Customer Reviews:
A Don't Miss Read!.......2007-07-15
Beware! If you love Western novels, this book will become the standard you measure them against. It has it all...my most recommended book to family and friends. I NEVER leave a copy unbought.
The "I don't read Westerns" crowd raves about it, too. No one understands why this hasn't been made into a movie. It is timeless, just wonderful!
Fantastic Book.......2006-11-07
I read this book ages and ages ago and loved it so much that I looked for it in every public and military library I was near as a traveled around the world for twenty years in the Air Force. It's become so hard to find, that I finally purchased a used copy a couple of years ago. I am a voracious reader, but normally do not read Westerns. However, this is one of the best books I've ever read. It's essentially about friendship, honor, loyalty, etc., but it rises above cliches because the characters are so unique. It (and anything else by Huffaker) needs to be re-published.
My Ultimate Favorite Western.......2004-03-16
I just finished reading "The Cowboy and the Cossack" for the umpteenth time. My twin and I read this book years ago and we loved it! However, over the years we lost our copy, so, I bought her one as a surprise Christmas gift. Boy, was she thrilled! We've been reading it over and over. The story and characters are truly awesome! You must read it. It is a jewel!
The Cowboy and the Cossack.......2002-11-20
I'm a voracious reader (not particularly of Westerns) and this book, which I read 15 years ago remains as one of my all time favorites. If any book deserves to be reprinted, it is this one! A must read!
The best book I have ever read!!!!!!!!!!!.......2002-09-07
I have read this book several times and each time I am re-convinced of how real the story is. At many points, I am either laughing or nearly crying. Huffaker really brings his characters to life. If you have never read this book, read it. And then read it again. And again. You will never tire of reading it.
Book Description
Covers the history of Cossack and Russian volunteer units which served in the German Army from 1941-1945. Author Peter J. Huxley-Blythe interviewed many of the surviving officers of the various pro-German units, such as the Cossack Cavalry Corps under General Pannwitz, the Special Armed Cossack Corps under General Domanov, and Sonder Division "R" under General Smyslovsky-Holmston. The book containes 116 photos, 2 maps, 31 color plates, 4 documents, 1 table and a "Foreward" by renowned author, Count Nikolai Tolstoy.
Customer Reviews:
Where we fear to tread.......2004-07-12
This book is study of a very obscure chapter of World War 2. The Cossacks of Russia served both sides in the Russo-German conflict, so it was very similar to our own Civil War where brother did fight brother. The Cossacks, like many other national groups within the Soviet Union, joined the Germans to fight for their own place as they always had under the Tsars. Peter Huxley-Blythe, who earlier wrote the highly anti-communist tome, "The East Came West", authors a study of the Cossack units and other units of Russians that served the Germans. He is not the best writer, but he is passionate about his subject. He obvioiusly has done as much research as he could about the Cossacks, as it is not a well known subject, somewhat hidden perhaps about the involvement of the British in sending the Cossack units and their families back to Russia for death or prison. Ironic in the sense that these people were sent back, and the veterans of the "Galicia" divison of the Waffen SS were not and even protected by the Allies. Huxley-Blythe also gives as complete a story of Sonderdivison "R", a part frontline, part partisan unit composed of Russians that fought on the Eastern Front, and whose survivors were protected by the small country of Liechtenstein. I would say that if you want to read a story never told before, I would recommend this book highly, you will come away with a sense of why men fight on when all hope is lost.
Average customer rating:
|
Savage squadrons,
Sergei Nicholas Kournakoff
Manufacturer: Hale, Cushman & Flint
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 General
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World War II
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B00085T50S |
Book Description
Master of driving pace, exotic setting, and complex plotting, Harold Lamb was one of Robert E. Howard’s favorite writers. Here at last is every pulse-pounding, action-packed story of Lamb’s greatest hero, the wolf of the steppes, Khlit the Cossack. Journey now with the unsung grandfather of sword and sorcery in search of ancient tombs, gleaming treasure, and thrilling landscapes. Match wits with deadly swordsmen, scheming priests, and evil cults. Rescue lovely damsels, ride with bold comrades, and hazard everything on your brains and skill and a little luck.
