Title: Talbot Mundy Biblio
Editor: Bradford M. Day
Release date: October 11, 2004 [eBook #13714]
Most recently updated: December 18, 2020
Language: English
Credits: Produced by David Starner, Valère Swinnen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Produced by David Starner, Valère Swinnen and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.
Edited by BRADFORD M. DAY
A Bit of His Life
Talbot Mundy was born in London on April 23, 1879. He was educated at Rugby, and served nearly ten years, beginning in 1900, as a government official in Africa and India. While in India, he wandered all over the sub-continent on horseback, and even into Tibet. Eastern occult lore first attracted, then fascinated, his active and unorthodox mind. Mundy absorbed all he could learn of the Indian beliefs.
Government service next brought him to Africa where he studied first-hand the nature magic of many of the tribes and cultures of East Africa. His quest for more information on this subject impelled him to travel extensively through Egypt and the Near East and even into parts of Arabia. This was truly adventurous at the time, but only in character with the man who killed dozens of lions and successfully hunted for ivory.
Mundy visited Australia, and Mexico as far south as Yucutan. He first arrived in the United States in 1911, and liked the country so much that he decided to stay and become a citizen.
Mundy quickly turned his energies to writing, and an article, "Pig Sticking in India," was accepted and published in the April 1911 issue of Adventure Magazine, itself only a few months old. Another article and his first story, "The Phantom Battery" soon appeared. For years thereafter, Adventure had short stories, novelettes, novels, and serials by this master teller of tales in most of the issues that were printed.
The motif and locale of the stories and very infrequent articles usually stemmed from the areas, people, and occult knowledge previously mentioned. The manly art of self defense must have occupied some of Mundy's attention during his early career. A series of stories about Billy Blain, pugilist, appeared under the pen-name of Walter Gait, beginning with the February 1912 issue of Adventure. Two articles were also printed under this pseudonym.
Scribners of New York produced his first book, "Rung Ho" in 1914, then apparently forgot him. In 1916, Bobbs-Merrill of Indianapolis published one of his most famous stories, "King—of the Khyber Rifles," and Cassell and Company of London brought out "The Winds of the World." Both were well received, and Mundy's career to a moderate renown was on its way.
In succeeding years he continued to write for Adventure and other magazines, most of the stories being snapped up by various book publishers. Many of the books were reprinted in several editions by different companies, and, confusing to a bibliophile, the English publications ware often re-titled.
During the 1920's Mundy bought a part of the Point Loma estate in
California, called The Cliffs. He settled there for several years and
became a member of the Theosophical Society presided over by Katherine
Tingley. A half-dozen of his books were written there and, "Om; the
Secret of Ahbor Valley," shows the influence of this occult society.
He contributed many articles to Tingley's theosophical magazines, her most noted publication being the Theosophical Path. After her death in 1929, Mundy left Point Loma but always retained his interest in and sympathy with Theosophy.
Mundy continued writing almost to the time of his death on August 5, 1940. In all, forty-nine books were produced under his name, thirty-nine of which were original works. At least one-hundred and fifty stories and articles appeared in magazines; most of these, perhaps nearly all, are listed in this bibliography. None of the theosophical articles are included here, though, as the intent of this listing is to stress his mastery of the fantasy-high adventure tale.
It is still too soon to properly evaluate Mundy's importance in the stream of literature. His style of writing, choice of language, is smoothly readable. One "fault," if such it be, is a sometimes too carefully contrived buildup to plot situations. This careful skill did result in glowing word-pictures and living characters.
Considerable assistance was given on this project by friends and fellow enthusiasts. My grateful thanks to all as they come to mind:
Dr. J. Lloyd Eaton—Berkeley, California
John C. Nitka—Richmond Hill, New York
James A. Strand—Portland, Oregon
Walter A. Carrithers, Jr.—Fresno, California
Robert Resch—Reading, Pennsylvania
Richard Witter, Donald Grant, and some others
for appreciated words of caution and advice.
The following list must not be supposed the final and authoritative word on this subject.
