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Fu Manchu #8
President Fu Manchu
The Chinese Godfather.
He wanted control over the United States!
Dr. Fu Manchu, dictator of the most highly efficient underworld civilization has ever produced, planned to lower his mantle of terror over the greatest nation in the world!
With his vast army of slaves and zombies infiltrating every facet of American life, the evil doctor had incorporated a new and deadly weapon into his ever expanding arsenal: Political Rhetoric!
Only one man in the country understood the danger presented by the Chinese terrorist and his American ally. That man was special agent 56 -- Sir Denis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard.
He wanted control over the United States!
Dr. Fu Manchu, dictator of the most highly efficient underworld civilization has ever produced, planned to lower his mantle of terror over the greatest nation in the world!
With his vast army of slaves and zombies infiltrating every facet of American life, the evil doctor had incorporated a new and deadly weapon into his ever expanding arsenal: Political Rhetoric!
Only one man in the country understood the danger presented by the Chinese terrorist and his American ally. That man was special agent 56 -- Sir Denis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
About the author
Sax Rohmer
509 books124 followersAKA Arthur Sarsfield Ward (real name); Michael Furey.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959), better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.
Born in Birmingham to a working class family, Rohmer initially pursued a career as a civil servant before concentrating on writing full-time.
He worked as a poet, songwriter, and comedy sketch writer in Music Hall before creating the Sax Rohmer persona and pursuing a career writing weird fiction.
Like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, Rohmer claimed membership to one of the factions of the qabbalistic Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Rohmer also claimed ties to the Rosicrucians, but the validity of his claims has been questioned. His physician and family friend, Dr. R. Watson Councell may have been his only legitimate connection to such organizations. It is believed that Rohmer may have exaggerated his association in order to boost his literary reputation as an occult writer.
His first published work came in 1903, when the short story The Mysterious Mummy was sold to Pearson's Weekly. He gradually transitioned from writing for Music Hall performers to concentrating on short stories and serials for magazine publication. In 1909 he married Rose Elizabeth Knox.
He published his first novel Pause! anonymously in 1910. After penning Little Tich in 1911 (as ghostwriter for the Music Hall entertainer) he issued the first Fu Manchu novel, The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu, was serialized from October 1912 - June 1913. It was an immediate success with its fast-paced story of Denis Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie facing the worldwide conspiracy of the 'Yellow Peril'. The Fu Manchu stories, together with his more conventional detective series characters—Paul Harley, Gaston Max, Red Kerry, Morris Klaw, and The Crime Magnet—made Rohmer one of the most successful and well-paid authors of the 1920s and 1930s.
Rohmer also wrote several novels of supernatural horror, including Brood of the Witch-Queen. Rohmer was very poor at managing his wealth, however, and made several disastrous business decisions that hampered him throughout his career. His final success came with a series of novels featuring a female variation on Fu Manchu, Sumuru.
After World War II, the Rohmers moved to New York only returning to London shortly before his death. Rohmer died in 1959 due to an outbreak of influenza ("Asian Flu").
There were thirteen books in the Fu Manchu series in all (not counting the posthumous The Wrath of Fu Manchu. The Sumuru series consist of five books.
His wife published her own mystery novel, Bianca in Black in 1954 under the pen name, Elizabeth Sax Rohmer. Some editions of the book mistakenly credit her as Rohmer's daughter. Elizabeth Sax Rohmer and Cay Van Ash, her husband's former assistant, wrote a biography of the author, Master of Villainy, published in 1972.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 29, 2019
This was the first Fu Manchu book I've read, having found an original print in a used book store. Perhaps I should not have started here, as it is my understanding that this is not indicative of most of the series. I was not overly impressed, though I was never bored. There is rarely a slow moment, each page being breathlessly packed with action right up to the last sentence. Literally.
For this reason, there is very little character building, as all the prose is taken up with descriptions of police raids, assassinations, fiendish plotting, bombs and explosions, and chase scenes. Perhaps most of the needed development occurred in earlier stories, since this entry has a lot of repeat players, but I can certainly say that no character changed or grew further by the end of this story. The only time any depth was shown beyond the normal two-dimensional portrayal was near the end when Fu Manchu inexplicably puts himself in danger of being caught to save a little boy.
