Mr. Standfast

"Mr. Standfast" by John Buchan is a story set during World War I about Richard Hannay, a brave soldier who takes on a secret mission. He pretends to be a peaceful engineer named Cornelius Brand to gather important information for the war effort. Hannay struggles with his new identity and witnesses the difficulties and sacrifices of war. He visits a friend, then goes undercover among people who are against the war. He quickly realizes that some of these people are not what they seem and may have hidden agendas. Along the way, he meets interesting characters, like Mary Lamington and Launcelot Wake, suggesting there are complex issues to be explored. Hannay has to face both personal and philosophical challenges, showing how war affects everyone.