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BIBLIO
Materials toward A bibliography
of the works
of
Talbot Mundy
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.
ALL FOUR WINDS: FOUR NOVELS OF INDIA
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
THE BUBBLE REPUTATION
(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
THE CAVES OF TERROR
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
C.I.D.
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
THE DEVIL’S GUARD
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
EAST AND WEST
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
THE GUNGA SAHIB
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
GUP-BAHADUR
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
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
I SAY SUNRISE
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
JIMGRIM
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
JUNGLE JEST
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
KING—OF THE KHYBER RIFLES
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
THE LOST TROOPER
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
THE MYSTERY OF KHUFU’S TOMB
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
OLD UGLY FACE
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
PURPLE PIRATE
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
RAMSDEN
(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
ROMANCES OF INDIA
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
THE SEVENTEEN THIEVES OF EL KALIL
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
THERE WAS A DOOR
(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
TOLD IN THE EAST
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 617/33
The
Eye-Teeth of O’Hara Adventure 11/1/31
Innocent
Non-combatant
The
Honorable Pig )
Cover red
W.H.
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)
THE WINDS OF THE WORLD
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.
PIGSTICKING IN INDIA
Adventure—1911—April Article
Adventure—1911—July Article
THE PHANTOM BATTERY
Adventure—1911—August
Adventure—1911—December
FOR VALOUR
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)
THE CHAPLAIN OF THE MULLINGARS
Adventure—1912—March
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
Adventure—1912—April Article
THE QUEEN—GOD BLESS HER
Adventure—1912—May
Adventure—1912—June
THE COWARDS
Adventure—1912—July
Adventure—1912—August
IN WINTER QUARTERS
Adventure—1912—September
Adventure—1912—October
HONOR
Adventure—1912—November
Adventure—1912—December
THREE HELIOS
Adventure—1913—January
Adventure—1913—February Article
FOR THE SALT WHICH HE HAD EATEN
Adventure—1913—March
(Told in
the East—BOOK)
PRIVATE MURDOCH’S G.C.M.
Adventure—1913—April
Adventure—1913—May
AT MANEUVERS
Adventure—1913—June
Adventure—1913—July
(Told in
the East—BOOK)
THE CLOSED TRIAL OF WM. WALKER
Adventure—1913—August Article
Adventure—1913—September
IN A RIGHTEOUS CAUSE
Adventure—1913—October
Adventure—1913—November
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
THE TEMPERING OF HARRY BLUNT
Adventure—1913—December
Adventure—1914—January
FOR THE PEACE OF INDIA
Adventure—1914—February
to April (Serial, 3 parts)
(Rung Ho—BOOK)
Adventure—1914—June
GULBAZ AND THE GAME
Adventure—1914—July
Adventure—1914—August
FOUL OF THE CZAR
Adventure—1914—September
“GO, TELL THE CZAR!”
Adventure—1914—October
Adventure—1914—November
LANCING THE WHALE
Adventure—1914—December
DISOWNED!
Adventure—1915—January
Adventure—1915—February
ON TERMS
Adventure—1915—March
Adventure—1915—April
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
(Told in
the East—BOOK)
A TEMPORARY TRADE IN TITLES
Adventure—1915—May
Adventure—1915—June
THE WINDS OF THE WORLD
Adventure—1915—July
to September (Serial 3 parts)
(The Winds
of the World—BOOK)
Adventure—1916—February Anecdote
THE DAMNED OLD NIGGER
Adventure—1916—May
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
Everybody’s—1916—May
(King—of
the Khyber Rifles—BOOK)
HIRA SINGH’S TALE
Adventure—1917—October
18 to December 3 (Serial 4 parts)
(Hira Singh’s
Tale—BOOK)
Adventure—1918—August 18 Article
OAKES RESPECTS AN ADVERSARY
Adventure—1918—December 3
Adventure—1919—January 3
JACKSON TACTICS
Adventure—1919—February 18
Adventure—1919—March 18
THE END OF THE BAD SHIP BUNDESRATH
Adventure—1919—April 18
Adventure—1919—May
3 to July 18 (Serial 6 parts)
(The Ivory
Trail—BOOK)
THE SHRIEK OF DUM
Adventure—1919—September 3