A list of his books
Hutchinson London 1934 1232
King—of the Khyber Rifles Jimgrim
Om; the Secret of Ahbor Valley Black Light
Cover Black—yellow letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1930 315
A.L. Burt
("There was no moon yet …")
Cover maroon—black letters
(See ibid—HER REPUTATION)
Hutchinson London No date 206
("Golden Antioch lay like a jewel at a mountain's throat …")
(The Falling Star—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/23/26)
Cover red
Hutchinson London No date 255
(Pocketbook) Doubleday, Page New York 1924 118
("Meldrum Strange has a way with him …")
(The Gray Mahatma—MAGAZINE—Adventure 11/10/22
Famous Fantastic Mysteries 12/ /51)
Cover light blue—rose letters
Century New York 1932 280
Hutchinson London 1932 288
("It was typical south-west monsoon weather …")
(C.I.D.—MAGAZINE—Adventure 3/1/33 to 4/15/33)
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1929 340
("Angus, nicknamed "Gup" McLeod, six feet two and a half
inches of him, came untouched out of the Great War …")
(The Invisible Guns of Kabul—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/1/29)
Cover orange—black letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1926 335
Oriental Club
Wells & Shakespeare
("I find myself wondering why I should go to the trouble to
write what few men will believe …")
(Ramsden—MAGAZINE—Adventure 6/8/26)
Cover maroon—green letters
Hutchinson London No date 287
(See ibid—EAST AND WEST)
Cover red
Appleton-Century New York 1937 310
("Moses Lafayette O'Leary tossed his pith helmet to a coolie …")
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1920 354
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie[A]
A.L. Burt
("It is written with authority of Tarsus that once it was
no mean city …")
(The Eye of Zeitoon—MAGAZINE—Romance 2/ /20)
Cover reddish-brown—brown letters on black background
[Footnote A: Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery—A set of ten titles]
Appleton-Century New York 1935 312
("Bombay sweltered …")
(Full Moon—MAGAZINE—Famous Fantastic Mysteries 2/ /53)
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Century New York and London 1934 303
("Birds sang blithely at the forest's edge …")
(When Trails Were New—MAGAZINE—Argosy-All-Story 10/27/28
to 12/1/28)
Cover yellow-black letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1921 359
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
("The why and wherefore of my privilege to write a true
account of the Princess Yasmini's Early youth is a story …")
(Guns of the Gods—MAGAZINE—Adventure 3/1/21 to 5/1/21)
Cover yellow brown—black letters
Hutchinson London No date 292
(See ibid—COCK O' THE NORTH)
Cover blue
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1923 333
A.L. Burt
("There is an hour of promise and a zero hour …")
Cover red—gold letters (Burt edition)
HIRA SINGH'S TALE—When India came to fight in Flanders
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1918 308
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
A.L. Burt
("A Sikh who must have stood six feet without his turban …")
(Hira Singh's Tale—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/18/17 to 12/3/17)
Cover green with embossed letters
THE HUNDRED DAYS & THE WOMAN AYISHA
Century New York and London 1931 349
("They kept this out of the papers at the time …")
(The Hundred Days—MAGAZINE—Adventure 4/10/22)
(The Woman Ayisha—MAGAZINE—Adventure 4/20/22)
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Dakers London 1947 182
Wells Philadelphia 1949 187
("I know whereof I write and to whom I write …")
(Philosophical non-fiction)
Wells edition cover dark blue—gold figure—gold letters on spine
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1919 411 Ill.
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
A.L. Burt
("Estimates of ease and affluence vary with the point of view.")
