Greenmantle

The book was very popular when published, and was read and enjoyed by Robert Baden-Powell and by the Russian imperial family as they awaited the outcome of the Revolution in 1917.

Just as the British and American characters are positive, slightly jingoistic clichs, many of the German characters are negative clichs; for example, Colonel von Stumm is an ox-necked, bull-like bully with secret effeminate (possibly homosexual) tastes.

Buchan saw his novel-writing as part of the war effort.

Stumm, the bully, is intended as a symbol of Britain's war enemy of the time, Imperial Germany...