Unshelved by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
comic strip overdue media

Tuesday, April 16, 2002

Okay, I finished the book within a day or so of getting it, but I've been participating in the discussion list amelia-golden@yahoogroups.com, and I love this passage. It keeps coming up, for obvious reasons. It's from Elizabeth Peters' The Golden One, pp. 351-352:

[Sahin Pasha] "Professor, I admire you, I respect you, and I do not want to injure you. Anyhow, my reputation would never be the same if I overcame a man armed with a parasol who has only one serviceable arm. I accept your offer. Put down the..." A gurgle of amusement escaped him. "The umbrella."

"Oh, come, don't insult my intelligence," said Emerson in exasperation. "You have no intention of giving yourself up, and I have no intention of allowing you to take my son prisoner again. I cannot imagine how you could accomplish it, but I do not underestimate you. En garde."

Ramses pulled himself to a sitting position. "Be careful, Father. He doesn't--"

"Fight like a gentleman? Well, well. Neither do I."

He bent his knee and lunged. A cry of alarm escaped me. It was almost certainly the most ineffective move he could have made. The blade of the sword was only three inches longer than that of Sahin's knife. The Turk didn't even bother to parry it. One quick step backward took him out of range, and as Emerson straightened, staggering a little, the Turk's knife drove at his side.

It sank with a crunch into the plaster encasing Emerson's raised forearm and stuck, just long enough. Emerson dropped the parasol and hit the other man in the stomach. Rather below the stomach, to be accurate.

"Oh, Emerson," I gasped. "Oh, my dear! That was magnificent!"

"Most ungentlemanly," said my husband, contemplating the writhing, wheezing form of his foe. "But I was never much good with a parasol."


Have I mentioned that these are my favourite novels in the world? That they bring joy to my heart? If you're into adventure, mystery, with a humourous twist, check them out.

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