Adventure—1919—October 18
IN ALEPPO BAZAAR
Adventure—1919—December 18
Romance—1920—February
(The Eye
of Zeitoon—BOOK)
GUNS OF THE GODS
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)
UNDER THE DOME OF THE ROCK
Adventure—1921—December
10
(Jimgrim
and Allah’s Peace—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—January 10
THE SEVENTEEN THIEVES OF EL-KALIL
Adventure—1922—February
20
(The Seventeen
Thieves of El-Kalil—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—March
10
(The Lion
of Petra—BOOK)
THE HUNDRED DAYS
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)
THE LOST TROOPER
Adventure—1922—May
30
(The Lost
Trooper—BOOK)
Adventure—1922—July
10
(The King
in Check—BOOK)
A SECRET SOCIETY
Adventure—1922—August 10
Adventure—1922—September 10
KHUFU’S REAL TOMB
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)
BENEFIT OF DOUBT
Adventure—1922—December
10
(Jungle
Jest—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—January 10
THE NINE UNKNOWN
Adventure—1923—March
20 to April 30 (Serial 5 parts)
(The Nine
Unknown—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—August 10
THE MARRIAGE OF MELDRUM STRANGE
Adventure—1923—October
10
(The Marriage
of Meldrum Strange—BOOK)
Adventure—1923—December 10
OM; THE SECRET OF AHBOR VALLEY
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)
THE ENEMY OF ROME
Adventure—1925—April
10
(Tros of
Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—June
10
(Tros of
Samothrace—BOOK)
ADMIRAL OF CAESAR’S FLEET
Adventure—1925—October
10
(Tros of
Samothrace—BOOK)
Adventure—1925—December
10
(Tros of
Samothrace—BOOK)
THE MESSENGER OF DESTINY
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)
THE FALLING STAR
Adventure—1926—October
23
(Caesar
Dies—BOOK)
Adventure—1927—January
1
(The Red
Flame of Erinpura—BOOK)
WHEN TRAILS WERE NEW
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)
THE BIG LEAGUE MIRACLE
Adventure—1928—November 15
Adventure—1928—December 1
GOLDEN RIVER
Adventure—1929—January 1
Adventure—1929—February 1
HO FOR LONDON TOWN
Argosy-All-Story—1929—February
2 to February 23 (Serial 4 parts)
(W.H.—BOOK)
(The Queen’s
Warrant—POCKETBOOK)
Adventure—1929—February 15
ASOKA’S ALIBI
Argosy-All-Story—March 9 to March 23—1929 (Serial 3 parts)
Argosy-All-Story—1929—April 27 to May 11 (Serial 3 parts)
FLAME OF CRUELTY
Romance—1929—August
Adventure—1929—October
1 to December 1 (Serial 5 parts)
(Cock O’
the North—BOOK)
CONSISTENT ANYHOW
Adventure—1930—February 1
Argosy—1930—May 24 to June 7 (Serial 3 parts)
KING OF THE WORLD
Adventure—1930—November
15 to February 15, 1931 (Serial 7 parts)
(Jimgrim—BOOK)
Argosy—1930—December 6 to January 10, 1931 (Serial 6 parts)
BLACK FLAG
Adventure—1931—May 1
Adventure—1931—August 1
THE BABU
Adventure—1931—October 1
Adventure—1931—November
1
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
CASE 13
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)
C.I.D.
Adventure—1933—March
1 to April 15 (Serial 4 parts)
(C.I.D.—BOOK)
Argosy—1933—June
17
(The Valiant
View—BOOK)
THE RED SEA CARGO
Adventure—1933—August
Argosy—1933—September 17
CAMERA
Argosy—1934—January 6
Argosy—1934—September 15
BENGAL REBELLION
Blue Book—1935—January
Adventure—1935—May
1
(Purple
Pirate—BOOK)
CLEOPATRA’S PROMISE
Adventure—1935—June
15
(Purple
Pirate—BOOK)
Adventure—1935—August
15
(Purple
Pirate—BOOK)
FLEETS OF FIRE
Adventure—1935—October
1
(Purple
Pirate—BOOK)
All Aces—1936—Hay
THE ELEPHANT WAITS
Short Stories—1937—February 25
Adventure—1937—November
ROMAN HOLIDAY
Golden Fleece—1938—October
Adventure—1941—March
ODDS ON THE PROPHET
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 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
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
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.
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.)
(***) 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.
(**) 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)
*** 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 Photo-offset booklet of dates, volume and number 30 cents
AN INDEX ON THE WEIRD & FANTASTICA IN MAGAZINES
Mimeographed—8-1/2”
X 11”—162 pages
Truly excellent
coverage of the field 2 dollars
PAST AND FUTURE & THE LAST GENERATION
Mimeographed—three
stories
Two are
extreme rarities 50 cents
We still hope to produce
A supplement to
“The Checklist of Fantastic Literature”
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