Wolf of the Steppes is the first of a four-volume set that collects, for the first time, the complete Cossack stories of Harold Lamb and presents them in order: every adventure of Khlit the Cossack and those of his friends, allies, and fellow Cossacks, many of which have never before appeared between book covers. Compiled and edited by the Harold Lamb scholar Howard Andrew Jones, each volume features never-before reprinted essays Lamb wrote about his stories, informative introductions by popular authors, and a wealth of rare, exciting, swashbuckling fiction.
In this first volume, Khlit infiltrates a hidden fortress of assassins, tracks down the tomb of Genghis Khan, flees the vengeance of a dead emperor, leads the Mongol horde against impossible odds, accompanies the stunning Mogul queen safely through the land of her enemies, and much more. This is the stuff of grand adventure, from the pen of an American Dumas.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent book.......2007-08-27
Among the ranks of forgotten pulp authors, Harold Lamb's obscurity is one of the strangest enigmas. Imagine if you only knew Robert E. Howard or H. P. Lovecraft from a few hints of having been significant once, or inspiring later authors, and their works were unavailable in print. This is pretty much the situation with Lamb, and it is hopeful that this book and its four companions will remedy it.
Because, in fact, Lamb is a master of the genre, easily the equal of REH, HPL and other pioneers of fantastic fiction. The main character, Khlit, a veteran Cossack on the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, is just as iconic as Conan the Barbarian, Ffahrd and the Grey Mouser or Cugel the Clever. His gruffness, practicality, and sharp wit despite being completely illiterate, makes him an appealing protagonist. In turn, his foes, Tatar Khans, schemers of the Chinese court and masters of secret cults and societies, are classic pulp villain material without indulging in base stereotypes. The pacing, including the trademark twist at the end (where I usually cried out "Of course!"), is exemplary. Finally, the locations where the stories take place are well chosen: exotic to modern readers, and presented fantastically, yet with a sharp eye to historical detail and accuracy as well. Lamb's deep knowledge of Asian cultures and customs is remarkable, and he can weave it into his plots without looking intrusive or forced.
It is hopeful that these four volumes will pave the way before more collections and reprints, and that they will introduce many more people to Lamb's excellent works. As someone who had known next to nothing about them even a few months ago, and only discovered the author when he was mentioned alongside Talbot Mundy on a message board, I definitely recommend them to anyone with an interest in great adventure stories. The editor, Howard Andrew Jones, is to be commended for his efforts in making this happen - and the cover illustrator as well for providing four elegant, moody illustrations to adorn them.
It's a small thing.......2007-05-08
I'd buy this book just for the name of the main character. I mean, how often do you encounter lines like, "It was still that morning, but Khlit was uneasy. Something was amiss, but still Khlit couldn't put his finger quite on it..."
I'm making those up, but you see what I mean. Hours of giggling.
Hours.
Another biased though heart-felt review.......2007-01-14
If, like me, you've hunted for Harold Lamb's stories dispersed in old and rare magazines and books long out of print and despaired that you would ever have them all - you will be grateful to Howard Jones for collecting and editing them. I am, even more so because I got to know Howard towards the end of this enterprise and got a glimpse of how huge and intricate his job was.
If you've ever dreamed of adventures in a world younger than ours, where bravery and cunning count for something and danger or treasure could wait around the next bend of the road - these stories are for you.
If you've ever wished for tales that would let you breathe the sharp air of the Hindukush range, feel the burning sun of the deserts, taste the dust of the steppes, see the Cossacks or nomads quarrel, fight and revel - these stories are certainly for you.
Get all four volumes and ride with Khlit, a cunning old Cossack retired from the Sietch, who keeps looking for adventures, alone or with a few companions, in lands where if your hosts regret your parting you never know whether they found your company good or whether they regret they did not have enough time to rob you.
Read these stories, enjoy them and tell your friends!
