The Riddle of the Sands cover art

The Riddle of the Sands

A Record of Secret Service

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

The Riddle of the Sands

By: Erskine Childers
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £13.18

Buy Now for £13.18

Season's Savings | £0.99/mo for 3 months

£5.99/mo after 3 months - terms apply. Cancel monthly

While on a sailing trip in the Baltic Sea, two young adventurers-turned-spies uncover a secret German plot to invade England. Widely recognized as the first modern spy thriller, this lone masterpiece by World War I Royal Navy officer Erskine Childers was written in 1903 as a wake-up call to the British government to attend to its North Sea defenses. It accomplished that task and has been considered a classic of espionage literature ever since. Praised for its nautical action and richly authentic background as much as for its suspenseful spycraft, The Riddle of the Sands is the brilliant forerunner to the realism of Graham Greene and John le Carré.

(P)1996 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Action & Adventure Classics Espionage Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Exciting
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

“This is a book of great renown…Its beautifully sustained atmosphere…adds poetry, and…real mystery.”

(Ian Fleming)

“Eric Ambler fans will find this a fascinating antecedent.”

(Publishers Weekly)

“Simon Vance lends a mature sound and considerable technique to his narration, making Childers’ seafaring not only apparent, but contagious.”

(AudioFile)

“The Riddle of the Sands has delighted generations of sailing aficionados and thriller readers with its nautical and political verisimilitude.”

(Booklist)
All stars
Most relevant
the author's intelligence shines through. full of picturesque details that will carry you away on the adventure. a slice of authentic nautical life with the trappings of the British upper class.

brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Any additional comments?

I first met this book as a prescribed text on my GCE English course maybe 60 years ago. I found it totally enthralling then and perhaps even more so now when I can fully appreciate the careful detail of the narrative. The plot is simple and neat but the story is woven into a complex tapestry of authentic nautical descriptions and set in a mysterious, shifting and foggy seascape. A startlingly prophetic warning of dire troubles ahead for the seemingly invincible British Empire, the book was a deliberate attempt to sound the alarm against Germany's growing industrial power and military potential.

Nicely told by Simon Vance who perfectly captures the youthful derring do of the story in the infectious enthusiasm of his narration.

A little gem from the dawn of the 20th Century

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed this book. I had read it before but the narrator brought it to life. Having no charts to refer to made it a little difficult to follow. Childer's execution by firing squad in the lrish Civil War hung over it for me. Such a fine life wasted.

Gripping story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I've read the entry for Erskine Childers on Wikipedia and I don't really understand why he was executed at the age of 52. What a tragedy! He seems to have been a man of inspiring energy, intelligence and principles.

I only wish this extraordinary book were twice as long. It makes me want to go back in time a hundred years and take up sailing.

Simon Vance gives a perfect rendition. He is also a great talent. What a combination!

A Rare Gem.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I listened to this at a slower speed.. so the narrator almost sounded like a computer voice. I found this slower speed worked very well. Obviously great story. I bought '39 Steps' afterwards!

Almost perfect..

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews