One of our most distinguished military historians tells the story of six defining battles . . . Every battle is different. Each takes place in a different context - the war, the campaign, the weapons. However, battles across the centuries, whether fought with sticks and stones or advanced technology, have much in common. Fighting is, after all, an intensely human affair; human nature doesn't change. So why were battles fought as they were? What gave them their shape? Why did they go as they did: victory for one side, defeat for the other? In exploring six significant feats of arms - the war and campaign in which they each occurred, and the factors that determined their precise form and course - The Shape of Battle answers these fundamental questions about the waging of war. Hastings (1066) - everyone knows the date, but not, perhaps, the remarkable strategic background. Towton (1461) - the bloodiest battle to be fought on English soil. Waterloo (1815) - more written about in English than any other but rarely in its true context as the culminating battle in the longest war in 'modern' times. D-Day (1944) - a battle within a larger operation ('Overlord'), and the longest-planned and most complex offensive battle in history. Imjin River (1951) - this little known battle of the Korean War was the British Army's last large-scale defensive battle. Operation Panther's Claw (2009) - a battle that has yet to receive the official distinction of being one: an offensive conducted over six weeks with all the trappings of 21st-century warfare yet whose shape and face at times resembled the Middle Ages. The Shape of Battle is not a polemic, it doesn't try to argue a case. It lets the narratives - the battles - speak for themselves.

The Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, brings us another action-packed and stirring Matthew Hervey adventure. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, this will not disappoint! "A thoroughly satisfying and entertaining read" - THE TIMES "Matthew Hervey has now joined Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe and Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey" - Birmingham Post "After just half-a-dozen pages I was hooked." -- ***** Reader review "An excellent book, when you start reading you cannot put it down. Allan Mallinson at his best!!!" -- ***** Reader review "Essential reading for military buffs" -- ***** Reader review ********************************************************************** India 1819: Matthew Hervey is charged with raising a new troop, and organising transport for India - for he, his men and their horses are to set sail with immediate effect. What Hervey and his soldiers cannot know is that in India they will face a trial for which they are woefully under prepared. A large number of Burmese war-boats are assembled near Chittagong, and the only way to thwart their advance involves a hazardous march through the jungle. Soon Hervey and his troop are in the midst of hot and bloody action once again... A Call To Arms is the fourth book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in The Sabre's Edge. Have you read his previous adventures A Close Run Thing, The Nizam's Daughters and A Regimental Affair?

The Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, brings us another enthralling Matthew Hervey adventure. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, you will love this! "What a hero! What an author! What a book! A joy for the lover of adventure and military buff alike" -- LYN MACDONALD, THE TIMES "Splendid...the tale is as historically stimulating as it is stirringly exciting" -- ANDREW ROBERTS, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH "Impeccably researched and rooted in both time and place" -- ***** Reader review "A thrilling tale" -- ***** Reader review "Allan Malinson tells an absorbing tale and gives a wonderful insight into life at that time." -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************** India, 1824: Matthew Hervey and the 6th Light Dragoons are stationed in India, where conflagration looks set to flair. The usurper prince, Durjan Sal, has taken refuge in the infamous fortress of Bhurtpore. A deep ditch, which can be flooded at a moment's notice, runs round it - and as its notorious Tower of Victory - built with the skulls of defeated men - bears witness, it has withstood all attacks made on it. Until now. Hot and dangerous work lies ahead for Matthew Hervey and his courageous troop who know their fortunes will be decided by the sabre's edge. A Sabre's Edge is the fifth book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in Rumours of War. Have you read his previous adventures A Close Run Thing, The Nizam's Daughters, A Regimental Affair and A Call to Arms?

