“Country’s got the devil in it, Joe… The monsters ain’t just in the shadows — they’re in the broad damn daylight…”
Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee return in July for the second season of Dark Winds.
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Reader Aaron noted the upcoming release of Warhorse One. Like The Covenant, it’s a pursuit thriller set in Afghanistan. It will have limited theatrical release. Not being in a major market, I’ll be looking for it to stream.
After a SEAL team helicopter is downed during a rescue mission in Afghanistan, the lone surviving operator must evade hostile insurgents and navigate rough terrain to guide the one living civilian—a traumatized child—to safety.
The country looks magnificent. I strongly suspect that they filmed in New Mexico, which stood in for the Hindu Kush in Lone Survivor.
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The art of scouting has an ancient lineage, which is explored in this interesting piece on Roman reconnaissance.
The Romans operated on vast frontiers stretching from Asia Minor to Spain, from Germania to Britannia. Their frontier fortifications would be the replicated — in cruder fashion — in American wilderness forts from Kentucky’s Fort Harrod to Parker’s Fort in Texas…
Paul McNamee says
On a tangent, I am currently reading S. M. Stirling’s THE PESHAWAR LANCERS, an alternate history (with dash of fantasy – seers who can scry the future.) The setup is a devastating comet/meteor strike across the northern hemisphere in 1870s pushes the British Empire to relocate to India.
Fast forward to their 21st century, where Afghan hill country and tribes are *still* a thorn in damn near everyone’s side.
(ironically, published in 2002. I’m sure he must have been writing it before 9/11/2001 but it might have had a rocky launch, considering its timing)
JimC says
I really liked that one. Have you read his Conan novel?
Paul McNamee says
I have it, have not read it. (was going to hold off, actually, but grabbed it during one of those B&N 50% hardcover sales.)
Quixotic Mainer says
I read that one years ago, it was pretty great! I was a big fan of Stirling’s “Emberverse” books as well.
AndyA says
S.M. Stirling also wrote a novella entitled “Shikari in Galveston” which is set in the same world as “The Peshawar Lancers”, and takes place in North America. it’s an entertaining yarn and definitely hits the frontier vibe. If you are interested, you can find it in “Worlds That Weren’t” which contains several alternate history novellas by different authors.
JimC says
Thanks Andy.
Paul McNamee says
And now he’s got me wanting to follow up with KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES.
Matthew says
I’ve read King of the Khyber Rifles. It’s pretty decent.
Matthew says
Enjoyed the video on Roman Scouts. (I’ve always had mixed feelings about the Romans.) I wonder how many of the scouts were actually Romans. It said that a lot came from auxiliaries which were often Barbarian mercenaries. Many were probably also frontiersmen of Roman ancestry.
It’s interesting that you mentioned the American forts were cruder than the Roman ones. One would think it would be the other way round, but I tend to believe you. Technology is sometimes not on a simple up ward incline.
deuce says
The standard text on Roman scouts/intel is EXPLORATIO. I managed to read it 30yrs ago via uni library loan. There was one Cherusci bounty hunter/scout/headhunter for the Romans who racked up an amazing ‘head count’, literally. A dangerous man.
JimC says
I’ve GOT to run that down.