Welcome to Treku

Having watched and been inspired by the poetry section of the ‘Delta Flyers’ podcast, I’ve decided to embark on my own journey through the f...

Sunday, 8 December 2024

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE - THE NOVEL

Ten little soldier boys went out to dine

One choked his little self and then there were Nine;

Nine little soldier boys sat up very late

One overslept himself and then there were Eight;

Eight little soldier boys travelling in Devon

One said he’d stay there and then there were Seven;

Seven little soldier boys chopping up sticks

One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six;

Six little soldier boys playing with a hive

A bumblebee stung one and then there were Five;

Five little soldier boys going in for law

One got in Chancery and then there were Four;

Four little soldier boys going out to sea

A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three;

Three little soldier boys walking in the zoo;

A big hear hugged one and then there were Two;

Two little soldier boys sitting in the sun

One got frizzled up and then there was One;

One little soldier boy left all alone

He went and hanged himself and then there were none

 

Ten deaths. Ten bodies. An island with no way off. What happened? Who killed them? What is the answer to the mystery of Soldier Island?

‘And Then There Were None’ is often touted as the greatest mystery novel ever written and it’s not hard to see why. The atmosphere Christie creates is palpable. The tension ramps up as the bodies start to pile up and the claustrophobia and danger emanate from every page.

Our ten characters are set up brilliantly as we meet each one individually in the opening section. Ten strangers. All summoned to Soldier Island by different people and for different purposes. 35 pages in the action begins as a mysterious voice announces that all ten are there to answer for their parts in the deaths of people they once knew. This message is one of many masterstrokes from the pen of Christie. Before we know what’s about to unfold, we understand why someone thinks each of the ten must die. Extra-judicial justice is a theme of many of Christie’s stories. This is a shining example matched only by her other iconic mystery ‘Murder on the Orient Express’.

The only other indication we get of what’s coming is a brilliant piece of foreshadowing. I am talking of course about the nursery rhyme the novel takes it’s title from. There are other shall we say ‘problematic’ versions, but the soldier version works here. The rhyme is framed on the wall of every room of the house on Soldier Island.

The novel grabs you at this point and doesn’t let up for a second. There are of course the obligatory red herrings as the shadow of suspicion is cast over each of the dwindling number of survivors in turn and it’s feasible that any could be responsible. Is it Blore the undercover police officer? Do the deaths by poisoning point to Dr. Armstrong? Is the puritanical Miss Brent striking down sinners? The genius of Christie is that she crafts reasons for suspecting someone and then giving us a reason why that may not be the case.

Every potential plot hole is paved over. We understand why there can be no escape. Why the killer can ultimately only be one of the ten. This is all compounded by the lack of a central protagonist. A few people begin to seemingly take on the role but then either take a step back or get summarily bumped off. From the opening page where we meet the first ‘little soldier boy’ to the final act with only two left standing, it is never clear who is most likely to be behind all of this. By the time the final body hits the floor I don’t think even the savviest mystery reader could work it all out.

The final chapter and epilogue are brief but in a few pages we get to find out not only the identity of the murderer but also how and why all of this has happened.

Perhaps the greatest strength of the book is that it loses almost none of its power on subsequent re-reads. The clues to the truth are all fiendishly subtle but they are there. A line here, an action there. Quite simply it’s a masterpiece and a flawless mystery

Rating: 10/10


Monday, 11 November 2024

TOS S3 Treku

SPOCK’S BRAIN

Spock loses his mind

McCoy puts it back again

Brain, brain, what is brain


THE ENTERPRISE INCIDENT

Kirk behaves oddly

Ploy to steal cloaking device

How could you do this


THE PARADISE SYNDROME

Kirk’s memories lost

A new life with Miramanee

A tragic ending


AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD

Who cares for the kids

Lawyer in shower curtain

Grief pleases McCoy


IS THERE IN TRUTH NO BEAUTY?

Medusan on board

Ugliness is prejudice

Difference is beauty


SPECTRE OF THE GUN

A trip to Tombstone

Gunfight at OK Corral

Can’t change history


DAY OF THE DOVE

Crew versus Klingons

Entity fans flames of hate

Laughter is answer


FOR THE WORLD IS HOLLOW AND I HAVE TOUCHED THE SKY

Terminally ill

McCoy weds on Yonada

Oracle saves life


THE THOLIAN WEB

Kirk caught in a web

Stuck between realities

Last orders ignored


PLATO’S STEPCHILDREN

Controlled by Plato

They are making me tremble

I am not afraid


WINK OF AN EYE

Don’t drink the water

Time variance proves fatal

Sped up Spock fixes


THE EMPATH

Away team lab rats

Emotion defeats Vians

A pearl of great price


ELAAN OF TROYIUS

Dohlman to bring peace

Tries to infect the captain

His ship got there first


WHOM GODS DESTROY

Trapped in asylum

Garth seeks ultimate conquest

Just one more chess move


LET THAT BE YOUR LAST BATTLEFIELD

White on the wrong side

Futility of the chase

Nothing left but hate


THE MARK OF GIDEON

Life a precious thing

Gideon prolongs crisis

Not mad but desperate


THAT WHICH SURVIVES

Is that Catwoman?

Is beauty transitory?

No. Beauty survives


THE LIGHTS OF ZETAR

Scotty’s beau possessed

Would rather die than hurt him

Strong will to survive


REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH

Kirk falls for Rayna

Flower dying in desert

Now I love. I love


THE WAY TO EDEN

Seeking paradise

Are you one or a Herbert?

Make your own Eden


THE CLOUD MINDERS

City in the clouds

A lesson in class warfare

Kirk makes Plasus dig


THE SAVAGE CURTAIN

The classic conflict

Evil must be confronted

For good to triumph


ALL OUR YESTERDAYS

Doorways to the past

Spock’s heart melts in the ice age

Back to the future


TURNABOUT INTRUDER

Kirk’s freaky Friday

The bridge is where he belongs

Out with a whimper


Thursday, 7 November 2024

ASSIGNMENT: EARTH

Failed backdoor pilot

Crises would fill a tape bank

Prodigy picks up


“I have never felt so helpless” - Kirk

BREAD AND CIRCUSES

Gladiator fights
Revolution televised
Rome will fall in time



“It does often seem that men must fight to live” - McCoy