The Philanderers

"The Philanderers" by A. E. W. Mason is a story set in colonial Africa and England, where people struggle with hard moral choices. The story begins with a group of Englishmen in Africa debating how to punish one of their own for hurting local villagers. Captain Stephen Drake, the main character, must decide how to balance his duty to uphold the reputation of white men with his sense of right and wrong. The early part of the book shows a convict named Gorley about to be executed, highlighting the power and responsibilities of those in charge in a colonial setting. Later, the story moves to England, focusing on Drake's relationships with people like Hugh Fielding and Sidney Mallinson, as he struggles with his own goals and what society expects of him. The book creates a tense mood with a moral dillema.