The Xanadu Talisman

Modesty Blaise #10

by Peter O'Donnell

In this classic return we see Modesty both at her most feminine and at her toughest. Trapped in an earthquake disaster with a dying man, she makes a promise that is to lead her and her faithful friend Willie Garvin into the most perilous crisis of their careers. Their quest takes them from Tangier to Paris, from the Riviera to Corsica, and finally to a stronghold in the heart of the Atlas Mountains, their every move observed and manipulated by El Mico, the most notorious and dangerous criminal genius in the Mediterranean. Unknown to Modesty, she holds a secret that El Mico covets above all else, and she is brought to a final confrontation with death in the stronghold of Xanadu. As in all the Modesty Blaise stories, this book is peopled with a host of eccentric the engaging Dr. Giles Pennyfeather, Modesty’s devoted friend, and her opponents Little Krell, a prodigy in combat, the Silk brothers, juvenile adults who deal in death, and the astonishing Nanny Prendergast.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Adventure, Crime, Action, Espionage

290 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 1981

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Peter O'Donnell also wrote as Madeleine Brent.

http://www.cs.umu.se/~kenth/modesty.html
is an excellent resource on this author.

To help keep the novels and the adventure strip collections separate, here's some info about the Modesty Blaise works.

In 1963, O'Donnell began his 38-year run as writer of the Modesty Blaise adventure story strip, which appeared six days a week in English and Scottish newspapers. He retired the strip in 2001.

Each strip story took 18-20 weeks to complete. Several publishers over the years have attempted to collect these stories in large softcovers. Titan Publishing is currently in the process of bringing them all out in large-format softcover, with 2-3 stories in each books. These are called "graphic novels" in the Goodreads title.

Meanwhile, during those 38 years, O'Donnell also wrote 13 books about Modesty Blaise: 11 novels and 2 short story/novella collections. These stories are not related to the strip stories; they are not novelizations of strip stories. They are entirely new, though the characters and "lives" are the same. These have been labeled "series #0".

There is a large article on Peter O'Donnell on Wikipedia, with a complete bibliography.

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a to-read for adventure novel enthusiasts. I found it rather character-driven: Modesty Blaise is a former criminal kingpin who has gone independent and is trying to make good, and the main antagonists are a pair of brother assassins with an unnatural and disturbing relationship with their 'nanny'.

The latter is the most interesting, as the assassins devolve into a destructive sibling rivalry as they compete for the nanny's attentions.

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

We nearly got to two thirds of the way through the book before the author succumbed to his strange internal voices that need him to have Modesty kidnapped and abused.
It’s a pity as I was beginning to think that Modesty and Willie would actually develop a plan and carry it through without the obligatory capture and escape.

This wasn’t Modesty and Willie at their best but there were quite a few fun incidents and overall it was a decent read.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do like a bit of cheese when I can't sleep. Woke up at 4,30 AM and Morpheus ignored my pleas, so mental popcorn of the Avengers sort was certainly in order. This one has it all--a mysterious criminal mastermind (or two), a ninja-like dwarf (or so), a fabulous jewel heist and a raid on a sheik's harem! Not to mention hairbreadth 'scapes worthy of Indiana Jones and oo7.

I enjoyed this more than the last time I revisited Blaise World, particularly because there's a bit more humour mixed in with the grisly bits. I don't understand the finer points of combat, armed or not, and I can't visualise places so all that rather goes past me, but I do enjoy the interaction with Giles Pennyfeather, the otherworldly doctor, and the double surprise ending. Seeing Modesty reduced to human reactions such as losing her temper--several times!--made me forgive her all that "inner compass/clock/infallible sense of direction" Mary Sueness. And Willie is, as always, a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

No, it isn't serious reading. How perceptive of you. It's cotton candy--light, silly, and if you get too much at a single sitting it will make you sick. And yet cotton candy is the biggest seller at fairs, circuses and fundraising fetes to this day.

[Shawn Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have yet to be disappointed by a Modesty Blaise book. This 1981 entry is no exception. Even when there are familiar scenarios (i.e. the bad guys getting the jump on Modesty and Willie and imprisoning them) O’Donnell has some nifty tricks up his sleeve, and new wrinkles to the formula. Why this series and this character is not more popular is beyond me, but that suits me fine as I continue to build my Modesty Blaise collection.

[Roybot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshing return to form after Dragon's Claw. I like the twist in the typical plot where, for a change, M and W aren't trying to get involved or get revenge or rescue someone, they're just trying to do something kind and fulfill a last wish. The "caper" such as it is, is pretty fun, and O'Donnell has, again, created some memoriable and off the wall characters. Good stuff.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The female James Bond except she was a very successful criminal before. Modesty meeting a lover at a hotel when an earthquake hits. She and an injured man are trapped but even there someone tries to kill them. Modesty is rescued by her lover Dr. Giles and Willie, her sidekick. They take the injured man back to Modesty’s villa to heal. While there is he is assassinated by El Mico — one of those crime syndicates that have grown up since Modesty ran one. Modesty’s mad because the man was her guest. Giles gets her to carry out the dying man’s wish which she has to figure out.

Thus begins a really long chase where El Mico which turns out to be two brothers raised by Nannie and a black Sheep Arab prince who wants whatever Martel had stolen from them — acrown. Martel wanted his wife back who was in Prince’s harem.

After a lot of impressive escapes and McGiver before McGiver. Modesty and Willie free the woman who’s mad and watns to go back. Gets the crown and kill El Mico and leave Nannie with the Prince. But before that was a daring rescue from a pit with water. Modesty saves Willie. And a battle with a panther, Willie saves Modesty and himself.

Cheesy but a fun read.

[Tiina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true escapist thriller. It is so much fun to see Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin get out of the trickiest situations!

I have to admit that the previous book I finished had an effect on the rating that I gave this one. The contrast was just so huge, and it was a relief to read an entertaining book, a fantasy that did not pretend to be anything else!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modesty and Willie escape with their lives once again in this rollicking thriller that romps across north Africa. As usual, the "gun" shown in the first act gets fired in the second act, as Modesty and Willie face a snarling leopard, while defenseless. Yeah, sure, Modesty and Willie defenseless. Great fun once again.

[Richard Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the slightly substandard 'Dragon's Claw', this one saw the master getting his touch back.

[Don Gubler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guilty pleasure surely, but I like these books. Plenty of action a few twists and turns and a truly endearing heroine and hero.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is Modesty my favorite lady, and Willie my favorite sidekick, but this book has the best Modesty Blaise scene of them all: slight of hand, outwitting the bad guys, and a flying panther. Oh Willie!!

[Brenda Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, I love this book. An archetypic Modesty novel; I bought my copy in the only English bookstore in Crete and so my memories of Knossos and gigantic pithoi are mixed up with battles in the desert and the quest for the Iranian crown.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of the better ones that I have read. It took a long time for anything interesting to happen, then it was over quick.
I felt like the author had left the book to the last minute then realised that his deadline was due, and rushed out the book.

[Jan Sørensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the Morocco and Hig hAtlas, where a greedy arabian prince trying to get jewels from the shah by way of el Mico, a vicious crime syndicate, having taken over Morocco from Modesty's network. Highly recommended!

[Claudia Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing so refreshing as a Modesty Blaise book .

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced and fun read - we get to find out a bit more about Modesty's early years in North Africa and how it affects her present.

[Keith Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oct.2023 re-read