'Matthew Hervey is as splendid a hero as ever sprang from an author's pen' The Times Following the 6th Light Dragoons' successful campaign in the state of Coorg and the deposition of its deranged Rajah, Lieutenant-Colonel Matthew Hervey is looking forward to a few months' respite for his regiment, for himself and his family. Indeed, with his reputation restored, he's rarely felt so content. Alas, such tranquillity is not to last. India's governor-general believes Hervey is just the man to lead a force against the Thuggee and Dacoity gangs whose increasingly vicious attacks threaten not only the stability of a number of friendly princely states but also, of course, the East India Company's interests in the sub-continent. And so Hervey reluctantly leads the Sixth into the field once more. It's a mission that will prove infinitely more complex, brutal and bloody than anyone predicted. For Hervey has taken the first steps on the path towards the conflagration history calls the Indian Mutiny . . . 'Mallinson's series of early 19th-century military adventures are even better than Patrick O'Brian's naval equivalent . . . Faithful period detail. Rattling pace. Loveable characters' A. N. Wilson 'Thrilling . . . richly engaging, old-fashioned storytelling' Daily Mail

'War is too important to be left to the generals' snapped future French prime minister Georges Clemenceau on learning of yet another bloody and futile offensive on the Western Front. One of the great questions in the ongoing discussions and debate about the First World War is why did winning take so long and exact so appalling a human cost? After all this was a fight that, we were told, would be over by Christmas. Now, in his major new history, Allan Mallinson, former professional soldier and author of the acclaimed 1914: Fight the Good Fight, provides answers that are disturbing as well as controversial, and have a contemporary resonance. He disputes the growing consensus among historians that British generals were not to blame for the losses and setbacks in the 'war to end all wars' - that, given the magnitude of their task, they did as well anyone could have. He takes issue with the popular view that the 'amateur' opinions on strategy of politicians such as Lloyd George and, especially, Winston Churchill, prolonged the war and increased the death toll. On the contrary, he argues, even before the war began Churchill had a far more realistic, intelligent and humane grasp of strategy than any of the admirals or generals, while very few senior officers - including Sir Douglas Haig - were up to the intellectual challenge of waging war on this scale. And he repudiates the received notion that Churchill's stature as a wartime prime minister after 1940 owes much to the lessons he learned from his First World War 'mistakes' - notably the Dardanelles campaign - maintaining that in fact Churchill's achievement in the Second World War owes much to the thwarting of his better strategic judgement by the 'professionals' in the First - and his determination that this would not be repeated. Mallinson argues that from day one of the war Britain was wrong-footed by absurdly faulty French military doctrine and paid, as a result, an unnecessarily high price in casualties. He shows that Lloyd George understood only too well the catastrophically dysfunctional condition of military policy-making and struggled against the weight of military opposition to fix it. And he asserts that both the British and the French failed to appreciate what the Americans' contribution to victory could be - and, after the war, to acknowledge fully what it had actually been.

In the tradition of Patrick O'Brian's beloved historical military adventures comes the first in a dashing new series featuring Cornet Matthew Hervey, a young cavalry officer in Wellington's army of 1815.   A Close Run Thing

For two decades, since the French Revolution, England and her allies have fought a seemingly endless war to loosen Bonaparte's stranglehold on Europe. Matthew Hervey, a twenty-three-year-old parson's son, has risen through the ranks of His Majesty's cavalry to a junior command in the 6th Light Dragoons.

Torn by ambition and ensnared in the intrigues of Wellington's army, Matthew struggles to shape his destiny, but his efforts are about to be cast to the winds of fate. For amid the clash of armies, he will find himself a catalyst in the battle of the century...near the small Belgian village of Waterloo.

One of our most distinguished military historians tells the story of six defining battles . . . Every battle is different. Each takes place in a different context - the war, the campaign, the weapons. However, battles across the centuries, whether fought with sticks and stones or advanced technology, have much in common. Fighting is, after all, an intensely human affair; human nature doesn't change. So why were battles fought as they were? What gave them their shape? Why did they go as they did: victory for one side, defeat for the other? In exploring six significant feats of arms - the war and campaign in which they each occurred, and the factors that determined their precise form and course - The Shape of Battle answers these fundamental questions about the waging of war. Hastings (1066) - everyone knows the date, but not, perhaps, the remarkable strategic background. Towton (1461) - the bloodiest battle to be fought on English soil. Waterloo (1815) - more written about in English than any other but rarely in its true context as the culminating battle in the longest war in 'modern' times. D-Day (1944) - a battle within a larger operation ('Overlord'), and the longest-planned and most complex offensive battle in history. Imjin River (1951) - this little known battle of the Korean War was the British Army's last large-scale defensive battle. Operation Panther's Claw (2009) - a battle that has yet to receive the official distinction of being one: an offensive conducted over six weeks with all the trappings of 21st-century warfare yet whose shape and face at times resembled the Middle Ages. The Shape of Battle is not a polemic, it doesn't try to argue a case. It lets the narratives - the battles - speak for themselves.

