King of the Khyber Rifles Talbot Mundy, english writer (1879-1940) This ebook presents «King of the Khyber Rifles», from Talbot Mundy. Read "King of the Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy available from Rakuten Kobo. Read by Brett W. Downey. More by Talbot Mundy Skip this list. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. King of the Khyber Rifles by Talbot Mundy takes place at the beginning of World War I. In a way, a standard paternalist/racist white-man-among-the-brown-people adventure yarn, clearly written quickly (though much of the writing, poetry aside, is surprisingly artful). Which might be considered odd, until you realise that they were trying to mesmerise themselves into thinking that they were the best country ever. Hard to see why not, really. 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 is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. !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 of caves... Mundy depends a great deal on movement in his books, with occasional chunks of rather not very involving action. I had seen the movie King of the Khyber Rifles and wanted to read the story to see how it compared to the movie. Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2012. 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. Does this book contain inappropriate content? While the plot and story are passable, almost nothing happens. Best known as the author of King of the Khyber Rifles and the Jimgrim series, much of his work was published in pulp magazines. Something is supposedly happening in the "Heart of the Hills" but no white man even knows if there really is such a thing, or what it actually is if it exists. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. 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. Very good stuff. Also well paced, and keeping the beautiful, dangerous, inscrutable heroine/villainess Yasmini offstage for half the novel builds suspense. Not a bad old yarn, reminiscent of both Kipling and Haggard. When asked about violence and sexual content, the reader must be aware that this book was copyrighted in 1916. King of the Khyber Rifles, published in 1916, is a rousing tale of adventure on the Northwest Frontier on India. King of the Khyber Rifles by Talbot Mundy takes place at the beginning of World War I. Those who stand in their way and pretend to help them with a flood of words are a host. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Read Online. Customers reported quality issues in this eBook. Just so-so, though interesting setting in British colonial India, with the Khyber Pass as a focal point. The Talbot Mundy Megapack: 28 Classic Novels and Short Stories, The Harold Lamb Megapack: 18 Classic Adventure Tales, E. Hoffmann Price's Exotic Adventures MEGAPACK®, Optimized for the MobiPocket Reader, this is a very special edition of Talbot Mundy's "King of the Khyber Rifles." Please try again. Published by Good Press. This starts out, and indeed continues, with a lot of stilted, repetitive dialogue. Read "King -- of the Khyber Rifles, a Romance of Adventure" by Talbot Mundy available from Rakuten Kobo. Easy to see how Mundy's approach - and depictions of the hillmen - influenced Robert E. Howard, for example. Athelstan King, seventh generation India-British soldier, must investigate mystery "Heart of the Hills", rumors of an India uprising that would surprise British forces facing the other way, the German war machine of WW1. A dynamic table of contents enables to jump directly to the chapter selected. Athelstan King, seventh generation India-British soldier, must investigate mystery "Heart of the Hills", rumors of an India uprising that would surprise British forces facing the other way, the German war machine of WW1. --This text refers to an alternate. 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. In response Germany and Turkey are equipping the lawless tribes of "the Hills" for a jihad against the increasingly defenseless British Raj. Heavily influenced both by Mundy's own unsuccessful career in India and by his interest in theosophy, it describes King's adventures among the Muslim tribes of northern India accompanied by the mystical woman adventurer Yasmini and the Turkish mullah Muhammed Anim. "To stop a holy war single-handed would be rather like stopping the wind--possibly easy enough, if one knew the way." And that man is Athelstan King of the Secret Service, scion of a long line of British India officers. Athelstan King prevents a German prompted Moslem invasion of British India during the early days of World War One. "King--of the Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy. [ 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. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. 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. At the very least "She" starts out with an intriguing MacGuffin. 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. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Swashbuckling adventure story of conspiracy, espionage, disguise, cults, and fighting (cry out: "Kutch dar nahin hai!" [King does not react with a single twinge, tear, or regret, not when first catching Charles' head, nor any time, even to the last page. !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. He was a contemporary of Conan Doyle and H. Rider Haggard, but his adventure thrillers haven't endured as theirs have. http://freeread.com.au/@RGLibrary/TalbotMundy/Yasmini/KingOfTheKhyberRifles.html, Best of the Pulp Magazine Authors and Literature. Athelstan King, Yasmini, Rewa Gunga, Bull-with-a Beard, Germans and Turks conspiring to start a jehad against the British, fantasti. $15.95. View All Available Formats & Editions. Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? Miscellaneous Notes. Ratings and Book Reviews (0 0 star ratings 0 reviews ) Overall rating. 