These stories get a lot of criticism for its stereotypes of the Chinese, though certainly Fu Manchu himself is not brought to life in a negative or racist way here. In fact, he is written as almost a god, or at least a superman, who is more intelligent and powerful than his Anglo counterparts. He is multilingual, a skilled surgeon and physician, a strategic genius, a charismatic leader, a brilliant scientist, an accomplished hypnotist, a successful businessman, and a classy, cool-headed gentleman who is always one step ahead of everyone. And the novel's paranoia over our country being sold out to "a Chinaman" is very much being played out in the politics of today, with new fears of the "yellow peril" coming from the amount of Fentanyl being exported overseas that could kill everything in the oceans and everyone on the planet twice, national debate over how much American debt China owns, and how dominating they are over American manufacturing. Over 80 years have passed since the publication of this book, and nothing much has changed.
The novel ends abruptly and is unsatisfactory. A character is built up and foreshadowed throughout the novel as playing a key role in the resolution of the story, but it goes nowhere. A romance blossoms between one of the "heroes" and one of Fu Manchu's employees for no reason whatsoever, and it too goes nowhere. Another character pops up out of blue to be one of the main villains of the plot, and then quietly fizzles away again. There are just too many holes and missed opportunities for this to be a great novel.
But as a work of pulp entertainment, it does its job. I'm glad to have gotten a taste of the famous Fu Manchu lore. Even if it were a bit of a stale one.
For this reason, there is very little character building, as all the prose is taken up with descriptions of police raids, assassinations, fiendish plotting, bombs and explosions, and chase scenes. Perhaps most of the needed development occurred in earlier stories, since this entry has a lot of repeat players, but I can certainly say that no character changed or grew further by the end of this story. The only time any depth was shown beyond the normal two-dimensional portrayal was near the end when Fu Manchu inexplicably puts himself in danger of being caught to save a little boy.
These stories get a lot of criticism for its stereotypes of the Chinese, though certainly Fu Manchu himself is not brought to life in a negative or racist way here. In fact, he is written as almost a god, or at least a superman, who is more intelligent and powerful than his Anglo counterparts. He is multilingual, a skilled surgeon and physician, a strategic genius, a charismatic leader, a brilliant scientist, an accomplished hypnotist, a successful businessman, and a classy, cool-headed gentleman who is always one step ahead of everyone. And the novel's paranoia over our country being sold out to "a Chinaman" is very much being played out in the politics of today, with new fears of the "yellow peril" coming from the amount of Fentanyl being exported overseas that could kill everything in the oceans and everyone on the planet twice, national debate over how much American debt China owns, and how dominating they are over American manufacturing. Over 80 years have passed since the publication of this book, and nothing much has changed.
The novel ends abruptly and is unsatisfactory. A character is built up and foreshadowed throughout the novel as playing a key role in the resolution of the story, but it goes nowhere. A romance blossoms between one of the "heroes" and one of Fu Manchu's employees for no reason whatsoever, and it too goes nowhere. Another character pops up out of blue to be one of the main villains of the plot, and then quietly fizzles away again. There are just too many holes and missed opportunities for this to be a great novel.
But as a work of pulp entertainment, it does its job. I'm glad to have gotten a taste of the famous Fu Manchu lore. Even if it were a bit of a stale one.
August 26, 2011
In this, the 8th book of 14 in the Fu Manchu series, the good doctor hops "over the pond" and sets his nefarious sights on no less a prize than the conquest of the United States! This book marks yet another departure in the Fu Manchu series: It is the longest of the books, the most detailed, possibly the best written, takes place in the U.S. for the first time, and is the most political book in the series thus far. In this one, the Fu-man, through "the League of Good Americans," backs a presidential candidate who will, in time, become his puppet dictator. Our old friend Sir Nayland Smith is back, trying to stop this conquest; he is aided by Federal agent Mark Hepburn. For the first time in the series, Dr. Petrie does not make even a token appearance. This book features the typical fast pacing and grotesque action that have become familiar at this point in the series. We encounter numerous killings with poisonous spiders, a raid on a NYC Chinatown catacomb lair, a "Manchurian Candidate"-style assassination of a presidential hopeful (almost 30 years before that classic movie), a boat chase down the Niagara rapids, and much more. As I said, there is a great wealth of detail and incident in this installment. Fu, at one point, even takes time out of his busy agenda to operate on a dying, diphtheritic boy; just Sax Rohmer's way of showing us that there is some good in the old doctor, after all.
