponents of the regime, whilst still exiled to Siberia, were allowed to live there and conduct their trades or professions as normal. Given he wrote this novel over 40 years before the publication of The Gulag Archipelago, at a time when very few if any in the West were aware of the extent of the Gulag, this is not surprising.
The novel introduces us to the characters who later appear in Wheatley's "The Devil Rides Out". It is a good idea to read "The Forbidden Territory" first if you intend to read "The Devil Rides Out", but there is no black magic in "The Forbidden Territory", which is a gripping adventure novel. The main characters in this novel who then appear in the later "The Devil Rides Out" are the Duke de Richleau, Simon Aron, and Rex Van Ryn, with the fourth friend from "The Devil Rides Out", Richard Eaton, appearing towards the end. Dennis Wheatley thought of them as his "modern musketeers" and they appear in a number of his novels usually listed as the "Duke de Richleau" series. In this novel (or perhaps just in this edition?) the Duke de Richleau is misspelled as Duc de Reichleau, but the name that appears in all the other books in the series is the Duke de Richleau.
As is the case with many Wheatley books, there is both love interest and action in this novel. The love interest is discretely told rather than outlined in garish detail. The action develops well, keeping you wanting to turn the next page. The main protagonists show clear moral character, taking decisions they know may not seem to be in their own best interests but which they also know are ethically the right decisions.
I really enjoyed this read, feeling fulfilled when I read the final thrilling page.
May 30, 2020
3.7/5
This is the first Wheatley novel I've read after a friend of mine bought for me out of the blue, thinking I'd enjoy it. Awfully nice of him, and for the record I enjoyed it for what it was.
Here we have an old adventure pulp from a precursor of James Bond himself, by a man who served alongside the talented, though flawed Ian Fleming. Published in 1933, it kinda shows its age in its language and handling of certain elements like sex and women, though it's more tasteful than Fleming's work.
I'll admit I didn't really know what to expect from this. I was half-expecting an old-fashioned, almost Raiders of the Lost Ark style treasure hunt, which it sort of was, but mostly wasn't; and maybe an espionage cat-and-mouse adventure, which it also kinda was. It didn't match either of my expectations, but aside from a somewhat slow start and a number of plot conveniences on which I think Wheatley started to rely on a little too heavily at times, The Forbidden Territory is an interesting and entertaining (and yes, at times thrilling) entry in what I understand to be a long-running series of De Richleau novels. Sometimes Wheatley's writing left me a little cold to its unnecessary wordiness and fluff, but I think, considering this was first published in 1933, that's something I could probably blame more on the times than the author himself. Every generation of writers brought about its own use of the ever-evolving English language--it's much simpler now than it was then (LOL).
This is the first Wheatley novel I've read after a friend of mine bought for me out of the blue, thinking I'd enjoy it. Awfully nice of him, and for the record I enjoyed it for what it was.
Here we have an old adventure pulp from a precursor of James Bond himself, by a man who served alongside the talented, though flawed Ian Fleming. Published in 1933, it kinda shows its age in its language and handling of certain elements like sex and women, though it's more tasteful than Fleming's work.
I'll admit I didn't really know what to expect from this. I was half-expecting an old-fashioned, almost Raiders of the Lost Ark style treasure hunt, which it sort of was, but mostly wasn't; and maybe an espionage cat-and-mouse adventure, which it also kinda was. It didn't match either of my expectations, but aside from a somewhat slow start and a number of plot conveniences on which I think Wheatley started to rely on a little too heavily at times, The Forbidden Territory is an interesting and entertaining (and yes, at times thrilling) entry in what I understand to be a long-running series of De Richleau novels. Sometimes Wheatley's writing left me a little cold to its unnecessary wordiness and fluff, but I think, considering this was first published in 1933, that's something I could probably blame more on the times than the author himself. Every generation of writers brought about its own use of the ever-evolving English language--it's much simpler now than it was then (LOL).
