The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers is a spy novel about two men named Davies and Carruthers as they sail around in the Baltic Sea on a seemingly innocent yacht vacation. However, as time goes on, Carruthers learns more about the true reason that Davies brought him here. A while ago, when Davies was sailing, a man named Dollmann lured him into a trap that was designed to kill him in bad conditions (while sailing), and since then, Davies has been digging for more. With a theory that something sinister is going on in the Frisian Islands, he and Carruthers set out to investigate. The mystery involves sandbanks, traitors, country patriotism, and sheer bravery from our two protagonists in such a perilous situation. The spy novel’s elements are unique and specially tailored to create a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read.
A good character sets a good tone of the story, as it is the main spotlight for the readers. If you create a boring character that has no quirk and is ordinary, then nobody would want to focus on them and lose interest quickly. However, if you create a character that portrays different personalities well, is relatable, and humorous, you’ve got through the first step of getting the reader hooked. In The Riddle of the Sands Erskine Childers definitely creates characters that are worth reading about. Carruthers is like the smart guy that is new to everything, Davies is the victim, von Bruning is the leader of the bad guys, and Herr Dollmann is the mysterious man waiting to ambush everyone with an obscure history. The good guys possess patriotism, and love their country to the core. However, the bad guys commit treason to their country and are looked at as traitors. They belong in neither country, as in their home country, they are considered unreliable and in their new country, they cannot be trusted because of their background. And lastly, any link and connection created between the characters will lead to romance, which adds spice and a side plot to the book. All in all, the development of characters is quite important, as it either draws in readers or pushes them away.
Though characters are important, don’t forget about the actual main detail: the plot. The plot is the actual main part of the story. It is what the readers come in for, what leaves them with a tingling feeling after the book closes. The plot in a spy novel is always carefully created, with multiple climaxes and surprises along the road for your ultimate enjoyment. The storyline is often based on one small idea and then expanded into a thick rope of plot twists, perilous moments and misleading points. Spy novels hold specific details that make the plot more interesting such as a mystery to investigate (often layered but with a simple truth). This mystery is often portrayed as a mystery with little publicity and no high-ranked experienced officials to solve it. Instead, it is taken on by the brave and courageous protagonist who is fueled by their patriotism and dedication to their country. No one listens to or believes them, but they still forge on to solve the mystery and be the hero, saving something largely important or preventing a catastrophe. The mystery plot is the staple of a spy novel, and is often created with gusto, with many side plots and embellishments.
The conflict and success of the protagonist is often achieved through difficult means, and always holds surprises for the reader. The conflict or problem of the story is often layered in a complex way, yet the intention of the bad guy and the answer is often simple, just hidden. The success of the protagonist is often something related to saving the country. Of course, in a spy novel, there has to be a problem that needs to be solved. This is where the enemies come in, where the traitors betray everyone they know. The protagonist is just a side character that comes into play when they want to save other people from doom from the traitor. Part of the conflict is actually to just gain trust from the enemy so that you can break their shell and get bits of important information. Trickery and deception are often used at this stage, like when Carruthers lies to von Bruning so that the Germans will not suspect them. The suspect in the enemy is almost like the dog bites the dog or the ghost beats ghost. The mystery often involves a taste of danger, and we experience this through our selfless and brave Davies and Carruthers. Conflicts and success in spy novels is well defined, as that is what the characters do throughout the story.
Don’t forget the side props that make the story interesting! Things such as exciting scenes and astounding skills and technology is what adds the flair to the story. These things may not contribute much to the plot itself, but it makes the story overall more interesting and enjoyable. Exciting points in the plot and the different skills that the main characters possess gives readers a little like a tangent to marvel at. This addition makes the story more thrilling, as readers are exposed to something that they can still enjoy even if they really hate the plot. Exciting scenes such as talking with hidden meaning, layered words, and negative intentions that include but are not limited to killing, digging secrets and kidnapping is what adds the bounce to the story. Special skills and technology such as being able to navigate a ship perfectly in a bad environment and foggy weather, quick responses, sharp minds, and the ability to do very basic things like running and driving very well helps the protagonist and gives the reader something relatable to be awed at. Adding other things like this contributes to a spy novel by a) giving the main characters an advantage and b) giving the readers something to enjoy while reading.
The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers is really a worthy and electrifying book to read. The book clearly portrays the many different aspects of a spy novel, such as a well-rounded character(s), a turning and twisting plot, layered but simple conflicts and successes, and side elements that just adds more pizzazz to the book. The themes in this book include patriotism, deception, and mysteries, all of which are developed evenly throughout the story. The book The Riddle of the Sands is really well written, with all components needed and the plot in your dreams. This spy novel is definitely a book that deserves to be read, as it teaches readers the importance of spy fiction elements while still giving them a not-boring read.
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