I did have some minor problems with this Fu installment, however, good as it is. There really is no reason for there to be two characters named Wu Chang; this just leads to confusion for the reader! Also, at one point in the book, Fu Manchu tries to brainwash Hepburn from a hotel window one floor below where Hepburn's room is. A few pages later, it is said that Fu was TWO floors below! Also, the description of Wu King's underground Chinatown lair was, for me anyway, a bit hard to follow. But all in all, this is a mighty fun and involving book. And I just love the line that Fu Manchu delivers to Nayland Smith, right before attempting to blow him up with that bomb on top of the skyscraper (remember that this line comes after eight books' worth of chases and incredible adventure): "Our association, if at times tedious, has never been dishonorable."
I did have some minor problems with this Fu installment, however, good as it is. There really is no reason for there to be two characters named Wu Chang; this just leads to confusion for the reader! Also, at one point in the book, Fu Manchu tries to brainwash Hepburn from a hotel window one floor below where Hepburn's room is. A few pages later, it is said that Fu was TWO floors below! Also, the description of Wu King's underground Chinatown lair was, for me anyway, a bit hard to follow. But all in all, this is a mighty fun and involving book. And I just love the line that Fu Manchu delivers to Nayland Smith, right before attempting to blow him up with that bomb on top of the skyscraper (remember that this line comes after eight books' worth of chases and incredible adventure): "Our association, if at times tedious, has never been dishonorable."
July 30, 2016
Although I really enjoy Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu series, this one is a little weaker than the prior stories. "President Fu Manchu" is the 8th entry in Sax Rohmer's classic series, and although weaker, it is still worth the read. Regardless, the series is surprisingly well written. It has been a century since Sax Rohmer gave the world the gift of the incredibly intelligent, and yet so evil, Doctor Fu Manchu, one of literature's great evil geniuses rivaling even Doyle's Professor Moriarty. Romer's Fu Manchu novels are worth the time to discover the great, intellectual (and stereotypical) evil genius who is Fu Manchu. My copy is a re-release for the Kindle (e-readers).
"President Fu Manchu" offers a slightly different slant as our evil doctor is working behind the scenes to establish a "puppet" government in America with him pulling the strings. Rohmer offers the reader numerous killings with poisonous spiders, an airplane bombing of a tall building, a raid on an ingenious NYC Chinatown catacomb lair, assassinations , a boat chase by the Niagara rapids, and other clever events. It's amazing how much action and adventure is packed into a novel.
Perhaps a bit "trite" in spots and at times with a feel of the "pulp fiction" genre, nevertheless, the series is surprisingly well written. Rohmer is most famous for creating this character of Fu Manchu who later became even more famous in the black and white movies of the 30's. The Fu Manchu novels are worth the time to discover the great, intellectual (and stereotypical) evil genius who is Fu Manchu. As with many of these books, there certainly is some racial stereotyping which reflects the general attitudes prevailing at the time; recall that it was about 100 years ago. Regardless, Sax Rohmer has created one of the world's iconic, super intelligent villains in Fu Manchu. That alone should be your cue to read some of these works.
"President Fu Manchu" offers a slightly different slant as our evil doctor is working behind the scenes to establish a "puppet" government in America with him pulling the strings. Rohmer offers the reader numerous killings with poisonous spiders, an airplane bombing of a tall building, a raid on an ingenious NYC Chinatown catacomb lair, assassinations , a boat chase by the Niagara rapids, and other clever events. It's amazing how much action and adventure is packed into a novel.
Perhaps a bit "trite" in spots and at times with a feel of the "pulp fiction" genre, nevertheless, the series is surprisingly well written. Rohmer is most famous for creating this character of Fu Manchu who later became even more famous in the black and white movies of the 30's. The Fu Manchu novels are worth the time to discover the great, intellectual (and stereotypical) evil genius who is Fu Manchu. As with many of these books, there certainly is some racial stereotyping which reflects the general attitudes prevailing at the time; recall that it was about 100 years ago. Regardless, Sax Rohmer has created one of the world's iconic, super intelligent villains in Fu Manchu. That alone should be your cue to read some of these works.
April 7, 2021
A fun read if you don't take it too seriously.