April 22, 2019
I'm bit of a stickler for reading books in the correct series order, but in this instance I read the sequel, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT, first (inevitably due to the supernatural content and the excellent Hammer Films adaptation of it). Going back in time, THE FORBIDDEN TERRITORY is a very different beast indeed. No black magic, devil worship or even a hint at it here; this is a pure spy-style adventure in which the Duc de Richleau and his buddy Simon head off into Stalinist Russia in search of their friend Rex, a man hunting for hidden secret. What follows is fast-paced and often thrilling, offering a good mix of the staples of this genre: vehicle chases, romance, betrayal, fights and a constant battle of wits between friends and foes. The exotic, secretive setting, not often explored in literature, makes this a stand-out.
May 29, 2025
Wheatley's first published novel is a fun glimpse at the "thrillers" that were so popular in the 1930's. Wheatley was almost as popular as Agatha Christie in his heyday, but his works have fallen out of the public eye. This is probably because the pacing is so different from contemporary "thrillers," while Christie's pacing is still familiar to current readings. Still, Wheatley is a talented reader, and his globe-trotting storyline is interesting and held my interest. The politics and sensibilities clearly show it as a product of its time, but I found it immersive, and a solid read. I will definitely continue reading his books!
November 21, 2017
It is the year 1933 and the Duke DeRichleau enlists the aid of his friend Simon to help him in rescuing their friend Rex from a prison in Russia.
As I read this book, it began to remind me of Ian Fleming's Bond novels, one problem after another that the Duke and his friends must overcome. I had to keep reminding myself that it was actually written in 1933, as it just seemed as if it was a newer book (and I marveled at how well Wheatley deliniated those time).
I'm looking forward to reading further adventures of the Duke!
As I read this book, it began to remind me of Ian Fleming's Bond novels, one problem after another that the Duke and his friends must overcome. I had to keep reminding myself that it was actually written in 1933, as it just seemed as if it was a newer book (and I marveled at how well Wheatley deliniated those time).
I'm looking forward to reading further adventures of the Duke!
July 19, 2020
Yes another superb book by Wheatley.
Every page is a thrill and it’s non stop action throughout, and I recommend reading this one first before trying the Satan books in this series.
It does however present some challenges in the forms of anti Semitic slurs, racism and sexism. As long as you can look past this, it is a great read that won’t tax your brain too much.
Every page is a thrill and it’s non stop action throughout, and I recommend reading this one first before trying the Satan books in this series.
It does however present some challenges in the forms of anti Semitic slurs, racism and sexism. As long as you can look past this, it is a great read that won’t tax your brain too much.
January 5, 2024
An exciting adventure book written in the 1930s set in Russia. Rich westerners go in to try and retrieve a friend who has been imprisoned after searching for hidden treasure in a sensitive location, ‘the forbidden territory’. They are pursued and captured and must make their escape. Very entertaining!
August 14, 2025
Prior attempts at reading Wheatley decades ago resulted in DNF. This one was really good. Perhaps I chose poorly long ago or am just more conditioned to British pulp writing these days thanks to bingeing on Sexton Blake stories. It's a shame most of Wheatley's novels are out of print. Tough ebay days ahead!
April 10, 2018
A fast moving adventure story dealing with a newly minted Soviet Russia. Daring prison escapes, treasure hunts, and plane chases. It's a charming read despite some fairly dated language and quite a bit of dubious morality. I'm glad this is back in print, and look forward to reading the sequel.
July 4, 2020
WOW!! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Like "Codeword - Golden Fleece", it has all the best ingredients - intrigue, stealth, action, thrills and suspense. An absolute page-turner with such lovable characters! Five stars seems just too little!
September 1, 2023
Dennis Wheatley was a British author. This story, published in 1933, is also set in 1930's Europe. Several friends with espionage experience rescue a friend imprisoned in Russia. Stalin is in power, Bolsheviks and Communists are prevalent and, of course the snow-filled desolation of Siberia.
July 16, 2017
Dennis Wheatley's first effort is a great old school adventure.
The new Kindle versions are censored. Pretty embarrassing.
The new Kindle versions are censored. Pretty embarrassing.
