This time, we look at a stand-alone adventure novel from the prolific H. Bedford-Jones (1887-1949), The Brazen Peacock.
It first appeared in Blue Book Magazine from August through October 1920 and cover featured on the August 1920 issue. There are two options to read this novel. One is getting the volume from Steeger Books as part of its H. Bedford-Jones Library. The other is obtaining High Adventure #146, from Adventure House. Both reprint the cover from Blue Book. The issue of High Adventure also has another Bedford-Jones story, along with two other stories by others.
This tale is set in the Middle East in the 1920s, after WWI. We meet most of the characters in the first chapter. We have rich American businessman Howard Z. Fraser and his butler, Winkler. Fraser had built a business on oil he found in the Middle East when he was younger, as evident by an old and dirty Kurdish rug in his private den. But two years ago, he had a row with his son, who left home. From Winkler, he learns his son is in the Middle East, where he had worked with the British in Mesopotamia. But after the war, he teamed up with an archaeologist, and they have disappeared in Kurdistan. Fraser, now regretting his actions with his son, is planning on heading there, and Winkler will be coming with him.
We then meet Tahir Beg and his daughter, Sefid. While Tahir Beg is a leader of the Hamavand Kurds, he himself is of the Aormani near Persia. His daughter has never married, as Tahir won’t allow any who can’t defeat him to do so. And there is hints of a deep secret about her. He is heading to city of Erbil (located in northern Iraq in Kurdistan) as he had heard word of an American who appears to be dying who has the name of one he met years ago: Fraser. Clearly this is Bob Fraser, Fraser’s son. Sefid wants him to bring this American so she can meet him. The cover shows Tahir introducing Sefid to Bob.
And we meet the villains of the tale, Shaik Nuir, who rules a city to the south. His family is involved in crime, and after seeing Sefid, wants her for himself no matter how. And he has a group of men who will help him in this. We soon learn these are Yezidis, lead by an Uthman al Hudr. However, I should point out that their religion isn’t quite as it’s said here. They do not worshop Shaitan (Satan), but a single God. But they are considered heretics by Muslims. Melek Taus is the lead angel, known as the “Peacock Angel,” and is viewed as the ruler of the world as their God is not involved in His creation directly.
Tahir soon finds Bob, and quickly figures out he is the son of Howard, his old friend. We will learn more of the adventures of Howard and Tahir years ago. And when a boy brings a brass object, we discover the center of the story. For a Kurd sent from Shaik Nuir demands the object, claiming it belongs to Nuir. It is a brazen peacock that Bob had found and cleaned. But what is so important that Nuir wants it? We soon discover it is connected to the Yezidis.
As Bob and Tahir returns to Tahir’s village, Howard and Winkler have arrived in Babylon and spoken to Bob’s old commanding officer, and plan on heading north into Kurdistan. Rapidly things start to collide, and our story heads to its conclusion. While Howard is lining up some to lead him into Kurdistan, he makes the mistake of getting involved with men tied to Al Hudr. At the same time, Al Hudr has taken Sefid for Shaik Nuir. This leads to an early meeting of Sefid and Howard. We learn that Al Hudr has an old grudge against Howard and plans on taking Sefid back to Persia instead of to Shaik Nuir, bringing along Howard to torture to death. Bob and Tahir are coming to rescue her, but have gone to Shaik Nuir’s city, thinking her there.
What will happen? Will they be able to rescue her? Will Howard and Bob be reunited, and if so, what will happen? Is there a future for Bob and Sefid, and what is her secret? Will Tahir put an end to our villains? And how does the brazen peacock figure into it all?
You’ll need to read and find out, as there are escapes and recaptures and more.
I really enjoyed this one, despite the misuse of the Yezidis. If you like adventure stories set in the Middle East that include the various people and cultures of the area, who include both good and bad people, you should enjoy this one.
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