the riddle of the sands by erskine childers

The last ones were Napoleon and Hitler, both of whom made elaborate plans for invasion, but never actually carried them out. The idea that Germany might invade England is hardly remarkable: most wars involve the aggressing Continental power considering it very carefully, or actually doing it. Kaiser Wilhelm II, ruler of Germany, avid yachtsman, committed to building up Germany's navy. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER 'He who insists' is the Kaiser. Best of all, there is a VIP who comes to inspect how well the invasion plans are working out. And Germans, nice and otherwise, whose accents Lesser performs convincingly. He is a prig, and no sailor, and both faults get well and truly reformed during this story as he grows up, learns to sail, and finds his place in the world - because however 'at sea' he may feel in a boat, Carruthers has talent and courage as a spy on land that make the reader feel he would be wasted in the Foreign Office. Our narrator, Carruthers, is a rising young star in the Foreign Office, and when he reluctantly boards the Dulcibella, he is deeply disappointed that it is not the stylish, elegant yacht with crew that he had dressed and packed for. You won't regret listening to the original.

Anton Lesser does a superb reading, and reads with the tones of a young man, which is crucial, because while the plot and action are gripping, the characterization and character development is just as beautifully and humorously written, and this is why it seems to me almost a crime to settle for an abridged version of this classic. The places named are real and you can follow the plot on Google Earth.

The Riddle is that our two young spies gradually realize that Germany is planning an invasion of England via the low-water tributaries in the Frisian islands, pulling low-draft troop carriers among the natural channels through the sands.

Riddle of the Sands was published in 1903, 11 years before WWI started, but it is redolent with the suspicion between Germany and other countries that circulated at that time and resulted, finally, in the Great War. A great read and excellent for the WWI centennial

The riddle of the sands by erskine childers