(On the Trail of Tipoo Tib—MAGAZINE—Adventure 5/1/19
(Trek East—POCKETBOOK—Universal Pub. 1954) to 7/15/19)
Cover red—red letters on black background
Century New York and London 1931 385
A.L. Burt
("It was one of those sun-drunken days in spring …")
(King of the World—MAGAZINE—Adventure 11/15/30 to 2/15/31)
(Jimgrim Sahib—POCKETBOOK—Universal Pub. 1953)
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Appleton-Century New York 1936 279
("There is a beautiful belief that journalists may do as they
(The Adventure at El-Kerak—MAGAZINE—please …")
Adventure 11/10/21)
(Under the Dome of the Rock—Magazine—Adventure 12/10/21)
Cover yellow—black letters with red end black Oriental Figure
Century New York and London 1932 392
("Someone began to pray in a nasal snarl, and a stallion
(Benefit of Doubt—MAGAZINE—Adventure squealed …")
12/10/22)
Cover yellow—black letters
Appleton-Century New York 1934 244
Hutchinson London 1933 256
("Whoever invented chess understood the world's works …")
(The King in Check—MAGAZINE—Adventure 7/10/22)
Appleton-Century edition cover purple—gold letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1916 395
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
Readers League of America
A.L. Burt
("The men who govern India—more power to them and her …")
(King—of the Khyber Rifles—MAGAZINE—Everybody's 5/ /16)
Cover red—red letters on black background
Cover olive—gold letters Variants of same edition?
Hutchinson London 1932 255
Appleton-Century
A.L. Burt
("This isn't an animal story …")
(The Lion of Petra—MAGAZINE—Adventure 3/10/22)
Burt edition cover orange—black letters
Hutchinson London No date 252
("How can you begin a tale at the beginning when it has …")
(The Lost Trooper—MAGAZINE—Adventure 5/30/22)
Cover red—gold letters
Hutchinson London No date 254
("This is an immoral story …")
(The Marriage of Meldrum Strange—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/10/23)
Cover blue
Appleton-Century New York 1935 279 Ill.
("We Americans are ostriches …")
(Khufu's Real Tomb—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/10/22)
Cover purple—gold letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1923 353
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
("I had this story from a dozen people …")
(The Nine Unknown—MAGAZINE—Adventure 3/20/23 to 4/30/23)
Cover blue—yellow letters
Appleton-Century New York 1940 544
Wells & Shakespeare
("Things seemed vague that evening …")
Cover blue—gold letters
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1924 392
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
Hutchinson
("If you want views about the world's news, read what …")
(Om; the Secret of Ahbor Valley—MAGAZINE—Adventure 10/10/24 to
10/30/24)
Cover green—black letters
Appleton-Century New York 1935 367
("Hitherto I have found my real goal unattainable …")
(Battle Stations—MAGAZINE—Adventure 5/1/35
Cleopatra's Promise Adventure 6/15/35
Purple Pirate Adventure 8/15/35
Fleets of Fire Adventure 10/1/35)
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1929 426
("Cleopatra yawned …")
Cover black—green letters
(See ibid—THE DEVIL'S GUARD)
Hutchinson London No date 255
("There was a voice outside, and nothing else …")
(The Red Flame of Erinpura—MAGAZINE—Adventure 1/1/27)
Cover red
A.L. Burt New York and Chicago No date 281
King—of the Khyber Rifles Guns of the Gods
Told in the East
Cover orange—black letters
Scribners New York 1914 371 Ill.
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
A.L. Burt
("That was no time or place for any girl of twenty to …")
(For the Peace of India—MAGAZINE—Adventure 2/ /14
to 4/ /14)
Cover olive—black letters on front, gold on spine
Hutchinson London No date 254
("Steam never killed romance …")
(The Seventeen Thieves of El Kalil—MAGAZINE—Adventure 2/20/22)
Cover red
Alex Dulfer San Francisco 1925 25
(See ibid—THE VALIANT VIEW)
(See ibid—ADVENTURE'S BEST STORIES—1926 edited by A.S. Hoffman,
an anthology published by Doran, New York, 1926)
(The Soul of A Regiment—MAGAZINE—Adventure 2/ /12)
("So long as its colours remain …")
Cover green—white spine
(See ibid—FULL MOON)
Appleton-Century New York and London 1937 335
Hutchinson
("It was one of those days when not even Cockneys like London.")
