King Of The Khyber Rifles

By Talbot Mundy

King of the Khyber Rifles is a novel by British writer Talbot Mundy. Captain Athelstan King is a secret agent for the British Raj at the beginning of the First World War. Heavily influenced both by Mundy s own unsuccessful career in India and by his interest in theosophy, it describes King s adventures among the (mostly Muslim) tribes of the north

• Language: English
• Publisher: Clube de Autores
• Release date: Jan 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9789386686961

Talbot Mundy

Born in London in 1879, Talbot Mundy (1879-1940) was an American based author popular in the adventure fiction genre. Mundy was a well-traveled man, residing in multiple different countries in his lifetime. After being raised in London, Mundy first moved to British India, where he worked as a reporter. Then, he switched professions, moving to East Africa to become an ivory poacher. Finally, in 1909, Mundy moved to New York, where he began his literary career. First publishing short stories, Mundy became known for writing tales based on places that he traveled. After becoming an American citizen, Mundy joined the Christian science religious movement, which prompted him to move to Jerusalem. There he founded and established the first newspaper in the city to be published primarily in the English language. By the time of his death in 1940, Mundy had rose to fame as a best-selling author, and left behind a prolific legacy that influenced the work of many other notable writers.

Reviews for King Of The Khyber Rifles

[bespen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

King–of the Khyber Riflesby Talbot MundyCarrol and Graf 1985$3.95; 395 pagesISBN 0881841692I enjoy reading old books. This one is only 101 years old at this point, but I enjoy the act of getting into the mind of someone from another age. Written in 1916, Talbot Mundy's adventure story isn't that remote, but there was some dialogue at the beginning that I found very difficult to follow. A slangy exchange between Athelstan King and another officer reminded me how far language can change in 100 years.I've had this one on the shelf for years, and I'm glad I finally read it. It inspired S. M. Stirling's Peshawar Lancers, and it was fun to read, but I doubt I'll ever come back to it. Mundy's Theosophy is just too weird for me. Other books of a similar vintage are a little easier for me to get into.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A great title, and later made into a movie. (Note this is a "movie" not an act of "Cinema".) It's a series of vignettes rather than a constructed novel, but it created an image of the Northwest Frontier of India that remains to this day. It was at its time a good seller and was even encountered by both John Masters, and William Slim who served there. One should read it, and pick out those strands of "Kim" (1901) that created it, and "Flashman" who profited by it.By the way, The Khyber Rifles was disbanded in 1919, after the irregular Regiment of that name, suffered a great many desertions when facing the latest Afghan invasion of India.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Harkening back to the days of Saturday afternoons watching old movies on TV's Adventure Theatre, King of the Khyber Rifles is a posturing, swaggering adventure story of a British army secret agent in the early days of World War I as he infiltrates and manages to thwart the plot of the Turkish mullah, Muhammed Anim and the mysterious, beautiful Yasmini. As the military is being shipped off to the European front, India is wide open for the tribes from the other side of the Khyber Pass to sweep down and stage a jihad, pushing the British out of India.Athelstane King is a master of disguise and although British to the core, is able to think and act like a native. The mysterious Yasminni, of mixed Russian and Indian heritage is a masterful foe, and has gathered a force that will follow her blindly. Her downfall however is her love for Captain King. Throw in a mad Mullah, secret caves, charging lancers and you have an adventure story that will keep the pages turning.I found Talbot Mundy’s writing reminded me of both Edgar Rice Burroughs and H Rider Haggard, slightly dated, rather unbelievable, yet still highly readable and altogether King of the Khyber Rifles was a ripping good yarn.