November 27, 2018
Brilliant. The night-before-the-execution scene is beautiful.
March 2, 2020
I absolutely loved this, it wasn't as predictable as you would think. If you want a good adventure with plenty of action, this is one for you!
Read
June 14, 2021One of my introductions to Dennis, to whom I became addicted. A good addiction!
March 30, 2022
Dennis Wheatley's first book we are told. As always great characters and now onto his black magic series.
December 20, 2022
Hokey, generally inferior to modern thrillers, primarily of historical interest for the genre.
Read
November 27, 2015Who? Dennis Wheatley was a prolific and best-selling author whom I never heard about before Kenneth Hite mentioned him on his and Robin D. Laws' podcast, Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff. And reading his wiki page, you can see why Hite would mention him: he was an occult and thriller writer (much like Ken's own rpg work) who worked during World War II as part of the deception planning section of the UK intelligence service; he's also a little conservative (much like Hite).
Why? Though he took over the successful family business (alcohol), the Great Depression forced Wheatley into looking for other sources of income. This is important, I think, because this book is best approached as a potboiler: Wheatley isn't interested in playing around with form, but in telling a fast, exciting story with readily identifiable heroes and villains.
What? The Forbidden Territory was Wheatley's first published novel, but! I think it's important to note that it was actually the second book he wrote with these characters, which gives them an interesting sense of having lives outside of the pages.
The main characters have--as many people note--a Three Musketeers vibe, an "all for one, one for all" attitude. There's the older, cultured, exiled Frenchman, the Duke de Richleau, a man who knows the world and can speak all the languages; there's the Jewish business Simon Aron, a clever man and passionate lover (who is a hero, though it wouldn't take much to tip this characterization over into Nazi propaganda); there's the bluff American athlete, Rex van Ryan, rich scion of American industry; and Richard Eaton, British something or other. (Diplomat? Rich twit? Definitely an airplane pilot.)
In this book, Rex has gone into the Soviet Union and disappeared, so Richleau and Aron go after him and get caught up in the search for the missing jewels of the Prince Shulimoff. During that adventure, Aron falls in love with a Communist actress and Eaton falls in love with the cruel Shulimoff's illegitimate daughter; and a Russian Kommissar makes it his mission to destroy them.
Which might make an exciting story, except our Three Musketeers (as in that book, there are actually four) are so competent and gifted. Money isn't an issue (they're all rich), knowledge isn't an issue (they're all educated), physical hardship is barely an issue (they all walk across Russia pretty easily). And their enemies are largely faceless, untalented, and/or melodramatically evil. The Forbidden Territory was a best-seller, which probably owes more to that sense of idolizing the heroes rather than worrying about them.
Only in the later half of the book does it actually become something of a traditional potboiler, with Rex, Simon, and the Duke imprisoned and the POV coming from the rather less impressive Richard Eaton. As opposed to the earlier parts where the Duke and Simon find exactly what they need with very little activity ("we need to know where Rex went?" "I am a tertiary character who knows where Rex went"), the second part has some fun setbacks that follow some of the classic "yes, but" structure of keeping your characters in trouble. (E.g.: Do they escape prison? Yes, but they get lost in the catacombs of horror.)
Which is not to say that this is a well-written book. Maybe it's the genre or the time-gap (this was published in 1933), but there are some parts where I really had to shrug my way through. This is the sort of book where someone will say, completely seriously, "So we meet once more, and for the last time, Kommissar Leshkin."
And now? I wouldn't feel the need to read another Wheatley book after this one--except that his next book is an occult adventure that might be interesting.
Note: I haven't gotten a clear idea of this, but it seems like the Bloomsbury edition might be pretty heavily edited without any note of that. Grrr...
Why? Though he took over the successful family business (alcohol), the Great Depression forced Wheatley into looking for other sources of income. This is important, I think, because this book is best approached as a potboiler: Wheatley isn't interested in playing around with form, but in telling a fast, exciting story with readily identifiable heroes and villains.
