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Snarleyyow or the Dog Fiend
Set in 1699 and framed around the Jacobite (supporters of the overthrown king, James II) conspiracies of the time, Lieutenant Cornelius Vanslyperken is the greedy and treacherous commander of a small vessel that hunts for smugglers in the English Channel. Snarleyyow is his "indestructible" dog.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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83 people want to read
About the author
Frederick Marryat
922 books89 followersCaptain Frederick Marryat was a British Royal Navy officer and novelist, an early pioneer of the sea story.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 5, 2016
There's that song "The Cat Came Back" - well in this book, it was a dog, and Smallbones. Very funny at times, disturbing at others. (They thought of and treated animals differently back then. Some of it made me cringe.) The smugglers dressing up as women to fight the soldiers was priceless, though. If only it had been shorter, it would have been so much better.
May 19, 2018
If you're expecting a wild animal story here, you'll be sorely disappointed. Oh, Snarleyyow the devil dog had a significant role in the story, and if PETA were around in those days they would have been all over Frederick Marryat, but it isn't really about him. Marryat explains why he used the infamous dog in the title; he was the only main character that maintained his integrity throughout the story: he was a monster from start to finish.
The year is 1699, and shortly after-whatever war had just concluded, we are taken aboard the HMS Yungfrau, an English cutter that was so small that all it could reasonably do is cruise the coast in search of smugglers. The cutter was commanded by Lt. Vanslyperken, a coward during the war, but somehow managing to stay in the good graces of his majesty (more on his majesty later), and was given charge of the ship. Back in those days, a captain could get away with just about anything as far as treatment of the crew, and Vanslyperken took advantage of the fact. Of course, if you push a man too hard, he's going to push back, as Vanslyperken had found out earlier in his career, so when he had the opportunity he acquired Snarleyyow, a mangy cur that was every bit a diabolical as his ever loving master. Snarleyyow was a fanged buffer from any potential mutinous thoughts of the crew that he might want to abuse. In addition, he had the services of Cpl. Van Spitter, who was in charge of six marines. Together they made life on the Yungfrau miserable.
Like his master, Snarleyyow was a bully, and as bullies are wont to do, he picked out Smallbones, the weakest crew member and made his life miserable. The name alone pretty much gives a description of the hapless youth. He was on the verge of starvation because everytime he got a ration of food, Snarleyyow would kick his ass and take it from him. Raising his hand to the dog meant he had to deal with Vanslyperken, and...a captain could get away with pretty much anything in those days. But, Smallbones, being a man, was pushed too hard, and at his peril struck back, raising the ire of Vanslyperken who had it in for him the rest of the story. Smallbones wasn't going quietly though.
At this point, the story gets, not convoluted, but complex. There is alot going on, and Marryat jumps from one scene to another, managing to tie it all together as the story goes on. If you're skimming through the book you may lose yourself in the plotline, as well as miss the subtle humor. Marryat has a way of taking even the most ghastly situations and presenting it as so absurd as to make you laugh. A dark, laughter to be sure, but there is a simmering humor throughout. It is well worth the time to slow down and absorb all that is going on in this book.
Now for the complex. Vanslyperken was a greedy SOB, and had designs on the widow Vandersloosh (who Marryat mercilessly body shames), or shall I say he had designs on her money. She ran what was called a lust haus (apparently a place where sailors went to get shit faced); she did not feel anything approaching love for him, but he brought customers by way of the crew to her establishment, so she led him on. No integrity for either of these two. Vanslyperken ends up meeting another woman who uses his greed to turn him into a traitor to his country, but the price was right, and his mother (whose house he used to stash is ill gotten gold) agreed; she was no better than her son. The resulting lies and deceit spread like wildfire from here.
We can't forget about Snarleyyow. As diabolical as he was, he paid dearly for his indiscretions. Biting, attempted drownings, eye gouging, beatings, amputations-you name it, and Snarleyyow endured it, laid out in vivid detail by Marryat. Smallbones only fared a little better. Vanslyperken tries to murder him multiple times, and finally his mother has to bash his head open with a hammer-all laid out in vivid detail. Vanslyperken had his own share of pain and humiliation, but of course, like Snarleyyow, he was aking for it...
To cover the entire plot would turns this review into some kind of essay, but you would be better served by reading the book. Marryat is a very good writer, and has that sense of humor to the last page. We can't say that everyone lives happily ever after. Some get some satisfaction, some are happy enough, and some don't make it to the end of the book. And that's life, according to Frederick Marryat.