The Wolf's Tales Unearthed .......2006-11-12
For those interested in historical adventure there is probably no better choice than to pick up this volume and read the epic story of a lone, wily cossack, who leaves his clan and sets about adventuring across Asia. Not only is the volume a bargain - you would be lucky to find a sole story in the original magazine version at the price of the whole volume - it is entertainment pur sang,from the first page to the last. While Lamb gives us great descriptions of battle- and actionscenes, in the end his heroes win by their wits and not by their swords. This gives every storyending the unique "Lamb-twist" In addition the backgrounds and details of the stories are all historically accurate - which does not detract at all from the enjoyment! If you like to have your imagination stimulated by adventures in far lands and other days, this is the book for you!
Biased review.......2006-11-03
For honest disclosure, the editor, Howard Andrew Jones, is a friend and colleague.
But that won't stop me from saying "wow". The first tale of Khlit starts off the character at the very audacious age of 50-ish. And Khlit ages as the series goes on. To have this wiley old man have to think his way through the traps and conflicts that beset him and not just rely on sword and brawn, is just so damn cool.
Others have noted how modern Harold Lamb writes. I concur. His prose is evocative without being overly flowery. He sketches a world that is deep and dangerous, but never gets in the way of the story.
And Lamb's exploration of cultures and religions of this region, well, I think that Khlit and Lamb expose us to some very thought provoking situations that pertain to our world, NOW. After all, this is the world of Turkey to China. I think there are some events happening in that area these days that are of import. I'm not saying that this is a history lesson in these pages....but history and culture are nonetheless taught as we follow the wandering Cossack.
Book Description
The word "Cossack" conjures up different images to different people. To some, these ruthless riders from the steppes of Asia —with their spectacular fur hats and flashing sabres—are the romantic embodiment of dash and daring; to others, they are horsemen from hell—alternately rebels against the Romanovs and vicious instruments of Tsarist repression. Both images are equally true.
Lavishly illustrated with 135 photographs, paintings, and lithographs, The Cossacks, by career diplomat and noted travel writer John Ure, traces the story of these great warriors from the time of Ivan the Terrible, through the uprisings of the Volga pirate Stenka Razin and the impostor Pugachev, to the harnessing of the Cossack Host to the Tsarist cause. He recounts their fearsome exploits in Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, in the conquest of the Caucasus and in the "Great Game" in Central Asia; how they split in the Russian Revolution between White interventionists and the Red Army; how Hitler lured many of them to turn against Russia during the Second World War, and how Stalin, in turn, persecuted them. And he explodes the long-held theory that the Cossacks are a purely historical phenomenon by detailing present-day activities of Cossacks in Bosnia, Chechnya, and elsewhere.
John Ure brings them vividly to life—in dramatic words and pictures—mining the most dramatic stories from the rich vein of Cossack legend and lore. The Cossacks emerge from this narrative in all their brilliant glory: dashing and cruel, unpredictable and immensely brave.
Customer Reviews:
Poland once ruled from Berlin to Moscow! Intrigued.......2006-01-21
The great Polish/Lithuanian empire ruled all of central europe at one point - from Berlin to Moscow. I'm betting most of you weren't even aware of that. I wasn't either until I started reading more of european history. In developing a friendship with some people of Polish descent they recommended this author and his nobel prize winning novels to me. I was daunted by its length and by the date of when it was originally written. However, I started reading and have been hooked on these books ever since. I have come to believe that Mr. Sienkiewicz is the father of the modern novel. This is not a stilted 18th century read!
It gives you history (from a polish perspective) with fictionalized characters and a compelling story behind the backdrop of the calamitous decline of a once proud and powerful empire. The characters are heroic, tragic, conflicted and wonderful to follow. You will love this book and the several sequels in this decades spanning story.
One doesn't win a Nobel prize in literature if they can't write and Mr. Sieniewicz earned his.
Outstanding literature.......2005-05-28
I have read "With Fire and Sword," "The Deluge," and "Pan Michael" ("Colonel Wolodyjowski") and I recommend all of them highly. The characters are memorable and well-developed, the heroes are likeable, and even the villains are understandable as people with very human motivations.