April 2, 2018
Nayland Smith pursues Fu-Manchu to America, joins U.N.C.L.E. and becomes Agent 56. Fu-Manchu, recently captured by the French police and nearly dying of old age, tries to get back in the good graces of the Si-Fan by conquering the U.S. He forms his own version of SMERSH and becomes Agent 1, operating out of Base 3. Fu-Manchu intends to get a certain political firebrand elected President and then Dictator for life. Funny when you know that this was 1936 and he would be running against Roosevelt, who would get elected twice more and only left office because he was dead. Fu-Manchu's candidate is clearly meant to be taken as a Hitler type character, and to be sure that this is clear he is specifically compared to Hitler and Mussolini. Nayland Smith takes over most of the American intelligence apparatus to stop him.
This book appears to be an attempt to capture an American audience by introducing Fu-Manchu to the U.S.A. Smith uses code names, Fu-Manchu uses code names, there are gangster film gangster types, and Dr. Petrie is completely replaced by Captain Hepburn of the U.S. Army Medical Corps(U.S.M.C.). Hepburn acts much the same as Petrie so it's not unfamiliar, including falling for one of Fu-Manchu's female servants.
There's less action and more political intrigue this time, including planning for big events, discussing the presidential election, and even a meeting of the Seven. Occasional brushes with death occur, but sometimes these are no more than casually mentioned in conversation. "I was shot at twice this morning." Fu-Manchu's murder attempts and traps are recognizable from earlier books, but Smith explains this away as Fu-Manchu being a creature of habit who sticks with the same methods. Fu-Manchu does continue his practice of using hyper-futuristic technologies, like surveillance cameras and a telephone answering machine (it uses wax cylinders). The whole Agent 56 and Number 41 thing is just silly, especially since Smith and Fu-Manchu know full well who they are dealing with, though Fu-Manchu now only refers to Nayland Smith as Enemy Number One. Reads like an old guy trying to be hip, using that newfangled slang and wearing those dank kicks.
This book appears to be an attempt to capture an American audience by introducing Fu-Manchu to the U.S.A. Smith uses code names, Fu-Manchu uses code names, there are gangster film gangster types, and Dr. Petrie is completely replaced by Captain Hepburn of the U.S. Army Medical Corps(U.S.M.C.). Hepburn acts much the same as Petrie so it's not unfamiliar, including falling for one of Fu-Manchu's female servants.
There's less action and more political intrigue this time, including planning for big events, discussing the presidential election, and even a meeting of the Seven. Occasional brushes with death occur, but sometimes these are no more than casually mentioned in conversation. "I was shot at twice this morning." Fu-Manchu's murder attempts and traps are recognizable from earlier books, but Smith explains this away as Fu-Manchu being a creature of habit who sticks with the same methods. Fu-Manchu does continue his practice of using hyper-futuristic technologies, like surveillance cameras and a telephone answering machine (it uses wax cylinders). The whole Agent 56 and Number 41 thing is just silly, especially since Smith and Fu-Manchu know full well who they are dealing with, though Fu-Manchu now only refers to Nayland Smith as Enemy Number One. Reads like an old guy trying to be hip, using that newfangled slang and wearing those dank kicks.
February 14, 2020
If you can get past the casual and occasional, but entirely baked-in racism - typical of the time, and I think not intentionally offensive, considering the readers would have been in-line with that attitude - if you can get past that, then these books are surprisingly good fun.
I say, casual racism, because Rohmer has set Fu-Manchu up as an admirable and honorable villain. At the same time, his attitude toward Asians in general is slighting. Not actually contemptuous, possibly more in line with Kipling's "White Man's Burden" - condescending?
If you can't get past that, then these books are just not for you. If you can, like I said - fun. Quality varies but the best of these are good, quick reads.
I say, casual racism, because Rohmer has set Fu-Manchu up as an admirable and honorable villain. At the same time, his attitude toward Asians in general is slighting. Not actually contemptuous, possibly more in line with Kipling's "White Man's Burden" - condescending?
If you can't get past that, then these books are just not for you. If you can, like I said - fun. Quality varies but the best of these are good, quick reads.
February 27, 2023
Fu Manchu is the puppet master behind a U.S. politician with a strong chance to win the presidency. In some spots, the United States described has a very British vibe that was confusing. Maybe this was because the author, Rohmer, was British. However, if you can get past this there are some interesting twists and turns. The pertinent theme to the book, which still applies today, is that votes can be easily bought with money and jobs, and that once such a candidate is in office the constitution can be subverted.