Cover yellow—black letters with red and black Oriental Figure
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1920 281
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
("A blood red sun rested its huge disc upon a low mud wall …")
(Hookum Hai—MAGAZINE—Adventure 7/ /13
For the Salt He Had Eaten Adventure 3/ /13
Machassan Ah Adventure 4/ /15)
Cover brown—tan letters with black background
Appleton-Century New York and London 1934 949
(Tros of Samothrace—MAGAZINE—Adventure 2/10/25
The Enemy of Rome Adventure 4/10/25
Prisoners of War Adventure 6/10/25
Admiral of Caesar's Fleet Adventure 10/10/25
The Dancing Girls of Gades Adventure 12/10/25
A Messenger of Destiny Adventure 2/10/26 to 2/30/26)
Cover yellow—black letters
THE VALIANT VIEW: a collection of stories
Hutchinson London 1939 256
("So long as its colours remain, and there is one man left …")
(The Soul of A Regiment—MAGAZINE—Adventure 2/ /12
The Damned Old Nigger Adventure 5/ /16
The Chaplain of the Hullingars Adventure 3/ /12
The Pillar of Light
One Arabian Fight Adventure 11/ /13
Machassan Ah Adventure 4/ /15
The Man from Poonch Argosy 6/17/33
The Eye-Teeth of O'Hara Adventure 11/1/31
Innocent Non-combatant
The Honorable Pig )
Cover red
Hutchinson London No date 256
("The manuscript of this story was found in the cellar of …")
(Ho for London Town—MAGAZINE—Argosy-All-Story 2/2/29 to
(The Queen's Warrant—POCKETBOOK) 2/23/29)
Cover orange
Hutchinson London No date 288
(See ibid—THE GUNGA SAHIB)
Cassell London and New York 1916 307
Bobbs-Merrill Indianapolis 1917 331 Ill.
McKinley, Stone & McKenzie (Masterpieces of Oriental Mystery)
A.L. Burt
("A watery July sun was hurrying towards a Punjab skyline …")
(The Winds of the World—MAGAZINE—Adventure 7/ /15 to 9/ /15)
Cover light gray with turbaned figure
Hutchinson London No date 256
(See ibid—THE HUNDRED DAYS & THE WOMAN AYISHA)
("Consider the situation for a moment first …")
(The Woman Ayisha—MAGAZINE—Adventure 4/20/22)
Cover red
Is this an imaginary book?
THE MAN FROM JUPITER
Claims have been advanced that Mundy wrote this work of science fiction. Doubtlessly most of the imaginative creation connected with this book is in the minds of the gulls who pass the name of this title along.
A list of his magazine stories
Adventure—1911—April Article
Adventure—1911—July Article
Adventure—1911—August
Adventure—1911—December
Adventure—1912—January
Adventure—1912—February
Reprinted: April 1917—November 1935—November 1940
(The Soul of A Regiment—BOOK)
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
(Adventure's Best Stories—1926—BOOK)
Adventure—1912—March
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
Adventure—1912—April Article
Adventure—1912—May
Adventure—1912—June
Adventure—1912—July
Adventure—1912—August
Adventure—1912—September
Adventure—1912—October
Adventure—1912—November
Adventure—1912—December
Adventure—1913—January
Adventure—1913—February Article
Adventure—1913—March
(Told in the East—BOOK)
Adventure—1913—April
Adventure—1913—May
Adventure—1913—June
Adventure—1913—July
(Told in the East—BOOK)
Adventure—1913—August Article
Adventure—1913—September
Adventure—1913—October
Adventure—1913—November
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
Adventure—1913—December
Adventure—1914—January
Adventure—1914—February to April (Serial, 3 parts)
(Rung Ho—BOOK)
Adventure—1914—June
Adventure—1914—July
Adventure—1914—August
Adventure—1914—September
Adventure—1914—October
Adventure—1914—November
Adventure—1914—December
Adventure—1915—January
Adventure—1915—February
Adventure—1915—March
Adventure—1915—April
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
(Told in the East—BOOK)
Adventure—1915—May
Adventure—1915—June
Adventure—1915—July to September (Serial 3 parts)
(The Winds of the World—BOOK)
Adventure—1916—February Anecdote
Adventure—1916—May
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
Everybody's—1916—May
(King—of the Khyber Rifles—BOOK)
Adventure—1917—October 18 to December 3 (Serial 4 parts)
(Hira Singh's Tale—BOOK)
Adventure—1918—August 18 Article
Adventure—1918—December 3
Adventure—1919—January 3
Adventure—1919—February 18
Adventure—1919—March 18
Adventure—1919—April 18
Adventure—1919—May 3 to July 18 (Serial 6 parts)
(The Ivory Trail—BOOK)
Adventure—1919—September 3
Adventure—1919—October 18
Adventure—1919—December 18
Romance—1920—February
(The Eye of Zeitoon—BOOK)
Adventure—1921—March 3 to May 3 (Serial 5 parts)