Restored Classic.......2005-05-23
Ask around a bit and you'll find no shortage of folks, men in particular, who became readers via their encounters in youth with class adventure tales: The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Ivanhoe, the Lord of the Rings, etc. ask again and you'll find almost no one whose heard of half the Nobel Laureates in Literature, fewer who've read them, and none enjoyed many of them. All the more remarkable then that one of the great adventure authors of all time actually won a Nobel and somewhat tragic that so few have read him in recent decades. But Henryk Sienkiewicz has made something of a comeback and it could not be more welcome.
Sienkiewicz is the great author of Poland--indeed, to some extent his works are said to have created and helped to maintain the strong Polish identity that prevailed through the troubled 20th Century. When his books were first published -- mostly late in the 19th Century -- the English translations were done by Teddy Roosevelt's friend Jeremiah Curtin and, whether they were adequate for their time, they are are terribly dated now and have served to put off potential readers. Add in the fact that neither the Nazis nor the Communists had much interest in fostering Polish patriotism and you've the recipe for lost classics. But then, fittingly as the Iron Curtain was crumbling, Hippocrene Books commissioned a new translation of his greatest works, The Trilogy and Quo Vadis?, by the highly-regarded Polish novelist W. S. Kuniczak, and these eminently readable versions won Sienkiewicz a modern audience. New translations of other works followed, then a terrific film version of In Desert and Wilderness, and a massive Polish television adaptation of the Trilogy. Suddenly we've a surfeit of riches and some catching up to do.
If you're just starting out it might be wise to begin with Quo Vadis?, a stand alone tale of Christians in Rome that really deserves a fresh film treatment. But it's well worth your time to dive into the Trilogy, the first volume of which is the magnificent With Fire and Sword. Set in 1647, amidst a Cossack uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, it tells the story of a young Polish patriot and hero, Yan Skshetuski, and his love for the beautiful Helen, who is also coveted the brutal Bohun, who fights with the rebels. Pan Yan's twin tales give us epic history and grand romance, while his compatriots offer comic relief. There's his wily servant, Zjendjan, whose semi-faithful service somehow keeps lining his own pocket. There's the mopey giant Pan Longinus, who has sworn a vow of chastity until he lives up to the example of his forebears and takes off the heads of three enemy soldiers with one swing of his massive battle sword. There's Pan Michal Wolodyjowski, whose bravery and feistiness belie his diminutive stature. And, best of all, there's the Falstaffian Pan Zagloba, who makes up in drinking capacity, gluttony, and biting wit what he lacks in zeal for battle, as he keeps his one good eye peeled for threats to his corpulent frame.
It'll take you a hundred to a hundred and fifty pages to orient yourself and get used to the odd names and nicknames, but the subsequent thousand pages go by far too fast. It's one of those stories you don't ever want to end.
A great book, but the translation could be better.......2003-12-23
I've read Kuniczak's translation of the Trilogy and greatly enjoyed it. It was my introduction to Seinkiewicz. However, while reading it, it seemed somehow incoherent, like something was missing. It also seemed impossible that the companions of Zagloba would be so credulous of his boasting.
I went and found a copy of the 1890 translation of the Trilogy by Jeremiah Curtin. What a difference! Though the language is somewhat archaic, the story flows so much better and the character of Zagloba is much more believeable. There is more context to his antics, and his companions are presented as far more skeptical of his boasting, making the story much more realistic.
Kuniczak seems to have omitted and simplified much that appears in the Curtin translation, to the detriment of the story. Many believe the Kuniczak version is superior, and maybe it is more accessible, but I recommend you find the old editon in the basement of the local library and read it first.
Beautiful Novel.......2003-11-19
This was one of the most sweeping epics I've ever read. It's over 1,000 pages, but it takes little effort to finish the book. I found myself white knuckled and breathless through many of the battle scenes. This was truly a good read for both men and women.
