In 1879, the North West Frontier, India’s border with Afghanistan, provides the greatest opportunity for action and advancement for any officer in the British army. But it also guarantees the most risk. The Pathan warriors of the Afghan hills—notorious for their ferocity and cruelty—are a constant threat to the Queen’s men. But what worries the army most is the rumor that the tribes are planning an uprising. Captain Simon Fonthill is ready for a new challenge. Having cut his teeth in battle in the Zulu War, he accepts the hazardous mission of riding into the hills and passing vital intelligence back to camp. Accompanied only by his unconventional servant, "352" Jenkins, and an eccentric but fearless Sikh translator, Fonthill steels himself for what is surely the most dangerous posting of his career.
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Book Description
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About the Author
John Wilcox was a journalist for many years before travelling all round the world while working in industry. He is now a full-time writer.
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good old-fashioned ripsnorter of a tale.,
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This review is from: The Road to Kandahar (Simon Fonthill Series) (Paperback)
It seems to me that today's historical fiction is geared more to the feminine reader or to those who enjoy reading historical mysteries. I'm not knocking either of those kinds of stories, but I much prefer the kinds of books full of action, with engaging characters who must inevitably struggle as two different cultures collide. It seems more real, more true to what things were like in that time. This book does just that. It has the sights and sounds and sensibilities of England and Afghanistan in the 1880's. It has a sincere hero who actually gets hurt and suffers and still perseveres. It has a terrific sidekick. Their are genunine moments of humor in their banter. And, as I said, it has lots of action - plausible, cinematic action. By plausible I mean our hero, Simon Fonthill and his acquaintances, make mistakes, act irrationally, while at other times they emerge heroic and resourceful. In other words, they are human and not cardboard superheroes.
They sound real, too. Wilcox did a good job with his dialogue. Each character has his/her distinct method of phrasing, while the narration, without resorting to Victorian excesses, seems authentic to the time period. Finally, Wilcox raises a number of themes that are really quite modern. Themes on feminism, racism and tolerance, the xenophobia and cruelty within every culture, and, whether intended or not, some interesting parallels between what happened in Afghanistan in 1880 and what is happening there now. All in all, I loved this book. Since it my first by Wilcox, I intend to read the other Simon Fonthill adventures. He's converted me, by Jove.
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