“Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant” by Tony Cliff

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Rating: 3/5 Stars

An entertaining story on the first adventures of Delilah Dirk and Selim.

The story actually starts with Selim, a Jannissary officer whose loves tea and apparently not happy with his life as an officer. Then, he gets called to interrogate one Delilah Dirk in prison. He then reports his interrogation to the Turkish Sultan, which fills in the history of Delilah Dirk as an English lady with a love for adventure.

And that is where the adventure starts, for Delilah breaks out of prison to steal the Sultan’s treasure, and Selim gets involved when the Sultan believes he’s a traitor and is in league with her. Together, they escape in Delilah’s flying boat, where Delilah then reveals her next adventure is to steal a pirate’s treasure.

At this point, Selim is still half wondering whether he should still be involved but makes up his mind to do so, and in the nick of time as they rush to escape the wrath of the pirate. They eventually get shot down and, after escaping again, Selim apparently makes up his mind to leave Delilah and stay with a family they encounter.

But as time passes, the taste of adventure builds in Selim, and he goes to find Delilah. Which he does, still in the thick of action. And so, their adventures are set to continue.

The story’s unconventional heroine, who is the swashbuckler, while her sidekick is a somewhat bumbling but useful companion, makes for a fun story to read.

Book read from 2021/09/03 to 2021/09/05