Book Description
A master of driving pace, exotic setting, and complex plotting, Harold Lamb was one of Robert E. Howard's favorite writers. Here at last is every pulse-pounding, action-packed story of Lamb's greatest hero, Khlit the Cossack, the “wolf of the steppes.” Journey with the unsung grandfather of sword and sorcery in search of ancient tombs, gleaming treasure, and thrilling landscapes. Match wits with deadly swordsmen, scheming priests, and evil cults. Rescue lovely damsels, ride with bold comrades, and hazard everything on your brains, skill, and a little luck.
This four-volume set collects for the first time the complete Cossack stories of Harold Lamb: every adventure of Khlit the Cossack and those of his friends, allies, and fellow Cossacks, many of which have never appeared between book covers. Compiled and edited by the Harold Lamb scholar Howard Andrew Jones, each volume features essays Lamb wrote about his stories, an informative introduction by a popular author, and a wealth of rare, exciting, swashbuckling fiction.
In this third volume, the wily old Cossack Khlit may have aged but he's lost none of his guile. He shepherds his dashing grandson Kirdy into one adventure after another, finally uniting with his allies Ayub and Demid in the climactic story White Falcon—out of print since the 1920s. Here too are the exploits of Ayub and Demid, risking all to safeguard the perilous Russian border from marauding Turks, Tatars, and even bloodthirsty Russian nobles.
Book Description
A master of driving pace, exotic setting, and complex plotting, Harold Lamb was one of Robert E. Howard's favorite writers. Here at last is every pulse-pounding, action-packed story of Lamb's greatest hero, Khlit the Cossack, the “wolf of the steppes.” Journey with the unsung grandfather of sword and sorcery in search of ancient tombs, gleaming treasure, and thrilling landscapes. Match wits with deadly swordsmen, scheming priests, and evil cults. Rescue lovely damsels, ride with bold comrades, and hazard everything on your brains, skill, and a little luck.
This four-volume set collects for the first time the complete Cossack stories of Harold Lamb: every adventure of Khlit the Cossack and those of his friends, allies, and fellow Cossacks, many of which have never appeared between book covers. Compiled and edited by the Harold Lamb scholar Howard Andrew Jones, each volume features essays Lamb wrote about his stories, an informative introduction by a popular author, and a wealth of rare, exciting swashbuckling fiction.
In the concluding volume, gallop into adventure with Khlit and Kirdy for their final challenge in The Wolf Master, out of print since 1933. Then, delve into a treasure trove of stories gleaned from rare magazines: an account of a desperate mission for Khlit’s old friend Ayub; three tales of the valorous Koum and the champion swordsman Gurka; two daring ventures by Stenka Razin, the Robin Hood of the steppes; five short stories of Uncle Yarak, a Cossack fighting in World War II; and more than a half dozen other swashbuckling tales from the steppes.
Book Description
Available for the first time in English, here's the gripping story of Ukrainian anarchist Nestor Makhno. With his usual wit and engaging style, Skirda chronicles the life of a legend and the insurgent army that fought in his name. Always controversial, Makhno has been described as everything from a drunken bandit to an inspirational hero. From Makhno's imprisonment, to battles with the Bolsheviks and the White Army, to the final exile in Paris, Skirda captures the life of Makhno and the history of the Makhnovist movement.
Alexandre Skirda is the foremost anarchist theorist and activist writing in Europe today.
Customer Reviews:
"He sought to give land to the peasants, factories to the workers intact and advised them to organize themselves".......2006-12-10
Nestor Makhno was a man of unparalleled single-mindedness, unflagging courage, tactical brilliance, and utter devotion to the necessity of real human liberty, fraternity and equality. Although described as a Ukrainian partisan, nothing was provincial about Makhno's anarchist vision as Skirda's book demonstrates. The Ukraine was the arena in which he fought for that vision and for the safety and well being of the Ukrainian "toilers."