The year is 1699, and shortly after-whatever war had just concluded, we are taken aboard the HMS Yungfrau, an English cutter that was so small that all it could reasonably do is cruise the coast in search of smugglers. The cutter was commanded by Lt. Vanslyperken, a coward during the war, but somehow managing to stay in the good graces of his majesty (more on his majesty later), and was given charge of the ship. Back in those days, a captain could get away with just about anything as far as treatment of the crew, and Vanslyperken took advantage of the fact. Of course, if you push a man too hard, he's going to push back, as Vanslyperken had found out earlier in his career, so when he had the opportunity he acquired Snarleyyow, a mangy cur that was every bit a diabolical as his ever loving master. Snarleyyow was a fanged buffer from any potential mutinous thoughts of the crew that he might want to abuse. In addition, he had the services of Cpl. Van Spitter, who was in charge of six marines. Together they made life on the Yungfrau miserable.
Like his master, Snarleyyow was a bully, and as bullies are wont to do, he picked out Smallbones, the weakest crew member and made his life miserable. The name alone pretty much gives a description of the hapless youth. He was on the verge of starvation because everytime he got a ration of food, Snarleyyow would kick his ass and take it from him. Raising his hand to the dog meant he had to deal with Vanslyperken, and...a captain could get away with pretty much anything in those days. But, Smallbones, being a man, was pushed too hard, and at his peril struck back, raising the ire of Vanslyperken who had it in for him the rest of the story. Smallbones wasn't going quietly though.
At this point, the story gets, not convoluted, but complex. There is alot going on, and Marryat jumps from one scene to another, managing to tie it all together as the story goes on. If you're skimming through the book you may lose yourself in the plotline, as well as miss the subtle humor. Marryat has a way of taking even the most ghastly situations and presenting it as so absurd as to make you laugh. A dark, laughter to be sure, but there is a simmering humor throughout. It is well worth the time to slow down and absorb all that is going on in this book.
Now for the complex. Vanslyperken was a greedy SOB, and had designs on the widow Vandersloosh (who Marryat mercilessly body shames), or shall I say he had designs on her money. She ran what was called a lust haus (apparently a place where sailors went to get shit faced); she did not feel anything approaching love for him, but he brought customers by way of the crew to her establishment, so she led him on. No integrity for either of these two. Vanslyperken ends up meeting another woman who uses his greed to turn him into a traitor to his country, but the price was right, and his mother (whose house he used to stash is ill gotten gold) agreed; she was no better than her son. The resulting lies and deceit spread like wildfire from here.
We can't forget about Snarleyyow. As diabolical as he was, he paid dearly for his indiscretions. Biting, attempted drownings, eye gouging, beatings, amputations-you name it, and Snarleyyow endured it, laid out in vivid detail by Marryat. Smallbones only fared a little better. Vanslyperken tries to murder him multiple times, and finally his mother has to bash his head open with a hammer-all laid out in vivid detail. Vanslyperken had his own share of pain and humiliation, but of course, like Snarleyyow, he was aking for it...
To cover the entire plot would turns this review into some kind of essay, but you would be better served by reading the book. Marryat is a very good writer, and has that sense of humor to the last page. We can't say that everyone lives happily ever after. Some get some satisfaction, some are happy enough, and some don't make it to the end of the book. And that's life, according to Frederick Marryat.
January 26, 2026
Oh ye ol Snarleyyow
I can't help but to have much love towards the ol raggedy cur of a sea imp. RIP ye old tyffil, ye ol hound of Yungfrau.
I can't help but to have much love towards the ol raggedy cur of a sea imp. RIP ye old tyffil, ye ol hound of Yungfrau.
January 26, 2026
I can't help but to have much love towards the ol raggedy cur of a sea imp. RIP ye old tyffil, ye ol hound of Yungfrau.
January 18, 2014
Great book! This is a Nautical Fiction book originally written in the early 1800's by Captain Frederick Marryat. Lt. Cornelius is a sniveling, weakly, coward who commands a small vessel that hunts for smugglers in the English Channel with his vicious dog is named Snarleydog in 1699. The author used the time period in which conspiracies were being organized to overthrow King James II. The tale is well researched and written. The early part of the book is used to establish the historical data and characters of the story, but if you persist you will find you are transported to an interesting, humorous adventure set on the high seas with interesting characters.
June 28, 2013
An historic novel set in 1699-1700. This book was written in the late 1800's and set in the above mentioned time. This is a mystery with a dash of comedy splashed in. If you don't mind the archaic language I would recommend this book as a unique distraction from the current mysteries that grace the book stores.
August 21, 2014
Great it was
February 10, 2010
Feb 2010 - Very funny.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews