The Blanket of the Dark
The Blanket of the Dark follows a young scholar who uncovers his noble heritage amid political upheaval, as he grapples with the burdens of ambition, love, and the quest for England's future. Caught between the expectations of his lineage and the allure of a simpler life, he navigates a world filled with power struggles and personal rivalries.
By John Buchan · First published 1931 · Genre: Thriller, Adventure, Mystery · 17 chapters · 113,808 words
First lines
Peter Pentecost, from his eyrie among the hazels, looked down on the King's highway as it dipped from Stowood through the narrow pass to the Wood Eaton meadows. It was a King's highway beyond question, for it was the main road from London to Worcester and the west for those who did not wish to make Oxford a halting-place; but it was a mere ribbon of rutted turf, with on each side the statutory bowshot of cleared ground between it and the forest fringes. And, as he looked, he saw the seventh magpie.
What this Textopian page supports
The Blanket of the Dark is listed on Textopian as a novel by John Buchan, dated 1931 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: John Buchan
- Date: 1931 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Thriller, Adventure, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 113,808 words
- Structure: 17 chapters, 1,466 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Blanket of the Dark by John Buchan
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Blanket of the Dark?
- How does this novel by John Buchan fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Thriller first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Thriller — The plot involves suspenseful and tense situations, characteristic of the thriller genre.
- Adventure — The narrative includes elements of exploration and peril, typical of adventure stories.
- Mystery — The story contains enigmatic elements that require unraveling, aligning it with the mystery genre.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and context reflect historical events, placing it within historical fiction.
Tags
adventure · mystery · suspense · thriller · historical · Scottish · war · politics · identity · betrayal · survival · courage
Contents
- The Painted Floor
- In which Peter is Introduced to Fortune
- In which Peter Lurks in the Shadow
- In which Peter Goes Deeper into the Greenwood
- The Parliament of Beggars
- In which Peter Emerges into the Light
- How a Would-Be King Became a Fugitive
- How Peter Saw Death in the Swan Inn
- The Road to Damascus
- Of the Conclave at Little Greece
- How Peter Came again to Avelard
- Of the Vision in the Snow
- The Unloosing of the Waters
- How Peter Strove with Powers and Principalities
- How the Swan of Bohun Went Down
- How Peter Returned to the Greenwood
- Epilogue