The Ukrainians were beset by murderers and oppressors of every sort and ideology. After the fall of the Russian empire and the ascendancy of Bolsheviks, the Bolsheviks entered into the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, ceding the Ukraine among other territories to the Central Powers effectively ending Russia's involvement in World War 1. The Makhnovists successfully repulsed the new masters of the Ukraine. But others enemies would arise--the White Russian forces, the Red Army--that the Makhnovists would engage almost always successfully.
In the end the Makhnovists made a fatal mistake, one that would be repeated by the anarchists years later during the Spanish civil war. They entered into a military alliance with the Bolsheviks (Marxist Leninists) to fight the Whites, trusting the USSR's promises that they had no territorial aims on the Ukraine. Although successfully winning battles against the Red army, the sheer size of their forces overwhelmed the Makhnovists. Makhno barely escaped and ended his years poor, cheated by "sympathizers" out of funds donated to him and almost completely abandoned as an exile in Paris.
Skirda's book dispels many myths about Makhno, mostly spread by historical revisionists in the Soviet Union. Here we see Makhno the executioner of anti-Semitic murders not one himself; Makhno the worst nightmare of the White Russian forces and not one of their collaborators; Makhno the liberator of the toilers and not their enslaver like the Reds.
Nothing in the text of this book is disappointing. It's thorough, passionately written, admirably detailed, yet lacking in one important respect to make it an important scholarly tool. It has no index. I cannot fathom why.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend reading this book. I suspect it is probably the best portrait of Makhno's life in print.
What your history teacher didn't tell you.......2006-06-09
For those of us who went or are going to school in the United States, it sometimes seems impossible to get a real picture of the Russian Revolution. So much baggage and enmity clogs the works that most of the time only a two dimensional sketch of one of the pivotal periods of modern history can be achieved, leaving out the breadth and complexity of the many players, parties, ideas, struggles, and factions. Most people graduate from high school and even college with the formless impression that "communism" is "bad."
Luckily, I had a high school history teacher that took the time to say, "These are the basic ideas of Communism: A, B, C, & D. These are the various currents of Communist thought. This is the basic history of the Revolution and the early Soviet state. What matches up? What doesn't? What went on here?"
Skirda's biography of Makhno achieves the same thing. It follows this pivotal figure and his cadre, from well before the Revolution to well after it. It offers actual history of the Revolution--history that was abused and twisted by the Soviet state as "reactionary," and completely ignored in the West, perhaps because it would undermine the flat demonization of the Revolution as "bad." Makhno and his group literally took to the hills to wrench the central Ukraine from the grip of tyrannical barons; fought off invading armies intent on reinstating the old regime; and then turned around to try to keep the Bolshevik invaders from instituting an entirely new regime of tyrannical barons.
While the book is occasionally a bit heavy on blow-by-blow recounting of military movements and tactical nuances, after a while the reader begins to get a sense for Makhno, not only as a military leader and tactician, but also as an amazingly sharp and daring human being. Skirda does an excellent job at contrastinig between the aims and methods of the Bolsheviks, and the aims and methods of the Ukrainian Anarchists. A reader with no background at all in the history of the Revolution will come away from this book with a solid footing upon which to build; and the student of 1915 will come away with a completely new angle and set of knowledge that will deeply inform their understanding of these events.
Books like this are an act of kindness to people that want to understand the realities history (and the present), rather than just shrug and drink down the same old rhetoric.
Book Description
Master of driving pace, exotic setting, and complex plotting, Harold Lamb was one of Robert E. Howard’s favorite writers. Here at last is every pulse-pounding, action-packed story of Lamb’s greatest hero, the wolf of the steppes, Khlit the Cossack. Journey now with the unsung grandfather of sword and sorcery in search of ancient tombs, gleaming treasure, and thrilling landscapes. Match wits with deadly swordsmen, scheming priests, and evil cults. Rescue lovely damsels, ride with bold comrades, and hazard everything on your brains and skill and a little luck.
