Review: Strange Fortune by Josh Lanyon

 Reviewed by Mel Keegan

I enjoyed this novel immensely, and in particular it’s the backdrop, the world in which this tale plays out, which I find so fascinating. This new “take” on British India in the post-Mutiny days was fresh, intriguing, nothing short of brilliant. The social and political forces driving this fictional community are beautifully devised and crafted – it’s far from easy to lay down an ocean of cultural backstory and keep the reader hooked at the same time. And to construct a fantasy “spin” on British India, spanning generations, without writing a trilogy – it’s a neat trick.
 
The characters are well drawn, and almost always fly well clear of the stereotypes. In places I can’t help but be reminded of Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe; in others, I find myself picturing ‘Jungle Book’ style locations -- which only add to the enjoyment. For me, the book’s richness lies in the depth of detail and the technicolor of the background … though it never hurts to have an almost classic romance, and a skein of mystery woven in, for good measure!
 
Handsome heroes, excellent villainy, a good measure of travel, action, occult powers, and a real fantasy finale make for an engrossing read – and a rewarding one. If Talbot Mundy had written a King of the Khyber Rifles-type adventure for John Barrowman, this would be it.
 
I was also impressed by the author’s keen grasp of what the real Craft actually entails – the gulf of difference between witchcraft and sorcery. This comes as such a welcome change … one grows almost inured to the cartoon, caricature ‘witches’ appearing in popular fiction, none of whom bear any similarity to a genuine witch. Not so in this novel, which shows an admirable depth of knowledge.
 
Marvellous work, and highly recommended!