The Master of Ballantrae: A Winter’s Tale.
By Robert Louis Stevenson.
(First published in 1888. My edition: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1995.)
‘The Master of Ballantrae’ is said to be one of Robert Louis Stevenson’s greatest novels. I did enjoy the story very much. My edition is a 1995 Reader’s Digest copy, which I acquired by a stroke of good fortune. It is hard-bound, with the illustrations of Walter Paget, and a by-leaf about the author’s life by the Reader’s Digest Association. It is a very nice copy to own.
On reading this book it once again occurred to me how great the writers of the 19th Century, and earlier, were. They were unequalled in vocabulary, language usage and command of the English Language. One cannot compare modern day novelist with those of old. These earlier writers were of a far superior class to those of our day. For instance; one cannot compare the writing of Robert Louis Stevenson, with that of Dan Brown. The former being undoubtedly in a vastly superior class from the latter. Modern writers seemed to have lost this command of language and vocabulary that these classic writers had.
The story itself is great and displays Stevenson’s full potential as a master story writer. It is for good reason that he was called “the teller of tales” on the Island of Samoa, where he died. He was indeed a “natural genius” at inventing and writing stories.
The next book of his that I wish to read is ‘The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde’, which I have read before but will read again. I will also probably read ‘Dead Man’s Chest: Treasure Island’ at some point in time, seeing as it is popular at the moment, and also, I like sailing ships and stories about them at present.
After reading ‘The Master of Ballantrae’, I can see why Robert Louis Stevenson is considered as one of the all time great authors of English Literature.
The End.
Copyright – JP Brown – 29/03/2007.