Warriors of the Steppes is the second in a four-volume set that collects, for the first time, the complete Cossack stories of Harold Lamb and presents them in order: every adventure of Khlit the Cossack and those of his friends, allies, and fellow Cossacks, many of which have never before appeared between book covers. Compiled and edited by the Harold Lamb scholar Howard Andrew Jones, each volume features never-before reprinted essays Lamb wrote about his stories, informative introductions by popular authors, and a wealth of rare, exciting, swashbuckling fiction.
This second volume collects all five tales of Khlit’s greatest friend, the valorous Abdul Dost, and Dost’s comrade Sir Ralph Weyand. Life across the Roof of the World is more dangerous than ever as Khlit teams up with Abdul to thwart a gang of kidnappers, stamp out a cult of stranglers, save the dazzling Retha, and reluctantly lead an Afghani rebellion against the forces of the Mogul. Contained herein are the three never-before-collected stories of Khlit the Cossack, including the short novel The Curved Sword.
Customer Reviews:
A forgotten master of adventure.......2007-02-06
When your fans include Robert E. Howard, David Drake and SM Stirling, you must be doing something right. Such is the case with Harold Lamb. In this second volume of Lamb's "Cossack" adventures, the stories get better and better as you progress through the book. Considering that the first tale is excellent, you can't go wrong buying this book. If you are a fan of swashbuckling adventure, you owe it to yourself to check out Harold Lamb.
Very, very good........2006-09-27
I bought this book (and the companion volume) after reading some of Lamb's work in the 'Flashing Swords' ezine and anthology from Pitch-Black Press (Sages and Swords). I'd never heard of Lamb before--and now I've read his work, I'm stumped if I know why that is. Everything that's good about adventure fiction is in this book: strong and cunning protagonists, treacherous villains, and exotic locales, and all written in a clean and fast-paced prose style I wish I could emulate.
I read the whole thing in a week, then read the other volume straight after. When I finished, I went back and read them again.
My only caveat about the books has nothing to do with the stories, but the covers. The stock used for the covers is a little thin, and it warps badly if it gets damp. If you do buy a copy (and you should), then keep the cover away from water, otherwise it will curl and start to come apart.
If you're at all interested in adventure fiction, you should buy this book and any others by Lamb you can. Really, they're very, very good.
More Swashbuckling Adventures.......2006-05-15
Warriors of the Steppes is the second in a four-volume set that collects, for the first time, the complete Cossack stories of Harold Lamb and presents them in order: every adventure of Khlit the Cossack and those of his friends, allies, and fellow Cossacks, many of which have never before appeared between book covers. Compiled and edited by the Harold Lamb scholar Howard Andrew Jones, each volume features never-before reprinted essays Lamb wrote about his stories, informative introductions by popular authors, and a wealth of rare, exciting, swashbuckling fiction.
This second volume collects all five tales of Khlit's greatest friend, the valorous Abdul Dost, and Dost's comrade Sir Ralph Weyand. Life across the Roof of the World is more dangerous than ever as Khlit teams up with Abdul to thwart a gang of kidnappers, stamp out a cult of stranglers, save the dazzling Retha, and reluctantly lead an Afghani rebellion against the forces of the Mogul. Contained herein are the THREE NEVER-BEFORE-COLLECTED stories of Khlit the Cossack, including the short novel The Curved Sword.
Books:
- Death in Texas: A True Story of Marriage, Money, and Murder (St. Martin's True Crime Library.)
- Death in Venice: And Seven Other Stories
- Discourses
- Doing Good Better
- Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
- Edward in the Jungle
- Egil's Saga (Penguin Classics)
- Epicenter: Why Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future
- Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life
- Farther Than I Meant To Go, Longer Than I Meant To Stay
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In
- Celebrate Change: Embracing Life's Changing Seasons
- Writing and Speaking at Work: A Practical Guide for Business Communication
- Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine
- America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies
- Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion
- Animal Physiology
- Haley's Hints
- Working Papers, Chapters 1-16 for Gilbertson/Lehman/Ross' Century 21 Accounting: Multicolumn Journal
- World Market Share Reporter 1997-98: A Compilation of Reported World Market Share Data and Rankings
