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{{Short description|1961 novel by Alistair MacLean}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox book
{{Infobox book
| name = The Dark Crusader
| name = The Dark Crusader
| title_orig =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| translator =
| image = [[File:TheDarkCrusader.jpg|200px]]
| image = File:TheDarkCrusader.jpg
| caption = 1st edition cover (UK)
| caption = First edition cover (UK)
| author = [[Alistair MacDonald]]
| author = [[Alistair MacLean]]
| illustrator =
| illustrator =
| cover_artist =
| cover_artist =
| country = [[United Kingdom]]
| country = United Kingdom
| language = [[English language|English]]
| language = English
| series =
| series =
| subject =
| subject =
| genre = [[Thriller (genre)|Thriller]] [[Spy novel]] [[Novel]]
| genre = [[Thriller (genre)|Thriller]] [[Spy novel]] [[Novel]]
| publisher = [[William Collins, Sons|Collins]] (UK)<br>[[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]] (US)
| publisher = [[William Collins, Sons|Collins]] (UK)<br />[[Charles Scribner's Sons|Scribner]] (US)
| release_date = 1961
| release_date = 1961
| media_type =
| media_type =
| pages = 223 <ref>http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Dark_Crusader.html?id=HOUfREs80-YC Retrieved 06/03/2013 16:31 UTC</ref>
| pages = 223 <ref>{{google books|HOUfREs80-YC}} Retrieved 06/03/2013 16:31 UTC</ref>
⚫
| preceded_by = [[Fear Is the Key (novel)|Fear Is the Key]]
| ISBN = NA <!-- Made before ISBN -->
⚫
| preceded_by = [[Fear Is the Key]]
| followed_by = [[The Golden Rendezvous]]
| followed_by = [[The Golden Rendezvous]]
}}
}}
'''''The Dark Crusader''''' is a [[1961 in literature|1961]] [[Thriller (genre)|thriller]] [[novel]] by Scottish author [[Alistair MacLean]], written initially under the [[pseudonym]] Ian Stuart. It was later published using his true name. It was released in the [[United States]] under the title: '''''The Black Shrike'''''.
'''''The Dark Crusader''''' is a [[1961 in literature|1961]] [[Thriller (genre)|thriller]] [[Novel in Scotland|novel by Scottish]] author [[Alistair MacLean]]. The book was initially published under the [[pseudonym]] Ian Stuart and later under his true name. It was released in the United States under the title: '''''The Black Shrike'''''.

MacLean wrote it in part to prove he could have success writing under a new name.<ref>{{cite book|first=Jack|last=Webster|title=Alistair MacLean: A Life|year=1991|publisher=Chapmans|pages=113–115}}</ref>


==Plot==
==Plot==
Eight top-level scientists and their wives disappear after responding to newspaper advertisements for specialists in different areas of modern technology, so when a ninth advertisement appears, Agent John Bentall is recalled to [[London]] from a mission in [[Turkey]] by his superior, Colonel Raine. The advertisements offered high rates of pay to applicants who were married, had no children and were prepared for immediate travel. Bentall, a physicist who specialized in solid rocket fuels and is presently working for the British government on [[counter espionage]], is paired with Marie Hopeman, a secret agent posted in the same job as Bentall in Turkey, assigned to pose as his wife. All eight couples had disappeared in Australia or en route there, and Bentall and Hopeman are themselves kidnapped at a hotel in [[Fiji]]. They escape from the kidnappers' schooner to the island of Vardu, a remote extinct volcanic island with a [[coral reef#Barrier reef|barrier reef]] in the middle of the [[Pacific Ocean]], which is currently home to Professor Witherspoon, a noted archaeologist. The island has no radio transmitter and the next boat is scheduled to arrive in three weeks. Bentall finds Dr. Witherspoon somewhat sketchy. Bentall discovers Witherspoon is actually LeClerc, the ruthless mastermind behind a plot to steal a British experimental missile, the ''Dark Crusader'' from a secret Royal Navy base on the other side of the island and send it to somewhere in East Asia for nefarious purposes.
{{Copy edit|section|date=December 2012}}

Bentall, a physicist specializing in rocket fuels and working for the British government on [[counter espionage]] duties, is suddenly recalled to [[London]] from a mission in [[Turkey]] involving the theft of British missile information. Eight scientists disappear after responding to advertisements in newspapers seeking to hire top-level scientists in different fields of research. All eight scientists had disappeared either in [[Australia]] or en route there. The advertisements offer very attractive rates of pay with a precondition that all applicants should be married with no children. Bentall is paired with Marie Hopeman, a rather inexperienced agent, assigned to pose as his wife. Bentall's character is no [[James Bond]], more of a stumbling self-deprecating fool who gets things wrong from the start and ends up in exactly the position the villains want him to be in.
⚫
Bentall's character displays a stumbling, self-deprecating demeanour and makes mistakes that lead to the pair falling into the trap set by the villains. The story becomes more complicated when Bentall and Hopeman find themselves falling in love as they try to defeat LeClerc. Neither the female secret agent nor the situation are quite as they seem. In the end Bentall chooses between saving Hopeman and preventing the theft of the missile, and finally unravels the last details of the plot with his boss, Colonel Raine back in London.


