The Nizam's Daughters [Import] [Paperback]

Allan Mallinson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam; New Ed edition (March 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553818570
• ISBN-13: 978-0553818574
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,380,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sequal to A Close Run Thing, March 2, 2007

By 

C. Shady "Reader3333" (Acworth, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nizams Daughters (Matthew Hervey 02) (Paperback)

This second book in the series does a good job of continuing the story of Matthew Hervey and his career as an English cavalry officer. This book was also published under the title of Honorable Company: A Novel of India before the Raj.

I am writing this review so that others don't make the mistake of purchasing both books. They are identical.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Ejoyable Read, April 17, 2007

By 

John A Lee III "jal3" (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nizams Daughters (Matthew Hervey 02) (Paperback)

When last encountered, Matthew Hervey had just survived the Battle of Waterloo with distinction. He had come to the notice of Wellington and, as a reward for his services, had been appointed to Wellington's staff. Now the was is over and he is in France, expecting marriage and service with the duke. Instead, he gets sent to India on a secret mission on behalf of the Duke.

It is a mission of political intrigue for which he has not training. Worse, he is not even given all of the information that he needs; that information will be provided by a local contact. Wellington believes that the support of Hyderabad will be essential for British interests in India and Hervey is sent to maintain those relations. Instead, he finds himself in the service of a rival potentate. This is most difficult for a fundamentally honest type like him.

The "daughters" of the title do not refer to people. Instead they refer to the Nizam of Hyderabad's huge artillery pieces, the source of much of his power. These are troublesome young ladies especially when allied with the flesh and blood sons of the Nizam.

Hervey is just barely a captain. He finds himself taking on the job of a general in a foreign land. By honor, he must protect the Rajah of Chintal. By orders, he must further the interests of Hyderabad. By inclination, he would rather be back with his regiment in Europe.

It is a light and enjoyable read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The British in India - Hervey vol 2, September 26, 2011

By 

John Middleton (Brisbane, QLD, AUST) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nizams Daughters (Matthew Hervey 02) (Paperback)

It's a big gamble for an author to end his first book about a Cavalry regiment with the Battle of Waterloo: where can we go from here? Well, since our hero is British, the answer is India, obviously. Hervey is sent to India - and thereby unable to marry his fiance as planned - to undertake a special mission for the Duke of Wellington.

Of course, things don't go to plan: Hervey ends up mixed in local politics and incipient warfare between the princely states. There is a beautiful Rajah's daughter who is causing Hervey no little consternation; nearly as much as "the Nizam's daughters" - a number of long cannon, the best artillery in India.

We get a good look at regency India here, with a number of characters providing surprises of one sort or another. Hervey is still very proper: he is definitely a man you would trust with your wife or sister (like Hornblower, and unlike Jack Aubrey, or especially James Bond!). This does not make him less interesting though, and certainly not boring. He is also not free of pride - when appointed to command the Rajah's armies, he demurs on pragmatic grounds, rather than doubting his abilities to do so (a point then deftly made by the Rajah).

The story is probably a little bit better than the telling, but its more than enough to hold your interest, and keep you reading the series.