The First Casualty
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| Author | Ben Elton |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Historical |
| Publisher | Bantam Press |
| Released | 2005 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-593-05111-4 |
| Preceded by | Past Mortem (2004)' |
The First Casualty is a novel by the British author Ben Elton. A historical drama set during the First World War, specifically the Third Battle of Ypres, The First Casualty revolves around Douglas Kingsley, previously an Inspector for Scotland Yard, now imprisoned for being a conscientious objector. He is called upon to investigate the murder of an officer by another soldier.
[edit] Characters
- Inspector Kingsley
- Captain Shannon
- Agnes Kingsley
[edit] Plot
Throughout the book, the reader becomes aware of tension and conflict which arises between Douglas Kingsley and the reader, society, authority and himself. At the beginning of the book, the reader sees Kingsley as arrogant which causes tension between Kingsley and the reader. Elton has however portrayed Kingsley in such a way that the reader is compelled to read on. Society appears as a lesser form of conflict but it does trigger a response from Kingsley especially when he is in Wormwood Scrubs and in court. Authority is represented by Captain Shannon who epitomises, in Kingsley's eyes, everything that is wrong with the war. The tension that brews between them is colourful.However the most important form of conflict and tension is that within Kingsley himself. Because of his actions, Kingsley has lost his wife and son, a unimaginable sacrifice which Kingsley has to deal with. There is also inner-tension regarding Kingsley's views of the war as he is forced to see the war from the eyes of them men he refused to fight with.
