It took me a little while to get into this, but once I did, I ended up really enjoying it. Other than the reviews, which were interesting, I didn't think the extra stuff in this Broadview edition added all that much to the story. ( )

A murder is committed and two men are hanged for the crime. When our hero finds out who really did it, he is framed as a thief and imprisoned. He escapes but where can he go with a notorious thief-taker on his trail and the real murderer seeking to ensure his silence?

Although I read this because it was said to be the first detective novel, the solving of the crime is a comparatively small part of the book (about 30 pages when it took us about 100 pages to actually get to the murder). The chase is nearly 2/3 of the book, so really it deserves recognition as an early example of a chase thriller. It wasn't hugely exciting but it was an interesting picture of the time. ( )

Young Caleb Williams is a secretary to the wealthy Mr. Falkland, a man of upstanding character and morals. When Caleb pries into Falkland’s personal affairs and discovers he has committed a serious crime, Falkland vows that he will control and persecute Caleb for the rest of his life. Caleb attempts to run away, but Falkland’s influence follows him across England and ruins any prospects he has of living a normal life. The novel was a commentary on how the wealthy aristocracy controlled the judicial system in 18th century England to the point that the common man was denied fair treatment and basic justice.

I appreciated the message Godwin was trying to get across with the novel, but the whole thing was just too dated for me. Caleb’s repeated refusal to fight back even when things were at their worst grew old quickly. I also thought it could have been a bit shorter.
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A rollicking thriller, though gets awfully repetitive at times. Though it was intended as a showcase for Godwin's political ideas, the story takes on a life of its own and sometimes seems to contradict his political precepts. It is perhaps at its most interesting when it does so. ( )

The classic pursuit novel by Godwin. ( )