December 29, 2022
Out of all the Fu-Manchu books, this one has to be my least favorite, probably because it is more far-fetched than any of the other ones I have read. It is also the longest of The Fu-Manchu series, which takes away from the fast-paced pulpiness it is supposed to be. If you are trying to make it through all the Fu-Manchu books (like I am), you might want to just push through this one to get to book nine in the series.
December 13, 2019
I had forgotten what a fun read the Fu-Manchu books (if rather un-PC) were. Thought I find this one, which I had not read before rather frightening in view of current political situation the US finds it self in. For being written in 1`936 it is very prophetic 83 years latter. but it is still a rip roaring read.
March 14, 2025
Ooo, this is a good one! Evil Dr. Fu Manchu is trying to take over the United States by putting his own man in the White House - but as dictator, not president - and it's up to Sir Denis Nyland-Smith to stop him. The twists and turns are as awesome as always. Mr. Rohmer knew his stuff, lemme tell ya.
September 22, 2019
Most of the titles in the Fu Manchu series are pretty formulaic. The main protagonist and the main villain stay the same while supporting characters and their background locales are swapped out with virtually every title. Still, they make for good enjoyable reading.
March 17, 2019
Once again, Fu Manchu TRIES TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!
March 26, 2025
One of the better Fu Manchu adventures with the exception of a glaring constitutional mistake. But actually kind of topical.
July 25, 2024
Well, recent events have made this read somewhat prophetic. Written two years after the last book President Fu Manchu is a slight departure from the norm. Leaning way more into the espionage tone to deliver a convoluted political thriller to us peasants. For this reason however it might explain why it's my least favourite in the series up to this point.
Strong opening with Nayland Smith in America, going under the alias "Agent 56" and meeting a fellow political contact, who may/may not be a pawn in one of the Devil Doctor's games. I expected the usual formalities and I thought after the first half it would pick up, and so it did but only just a little bit. Most of the novel happens in New York and I welcomed the change of scenery, though even for thrillers of the time it was still a slow burn.
We're introduced to yet another sidekick in the form of a federal agent named Mark Hepburn, who is so dry (not my choice of words either) that I began to miss some of the original adventures with Dr. Petrie in tow - there's just nothing to this guy except a beard, so it's no better or worse than if you had Petrie at all.
Maybe it's just me because I found it quite challenging to keep a record of all the side characters that propel the plot forward (which is something that has always irked me but moreover in thrilers like these), and with so many talking heads I just didn't care much for what was going on. Sometimes the scene would shift to a man scuplting clay heads in a tower being badgered for reports on our heroes journey which even though it put a few questions to rest it did not improve the pacing much.
While it may seem like I am maligning a fellow Brummie's accomplishments (yes, Mr. Rohmer was born in Birmingham) there were moments that I did enjoy. Fu Manchu's motive to instill one of his own puppet candidates into the election offers a very unique perspective for such an iconic villain. All that stuff was engaging and in some ways ahead of its time, like when he hypnotises a man and turn him into a sleeper agent - a familiar word if you know The Manchurian Candidate - so that he can assassinate his political rival. There's a lot of fun twists and turns but overall it's unfortunate that these deliciously insidious moments are peppered through one drawn out chase. The other books do this as well but it usually gives the impression that they are reacting to the situation, here it didn't ring true to me as it felt as if Smith was the most passionate about it while everone else seemed static and just along for the ride.
There's also so many close calls with Smith and Co. getting in smelling distance of Fu Manchu but they just lose him. Once is okay, twice is expected, three times it's warranted but any more than that is pushing your luck. It went on for so long, right up to the ending in fact, that I began to question how much they lose. Now I know how Mario must've felt trying to rescue Princess Peach.
When I finish a Fu Manchu book I'm kind of rooting for him so I generally get excited when his escape is used as a catalyst for the follow up, this was the first time that I wanted to read the next one just so that I could use it as a palate cleanser for this one.
In short I can't recommend this (except for completists) because although I know Rohmer's writing isn't the best I can tell what the Fu Manchu stories are capable of, with their mix of action/suspense and exotic scenery, so it pains me to say that this lacks most of the fun that initially drew me to the series.
Strong opening with Nayland Smith in America, going under the alias "Agent 56" and meeting a fellow political contact, who may/may not be a pawn in one of the Devil Doctor's games. I expected the usual formalities and I thought after the first half it would pick up, and so it did but only just a little bit. Most of the novel happens in New York and I welcomed the change of scenery, though even for thrillers of the time it was still a slow burn.