(Guns of the Gods—BOOK)
Adventure—1921—November 10
(Jimgrim and Allah's Peace—BOOK)
Adventure—1921—December 10
(Jimgrim and Allah's Peace—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—January 10
Adventure—1922—February 20
(The Seventeen Thieves of El-Kalil—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—March 10
(The Lion of Petra—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—April 10
(The Hundred Days & The Woman Ayisha—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—April 20
(The Hundred Days & The Woman Ayisha—BOOK)
(The Woman Ayisha—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—May 30
(The Lost Trooper—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—July 10
(The King in Check—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—August 10
MOSES & MRS. AINTREE
Adventure—1922—September 10
Adventure—1922—October 10
(The Mystery of Khufu's Tomb—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—November 10
Reprinted: Famous Fantastic Mysteries—1951—December
(The Caves of Terror—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—December 10
(Jungle Jest—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—January 10
Adventure—1923—March 20 to April 30 (Serial 5 parts)
(The Nine Unknown—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—August 10
Adventure—1923—October 10
(The Marriage of Meldrum Strange—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—December 10
Adventure—1924—October 10 to November 30 (Serial 6 parts)
(Om; the Secret of Ahbor Valley—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—February 10
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—April 10
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—June 10
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—October 10
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—December 10
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1926—February 10, 20, 30 (Serial 3 parts)
(Tros of Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1926—June 8 to August 8 (Serial 5 parts)
(The Devil's Guard—BOOK)
(Ramsden—BOOK)
Adventure—1926—October 23
(Caesar Dies—BOOK)
Adventure—1927—January 1
(The Red Flame of Erinpura—BOOK)
Argosy-All-Story—1928—October 27 to December 1 (Serial 6 parts)
(The Gunga Sahib—BOOK)
(When Trails Were New—BOOK)
Adventure—1928—November 1
(The Gunga Sahib—BOOK)
Adventure—1928—November 15
Adventure—1928—December 1
Adventure—1929—January 1
Adventure—1929—February 1
Argosy-All-Story—1929—February 2 to February 23 (Serial 4 parts)
(W.H.—BOOK)
(The Queen's Warrant—POCKETBOOK)
Adventure—1929—February 15
Argosy-All-Story—March 9 to March 23—1929 (Serial 3 parts)
Argosy-All-Story—1929—April 27 to May 11 (Serial 3 parts)
Romance—1929—August
Adventure—1929—October 1 to December 1 (Serial 5 parts)
(Cock O' the North—BOOK)
Adventure—1930—February 1
Argosy—1930—May 24 to June 7 (Serial 3 parts)
Adventure—1930—November 15 to February 15, 1931 (Serial 7 parts)
(Jimgrim—BOOK)
Argosy—1930—December 6 to January 10, 1931 (Serial 6 parts)
Adventure—1931—May 1
Adventure—1931—August 1
Adventure—1931—October 1
Adventure—1931—November 1
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
Adventure—1932—January 1
Adventure—1932—March 1
WATU (a reminiscence)
Adventure—1932—April 1
Adventure—1932—August 1 to August 15 (Serial 2 parts)
Adventure—1933—March 1 to April 15 (Serial 4 parts)
(C.I.D.—BOOK)
Argosy—1933—June 17
(The Valiant View—BOOK)
Adventure—1933—August
Argosy—1933—September 17
Argosy—1934—January 6
Argosy—1934—September 15
Blue Book—1935—January
Adventure—1935—May 1
(Purple Pirate—BOOK)
Adventure—1935—June 15
(Purple Pirate—BOOK)
Adventure—1935—August 15
(Purple Pirate—BOOK)
Adventure—1935—October 1
(Purple Pirate—BOOK)
All Aces—1936—Hay
Short Stories—1937—February 25
Adventure—1937—November
Golden Fleece—1938—October
Adventure—1941—March
Short Stories—1941—August 10
Famous Fantastic Mysteries—1953—February
(Full Moon—BOOK)
(There Was A Door—BOOK)
Written under the pen-name of WALTER GALT these tales of Billy Blain, pugilist—all from Adventure Magazine
THE GONER 1912—February
THE SECOND RUNG 1912—June
DORG'S LUCK 1912—August
ACROSS THE COLOR LINE 1912—October
LOVE AND WAR 1912—November
THE TOP OF THE LADDER 1912—December
ONE YEAR LATER 1913—February
NOTHING DOING 1914—September
THE RETURN OF BILLY BLAIN 1914—November
BILLY BLAIN EATS BISCUITS 1916—January
BILLY BLAIN'S ONIONS AND GARLIC 1916—February