'Mallinson . . . combines the authority of a soldier-turned-military historian with the imaginative touch of the historical novelist.' Lawrence James, THE TIMES We remember months, because months have names, because they are linked to the seasons, and because they have their own character. Looking at the First World War month by month reveals its complexity while preserving a sense of time. From the opening shots to the signing of the armistice, the First World War lasted almost 52 months. It was fought on land, sea and in the air. It became industrial, and unrestricted: poison gas, aerial bombing of cities, and the sinking without warning of merchantmen and passenger ships by submarines. Casualties, military and civilian, probably exceeded 40 million. Four empires collapsed during the course of the war - the German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman. The First World War is almost impossible to comprehend. Day-by-day narratives can be dizzying for the reader wanting to make sense of the conflict as a whole. Freer-flowing accounts, while helping to understand the broader trends and factors, can give less of a sense of the human dimension of time. The month is a more digestible gauge. Based on the Allan Mallinson's monthly commentaries in The Times throughout the centenary, Fight to the Finish is a new and original portrait of "The War to End War."

From THE Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, a riveting read with the perfect combination of hero, history and adventure - perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell. 'A very astounding and enjoyable military read' -- ***** Reader review 'Excellent - full of excitement, adventure and history' -- ***** Reader review 'Outstanding' -- ***** Reader review 'Magnificent!' -- ***** Reader review 'Allan Mallinson is a truly gifted storyteller..."- ***** Reader review ********************************************************************************* 1831: riots and rebellions are widespread . . . In England, the new government is facing protests against the attempts of the Tory-dominated House of Lords to thwart the passing of the Reform Bill. In India, relations are strained between the presidency of Madras and some of the neighbouring princely states. Having taken command of the action in Bristol to restore order after one of the bloodiest and most destructive riots in the nation's history, Lieutenant-Colonel Matthew Hervey is out of favour with the new government. But then his old friend, Sir Eyre Somervile, offers him a lifeline... Somervile has persuaded the Court of Directors of the East India Company to approve an increase in the Madras military establishment. Hervey and the 6th Light Dragoons are sent to the princely state of Coorg. The Rajah is in revolt against the East India Company's terms and Hervey's regiment is called upon to crush the rebellion. With the stakes raised by an unexpected visitation from his past, for Hervey the question is whether he and his men will get out of this brutal war unscathed?

Portugal 1826 Newly returned from India, Matthew Hervey joins a party of officers sent to lend support to the Portugese regent. But the Peninsula is a place redolent with memories. For it was here as a seventeen-year-old cornet that Hervey had his first taste of military action. The French had forced the British army into ignominious retreat until, under the leadership of Sir John Moore, they made a defiant stand at Corunna. As he prepares for battle once more, Hervey finds himself confronting ghosts from his past ... 'Captain Matthew Hervey is as splendid a hero as ever sprang from an author's pen.' The Times

Perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, another captivating Matthew Hervey adventure from the pen of THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson. "Allan Mallinson...has done for the British Army what C. S. Forester and Patrick O'Brian did for the Royal Navy, and his novels are every bit as addictive...Splendid, irresistible stuff" -- ALLAN MASSIE, SPECTATOR "A fascinating, lively romp" - THE TIMES "With each successive novel, Mallinson grows in stature as an author; one looks forward eagerly to the next instalment of Hervey's life." -- LONDON EVENING STANDARD "Another great book from a brilliant author" -- ***** Reader review "Magnificent!" -- ***** Reader review "This is a must series to follow" -- ***** Reader review ****************************************************************** January 1829: George IV is on the throne, Wellington is England's prime-minister, and the population has been enjoying long-term peace. But this happy state of affairs means cuts in the army, and Hervey is told that his regiment, the Sixth, are to be reduced to a single squadron. With his long-term plans in disarray, he undertakes instead a six-month assignment as an observer with the Russian army. Soon Hervey, his friend Edward Fairbrother and his faithful groom, Private Johnson, are sailing north to St Petersburg, and from there to the Eastern Balkans, and the ferocious war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Hervey is meant to be an impartial spectator, but soon the circumstances - and his own nature - propel him into a more active role. In the climactic Battle of Kulewtscha, Hervey and Fairbrother find themselves in the thick of the action. For Matthew Hervey, the stakes have never been higher - or more personal.

The definitive story of the British army from one of the UK's bestselling historical novelists.
From the English Civil War to today's War on Terror: in this sweeping account of nearly 500 years of military history, former soldier Allan Mallinson looks at how the Army's dramatic past has made it one of the most effective fighting forces in the world today.
He shows us the people and events that have shaped the army we know today: how Marlborough's momentous victory at Blenheim is linked to Wellington's at Waterloo; how the desperate fight at Rorke's Drift in 1879 underpinned the heroism of the airborne forces in Arnhem in 1944; and why Montgomery's momentous victory at El Alamein mattered long after the Second World War was over.
This is the story of hard-won military experience. From the Army's birth at the battle of Edgehill in 1642 to our current conflict in Afghanistan, this is history at its most relevant -- and most dramatic.

"From the Hardcover edition."

Perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, another breath-taking Matthew Hervey adventure from the pen of THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson. "Captain Matthew Hervey is as splendid a hero as ever sprang from an author's pen" -- THE TIMES "Hervey's thrilling battles against the vivid backdrop of the developing British Empire make for richly engaging storytelling" -- DAILY MAIL "Highly addictive" -- ***** Reader review "This series just gets better and better" -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************************************** 1828: Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons is urgently summoned to the Cape Colony when he learns that the Zulu warrior King Shaka is about to wage war. Soon Hervey, his old friend Eyre Somervile and their escort of dragoons and mounted rifles are riding north. When they arrive at Shaka's kraal, it quickly becomes apparent that he has slaughtered thousands of his subjects - warriors and women alike. When Shaka is killed by his own people, and the region plunged into civil war, Hervey and his men find themselves in the midst of terrible danger. Yet worse is to come. Separated from his troop, Hervey must lead Shaka's queen across a hostile land where sanctuary has never seemed further away ...

Perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, another engrossing Matthew Hervey adventure from the pen of THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson. "Hervey's thrilling battles against the vivid backdrop of the developing British Empire make for richly engaging storytelling" -- DAILY MAIL "Captain Matthew Hervey is as splendid a hero as ever sprang from an author's pen" -- THE TIMES "The heir to Patrick O'Brian and C. S. Forester" -- OBSERVER "Absolutely brilliant" -- ***** Reader review "An absolute delight" -- ***** Reader review *********************************************************** 1827: Britain and the Mediterranean Captain Sir Laughton Peto, recently engaged to Matthew Hervey's sister, is sailing his mighty line-of-battle ship towards Navarino Bay, and war with the Turks. Six months on, and Matthew Hervey is in London recovering from another bout of malaria and the wound from his battle with the Zulu. All is set for his marriage to the eminently suitable Lady Lankester, and his return to active duty at the Cape. But trouble lies ahead as familial commitments clash with affairs of the heart and Hervey finds himself embroiled in a military inquiry that could result in public humiliation. As the cataclysmic battle of Navarino Bay looms ever closer for Peto and his crew, Hervey faces a crisis that could change both his life and his military career... Man of War is the ninth book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in Warrior. Have you read his previous adventures A Close Run Thing, The Nizam's Daughters, A Regimental Affair, A Call to Arms, The Sabre's Edge, Rumours of War, An Act of Courage and A Company of Spears?

