All rights reserved. He is attached to the Khyber Rifles regiment as a cover, but his real job is to prevent a holy war. The era of the Great Game; mysterious eastern woman who controls the outlaws in the North West; the threat of Jihad; the lone, valiant caucasian secret service agent to thwart it - in many ways the exotic, orientalist and at times enjoyable but utterly ludicrous recipe for weaving a yarn in the colonial era remains largely consistent across many books from the time. The author, Talbot Mundy (1879-1940), was born in England. I came to read this after hearing about this book being an inspiration for S.M. Here the story takes place in "forbidden" Tibet, and Mundy provides plenty of exotic local color. This is very similar to Haggard's "She," in that a Western man travels into a remote province full of exotic peoples and places, and encounters the ultimate exotic entity: a strong-willed, beautiful, murderous woman, always alternating between laughter and flashing-eyed anger, who deep down just wants a MAN so they can rule their Shangri-La together, and maybe conquer the world. Hard to see why not, really. You can also read the full text online using our ereader. King of the Khyber Rifles, published in 1916, is a rousing tale of adventure on the Northwest Frontier on India. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2017. When asked about violence and sexual content, the reader must be aware that this book was copyrighted in 1916. Yes, it has the casual racism of the time, and it jars, but we do have an upright, two-fisted hero who isn't afraid to use his brain, and we do have strange and mystical landscapes, and a female character who is fascinatingly the most intelligent, most capable and the most ruthless of them all. An above average old fashioned swashbuckler - nuff said. [ who looks like the "Heart of the Hills", Caesar's Grecian maid partnerand murderer, [ so feminine and all-knowing of HER that he obviously, [When King holds up a head as proof he killed a man, required to enter the Caves, I thought it was a fake he made ahead of time. For the dedicated reader, part of the thrill of... Serialized in Everybody's Magazine, May 1916 ff. Refresh and try again. Great stuff. It participated in all the orientalism Edward Said explored in his scholarship. If you find that attitude offensive, even in its fictional form, you won't enjoy this book. Many of his novels, including his first novel Rung Ho!, and his most famous work King of the Khyber Rifles, are set in India under British Occupation in which … His work has been cited as an influence on a variety of later science-fiction and fantasy writers and he has been the subject of two biographies. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2012. Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of World War I. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. Please try your request again later. Paperback $ 15.95. Not as well known as H. Rider Haggard, Mundy wrote a similar sort of mythic colonial adventure tale, usually in set in his beloved India. These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. Please try again. The hero, Athelstan King, is a British Secret Service agent who must do the impossible - prevent a Moslem jihad (sound familiar?) Talbot Mundy has an ex cathedra way of pronouncing on all and sundry especially the differences between East and West. Interesting in how Mundy walks the tightrope of giving the "mysterious East" just enough credit to provide the hero a worthy adversary, while still reassuring the British target audience that Western ingenuity and moral fiber will always triumph. At times it was hard for me to tell where Mundy's belief in psychic/philosophical rigmarole stopped and the swashbuckling tale took over, but I definitely sensed a certain sincerity beneath the pulp adventure story. Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2014. Its writing and its content are marked by their time. Read Online. --This text refers to an alternate, Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon, 1879 - 1940) was an English-born American writer of adventure fiction. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. "King--of the Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy. Stirling's "Peshawar Lancers" which I liked very much. I had a hard time getting through this book, and was glad every time I wasn't reading about the only female character in it. The tribes are gathering, the mullahs are exhorting, the rumors are flying, and the government needs to know what's really going on. And that man is Athelstan King of the Secret Service, scion of a long line of British India officers. Written in 1916 and set in the period at the beginning of the First World War, it positively reeks with the "white man's burden" of maintaining rule over the benighted savages of India and Afghanistan. After an adventurous life in various parts of the world he settled in the United States in 1911 where he began his writing career. This is a spy thriller par excellance filled with romance and action, set first in India and then in the exotic area of the Khyber Pass and Khinjan in Pakistan and Afghanistan (generally the northeastern area of England's then Indian Empire or Raj). His strange ability like "water, to reach the point he aimed for" p20 can reach through a noisy loud crowded train station, or bandit-ridden northern Hills to Khinjan Caves, where seductive mesmerising Yasmini rules and no other Secret Service Agent has returned from. [, not Charles, trapped, overwhelmed by Bull's villains for their own spy, then stolen by HER men and tossed to King. Books Advanced Search New Releases Best Sellers & More Children's Books Textbooks Textbook Rentals Best Books of the Month King--of the Khyber Rifles: A Romance of Adventure and millions of other books are available for Amazon Kindle . This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. Talbot Mundy is one of the forgotten writers of the early 20C. A fairly simple adventure story I must that the reason I read this I loved the movie. before tackling a project assignment) during the British Raj. During Mundy's career his work was often compared with that of his more commercially successful contemporaries, H. Rider Haggard and Rudyard Kipling, unlike their work his adopted an anti-colonialist stance and expressed a positive interest in Asian religion and philosophy. Which might be considered odd, until you realise that they were trying to mesmerise themselves into thinking that they were the best country ever. You may find it for free on the web. Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? He is attached to the Khyber Rifles regiment as a cover, but his real job is to prevent a holy war. King is sent on a mission to the Khyber Pass to stop possible rebellion among the hill tribesmen. Just enjoy the ride, which occasionally reminds one of boyhood thrills at such stories. When a little bit of research led me to Talbot Mundy (and a little more research led me to Khyber Rifles) I was excited. Don't buy the ripped off version from the public domain! NOOK Book. The Project Gutenberg EBook of King--of the Khyber Rifles, by Talbot Mundy This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. The book influenced my belief that the US would fail in Afghanistan-because it had left me with a sense of an indomable landscape and people... Read on my iPhone via Serial. King of the Khyber Rifles, published in 1916, is a rousing tale of adventure on the Northwest Frontier on India. To see what your friends thought of this book, The East is a fantasy--it does not exist, save in the minds of Westerners. The book is only remotely like the movie. To go into details would spoil both movie and book. Maybe he was being paid by the word. Also well paced, and keeping the beautiful, dangerous, inscrutable heroi. One of the classics of India in the time of the Raj and with the hero involved in the Great Game of forestalling the usual native revolt. LibriVox recording of King of the Kyber Rifles, by Talbot Mindy. Somewhere between Kim and She. This timeless Mundy special is a treatise on what-happens-next.Several threads of suspense running intertwined, culminating in a reasonably clever ending.I was truly transported to the North-western frontier of British India during 1914. Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2016. As Said, I love what you have to say about romanticising The East, as well as what you say about New Agers. This a wonderful book - a cross between Kipling and Rider Haggard with lots of adventure, mysterious spies and the Khyber Pass to boot. His strange ability like "water, to reach the point he aimed for" p20 can reach through a noisy loud crowded train station, or bandit-ridden northern Hills to Khinjan Caves, where seductive mesmerising Yasmini rules and no other Secret Service Agent has returned from. I saw this title and decided to give it a try. TOEFL-, TOEIC-, GRE-, AP- and Advanced Placement- are trademarks of the Educational Testing Service; PSAT- is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation; SAT- is a registered trademark of the College Board; GMAT- is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council; LSAT- is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Ship This Item — Qualifies for Free Shipping Buy Online, Pick up in Store Check Availability at Nearby Stores. This is a spy thriller par excellance filled with romance and action, set first in India and then in the exotic area of the Khyber Pass and Khinjan in Pakistan and Afghanistan (generally the northeastern area of England's then Indian Empire or Raj). At least, King's wisdom on the "real" India comes in small bites. Spanish cinema of the 50s to early 80s was busy promulgating what I refer to as "The Spain that never was" in the same way; a romanticised, idealised view of their own culture. It's interesting in part to read the book in light of current unrest in the same part of the world- somehow neither the British nor the Russians were able to subdue the Khyber Pass (the pass between India and Afghanistan), and now the US is having similar difficulties. Talbot Mundy’s most popular book is King of the Khyber Rifles. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. "To stop a holy war single-handed would be rather like stopping the wind--possibly easy enough, if one knew the way." Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Somewhere beyond India, on a quest for Khinjan Caves, King meets a group of characters which include: the Princess Yasmini, Ismail, Darya Khan, and many more. Around 1850 in India: British colonial troops fight against rebellious martial hill tribes. If you make it through the slow sections and somewhat repetitious philosophical speeches that Mundy has put into his characters' mouths, it's a decent enough adventure story with an interesting twist. King - of the Khyber Rifles may well be Mundy's most famous work. Mr Keely can you vouch for Talbot Mundys other work? $15.95. That the writer is talented there is no doubt but I felt like the book dragged on too long. I got over it. This book is slightly different from the classic comic. Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2018. You are right on both counts. King of the Khyber Rifles is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. This is a story written by an Englishman in 1916 and set in India's North West Frontier and the Khyber Pass – so you know pretty well what you are going to get. King of the Khyber Rifles Talbot Mundy, english writer (1879-1940) This ebook presents «King of the Khyber Rifles», from Talbot Mundy. I have lived in Spain for the past 33 years, through the "transition" (from dictatorship to what passes for democracy in the modern world). Started a little slow but once I got into it it was a fun read. The hero, Athelstan King, is a British Secret Service agent who must do the impossible - prevent a Moslem jihad (sound familiar?) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. His proud Roman nose is constantly brought to the fore because a centuries-preserved Roman General "Sleeper" looks identical. [, whose bodies have been hidden safe in the Caves since their deaths, One of the classics of India in the time of the Raj and with the hero involved in the Great Game of forestalling the usual native revolt. Paperback. After an adventurous life in various parts of the world he settled in the United States in 1911 where h by Donald M Grant. A dynamic table of contents enables to jump directly to the chapter selected. Written in 1916 and set in Afghanistan, this book features Captain Athelstan King who is dispatched to the North West Frontier to keep tribesmen from a German supported invasion of British India. Don't ask me how. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. Read "King of the Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy available from Rakuten Kobo. A really good read which bounds along but also delineates the main characters well. The story of political intrigue, warmongering and romance in the north-west frontier of India starts slowly, but picks up pace with plenty of exotic detail. King of the Khyber Rifles won't rank among the greats of English literature, but it is an enjoyable romp through the myths of the British Empire's "glory days" before reality came crashing in. He is attached to the Khyber Rifles regiment as a cover, but his real job is to prevent a holy war. June 1st 1978 (9 parts). Books related to King--Of The Khyber Rifles. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Published by Good Press. Captures your imagination from the start. Talbot Mundy is one of the forgotten writers of the early 20C. Our brave hero, Athelstan King, is a secret agent sent up into the "Hills" (they always are put in quote marks) to head off an insurrection led by a mysterious woman known as Yasmini. Released in United States Winter December 1953. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published King of the Khyber Rifles is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. Set in India and the regions beyond, it was successful enough so that two movies were adapted from its pages, although neither portrayed Athelstan King as Mundy intended him. So, if you like an elaborated and formal style of writing, it is great! Of course, there's a sterling British hero and lots of malicious, skulking bad guys hot on his tail, not to mention a mesmerizing mythic woman reminiscent of "She" of Rider Haggard. Be the first to ask a question about King of the Khyber Rifles. !It sucks you into the adventure pretty quickly, but a lot of the action turns out to be traveling- on trains, cars, carriages, up the Khyber pass, into the mysterious valley, into the secret mountain, back and forth through rocky passages and lots of cave,... a lot of traveling and lots. Read "King -- of the Khyber Rifles, a Romance of Adventure" by Talbot Mundy available from Rakuten Kobo. Not much is revealed about the background of Yasmini who is brown and blonde - looking quite a bit like a Peroxide Auntie - who cleverly adopts the persona of an old legend ( Greek man/General from 200 years ago, his brown-blonde consort) and rules the loyalty of the most wicked and ferocious looking Afridis with some deft dancing and a dagger as well as a gold bracelet or two with carved symbols. I loved it. Having said that, the author's time in India as a young man and his interest in various philosophical faiths do smooth the rough edges of prejudice a little. Still, the suspense keeps the reader moving from page to page for most of the book and it has much less of the blocks of pseudo-philosophical pronouncements that take up a lot of his Tros Of Samothrace. Books 2; Add to Wishlist. An enjoyable read from an era when supporting the British Empire was a natural position to take and where you fought as necessary to keep it. His tales are less fantastic than, say, Edgar Rice Burroughs' or Robert E. Howard's, but they're equally rich in setting. Yes, it has the casual racism of the time, and it jars, but we do have an upright, two-fisted hero who isn't afraid to use his brain. King of the Khyber Rifles by Talbot Mundy takes place at the beginning of World War I. While the plot and story are passable, almost nothing happens. Well there is a big difference. At times it was hard for me to tell where Mundy's belief in psychic/philosophical rigmarole stopped and the swashbuckling tale took over, but I definitely sensed a certain sincerity beneath the pulp adventure story. The situation is serious because English forces in India are being depleted due to a general call up because of the British war effort in Europe. eBooks. Adventure fiction written anywhere from 1890 to 1944 is a favorite of mine. Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2010. Table of Contents-01- About this book-02- KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES If you're craving a classic adventure novel from times gone by, King of the Khyber Rifles will definitely do the trick. Athelstan King, Yasmini, Rewa Gunga, Bull-with-a Beard, Germans and Turks conspiring to start a jehad against the British, fantastical landscapes, deep pools and caverns, and an outlandish plot. Please try again. Swashbuckling adventure story of conspiracy, espionage, disguise, cults, and fighting (cry out: "Kutch dar nahin hai!" One of boyhood thrills at such stories an easy way to navigate back to pages are! To correct these issues books hitting the shelves can be frankly astonishing, look here to find an easy to. Colonial in the taste buds, folks jihad against the British Raj- enjoy 25, 2017 to read Error! 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