Two articles under this pen-name
FRANCIS BANNERMAN—A MAN OF MYSTERY & HISTORY 1912—May
ELEPHANT HUNTING FOR A LIVING 1912—July
His sagas; with a story sequence of various characters by Dr. J. Lloyd Eaton
Talbot Mundy was a prolific writer of historical tales and stories of adventure-intrigue, his particular forte being tales of India and the Near East. Twelve of his novels are listed in THE CHECKLIST OF FANTASTIC LITERATURE, with themes of mysticism, black versus white magic, lost-race, and even true science fiction. Many others of his stories are borderline fantastics.
In the field of fantastic literature his works are highly prized (often highly priced, also) and many such readers find, possibly to their surprise, that they also enjoy his other stories. This may be due in some part to the fact that Mundy used the same characters over and over again, in novels in which each played the lead and as sub-characters in other novels. One keeps meeting old friends.
This leads to one difficulty in reading Mundy, however. If one is going to meet these characters, it is much more enjoyable to watch them develop from birth, so to speak—and not vice versa, like coming into a theatre in the middle of the picture. But, a reading sequence is a real difficulty. Each story is complete in itself, but the characters are re-shuffled into various combinations and any one of them may, and does, strike off into a novel of his own, only to reappear at a later date in some combination with other such characters. It is confusing, to say the least. To add to the confusion, all or nearly all of Mundy's stories first appeared in magazines, largely in Adventure, but later in Argosy. As his popularity grew, his older stories were republished in book form, as well as each of his new novels, so that the date of publication of his books means nothing as far as reading chronology is concerned.
Before going any further, it may be interesting to digress a bit, and consider some of his earlier stories in Adventure Magazine, and more particularly as they apply to his books. No attempt is being made to give a complete listing of his magazine stories here. Adventure Magazine began publication in November 1910, but the earliest issue that I have for reference is that of August 1911. This contains a short story by Mundy, "The Phantom Battery." By this time he was publishing five to eight short stories per year. These early stories were mostly about the British Army and the most important was his "The Soul of A Regiment," (February 1913) a tale of native troops in the ill-fated first expedition against the Dervishes in Egypt, with a surprise, terrific, ending. This story was published as a book, "The Soul of A Regiment," (Alex Dulfer, San Francisco, 1925) and was anthologized by Arthur Sullivant Hoffman in "Adventure's Beet Stories—1926" (Doran, New York, 1926). It was reprinted in Adventure Magazine in April 1917 and followed next month be a sequel, "The Damned Old Nigger." Three of his early novelettes (1913), "Hookum Hai," "For the Salt He Had Eaten," and "Machassan Ah," will be found in the book "Told in the East," (Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, 1920). The first two concern the Sepoy Revolt and the third is a humorous story of the British Navy. All are good tales. The characters in the latter appear also in "An Arabian Night" (Adventure, November 1913). The first of his Indian hillman type stories is probably the short novel "The Letter of His Orders" (Adventure, September 1913). His first serial, "For the Peace of India" (Adventure, February to April 1914) was published in the book "Rung Ho" (Scribners, New York, 1914) and is another good story of the Sepoy Rebellion. In January and July 1914, appeared two stories about the Princess Yasmini, a character that he used extensively in later novels—as the lead, with King, with Ranjoor Singh, and in the Jimgrim-Ramsden saga. The first of his sagas (Dick Anthony of Arran) was never published in book form. This series included eight novelettes and short novels, enough to fill four or five books, and appeared in successive issues of Adventure Magazine, beginning August 1914. These were very good adventure tales of a Scotch gentleman fighting for Iran against Old Russia, but are rather dated now. Following this, most of his novels appeared first in a magazine and were then immediately published in book form.