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson brings us another adrenalin-fuelled, absorbing adventure featuring Matthew Hervey. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, you will love this! "Captain Matthew Hervey is as splendid a hero as ever sprang from an author's pen" -- THE TIMES "A damn fine, rip-roaring read" -- LITERARY REVIEW "The heir to Patrick O'Brian and C. S. Forester" -- OBSERVER "Outstanding storytelling!" -- ***** Reader review "Fab read" -- ***** Reader review ********************************************************* 1827: Matthew Hervey is on the look-out for a new posting. He soon finds one in the Cape Colonies, where there is need of a man to re-organise the local forces, and in particular to form a new company of horse. Accompanied by a captain from the disbanded Royal African Corps, Hervey heads out into the great South African plains and towards the territory of the Zulu and their legendary leader, King Shaka. But it is not till he nears the Umtata River that his fiercest battle really begins. For the Zulus fight like no army he has encountered before. As Hervey and his troops are plunged into battle, death is only a heartbeat away... Company of Spears is the eighth book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in Man of War. Have you read his previous adventures A Close Run Thing, The Nizam's Daughters, A Regimental Affair, A Call to Arms, The Sabre's Edge, Rumours of War and An Act of Courage?

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson brings us another compelling and deeply atmospheric adventure featuring Matthew Hervey. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, you will love this! "Most impressive...Mallinson reinforces his position as a master of narrative military history" -- THE TIMES "As good on the details of the workings of a cavalry regiment in 1820 as ever Patrick O'Brian was on the workings of an 1820 warship" -- SPECTATOR "What a pleasure...concentrating on the battle of Talavera and the investment of Badajoz, both sparklingly described, he plays to his undoubted strengths" - OBSERVER "The atmosphere and authenticity continues to work its spell all the way through." -- ***** Reader review "Highly enjoyable novel. Great story. Thoroughly recommend for lovers of adventure novels." -- ***** Reader review "A truly outstanding read" -- ***** Reader review ********************************************************* Badajoz: Christmas 1826 Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons is a prisoner of the Spanish, incarcerated in the infamous fortress of Badajoz. As he plans his escape, his thoughts return to the year 1812 when he was a cornet in Wellington's Peninsular Army. He and the Sixth had survived Corunna to endure three more years of brutal fighting that would culminate in one of the most vital and vicious confrontations of the campaign - the siege of Badajoz. While Hervey paces his prison cell, and re-lives the bloodshed of battles past, friends from unexpected quarters rush to his aid... An Act of Courage is the seventh book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in Company of Spears. Have you read his previous adventures A Close Run Thing, The Nizam's Daughters, A Regimental Affair, A Call to Arms, The Sabre's Edge and Rumours of War?

Another riveting Matthew Hervey adventure from the Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, combining hero, history and drama to perfection. If you like Patrick O'Brian and Sharpe, you'll love this! "A marvellous read, paced like a well-balanced symphony ... This is more than a ripping yarn..." - The Times "This is an engaging work...The attention to detail is admirable" -- Daily Express "I strongly recommend this book (and the series) to any lover of this genre. FIVE STARS" - ***** Reader review. ************************************************************************* 1816: Fresh from the field at Waterloo, and leaving behind his fiancee Lady Henrietta Lindsey, Matthew Hervey is dispatched to India on a secret mission. The state of Chintal is threatened by both intrigue from within and military might from without. Hervey finds he is once more destined for the battlefield. In a land at once alien, exotic and beguiling, Matthew Hervey's mettle will be tested to the limit... Have you read A Close Run Thing - the first Matthew Hervey adventure? The Nizam's Daughters is the second book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in A Regimental Affair.

Once again, THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson captivates readers with an eminently readable piece of historical fiction. If you're a fan of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, you'll love this. 'The Matthew Hervey books have a way of getting under your skin...reveals a man who is very much of his time -and one to have beside you when riding into action.' - DAILY MAIL 'One for the fans, who will not be disappointed by Mallinson's winning combination of scrupulous research and derring-do...with the French in front and the Russians behind, Hervey's your man.' - THE TIMES 'Leaves the reader slavering for the next instalment.' -- ***** Reader review 'This is historical fiction at its very best.' -- ***** Reader review 'Such a pleasure to read a well written, well edited, well researched, readable piece of historical fiction.' -- ***** Reader review ****************************************************************** January 1830, and one of the hardest winters in memory... The prime minister, the Iron Duke, is resisting growing calls for parliamentary reform, provoking scenes of violent unrest in the countryside. Against this inflammable backdrop Lieutenant-Colonel Matthew Hervey, recently returned from an assignment in the Balkans, takes command of his regiment, the 6th Light Dragoons. His fears that things might be a little dull are quickly dispelled by the everyday business of vexatious officers, NCOs promotions and incendiarists on the doorstep of the King himself. But it's when the Sixth are sent to Brussels for the fifteenth anniversary celebrations of the battle of Waterloo and find themselves caught up in the Belgian uprising against Dutch rule that the excitement really starts. Will Hervey be able to keep out of the fighting - a war that would lead, nearly a century later, to Britain's involvement in an altogether different war - while safeguarding his country's interests? Not likely!

Another riveting Matthew Hervey adventure from the Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, combining hero, history and drama to perfection. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, this will not disappoint! "Assured and capable...a fine read" - The Times "Matthew Hervey has now joined Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe and Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey" - Birmingham Post "Delighted, as simple as that." - ***** Reader review "Absolutely excellent - cannot recommend this series of books enough to anyone who likes historical fiction." - ***** Reader review *********************************************************************** Canada 1817: Captain Matthew Hervey is suffering the effects of unrest within his beloved regiment, the 6th Light Dragoons. Their new commanding officer - wealthy, arrogant and cruel - has taken an immediate dislike to him. Somehow, Hervey must earn promotion while retaining his integrity and the loyalty of his men. Then the regiment is sent to Canada where, in the aftermath of war with the United States, Hervey faces danger on two fronts. Murderous native tribes are on the move. While, closer to home, he and his commanding officer have embarked on a collision course - the consequences of which will be devastating... Have you read A Close Run Thing and The Nizam's Daughters - the first two Matthew Hervey adventures? A Regimental Affair is the third book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in A Call to Arms.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author Allan Mallinson, a riveting read with the perfect combination of hero, history and adventure - perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell. "Convincingly drawn, perfectly paced and expertly written...A Joy to read" - Antony Beevor. "I can't wait to read the next in the series..." - ***** Reader review. "A captivating read..."- ***** Reader review. "Allan Mallinson is a truly gifted storyteller..."- ***** Reader review. ************************************************************************* Waterloo 1815. The war against Napoleon Bonaparte is raging to its bloody end at Waterloo. A young officer - Cornet Matthew Hervey - going about his duty suddenly finds himself at the crux of events. The decisions he has to make - both military and romantic - will change the course of his life, and possible have far reaching political consequences... A Close Run Thing is the first book in Allan Mallinson's Matthew Hervey series. His adventures continue in The Nizam's Daughters.

In a rousing follow-up to the critically acclaimed A Close Run Thing, Captain Matthew Hervey makes the hazardous sea voyage to India for what the Duke of Wellington has called “deuced tricky work.”

As Wellington’s new aide-de-camp, Matthew’s covert mission will embroil him in the jostling of native potentates and England’s encroaching East India Company — both threatened by lawless bands of horsemen bent on plunder and massacre.

When Matthew’s journeying leads him to the small key state of Chintal, he thinks himself close to his objective. But at the rajah’s sumptuous court, he discovers that war in India is waged as often with money and spies as with the clear-cut tactics of the battlefield — with battles won through devious conversations and murderous perfidy. And Matthew, torn between his honor and his destiny, is drawn deeper into the court’s serpentine coils than he ever dreamed....