Doctor Syn, a Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh

Rating:
Summary: Underwhelming start of a legendary story...
Review: For many childern of the 60's (myself included), the Sunday evening TV episodes of "The World of Disney" exposed adolescents (as well as many "adult adolescents") to a diverse catalouge of entertaining adventure tales. In 1965, a three-part episode entitled "Dr. Syn, the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" first aired and enthralled all who watched it. The "robin hood" atmosphere that this work evoked drove many to want more of the "Scarecrow" to the extent that some of these "children" never got over that desire (me included again, of course). This interest was again recently peaked for me when I watched it on VHS with my own children and subsequently was driven to (happily) discover that the "Dr. Syn" story indeed had a long history.

Russell Thorndyke (an English actor/playwrite of the early 20th century) was the impetus for the story, I discovered, and wrote a number of short novels that ultimately spawned the Disney film. While researching these works, I discovered this fairly new release and decided to indulge. When I received it, I found that this particular volume "Dr Syn, a Smuggler Tale of Romney Marsh" is a re-release of the original 1915 story that started the legend, so, with memories of the film in mind, I dove into reading it. Sadly, this initial telling of the story doesn't nearly match the film or the legend that we're all familiar with and is thus a disappoinment.

The storyline, of course, is of Dr. Syn, the mild-mannered vicar of Dymchurch who's alter-ego is the Scarecrow...that mysterious, masked night-rider who heads a band of smugglers intent on making life in Romney Marsh palatable for the townsfolk during the late 1700's. Their swashbuckling adventures keep the village economically above water while at the same time tweeking the rouge English government of King George. Outlaws as they are, the characters are heroic (as all "rob from the rich and give to the poor" types are) and amazingly clever as attempt after attempt to capture them further embellishes their reputation.

This book by Thorndyke establishes the characters and setting, while filling in some blanks. We are told that Syn is in fact a Captain Clegg, the notorious pirate who was thought hanged years ago, but is now the kindly vicar. He now resides in Dymchuch and soon becomes stagnated by country life and disillusioned by the repeated efforts of the English government to stay economically viable (read, taxing them to death). Syn becomes the Scarecrow and recruits a gang of smugglers who work with other European countries to obtain illegal booty which ultimately keeps the Dymchurch province afloat. The problem with this book, however, is that very little is discussed about these "high adventure" activities and too many nonsensical storylines are established that detract from the essence of the main theme. One is left to assume a lot here and, I suspect, many will lose patience (admittedly, I did). This book isn't great writing nor great literature, so the draw of this work should have been the character of the Scarecrow. Unfortunately (and I assume that Thorndyke enhances the story in subsequent novels) we see very little of the Scarecrow and still less of the "midnight rides". I suppose that the main problem here is the fact that we've now seen the movie and are all too familiar with the characters. Therefore we've missed the buildup of the story from 1915 to now and our expectations get soundly thrashed when reading this work.

I do plan however to read at least some of the follow-up novels (Thorndyke kills Syn in this volume, so his subsequent works follow Syn as he lives preceding this story) and truly hope that the story's improve. With respect to this work, however, I'd only recommend it for the truly die-hearted.

Rating:
Summary: Underwhelming start of a legendary story...
Review: For many childern of the 60's (myself included), the Sunday evening TV episodes of "The World of Disney" exposed adolescents (as well as many "adult adolescents") to a diverse catalouge of entertaining adventure tales. In 1965, a three-part episode entitled "Dr. Syn, the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" first aired and enthralled all who watched it. The "robin hood" atmosphere that this work evoked drove many to want more of the "Scarecrow" to the extent that some of these "children" never got over that desire (me included again, of course). This interest was again recently peaked for me when I watched it on VHS with my own children and subsequently was driven to (happily) discover that the "Dr. Syn" story indeed had a long history.

Russell Thorndyke (an English actor/playwrite of the early 20th century) was the impetus for the story, I discovered, and wrote a number of short novels that ultimately spawned the Disney film. While researching these works, I discovered this fairly new release and decided to indulge. When I received it, I found that this particular volume "Dr Syn, a Smuggler Tale of Romney Marsh" is a re-release of the original 1915 story that started the legend, so, with memories of the film in mind, I dove into reading it. Sadly, this initial telling of the story doesn't nearly match the film or the legend that we're all familiar with and is thus a disappoinment.

The storyline, of course, is of Dr. Syn, the mild-mannered vicar of Dymchurch who's alter-ego is the Scarecrow...that mysterious, masked night-rider who heads a band of smugglers intent on making life in Romney Marsh palatable for the townsfolk during the late 1700's. Their swashbuckling adventures keep the village economically above water while at the same time tweeking the rouge English government of King George. Outlaws as they are, the characters are heroic (as all "rob from the rich and give to the poor" types are) and amazingly clever as attempt after attempt to capture them further embellishes their reputation.

This book by Thorndyke establishes the characters and setting, while filling in some blanks. We are told that Syn is in fact a Captain Clegg, the notorious pirate who was thought hanged years ago, but is now the kindly vicar. He now resides in Dymchuch and soon becomes stagnated by country life and disillusioned by the repeated efforts of the English government to stay economically viable (read, taxing them to death). Syn becomes the Scarecrow and recruits a gang of smugglers who work with other European countries to obtain illegal booty which ultimately keeps the Dymchurch province afloat. The problem with this book, however, is that very little is discussed about these "high adventure" activities and too many nonsensical storylines are established that detract from the essence of the main theme. One is left to assume a lot here and, I suspect, many will lose patience (admittedly, I did). This book isn't great writing nor great literature, so the draw of this work should have been the character of the Scarecrow. Unfortunately (and I assume that Thorndyke enhances the story in subsequent novels) we see very little of the Scarecrow and still less of the "midnight rides". I suppose that the main problem here is the fact that we've now seen the movie and are all too familiar with the characters. Therefore we've missed the buildup of the story from 1915 to now and our expectations get soundly thrashed when reading this work.

I do plan however to read at least some of the follow-up novels (Thorndyke kills Syn in this volume, so his subsequent works follow Syn as he lives preceding this story) and truly hope that the story's improve. With respect to this work, however, I'd only recommend it for the truly die-hearted.

Rating:
Summary: Good story marred by slovenly editing
Review: I first read Thorndyke's Doctor Syn books decades ago when I was a boy, thoroughly enjoying them. Russell Thorndyke's story is as fresh on second reading now as it was then. Unfortuately, the slovenly copy editing exhibited by this Wildside Mystery Classics edition detracts from the excellence of the story. Page 51 is a blank hole in a text shot through with typographic mistakes and other omissions. In short, the Wildside Mystery Classics edition is a disgrace. The copy editor should be keelhauled.

I give 1-star for the edition and 4 stars for the story.

Rating:
Summary: Wildside press revised edition
Review: Wildside Press has just released a second edition of Doctor Syn, correcting typos in their first edition. That's the one to get -- highly recommended for fans of early action-adventure tales.