Novel review - "The Four Feathers" by A.E.W. Mason

Pukka adventure novel which has one of the great high concepts of all time - an officer, loved by his girl, admired by his mates - chickens out of active service at the time of the Sudan uprising. He's sent four white feathers of cowardice and sets out to redeem himself.

Despite this set up there is a surprisingly little amount of action - far too much time is spent on the incredibly dull heroin Ethne, who is stoic and suffering, and Durrance, the one who goes blind - who is a little more interesting, but still spends most of his time being blind and stoic. Harry Faversham's adventures in the Sudan are dealt mostly via reportage (we don't even get to be there for the death of Castleton, one of the men who gave him the feathers) except at the end when we go with him to Omdurman prison when he tries to bust out Lt Trench. Trench is given more of a character than dull lt Willoughby and there is good suspense as Faversham goes a little mad in the heat, an attempt fails and then succeeds. You read it and go "this would make a good movie... after some changes".