We're introduced to yet another sidekick in the form of a federal agent named Mark Hepburn, who is so dry (not my choice of words either) that I began to miss some of the original adventures with Dr. Petrie in tow - there's just nothing to this guy except a beard, so it's no better or worse than if you had Petrie at all.
Maybe it's just me because I found it quite challenging to keep a record of all the side characters that propel the plot forward (which is something that has always irked me but moreover in thrilers like these), and with so many talking heads I just didn't care much for what was going on. Sometimes the scene would shift to a man scuplting clay heads in a tower being badgered for reports on our heroes journey which even though it put a few questions to rest it did not improve the pacing much.
While it may seem like I am maligning a fellow Brummie's accomplishments (yes, Mr. Rohmer was born in Birmingham) there were moments that I did enjoy. Fu Manchu's motive to instill one of his own puppet candidates into the election offers a very unique perspective for such an iconic villain. All that stuff was engaging and in some ways ahead of its time, like when he hypnotises a man and turn him into a sleeper agent - a familiar word if you know The Manchurian Candidate - so that he can assassinate his political rival. There's a lot of fun twists and turns but overall it's unfortunate that these deliciously insidious moments are peppered through one drawn out chase. The other books do this as well but it usually gives the impression that they are reacting to the situation, here it didn't ring true to me as it felt as if Smith was the most passionate about it while everone else seemed static and just along for the ride.
There's also so many close calls with Smith and Co. getting in smelling distance of Fu Manchu but they just lose him. Once is okay, twice is expected, three times it's warranted but any more than that is pushing your luck. It went on for so long, right up to the ending in fact, that I began to question how much they lose. Now I know how Mario must've felt trying to rescue Princess Peach.
When I finish a Fu Manchu book I'm kind of rooting for him so I generally get excited when his escape is used as a catalyst for the follow up, this was the first time that I wanted to read the next one just so that I could use it as a palate cleanser for this one.
In short I can't recommend this (except for completists) because although I know Rohmer's writing isn't the best I can tell what the Fu Manchu stories are capable of, with their mix of action/suspense and exotic scenery, so it pains me to say that this lacks most of the fun that initially drew me to the series.
December 25, 2023
The title says it all.
Fu Manchu is exercising his powers to manipulate the presidential election and install one of his own candidates to create a puppet government. His old adversary Nayland Smith is in pursuit, aided this time by an American agent Mark Hepburn as opposed to the rather tedious (and more stupid) British Dr Petrie of earlier books. That said, there is, of course, a dame in distress and Hepburn gets involved but thankfully (despite a bit of mawkishness) it is not too distracting from the action.
However, it takes rather a long time to get going (it's 340+ pages and so a long novel by Rohmer standards) and I felt that the first part could have been somewhat shorter with no great loss. After a neat plot twist about a third of the way in things pick up but it's maybe a little too late for me and it seems to me to be a little curious that Rohmer spends a fair amount of time detailing the ongoing searches of locations which Fu Manchu has just escaped from, as opposed to more direct ‘action’, although there is a good set piece raid on an area of N.Y. Chinatown and some more serious destruction later on.
There is the usual casual racist language (a lot of ‘Chinks’) and some sexual stereotyping but it is not malicious and Fu Manchu is depicted as a man of honour despite his nefarious plans.
I had wondered why so much emphasis was being placed on the character of a Catholic Priest and broadcaster (Abbot Donegal) who is to reveal the electoral plot on air unless Fu Manchu stops him but another reviewer has pointed out that this refers to the real-life ‘radio priest’ Charles Coughlin (1891-1979) who had built a large following via his broadcasts around the time the book was written. Rohmer is nothing if not contemporary with his times and in some ways a bit ahead of them with his descriptions of a (sort of) answering machine and the use of hypnosis as an anaesthetic. Given this, it's also hard not to see something of Donald Trump in the presidential candidate.
These factors make it an ‘interesting’ as opposed to a ‘hugely enjoyable’ read but overall it seems a bit of a luck-lustre effort despite the usual good moments we expect from Rohmer. Incredibly, given the ending, which owes a lot to another villainous demise, it was not the end of the Fu Manchu series - four more to go…
Fu Manchu is exercising his powers to manipulate the presidential election and install one of his own candidates to create a puppet government. His old adversary Nayland Smith is in pursuit, aided this time by an American agent Mark Hepburn as opposed to the rather tedious (and more stupid) British Dr Petrie of earlier books. That said, there is, of course, a dame in distress and Hepburn gets involved but thankfully (despite a bit of mawkishness) it is not too distracting from the action.
