At Large

Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William), 1866-1921Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 526K words
Chapters: 53

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971, and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. At Large by E. W. Hornung. Author: Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William), 1866–1921. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Mar 26, 2011

Editor's review

At Large is an English work by E. W. Hornung and a public-domain literary eBook. Hornung is known for his plotting and character work, and this book carries on his readable popular storytelling, making it useful as supplementary material for English-literature reading and genre-fiction study. The Project Gutenberg edition is easy to obtain free and to read across devices. As you read, note the narrative pacing, character relationships, and social description set against the period background, and enjoy the flavor of English popular fiction from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. The length and language difficulty are moderate, suiting readers who want to broaden their public-domain English titles. Note that the source provides no specific plot summary; readers should enter the text with an open mind and attend to the author's storytelling craft rather than preset genre expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy late nineteenth-century English popular fiction and adventure narrative
Self-learners and English majors who need public-domain English reading material
Literature fans interested in Hornung's work who want to broaden their title list
People who use public-domain eBooks for commuting or short reading sessions

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers who prefer contemporary literature or need detailed introductions and notes
Academic readers seeking systematic study of the author's life and works

Reading tips

Skim the contents and opening first, judge the narrative type, then decide whether to read closely or casually.
Move chapter by chapter and keep track of character relationships so English names do not trip you up.
After finishing, compare with other public-domain works by Hornung to see his narrative methods and thematic preferences.
If using it for English study, pick dialogue passages for reading aloud and retelling practice.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for English beginners?

Not really for absolute beginners or elementary readers. The original is late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century English, and the narration and dialogue carry period usage. Readers with intermediate reading ability who are willing to look up words and adjust to older expressions will find it easier to enter.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg offers free public-domain eBooks, and the text is proofread by volunteers, making it easy to download and read across devices. This edition has no copyright restrictions and suits personal reading and teaching selections, but it usually includes no modern introduction or detailed notes.

Can I read this directly without having read other works by Hornung?

Yes. This is a standalone work and does not depend on earlier plots. To better understand the author's narrative style and period background, you can add his other public-domain works afterward for comparative reading.

Comments

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About the author

Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William), 1866-1921 Author

E. W. Hornung (Ernest William Hornung, 1866–1921) was a British author best known for creating the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles. The collection here holds twenty-nine of his works, including the Raffles stories such as The Amateur Cracksman, Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman and A Thief in the Night, as well as crime and adventure novels like Stingaree and Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Notes of a Camp-Follower on the Western Front, based on his experiences in the First World War. His writing is brisk and neatly plotted, with a polished tone suited to characters who live on the edge of the law, and it holds a place in the traditions of crime and adventure fiction. Public information about his life is limited, so this introduction concentrates on his subjects and style.