Dr. Syn on the High Seas

Doctor Syn #2

by Russell Thorndike

An awe inspiring and adventure filled book!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Fiction, Classics

Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Arthur Russell Thorndike was a British actor and novelist, best known for the Doctor Syn of Romney Marsh novels. Lesser known than his sister Dame Sybil Thorndike but just as versatile, Russell Thorndike's first love was for the pen and, following service in World War I, he devoted himself to writing.

Reviews

[K.J. Charles]

Massively racist and surprisingly violent Georgian-set pulp adventure.

[Martin Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a short rip-roaring yarn set locally in Dymchurch and then on the 'high seas'. This is the second book by Russell Thorndyke, written after the success of his first Dr Syn novel, but the first chronologically in the life of local vicar, Dr Syn, aka The Scarecrow, who in the original story is a kind of Robin Hood dual personality smuggling hero. I have chosen to read the series in 'life chronology' order so have started with the second book. I chose these stories because of the locale, being set on the Romney Marshes, just up the road from where I live.

Torn between three and a four stars for this. The style is extremely easy on the eye and mind, almost adolescent, although I'm not sure that was the author's intention. Thorndyke has this knack of telling a quick adventure tale that is easy to absorb plotwise but brings the vivid characters and scenes to life in a kind of 'technicolour writing'.

Where I fluctuate between three and four is it takes almost half of the short, yet adventurous, book to set the plot and reach the high seas and when he does, he is there for barely a couple of chapters before making for land and meeting Native Americans. He briefly returns to the seas for a couple more chapters before the end.

Also, I felt there were a couple of chapters that seemed superfluous to the plot, squeezing in a small adventure over a couple of pages that was barely relevant to the main theme. The book ends in a way that leaves you wanting to reach straight for the next book in the series.

Overall, a great little short read of 160 pages. I really did enjoy this, despite the little annoyances, and I can't wait to read the next instalment in the series.

[Trish]

I'd never heard of Doctor Syn until we visited the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway this summer, and Doctor Syn was the name of the engine pulling the train we were on. Then we found the books in the station bookstore.

[Hank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This edition has not been thoroughly edited. There are typos/missing characters on almost every page. These could have been caught by a "spell-check" program or a human reader. This edition also needs edits for content and language.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this one a fairly good book it let me down to an extent. The primary reason I am reading the Doctor Syn series is because of my love of the classic Scarecrow of Romney Marsh Disney production from my youth. That is still a great movie and my favorite Disney production. This is also not my typical genre of reading but still it is enjoyable. But while a decent enough story it really doesn't present us with much of the Scarecrow mythos and also portrays Doctor Syn as a somewhat deplorable scoundrel, outright amoral in most of the story. That rather goes against the grain of an ordained minster and is somewhat anathema to his Robin Hood persona in the movie. I have managed to find on the web all the books other than the final and they are on my reading list for the near future. I hope the next book returns him to England and Dymchurch and he develops into the character I am hoping for.

[Dennis Kocik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as a previous reviewer mentioned, I found this series through the Disney series The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh and backed into finding all of these books, which are prequels to the Scarecrow. This is a great adventure read written from days gone by...as you will see when you read it. If you are seriously "politically correct" and overly sensitive, then you may want to skip this book as it does have some politically incorrect bias. But a great adventure none the less as far as I am concerned.

[Sara Aye Moung · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely discovery - series written in the 30s I think. Good protagonist dr of divinity turned pirate. Adventures on the high seas starting from Kent.

[Kate O`neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I stupidly read this in the wrong order. However, it was a really good read. I highly recommend it. Read this first then read the scarecrow rides

[Jim Dooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, so many years ago, as a child growing up with a regular Sunday night show, WALT DISNEY'S WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR (a "not miss" show at our house), I fell in love with a three-episode segment called THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH. To this day, I can still sing the lyrics to the theme song. It told the story of an English parson by day, Dr. Syn, who became a feared smuggler by night. It remains one of my favorites of all Disney stories.

Years later, I was to learn that the Disney folks greatly sanitized the story of Dr. Syn for public consumption. The actual tale (accurately filmed by Hammer as NIGHT CREATURES), is a revenge story enacted by an enigmatic and surprisingly sinister central character. It is filled with adventure and excitement, though, and I enjoyed this version, too (although it never captured my imagination in the same way as the Disney version).

The original book was called DR. SYN: A TALE OF ROMNEY MARSH. Apparently, its popularity was such that the writer was moved to continue the story...which, unfortunately, came to a definite end. Being resourceful, he entered the world of the prequel, so this book (and others in the series) occur before the first book.

This book tells how Dr. Syn's unsavory past came to be. It is filled with colorful characters, swashbuckling scenes, hair-breath escapes, romance, and the quest for revenge that is probably induced by madness. In other words, I was never bored for a moment and highly entertained.

Part of the brisk pace can be attributed to the writer's speeding through plot points. For instance, in most novels, a plan is created that is structured in the following chapter and initiated in the one following that. In DR. SYN ON THE HIGH SEAS, a plan is conceived, and we are in the middle of its execution two PARAGRAPHS later, even if it will require extensive plotting. Some detail-oriented readers may bemoan this as being too unrealistic, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Should you read the first book, which actually concludes the saga, first? I don't know that it matters. If you do, you will pick up immediately on much of the foreshadowing that is presented in the "earlier" books. If not, you will follow it chronologically as the events unfold, feeling that something big is going to happen, but not knowing what. I followed the "as published" format when I first read these years ago. Now, I am enjoying the chronological approach.

I definitely recommend this book.

[Justin K. Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronologically first in the Doctor Syn series (the first book is the last chronologically), Syn on the High Seas kicks off the bloody adventure of Christopher Syn. The core story is really told in this book and in the next, Doctor Syn Returns. The subsequent books are along the lines of "and they had many adventures." Here, Syn is a mild mannered Doctor of Divinity, until tragedy and fate lead him to a life on the high seas as the bloodthirsty Captain Clegg. It's well-plotted pulp adventure, with clever ideas and characters. High Seas and Syn Returns are the meatiest books of the series, and the best place to start. Don't read the first book first, it's not as interesting.

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the Dr Syn Saga he we meet the brilliant young theologian Christopher Syn whose life and destiny is changed forever when his beautiful bride is stolen away by a jealous rival. Syn gives up the cloth to hound the errant pair across the seven seas. I first discovered these books while holidaying in Dymchurch aged 10 or 11 and have loved them ever since.

[Laura Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars This must be at least the third time I've listened to Rufus Sewell's reading of the Doctor Syn books for BBC radio. The swashbuckling and adventure are highly entertaining, and Sewell has a great voice for audio-books. Chronologically, the adventure starts with book 2 and 3: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00d96c2

[Dex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronologically, the first of the Doctor Syn novels. Easy reading historical pulp fiction that rattles along at a fine pace. A perfect pocket novel for commuter travel. And now onto the next in the series.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good yarn well told, but if you are offended by the N word beware as this book was written quite a while back. Still I enjoyed this tale of the sea and look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Evelyn Klebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the Dr. Syn series. Such a great anti-hero!!

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's clear why this book was not part of the Disney movie. Quite violent with some racism.