However, it takes rather a long time to get going (it's 340+ pages and so a long novel by Rohmer standards) and I felt that the first part could have been somewhat shorter with no great loss. After a neat plot twist about a third of the way in things pick up but it's maybe a little too late for me and it seems to me to be a little curious that Rohmer spends a fair amount of time detailing the ongoing searches of locations which Fu Manchu has just escaped from, as opposed to more direct ‘action’, although there is a good set piece raid on an area of N.Y. Chinatown and some more serious destruction later on.
There is the usual casual racist language (a lot of ‘Chinks’) and some sexual stereotyping but it is not malicious and Fu Manchu is depicted as a man of honour despite his nefarious plans.
I had wondered why so much emphasis was being placed on the character of a Catholic Priest and broadcaster (Abbot Donegal) who is to reveal the electoral plot on air unless Fu Manchu stops him but another reviewer has pointed out that this refers to the real-life ‘radio priest’ Charles Coughlin (1891-1979) who had built a large following via his broadcasts around the time the book was written. Rohmer is nothing if not contemporary with his times and in some ways a bit ahead of them with his descriptions of a (sort of) answering machine and the use of hypnosis as an anaesthetic. Given this, it's also hard not to see something of Donald Trump in the presidential candidate.
These factors make it an ‘interesting’ as opposed to a ‘hugely enjoyable’ read but overall it seems a bit of a luck-lustre effort despite the usual good moments we expect from Rohmer. Incredibly, given the ending, which owes a lot to another villainous demise, it was not the end of the Fu Manchu series - four more to go…
November 5, 2011
- Я прибыл сюда по экстренным обстоятельствам.
- И как мне вас теперь называть?
- Зовите меня Агент Пятьдесят Шесть.
- Может быть у вас есть имя?
- Как вам будет удобно. Зовите меня тогда просто… Агент Смит.
- Мне кажется, что ваше участие здесь не понадобится. Я уже послал к Епископу своих людей.
- Извините, инспектор. Но похоже, что ваши люди уже мертвы.
Есть книги, которые нравятся. Есть книги, которые не нравятся. А есть такие, которые отчаянно хочется переписать. Переписать, не испытывая ни малейших иллюзий по поводу собственного таланта или собственных возможностей. Переписать только потому, что невооруженным взглядом видно, как грубо и бездарно губится на твоих глазах хорошая задумка. Шестой роман про Фу Манчу начинается с такого заряда постмодернистского сюра, что первые сорок страниц ты регулярно замираешь в немом восторге. “Неужели?! Неужели Ромер научился писать?” Но спустя сорок страниц такие мысли уже не появляются. И ты с грустью понимаешь, что все эти надежды были простым самообманом, а перед тобой едва ли не худшая книга из всего цикла.
В “Президенте Фу Манчу” события переносятся с берегов Альбиона в пораженный Депрессией Нью-Йорк. В другую страну и в другую временную эпоху. Если раньше писатель терпимо имитировал Конан Дойла времен старой доброй Англии, то Америка Богарта и Чандлера оказывается для него такой же загадочной и чуждой как и его любимый Восток.
Роман начинается со странного происшествия на центральном радио. Аббат Донегаль, собиравшийся выступить перед народом с сообщением о большом антиамериканском заговоре, лишился за пять минут до эфира сознания, а после того, как пришел в себя, уже не смог более вспомнить о сути своего выступления. Правительственный Агент Пятьдесять Шесть (в котором мы с легкостью узнаем нашего старого знакомого Нейланда Смита) берется за расследование этого инцидента и выясняет, что он напрямую связан с таинственным главой преступного мира Нью-Йорка по прозвищу “Президент”. Небольшое, но кровавое расследование приводит Смита ко вполне логичному выводу. “Президент” – никто иной, как наш старый знакомый Фу Манчу, решивший посадить в Штатах своего собственного президента. (2007.01.16)
- И как мне вас теперь называть?
- Зовите меня Агент Пятьдесят Шесть.
- Может быть у вас есть имя?
- Как вам будет удобно. Зовите меня тогда просто… Агент Смит.
- Мне кажется, что ваше участие здесь не понадобится. Я уже послал к Епископу своих людей.
- Извините, инспектор. Но похоже, что ваши люди уже мертвы.
