The Dark Crusader

Written by Alistair MacLean

Narrated by Ciaran Saward

A classic tale of espionage, secret missions and exotic locations which out-Bonds Bond, from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.

Eight job advertisements.
Eight jobs. Eight specialists in modern technology required.

Eight scientists to fill them.
Applicants to be married, with no children, and prepared to travel. Highly persuasive salaries.

One criminal mastermind.
Eight positions filled. Eight scientists – and their wives – disappear. Completely.

One secret agent to stop him.
Advertisement no.9. Sydney, Australia. Fuel specialist required. Looks like a job for John Bentall…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jan 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9780008527310

Alistair MacLean

Alistair MacLean, the son of a minister, was brought up in the Scottish Highlands. In 1941 he joined the Royal Navy. After the war he read English at Glasgow University and became a teacher. Two and a half years spent aboard a wartime cruiser gave him the background for HMS Ulysses, his remarkably successful first novel, published in 1955. He is now recognized as one of the outstanding popular writers of the 20th century, the author of 29 worldwide bestsellers, many of which have been filmed.

Reviews for The Dark Crusader

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Black Shrike is one of the best books I've read (so far!) by Alistair MacLean. It's cold war counter espionage stuff from about 60 years ago, so is a little dated, but it holds up well. What I really liked, apart from the twisty plot, is the humanity and fallibility of the main character. He might be an agent, but he's no James Bond, though a bit more like MacGyver!This one is definitely a keeper.

[glglgl_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ein einfacher Agententhriller aus den frühen 1960er Jahren mit ein, zwei unerwarteten Wendungen und einem gelegentlich an sich zweifelnden Protagonisten. Es kann eine recht unterhaltsame Geschichte sein, wenn man sich von einigen Klischees und den klassichen Rollenbildern nicht stören lässt, bzw sie als Folge der Entstehungzeit liest.

[oskar_matzerath-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From dusty office to dusty office, with a whole hell-of-a-lot in between . . . This is Alistair MacLean at his finest.

[jeffome · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

On OK book, but not up to the expectation that several of the previous MacLean works created for me. An interesting yarn with all of the necessary intrigue and double-crossing one needs for a spy thriller, but the human chemistry seemed off. I never made the connection between Bentall and Hopeman, and thus the romantic part felt insincere to me....forced. Lots of pure luck as always plays a larger role in their survival it seems than necessarily cleverness on their part. I certainly enjoyed it, but it was no 'Guns of Navarone.'

[bookwallah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good spy novel with several plot twists. The fictional South Pacific island setting, somewhere south of Fiji sounds like nice place to visit. Elements include a bumbling but brilliant British physicist cum secret agent, a swooning female non-agent, manufactured love (though a bit hard to swallow), a gnarly sea captain, a pompous archeologist, a king kong sized bad guy, lots of betrayal, and ancient cold war technology. Whats not to like?

[bnielsen_30 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

England, Australien, ca 1960John Bentall, der deler forbogstaver med James Bond, er brændstofekspert, men er blevet efterretningsagent. Nys hjemkaldt fra en mission i Tyrkiet bliver han kastet videre til den næste, som går ud på at undersøge hvor nogle forsvundne raketeksperter er blevet af. Hans chef, Oberst Raine har på Johns vegne både accepteret et job i Australien og indgået et giftermål for 10 uger siden, så John kan matche jobprofilen.Johns proforma kone Marie Hopeman er også efterretningsagent. Og en af de forsvundne er Johns tidligere chef dr Charles Fairfield fra forsøgsstation Hepworth.John og Marie kidnappes på vej til Australien og bringes ombord i en skonnert. De undslipper og springer over bord, heldigvis tæt på en koralø Vardu, hvor professor Witherspoon er ved at grave efter polynesiske oldsager. John fatter mistanke til Witherspoon, men det omvendte er også tilfældet. Witherspoon og hans håndlanger Hewell fingerer et uheld, så John angiveligt brækker anklen, men han lader bare som om, så han kan kigge uforstyrret nærmere på øen. Han finder ud af at dr Fairfield er blevet myrdet og det er den rigtige Witherspoon også. Konerne er spærret inde. Altsammen et dække for at udspionere og angribe en britisk flådebase på den anden ende af øen.John og Marie går i krig og får sendt besked til London og begiver sig til flådebasen, hvor de finder eksperterne og et lille kontingent soldater. Undervejs går det op for John at oberst Raine har plantet ham på øen med vilje. Lidt senere går det op for ham at Witherspoon alias LeClerc og Hewell har alle trumferne og faktisk erobrer kontrollen over flådebasen, missiler og videnskabsfolk ganske let.John og Marie bliver også taget til fange og John bliver tvunget til at hjælpe med at få de sidste detaljer med tændingen gjort klar. Han fikser den ene raket og den prøveaffyres uden problemer. Den anden piller han ved og i sidste ende lykkes det at forhindre at den kommer i fjendens (det er vist kineserne) hænder. Men mange dør, inklusive Marie.Undervejs er John kommet til at tænke over at fjenden ved alt for meget, så sidste scene foregår i Oberst Raines kontor, hvor John afslører obersten som forræder, skyder ham og kamouflerer det som selvmord.En sædvanlig mand-mod-hele-verdenen historie

[cmbohn · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I finally gave up on this one. Every time I started reading it, the hero was doing or saying something tough, and the love interest was acting like an airhead instead of the strong undercover agent she was said to be in the first chapter. I never did find out what 'The Black Shrike' was, and I just don't care.