Moonfleet (1898)

El primer libro de la serie de Aventuras de la editorial Zenda donde Arturo Perez Reverte re-edita clasicos de aventuras olvidados.

Entiendo lo que le gusta a Perez Reverte de este libro. Es una aventura a pie, a barco, de gente normal, gente humilde, donde el protagonista tiene que superar el miedo a la oscuridad, a los cadaveres y a las alturas por ejemplo. No hay superpoderes, no hay grandes efectos, no hay grandes heroes. Cometiendo errores a veces, haciendolo mejor otras en una aventura donde la avaricia, el dolor, el arrepentimiento, la amistad y el amor se mezclan en una mezcla muy humana.

Me ha gustado como el autor nos explica porque el protagonista es capaz de hacer ciertas cosas. Por ejemplo, en un momento para intentar distraer su mente y mirada se fija en varios detalles de un jardin, lo que luego se usa para que el protagonista tenga la confianza de haber visto algo en concreto.

Las descripciones son perfectas. Es increible como en el mundo actual, aun da aprensión leer la descripcion de armas de fuego de hace 200 años. O las tormentas, un mundo en el que unos kilometros de distancia o un cambio en el tiempo era la diferencia entre la vida y la muerte. ( )

[This is a review I wrote in 2006]

**A brilliant story for everyone!**

Brilliant! A great book for readers of any age. Older children, teens & adults should all enjoy it. I don't know how I missed this one out when I was younger, but it's definitely not just for kids... I loved it!! A smuggling tale of adventure that sees the main character, John Trenchard, mature from boy to man. A well-orchestrated twist to the end of the tale too. A classic! ( )

I was sure I had previously read this in Grade 8 but barely remembered any of it. What's with that? Coles Notes? I don't imagine it's assigned anymore, given a section on a conniving Jewish jeweller. It is a wonderful tale, though, and my Folio Society edition, beautifully illustrated by Michael Manomivibul, helped warm quite a few winter nights. ( )

An adventure story, told from a boy's point of view, in 18th century England. Set on the Dover coast, it is initially a story of smugglers, in Moonfleet bay. John Trenchard is about 12, a curious boy, who stumbles into a crypt that is a holding area for smugglers of wine from France. He is there to look for the Mohune treasure, and finds a locket in a casket, but has to be rescued by the smugglers, particularly Elvezir Block, a taciturn man who lost his son during a revenuer's attack on the smuggling. He adopts John, they continue the smuggling, but are found out, accused of killing the magistrate, hide in a Dover cliff cave. John figures out a riddle in a poem in the locket, and they find the treasure, but are cheated of it in Holland, end up in prison gangs, and are finally released during a storm that wrecks them in Moonfleet bay. Elzevir dies rescuing John, in the end, John gets restitution from the cheat in Holland, and relates the tale as a rich man. I found it a bit hard at the beginning, later a good tale. ( )

As one of my All Time Favourites, Moonfleet is one I am sure I could read again and again without ever becoming tired of it. I have a strong emotional tie to the book, even if it isn't one of the more famous ones I've read. Falkner weaves an amazing story and Elzevir is an unequalled character, if only for the personal significance I've had for him since childhood. It's suspenseful, adventurous, and deeply moving. I love this book. ( )