The Peshawar Lancers

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Jun 8, 2001
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I just finished a book by S.M. Stirling, "The Peshawar Lancers". One type of fiction that I like is alternative history. The background to the story is a spray of large meteors hit the Earth in 1878, causing massive damage to the Northern Hemisphere including Europe and America. Millions died and a nuclear winter caused massive starvation in Europe. England, with a relatively intact naval fleet, moves the majority of it's people to other portions of the British Empire, with the Crown and majority of the Upper Crust moved to India.

This book takes place in the year 2025, with steamships, dirigibles (filled with hydrogen), bolt action rifles, and an analytical engine (3 story tall, mechanical computer) being the height of technology. The story is a mixture of Kipling and Indiana Jones, interesting and action packed.

It follows a young Lancer officer and his Sikh sargent/bodyguard as they try to unravel why every assassin around is targeting them. Lots of intrigue and action.

I am bringing this up, because the book features a great many knives and swords, with some great action scenes. It includes tulwars, choras, and of course, khukuris wielded by the Ghurkas who are portrayed really well, honorable and loyal, striking fear into their enemies. A couple of great scenes where they are fighting alongside or defending royalty.

The author really does a great job on blending the British and Indian cultures. After so many generations the society is a mix of the two peoples, very well done and quite interesting. I highly recommend picking this book up and giving it a read.

Wolvesclaw
 
Thanks for the tip. I have pretty much run out of books that I haven't read. Sounds interesting. I'll give my loocal book store a call and see how long it will take to get this one. Thanks again.:)
 
Publisher was ROC, came out about 3 weeks ago in paperback. Found it at local Barnes and Noble. I know that Amazon.com has it, also.
 
This sounds very good. Definitely going on my list to buy. Found a review of it, stating that one of Stirling's inspirations for the story was "King—of the Khyber Rifles" by Talbot Mundy. Read that book in high school (yes, we had the printing press back then) and really liked it.

Thanks for the tip.
 
Alternate history fiction is fun. I read a modern day saga that is a continuation of the Vinland sagas. The son of Leif the lucky and an Inuit woman leaves greenland and Iceland to go to the new world, to live in Leif's old camps on the Northeast coast of America. He meets the Natives, and even journeys far enough south to run into the mesoamerican culture.

King of Vinland's Saga--by Stuart Mirsky.

Keith
 
Wolvesclaw,

Wanted to thank you for the pointer to this book. I loved it. Very interesting speculation, and as you say, great action.

It's one of those satisfying books where the good guys (most of them) win, and the ungodly are confounded, at least temporarily. Definitely true to the writers that the author credits for inspiration. (read them all except Wren and Lamb). Excellent genre.
 
Your welcome, Aardvark. Glad you enjoyed it. Another book that is well worth checking out is 1632 by Eric Flint. Although it has a rather far-fetched premise it is highly entertaining and very well written.
 
W.E.B. Griffin is one of my favorites. Wrote 3 major series on Army, Marine Corps, and Philladelphia PD

After Richard Hooker wrote MASH, he did a sequel called MASH goes to Maine. Different setting, but some excellent parts. Then he hooked up with a writer named William E. Butterworth and dashed off a slew of slapdash grade C follow-ups. Not bad, but kinda formula stuff. Like varietals versus "good" cheap red wine.

Anyway, Griffin extended his "Corps" series to the first part of the Korean war. Wondered if he'd get another one out before kicking the bucket. He has, and another in his Phila PD series. I found this out on the net, and more. He apparently did some shameful things under his real name, so for his serious work took the pen name W.E.B. ( the initials of his real name ) Griffin.

The W.E.B. Griffin stuff is addictive, for the quality of the characters and writing. You want to find out what's next for them. I buy them in hardback as I return to them from time to time.
 
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