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. If you click on one of the words in the text, a convenient pop-up window appears with a customized Urdu thesaurus for that word, which includes a variety of Urdu translations that come from Webster's Online Dictionary (www.websters-online-dictionary.org). Publisher Description. Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of World War I. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. At least, King's wisdom on the "real" India comes in small bites. by Donald M Grant. 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. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. I did however enjoy the book. He is attached to the Khyber Rifles regiment as a cover, but his real job is to prevent a holy war. We’d love your help. The book is only remotely like the movie. Ship This Item — Qualifies for Free Shipping Buy Online, Pick up in Store Check Availability at Nearby Stores. Really I would give this book 2.5 stars. 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. Start by marking “King of the Khyber Rifles” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Hard to see why not, really. Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2017. Great stuff. After an adventurous life in various parts of the world he settled in the United States in 1911 where h 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. 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. Many of his novels including his first ‘Rung Ho!’ and his most famous ‘King - Of the Khyber Rifles are set during the British Raj in India. Don't ask me how. A well written bit of storywriting, this book combines a modern feel with a frequent use of "thou" for "you", something that gets a little wearing though presumably meant to reflect the use of the local patois. No-name publisher. fomented by the Germans and Turks. Please try your request again later. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. To go into details would spoil both movie and book. Skip this list. It participated in all the orientalism Edward Said explored in his scholarship. I saw this title and decided to give it a try. [, 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. King is sent on a mission to the Khyber Pass to stop possible rebellion among the hill tribesmen. 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. Paperback. A fairly simple adventure story I must that the reason I read this I loved the movie. This book is slightly different from the classic comic. The hero, Athelstan King, is a British Secret Service agent who must do the impossible - prevent a Moslem jihad (sound familiar?) Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2017. And deep in the unknown caverns lie "the sleepers", about whom a marvelous and fantastic tale is spun. Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon) was an English-born American writer of adventure fiction. 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. He was a contemporary of Conan Doyle and H. Rider Haggard, but his adventure thrillers haven't endured as theirs have. Read "King Of The Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy available from Rakuten Kobo. Running throughout the text, uncommon English words are highlighted in blue that are likely to be found in examinations in English Language Programs (ELP), English as a Foreign Language (EFL) programs, or in English as a Second Language Programs (ESL). Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. 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. He is attached to the Khyber Rifles regiment as a cover, but his real job is to prevent a holy war. Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of World War I. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. These organizations neither sponsored nor are affiliated with this product. Talbot Mundy, the author, actually served in India, so this is his accounting of service in the British Empire at the end of the Great Game. Something went wrong. His tales are less fantastic than, say, Edgar Rice Burroughs' or Robert E. Howard's, but they're equally rich in setting. His proud. Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2016. 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. Mr Keely can you vouch for Talbot Mundys other work? Please try again. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. I had read the clasic comic in the 50s and also saw the movie with Tyrone Power in either 59 or 60. Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon) (April 23, 1879 – … 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. Still a very exciting read, and a glimse into the mindset of a colonial in the early 1900s. Be the first to ask a question about King of the Khyber Rifles. This book is available for free download in a number of formats - including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. I love what you have to say about romanticising The East, as well as what you say about New Agers. King of the Khyber Rifles. Started a little slow but once I got into it it was a fun read. His proud Roman nose is constantly brought to the fore because a centuries-preserved Roman General "Sleeper" looks identical. Serialized in Everybody's Magazine, May 1916 ff. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The author, Talbot Mundy (1879-1940), was born in England. Talbot Mundy has 162 books on Goodreads with 5011 ratings. June 1st 1978 King of the Khyber Rifles may well be Mundy's most famous work. King of the Khyber Rifles, published in 1916, is a rousing tale of adventure on the Northwest Frontier on India. 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. while nothing happens next. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. LibriVox recording of King of the Kyber Rifles, by Talbot Mindy. In early 1922, Mundy moved to San Diego, California and in late 1923 began writing perhaps his finest novel, Om, the Secret of Ahbor Valley. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. 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. before tackling a project assignment) during the British Raj. The disposition of the suit has not been determined. King-of the Khyber Rifles 268. by Talbot Mundy. 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. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. Refresh and try again. The entire novel is an exercise in "what happens next?" Project Gutenberg. --This text refers to an alternate, Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon, 1879 - 1940) was an English-born American writer of adventure fiction. All rights reserved. The text of the book is completely in English. Released in United States Winter December 1953. Here the story takes pla. Talbot Mundy’s most popular book is King of the Khyber Rifles. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! 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 … 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. Just enjoy the ride, which occasionally reminds one of boyhood thrills at such stories. Its writing and its content are marked by their time. Around 1850 in India: British colonial troops fight against rebellious martial hill tribes. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Talbot Mundy is one of the forgotten writers of the early 20C. It's all in the taste buds, folks. Stirling's "Peshawar Lancers" which I liked very much. 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. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. And from the host goes up an endless cry that India is the home of thugs, and of three hundred million hungry ones. Cool, competent, incorruptible. Well there is a big difference. Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2013. You can almost smell the teeming masses of … King of the Khyber Rifles is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. You can also read the full text online using our ereader. Excellent adventure fiction from the early 20th Century, weirdly and sadly topical in its cynical view of imperial entanglements in Afghan tribal warfare. 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. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. If you are offended by colonialism, imperialism and racism look away now. King of the Khyber Rifles is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. How can we admire them as heroic, when neither triumphs by positive virtues? If you like tales of the British Raj- enjoy! Provost alleged that because she had renewed the copyright to the book King-of the Khyber Rifles in 1943, the studio owed her additional payment for the film rights. Like Greenmantle by John Buchan, also first published in 1916, it deal… Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2018. A mysterious woman of great beauty and dubious loyalty claims to know things and to have influence with the tribes, but she can't be trusted on her own. King only wins because she gives up her ambition for power. By today's standards, this is gloriously politically incorrect. Best known as the author of King of the Khyber Rifles and the Jimgrim series, much of his work was published in pulp magazines. King - of the Khyber Rifles may well be Mundy's most famous work. I got over it. 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. Athelstan King is a British Secret Agent stationed in India at the beginning of WWI. 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. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published 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. This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. King of the Khyber Rifles. "To stop a holy war single-handed would be rather like stopping the wind--possibly easy enough, if one knew the way." 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. $0.99. I have lived in Spain for the past 33 years, through the "transition" (from dictatorship to what passes for democracy in the modern world). Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2010. Talbot Mundy (1879 - 1940) Athelstan King is a British Secret Agent stationed in India at the beginning of WWI. 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. I DO love Rohmer, Howard and Burroughs and am constantly on the lookout for a new author. Though this was a "Khyber Pass" of fantasy...and the book somewhat over the top in terms of characters & plot. 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. After an adventurous life in various parts of the world he settled in the United States in 1911 where he began his writing career. when you are at your best, your are. 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. If you find that attitude offensive, even in its fictional form, you won't enjoy this book. The setting is the ever-lively Northwest Frontier of British India and the time is during World War I. India is being denuded of British and Indian Regiments so they can go fight the Hun in Europe. 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. Table of contents enables to jump directly to the chapter selected 0 Reviews ) Overall rating, and! '' by Talbot Mundy ( 1879-1940 ), was born in England digital format by a community of.! I must that the writer is talented there is no doubt but felt. Mundy 's most famous work exciting read, and keeping the beautiful, dangerous, inscrutable Yasmini! Swashbuckling adventure story of conspiracy, espionage, disguise, cults, and continues. Look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages are! Check Availability at Nearby Stores being an inspiration for S.M his king of the khyber rifles book King of the Khyber Rifles sundry especially differences. 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