John Meade Falkner

Moonfleet (1898) begins as a mystery and an adventure story, a tale of smuggling set among the cliffs, caves, and downs of Dorset. What will be the outcome of the conflict between smugglers and revenue men? How can the hero, John Trenchard, discover the secret of Colonel John Mohune''s treasure? As the book progresses these two interwoven themes resolve themselves into a third and richer one, with the friendship and suffering of both John Trenchard and the craggy, taciturn Elzevir Block. Falkner''s feeling for history and for the landscape of his Dorset setting combine with his gift for storytelling to turn Moonfleet into a historical romance of moving intensity.

En el pueblo de Moonfleet, el joven John Trenchard halla un colgante en el cadáver de «Barbanegra», famoso personaje fallecido un siglo antes. Dentro hay unas notas que indican dónde se oculta el tes

Orphaned John Trenchard grows up in the village of Moonfleet with his aunt, entranced by the local legend of the ghostly Blackbeard, who rises each winter night to search for his lost diamond.

"Moonfleet" (1898) begins as a mystery and an adventure story, a tale of smuggling set among the cliffs, caves, and downs of Dorset. What will be the outcome of the conflict between smugglers and revenue men? And how can the hero, John Trenchard, discover the secret of Colonel John Mohune''s treasure? As the book progresses these two interwoven themes resolve themselves into a third and richer one, with the friendship and suffering of both John Trenchard and the craggy, taciturn Elzevir Block. Falkner''s feeling for history and for the landscape of his Dorset setting combine with his gift for storytelling to turn "Moonfleet" into a historical romance of moving intensity.

Moonfleet is an adventure story set against the background of smuggling in southern England in the 18th century.It follows the life of John Trenchard, a lonely young orphan, and his search for a lost diamond. Read about the smugglers as they hide contraband in secret vaults in the graveyard.Can they escape from the cruel magistrate who pursues them without mercy? Will John ever find the precious diamond?

Fifteen-year old John Trenchard lives in a quiet village. But after dark, Moonfleet is a village with secrets. A dead man walks the streets, and smugglers do their work. When John accidentally learns about this dangerous worlld, his life suddenly changes. But will he live - or will he die?

John Meade Falkner (1858-1932), autor que avui presentem per primera vegada traduit a una llengua hispanica, fou un singular i paradoxal personatge. Antiquari, interessat en paleografia i ritus antics, en els quals arriba a ser una important autoritat, va ser preceptor d'un dels fills d'un dels propietaris de l'Armstrong, Whitworh and Co., en aquells temps una de les empreses de primera fila en la fabricacio i venda d'armes. Gracies a aquella feina, amb els anys va esdevenir-ne director general, carrec al qual va dedicar tan poc temps com li fou possible; no obstant aixo, sorprenentment, l'empresa no va anar a la bancarrota fins molts anys despres de la primera guerra mundial. Va exercir sempre de mecenas, pero mai d'escriptor professional. Fruit d'aquesta singularitat son tan sols tres novel·les: L'Stradivarius perdut (1895), on l'erudicio sobre els ritus antics constitueix una de les claus de l'obra; Moonfleet (1898), una excel·lent novel·la d'aventures que va donar origen a una encara millor pel·licula de Fritz Lang i en la qual el protagonista, un nen, ens remet a L'illa del tresor, si be aquesta ultima, obviament, en qualitat de predecessora; i The Nebuly Coat (1903), l'original de la qual es va perdre en una curta travessia en tren, anecdota que, a mes de servir de referencia obligada a escriptors de barra de bar, ens deixa entreveure la displicencia d'un pacifista que s'ha vist ficat a fabricar i vendre armes.

En el pueblo de Moonfleet, el joven John Trenchard halla un colgante en el cadáver de «Barbanegra», famoso personaje fallecido un siglo antes. Dentro hay unas notas que indican dónde se oculta el tes

La tour de l''église Saint-Sépulcre domine la petite ville de Cullerne. Elle renferme dans sa pénombre l''étrange lueur du blason constellé de vert et d''argent de la famille Blandamer. Westray, un jeune architecte londonien, venu restaurer l''eglise, se trouve peu a peu plonge au coeur du mystere qui entoure la descendance de cette illustre famille. Tous ceux qui ont tente de resoudre l''enigme ont echoue : des qu''ils approchaient du but, quelque chose les en ecartait .

John Meade Falkner nació en Wiltshire (Inglaterra) en 1858. Tras graduarse en Oxford, supo compaginar sus eruditas y dispares aficiones, como la música sacra, la demonología, los libros viejos, los v

Barbanegra se llevó a la tumba el secreto de su tesoro. Cien años después, Moonfleet, pueblo olvidado en las costas del canal de la Mancha, rodeado de brumas y leyendas, se ha convertido en una guarida ideal para contrabandistas. Allí viven un joven huérfano que encuentra por azar el pergamino donde se revela el escondrijo del tesoro de Barbanegra, y un jefe de contrabandistas cuyo hijo acaba de ser ejecutado por el juez del lugar.

Moonfleet (1898) begins as a mystery and an adventure story, a tale of smuggling set among the cliffs, caves, and downs of dorset. What will be the outcome of the conflict between smugglers and revenue men? how can the hero, john trenchard, discover the secret of colonel john mohune's treasure? as the book progresses these two interwoven themes resolve themselves into a third and richer one, with the friendship and suffering of both john trenchard and the craggy, taciturn elzevir block. Falkner's feeling for history and for the landscape of his dorset setting combine with his gift for storytelling to turn moonfleet into a historical romance of moving intensity.