This brings us to the "Jimgrim-Ramsden Saga," the greatest of them all. If the early (and later) development of the associated characters is added, it continues through twenty-one books (twenty-two novels), and fifteen books (sixteen novels) for the actual Jimgrim-Ramsden stories. This is not counting some eighteen novelettes and novels found in magazines only.
This Saga, in the main, is the story of James Schuyler Grim, (Jimgrim) a remarkable characterization, beginning as an American "Lawrence in Arabia" and evolving into a human but unapproachable high priest of the occult. There is Jeff Ramsden, the strong man and his closest friend, who with the Australian, Jeremy Ross, make up the triumvirate of Grim, Ross, and Ramsden, with their henchman Narayan Singh, the indomitable Sikh. (Who cuts throats with an outward thrust.) Later the multimillionaire, Meldrum Strange, hires them to fight evil. Then, Athelbert King, a hero of novels in his own right, joins up, making a quartet. Other characters from Mundy's novels appear—the seductive and dangerous Princess Yasmini; Cotswold Ommony, the forester of India; the Babu, Chullunder Ghose; the Gunga Sahib, and O'Hara.
His sagas
For an interesting reading sequence, the following is suggested. *** means excellent escapist reading—and fantastic (***) means excellent escapist reading—not fantastic Numbers indicate a book Indented numbers with letter mean magazine only Major characters, and their appearances, follow each title (Ramsden tells many of the stories and is not listed except as necessary to connect the series.)
JIMGRIM-RAMSDEN, et al, Saga
(***) 1. GUNS OF THE GODS (Bobbs-Merrill)
Yasmini 1.
(***) 1a. A SOLDIER AND A GENTLEMAN (Adventure January 1914)
Yasmini 2.
(***) 1b. GULBAZ AND THE GAME (Adventure July 1914)
Yasmini 3.
(***) 2. THE WINDS OF THE WORLD (Cassell)
Yasmini 4. Ranjoor Singh 1.
(***) 3. HIRA SINGH (Bobbs-Merrill)
Ranjoor Singh 2.
*** 4. KING—OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (Bobbs-Merrill)
King 1. Yasmini 5.
(***) 5. JIMGRIM AND ALLAH'S PEACE (Appleton-Century)
Jimgrim 1.
(***) 5a. THE "IBLIS" AT LUDD (Adventure 1/10/22)
Jimgrim 2.
(***) 6. TEE SEVENTEEN THIEVES OF EL-KALIL (Hutchinson)
Jimgrim 3.
(***) 7. THE LION OF PETRA (Appleton-Century)
Jimgrim 4.
(***) 8. THE WOMAN AYISHA (see THE HUNDRED DAYS—Century)
Jimgrim 5.
(***) 9. THE LOST TROOPER (Hutchinson)
Jimgrim 6.
(***) 10. THE KING IN CHECK (Appleton-Century)
Jimgrim 7.
*** 10a. A SECRET SOCIETY (Adventure 8/10/22)
Strange 1. Jimgrim 8.
*** 10b. MOSES AND MRS AINTREE (Adventure 1/10/22)
Strange 2. Jimgrim 9.
*** 11. THE MYSTERY OF KHUFU'S TOMB (Appleton-Century)
Strange 3. Jimgrim 10.
*** 12. THE CAVES OF TERROR (Hutchinson)
Yasmini 6. Strange 4. Ramsden King 2.
(**) 13. JUNGLE JEST (Century)
Ommony 1. King 3.
