The Great Game between Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia was fought across desolate terrain from the Caucasus to China, over the lonely passes of the Parmirs and Karakorams, in the blazing Kerman and Helmund deserts, and through the caravan towns of the old Silk Road—both powers scrambling to control access to the riches of India and the East. When play first began, the frontiers of Russia and British India lay 2000 miles apart; by the end, this distance had shrunk to twenty miles at some points. Now, in the vacuum left by the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there is once again talk of Russian soldiers “dipping their toes in the Indian Ocean.” The Washington Post has said that “every story Peter Hopkirk touches is totally engrossing.” In this gripping narrative, he recounts a breathtaking tale of espionage and treachery through the actual experiences of its colorful characters. Based on meticulous scholarship and on-the-spot research, this is the history at the core of today’s geopolitics.
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"A monumental amount of historical research and captivating narrative, set in a land mystery. Central Asia is outside people's general knowledge and is the last 'wild west' on earth. However, I never managed to really get into the book, my mind was constantly drifting, as the author was adding bits of British propaganda and emphasizing 'how heroic', 'how great' 'how ingenious his heroes were...
This book is such a cornerstone, I feel really disappointed."
—
monsegu (5 out of 5 stars)