==Reception==
Bentall and Hopeman are kidnapped at a bus stop in [[Fiji]] but escape to the Island Vardu, a remote [[coral atoll]] in the middle of the [[Pacific Ocean]]. Island Vardu is currently home to Professor Witherspoon, an archaeologist of some note. The island has no radio transmitter and the next boat is scheduled to arrive in three weeks. There is something about Dr Witherspoon that Bentall finds suspicious. Later Bentall discovers Witherspoon is actually LeClerc, the mastermind behind a plot to steal a British missile, the ''Dark Crusader'', for an unnamed foreign power.
The book did not sell as well as earlier MacLean titles and was later reissued under MacLean's name. Film rights were bought by Simon Lewis in 1991 but no movie resulted.<ref>Webster p 116-117</ref>


==See also==
⚫
The plot becomes even more complicated when Bentall and Hopeman find themselves falling in love even as they try to unravel the plot to steal the highly classified missile technology. Neither the female agent nor the situation is quite as they seem. The novel really has two endings, one in which Bentall must choose between saving Hopeman and preventing the theft of the missile and the other in which he finally unravels the last details of the plot with his boss.
[[Rainbow Code]]s, the British military weapon codes that were the basis of both titles


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark Crusader, The}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark Crusader, The}}
[[Category:Novels by Alistair MacLean]]
[[Category:Novels by Alistair MacLean]]
[[Category:1961 novels]]
[[Category:1961 British novels]]
[[Category:Spy novels]]
[[Category:British spy novels]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]
[[Category:Novels set in the South Pacific]]
[[Category:Novels set on islands]]
[[Category:Collins books]]
[[Category:William Collins, Sons books]]
[[Category:Novels set in Oceania]]




{{Thriller-novel-stub}}
{{1960s-spy-novel-stub}}
{{spy-novel-stub}}

Latest revision as of 03:36, 19 June 2024

The Dark Crusader
First edition cover (UK)
AuthorAlistair MacLean
SpracheEnglisch
GenreThriller Spy novel Novel
PublisherCollins (UK)
Scribner (US)
Publication date
1961
Publication placeVereinigtes Königreich
Pages223 [1]
Preceded byFear Is the Key 
Followed byThe Golden Rendezvous 

The Dark Crusader is a 1961 thriller novel by Scottish author Alistair MacLean. The book was initially published under the pseudonym Ian Stuart and later under his true name. It was released in the United States under the title: The Black Shrike.

MacLean wrote it in part to prove he could have success writing under a new name.[2]

Plot

[edit]

Eight top-level scientists and their wives disappear after responding to newspaper advertisements for specialists in different areas of modern technology, so when a ninth advertisement appears, Agent John Bentall is recalled to London from a mission in Turkey by his superior, Colonel Raine. The advertisements offered high rates of pay to applicants who were married, had no children and were prepared for immediate travel. Bentall, a physicist who specialized in solid rocket fuels and is presently working for the British government on counter espionage, is paired with Marie Hopeman, a secret agent posted in the same job as Bentall in Turkey, assigned to pose as his wife. All eight couples had disappeared in Australia or en route there, and Bentall and Hopeman are themselves kidnapped at a hotel in Fiji. They escape from the kidnappers' schooner to the island of Vardu, a remote extinct volcanic island with a barrier reef in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which is currently home to Professor Witherspoon, a noted archaeologist. The island has no radio transmitter and the next boat is scheduled to arrive in three weeks. Bentall finds Dr. Witherspoon somewhat sketchy. Bentall discovers Witherspoon is actually LeClerc, the ruthless mastermind behind a plot to steal a British experimental missile, the Dark Crusader from a secret Royal Navy base on the other side of the island and send it to somewhere in East Asia for nefarious purposes.

Bentall's character displays a stumbling, self-deprecating demeanour and makes mistakes that lead to the pair falling into the trap set by the villains. The story becomes more complicated when Bentall and Hopeman find themselves falling in love as they try to defeat LeClerc. Neither the female secret agent nor the situation are quite as they seem. In the end Bentall chooses between saving Hopeman and preventing the theft of the missile, and finally unravels the last details of the plot with his boss, Colonel Raine back in London.

Reception

[edit]

The book did not sell as well as earlier MacLean titles and was later reissued under MacLean's name. Film rights were bought by Simon Lewis in 1991 but no movie resulted.[3]

See also

[edit]

Rainbow Codes, the British military weapon codes that were the basis of both titles

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Dark Crusader at Google Books Retrieved 06/03/2013 16:31 UTC
  2. ^ Webster, Jack (1991). Alistair MacLean: A Life. Chapmans. pp. 113–115.
  3. ^ Webster p 116-117
[edit]


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