(**) 14. THE MARRIAGE OF MELDRUM STRANGE (Hutchinson)
Ramsden Strange 5. Ommony 2. Chullunder Ghose 1.
** 15. OM; THE SECRET OF AHBOR VALLEY (Bobbs-Merrill)
Ommony 3.
(***) 16. THE HUNDRED DAYS (Century)
Jimgrim 11. King 4.
*** 17. THE NINE UNKNOWN (Bobbs-Merrill)
Chullunder Ghose 2. Jimgrim 12. King 5.
*** 18. THE DEVIL'S GUARD (Bobbs-Merrill)
Chullunder Ghose 3. Jimgrim 13.
*** 19. JIMGRIM (Century)
Chullunder Ghose 4. Jimgrim 14.
(***) 20. THE GUNGA SAHIB (Appleton-Century)
Chullunder Ghose 5. Quern 1.
(***) 20a. THE WHEEL OF DESTINY (Adventure 11/1/28) (This is roughly the same as the first four chapters of "The Gunga Sahib" From there on, any relationship between the book and the magazine stories seems to be coincidental.)
(***) 20b. THE BIG LEAGUE MIRACLE (Adventure 11/15/28)
Quorn 2.
(**) 20c. ON TEE ROAD TO ALLAH'S HEAVEN (Adventure 12/1/28)
Quorn 3.
(**) 20d. GOLDEN RIVER (Adventure I/1/29)
Quorn 4.
(**) 20e. A TUCKET OF DRUMS (Adventure 2/1/29)
Quorn 5.
(***) 20f. IN OLD NARADA FORT (Adventure 2/15/29)
Quorn 6.
(***) 20g. ASOKA'S ALIBI (Argosy, 3 parts 3/9/29)
Quorn 7.
(***) 20h. THE AFFAIR AT KALIGAON (Argosy, 3 parts 5/24/30)
Quorn 8.
(***) 21. C.I.D. (Century)
Chullunder Ghose 6.
(**) 21a. THE BABU (Adventure 10/1/31)
Chullunder Ghose 7. O'Hara 1.
(**) 21b. THE EYE TEETH OF O'HARA (Adventure 11/15/31)
O'Hara 2.
(***) 21c. CASE 13 (Adventure I/1/32)
O'Hara 3. Chullunder Ghose 8.
(***) 21d. CHULLUNDER, THE GUILELESS (Adventure 3/1/32)
Chullunder Ghose 9.
(**) 22. THE RED FLAME OF ERINPURA (Hutchinson)
Chullunder Ghose 10.
MONTE, et al, Saga
(**) a. CAKES RESPECTS AN ADVERSARY (Adventure 12/3/18)
(***) b. AMERICA HORN IN (Adventure 1/3/19)
(***) c. JACKSON TACTICS (Adventure 2/18/19)
(***) d. HEINE HORNS INTO THE GAME (Adventure 3/18/19)
(***) e. THE END OF THE BAD SHIP BUNDESRATH (Adventure 4/18/19)
(***) 1. THE IVORY TRAIL (Bobbs-Merrill)
** 1a. THE SHRIEK OF DUM (Adventure 9/3/19)
*** 1b. BARABBAS ISLAND (Adventure 10/18/19)
(**) 1c. IN ALEPPO BAZAAR (Adventure 1/19/20)
(***) 2. THE EYE OF ZEITOON (Bobbs-Merrill)
TROS Saga
*** 1. TROS OF SAMOTHRACE (Appleton-Century)
*** 2. QUEEN CLEOPATRA (Bobbs-Merrill)
(***) 3. PURPLE PIRATE (Appleton-Century)
A final note from the editor. Three other books by Mundy are classed as fantasy, and, though not connected with the above sagas, are worthy of mention as fantastic.
*** 1. BLACK LIGHT (Bobbs-Merrill)
*** 2. FULL MOON (Appleton-Century)
*** 3. THE THUNDER DRAGON GATE (Appleton-Century)
Good luck and best wishes to anyone so influenced by this listing as to attempt collecting these stories. A full purse will help.
A very few copies available:
A CHECKLIST OF FANTASTIC MAGAZINES
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