Snarleyyow or The Dog Fiend, by Frederick Marryat

June 23, 2009 by Nekkidblogger · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Frederick Marryat, book review, historical fiction, naval fiction 

This book tells the strange tale of Captain Cornelius Vanslyperken, his dog Snarleyyow and the sailor Smallbones. The hero is the half-starved sailor Smallbones. Snarleyyow or the dog fiend, by Frederick Marryat The book is set in 1699. It is framed around the Jacobite (supporters of the overthrown king, James II) conspiracies of the time. The commander of a small vessel hunting for smugglers around the coast of England, Lieutenant Cornelius Vanslyperken is greedy and treacherous. And Snarleyyow is his more or less indestructible dog.

It is to a large extent a book about power and evil, betrayal and revenge. Captain Vanslyperken tries vainly to kill Smallbones while Smallbones tries to get even by attempting to kill the captain’s hated dog, Snarleyyow. And the attempts in either direction are plural: drowning, bashing on the head and hanging. But they all fail. As well, the story has both seafaring intrigue and high political double cross.

Snarleyyow is a very macabre farce with lots of dry wit, where one crazy situation follows another. The action is constant and entertaining. The characters are, to say the least, unusual. There is not a redeeming character anywhere.

Marryat is known for his sea stories and there are the realistic views of seafaring life plus a creditable adventure story, but the humor makes the novel special. In addition to plenty of cannon fire, battle strategy, peril, and passion—liberally sprinkled with wit and fine turns of phrase—Marryat’s real-life naval experiences lend his novels a truly remarkable authenticity. Snarleyyow or The Dog Fiend is a special and somewhat strange story well worth reading.

Links to books by Frederick Marryat at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN.

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