TO THE CORAL STRAND

The saga of the Savages goes back and forward over John Masters' production, but chronologically roughly stems from Coromandel (Viking- 1955), in which the legend of Jason Savage took root, back in the 17th century, through Nightrunners of Bengal (Viking- 1950), The Deceivers (Viking- 1952), the Lotus and the Wind (Viking- 1953) -- both early 19th century, when William Savage and the first Rodney and his son Robin, functioned in the present of the East India Company and the mystique of the past. Bohawani Junction (Viking- 1954) introduced the Rodney of this new volume, just prior to Independence. While Far, Far the Mountain Peak (Harper- 1957) switched back to Peter, grandson of the first Rodney, father of the current one- the time the First World War. And now with this, the saga comes almost to the present in the story of the Savage clan displaced by Independence, rootless, without the country they had felt their own. Rodney, determined to find his niche, is confronted with failure after failure- and only at the end, with all he has cared for in ruins, does he accept the woman who can be his mate- and choose the profession which can bring him back. It is a powerful story of a country in the throes of rebirth. One cannot help but feel that this parallels what must be happening in Algeria today. Masters at his best again.