Есть книги, которые нравятся. Есть книги, которые не нравятся. А есть такие, которые отчаянно хочется переписать. Переписать, не испытывая ни малейших иллюзий по поводу собственного таланта или собственных возможностей. Переписать только потому, что невооруженным взглядом видно, как грубо и бездарно губится на твоих глазах хорошая задумка. Шестой роман про Фу Манчу начинается с такого заряда постмодернистского сюра, что первые сорок страниц ты регулярно замираешь в немом восторге. “Неужели?! Неужели Ромер научился писать?” Но спустя сорок страниц такие мысли уже не появляются. И ты с грустью понимаешь, что все эти надежды были простым самообманом, а перед тобой едва ли не худшая книга из всего цикла.
В “Президенте Фу Манчу” события переносятся с берегов Альбиона в пораженный Депрессией Нью-Йорк. В другую страну и в другую временную эпоху. Если раньше писатель терпимо имитировал Конан Дойла времен старой доброй Англии, то Америка Богарта и Чандлера оказывается для него такой же загадочной и чуждой как и его любимый Восток.
Роман начинается со странного происшествия на центральном радио. Аббат Донегаль, собиравшийся выступить перед народом с сообщением о большом антиамериканском заговоре, лишился за пять минут до эфира сознания, а после того, как пришел в себя, уже не смог более вспомнить о сути своего выступления. Правительственный Агент Пятьдесять Шесть (в котором мы с легкостью узнаем нашего старого знакомого Нейланда Смита) берется за расследование этого инцидента и выясняет, что он напрямую связан с таинственным главой преступного мира Нью-Йорка по прозвищу “Президент”. Небольшое, но кровавое расследование приводит Смита ко вполне логичному выводу. “Президент” – никто иной, как наш старый знакомый Фу Манчу, решивший посадить в Штатах своего собственного президента. (2007.01.16)
November 27, 2008
Reading Gearhart's original 1936 edition was an exquisite pleasure. Sax Rohmer, you jingoistic devil! For those unfamiliar with Rohmer and his (16?) Fu Manchu novels, let me offer a few words of explanation. Think of them as proto Ian Fleming James Bond novels. In each book the tanned, lean, indomitable, and usually cranky Sir Denis Nayland Smith (Agent 56) squares off against the superhuman, sinister jade-eyed mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu.
"Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, ... one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present ... Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man."
In this novel Fu Manchu schemes with his Pan-Asian underworld to gain control of the White House! Those with a sensitive ear for political correctness should give this one a miss as "Chinaman" and "yellow devil" leap from each page!
"Imagine a person, tall, lean and feline, high-shouldered, with a brow like Shakespeare and a face like Satan, ... one giant intellect, with all the resources of science past and present ... Imagine that awful being, and you have a mental picture of Dr. Fu-Manchu, the yellow peril incarnate in one man."
In this novel Fu Manchu schemes with his Pan-Asian underworld to gain control of the White House! Those with a sensitive ear for political correctness should give this one a miss as "Chinaman" and "yellow devil" leap from each page!
February 9, 2015
There I was, sitting in the hospital waiting for my mother-in-law to have an x-ray and I spotted a shelf of books to which you could help yourself for a small donation. In among all the Mills & Boons I found this. Took me back 50 years to my teens which was when I last read a Fu Manchu story.
The plot is well reviewed here by others. All I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the racial stereotyping which reflects the general attitudes prevailing at the time. Though this is very politically incorrect these days, I don't believe that the author was maliciously racist.
The plot is well reviewed here by others. All I will say is that I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the racial stereotyping which reflects the general attitudes prevailing at the time. Though this is very politically incorrect these days, I don't believe that the author was maliciously racist.
June 30, 2014
The eighth book in the series may be the dullest so far, losing most of the exquisite torture scenes and foggy atmosphere and reading like a fleshed-out radio script. The America-in-the-'30s plot has its moments, though, with characters paralleling Huey Long and Father Coughlin, as the evil genius tries to install a phony populist as president, opposed by Nayland Smith and a radio priest.
February 1, 2015
As the title hints, this novel is set in the US. I found it interesting that among Fu Manchu’s opponents in this book is a clergyman clearly modeled on Father Coughlin; one of the Doctor’s plots to kill this character involves crashing an airplane into the tower from which he makes his radio broadcasts.
January 24, 2016
read this SOMETIME in 2009
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