What? The Forbidden Territory was Wheatley's first published novel, but! I think it's important to note that it was actually the second book he wrote with these characters, which gives them an interesting sense of having lives outside of the pages.
The main characters have--as many people note--a Three Musketeers vibe, an "all for one, one for all" attitude. There's the older, cultured, exiled Frenchman, the Duke de Richleau, a man who knows the world and can speak all the languages; there's the Jewish business Simon Aron, a clever man and passionate lover (who is a hero, though it wouldn't take much to tip this characterization over into Nazi propaganda); there's the bluff American athlete, Rex van Ryan, rich scion of American industry; and Richard Eaton, British something or other. (Diplomat? Rich twit? Definitely an airplane pilot.)
In this book, Rex has gone into the Soviet Union and disappeared, so Richleau and Aron go after him and get caught up in the search for the missing jewels of the Prince Shulimoff. During that adventure, Aron falls in love with a Communist actress and Eaton falls in love with the cruel Shulimoff's illegitimate daughter; and a Russian Kommissar makes it his mission to destroy them.
Which might make an exciting story, except our Three Musketeers (as in that book, there are actually four) are so competent and gifted. Money isn't an issue (they're all rich), knowledge isn't an issue (they're all educated), physical hardship is barely an issue (they all walk across Russia pretty easily). And their enemies are largely faceless, untalented, and/or melodramatically evil. The Forbidden Territory was a best-seller, which probably owes more to that sense of idolizing the heroes rather than worrying about them.
Only in the later half of the book does it actually become something of a traditional potboiler, with Rex, Simon, and the Duke imprisoned and the POV coming from the rather less impressive Richard Eaton. As opposed to the earlier parts where the Duke and Simon find exactly what they need with very little activity ("we need to know where Rex went?" "I am a tertiary character who knows where Rex went"), the second part has some fun setbacks that follow some of the classic "yes, but" structure of keeping your characters in trouble. (E.g.: Do they escape prison? Yes, but they get lost in the catacombs of horror.)
Which is not to say that this is a well-written book. Maybe it's the genre or the time-gap (this was published in 1933), but there are some parts where I really had to shrug my way through. This is the sort of book where someone will say, completely seriously, "So we meet once more, and for the last time, Kommissar Leshkin."
And now? I wouldn't feel the need to read another Wheatley book after this one--except that his next book is an occult adventure that might be interesting.
Note: I haven't gotten a clear idea of this, but it seems like the Bloomsbury edition might be pretty heavily edited without any note of that. Grrr...
December 22, 2015
Fun time capsule of 1930's adventure set in the Soviet Union prior to WW2. Being 80 years old, the style is a bit dated, and many parts were a tad predictable (although Wheatley did throw me for a few loops) but at the same time it's fascinating to read the opinions of Communism, Stalin, Imperialism, and the political predictions for the world before anyone could know what the future would hold just a few short years after the book was written. Modern books set in this era have author and reader hindsight to influence them.
This book was inspirational for authors like Ian Flemming that came along later to dominate the Spy-Fi genre in the 50's and 60's.
Having read several of Wheatley's later books featuring the same quartet of characters, it was fun to see the original tale (which unlike Devil Rides Out and the other Black Magic books, has absolutely zero supernatural elements). As usual, the Duke de Richleau was a spectacular character and stole the show when ever he was in a scene.
While I enjoyed it, I wouldn't recommend Forbidden Territory to anyone unless they enjoyed Wheatley's Black Magic books or enjoyed classic espionage/thriller stories. It's definitely not for everyone.
This book was inspirational for authors like Ian Flemming that came along later to dominate the Spy-Fi genre in the 50's and 60's.
Having read several of Wheatley's later books featuring the same quartet of characters, it was fun to see the original tale (which unlike Devil Rides Out and the other Black Magic books, has absolutely zero supernatural elements). As usual, the Duke de Richleau was a spectacular character and stole the show when ever he was in a scene.
While I enjoyed it, I wouldn't recommend Forbidden Territory to anyone unless they enjoyed Wheatley's Black Magic books or enjoyed classic espionage/thriller stories. It's definitely not for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews