Through Three Campaigns

by G.A. Henty, Walter Paget (Illustrator)

George Alfred Henty (1832-1902), referred to as G. A. Henty, was a prolific English novelist, special correspondent, and Imperialist born in Trumpington, England. He is best known for his historical adventure stories that were popular in the late 19th century. His works include Out on the Pampas (1871), The Young Buglers (1880), With Clive in India (1884) and Wulf the Saxon (1895). He attended Westminster School, London and later Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he was a keen sportsman. Henty once related in an interview how his storytelling skills grew out of tales told after dinner to his children. He wrote his first children's book, Out on the Pampas in 1868, naming the book's main characters after his children. While most of the 122 books he wrote were for children, he also wrote adult novels, non-fiction such as The March to Magdala (1868) and Those Other Animals (1891), short stories for the likes of The Boy's Own Paper and edited the Union Jack, a weekly boys magazine.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

348 pages, Paperback

Published November 2, 2007

About the author

George Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.

Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars & 3/10 hearts. At first I found this story exciting with the small thread of “hidden identity” as Lisle disguises himself as a private. But then the book became pretty much a history essay and I got pretty bored. Once I hit 50% I picked up and found the history interesting, even though it still was excessive, and I enjoyed the final campaign, with Hallett and Sikhs. There’s mentions of smoking & drinking, some lying. It’s a good book for history buffs; anyone else would probably be pretty bored out by it.

A Favourite Quote: “‘Soldiers,’ he said, ‘I cannot praise you too heartily for having volunteered, at the end of a long and exhausting march, to undertake another still longer and more fatiguing, in order to bring in a wounded comrade. It is an act of which you may be proud; but not altogether a surprising one, for we know well that we can depend upon the Sikhs, on all and every occasion.’”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘...I don't care to be made a butt of, by young subalterns like yourself. The subaltern has no sense of what is decent and what is not, and he spares no one with his attempts at wit.’
“‘Why, you are a subaltern yourself, Hallett!’
“‘I am within two of the top of the list, please to remember, and you have still four above you, and I am therefore your superior officer. I have put aside youthful folly, and have prepared myself for the position of captain of a company. I make great allowances for you.’ ...
‘Get out, you young scamp,’ Hallett growled, ‘or I shall throw--‘ and he looked round ‘--I don't see what there is to throw.’
“‘Hallett, I am afraid that this rest is going to do you harm. I have found you a very companionable fellow, up to now; but it is clear that a night's rest and high living have done you more harm than good.’”

*review to be updated*

[Richard Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a okay book. I actually really liked the main character of this book. I really enjoyed parts of the big such as Lisle adventure with the Sikh and his adventure with the tribe. I just thought GA included a little too much historical stuff which made it rather to read sometimes.