Rating: 5 out of 5
A deep and eerie story, the primal conflict of man against another man is a topic Mr Connell managed to define in few words. Perhaps that is because many are not necessary for this topic — and that it is relatively simple to describe the thrill of the hunt and the insanity of people.
I liked Zaroff to begin with. He seemed to be a decent White, having escaped and made his way to this Caribbean island — though in all of this the Caribbean setting was the weirdest part for me — and yet the reader soon learns of the other Zaroff. I liked the way the author slowly moved away from “The General” to “Zaroff” as the plot moved along, and as madness took root.
What else? The ingenuity as evidenced in Rainsford was also interesting to see. It is true that it is human nature to find new sources of strength when at the very last edge; the same applies to our capacity for thought and innovation. Rainsford is a perfect example of this in his struggle against Zaroff. Yet, Rainsford the Big Game Hunter also epitomises what is an immoral way of life.
We have a story of contradictions. Who should win? The intelligent though brutal General Zaroff or the immoral victim Rainsford?..
