An Old Captivity

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An Old Captivity
Author Nevil Shute
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre(s) Novel
Publisher William Heinemann
Released 1940
Media Type Print (Hardcover)
ISBN NA

An Old Captivity is a novel by British author Nevil Shute. It was first published in the UK in 1940 by William Heinemann.

[edit] Plot summary

The principal character is a young Scottish pilot, Donald Ross, who is hired by an Oxford don, Lockwood, to pilot an air survey mission of Greenland. Lockwood's interest is in the early Viking seafarers and their exploits and although he appears to have little knowledge of the needs of such a project, he insists on their starting as soon as his elder brother, a businessman, can provide finance.

Ross, as the hired expert, then has to contend with the 'helpful' suggestions from both the financier and Lockwood's young daughter, Alix. This causes early tensions in the preparatory stages.

The project is, ultimately, a success and Ross is able to supply many details from that time from his dreams as a slave aboard a voyage by Leif Erikson. We learn of the authenticity of these details by means of characters cut in to a stone tablet found on the coast of Cape Cod