The Black Tor

On the steep road to Cliff Castle, young Ralph Darley meets a ragged band of armed men led by the boastful Captain Purlrose. The captain claims an old friendship with Ralph's father and expects a welcome at the family's home above the river Gleame. George Manville Fenn sets this historical novel for young readers in the reign of James I, among limestone cliffs, moors and mines. Ralph's sharp replies and Purlrose's exaggerated manners give their first encounter a comic edge beneath its threatening surface.

The Darleys also carry a longstanding feud with the neighbouring Edens. While Sir Morton studies alchemy and dreams of turning lead into gold, his wounded son questions why the families must remain enemies. Ralph suggests that they could join forces against Purlrose's gang, challenging an inherited quarrel with a practical proposal. Readers interested in youthful independence and family rivalry will find those concerns expressed through lively arguments, an isolated English setting and the dangers of an armed adventure.