What do you think?
Simon Fonthill #2
The Road to Kandahar
The year is 1879, and Captain Simon Fonthill is ready for another challenge. Having survived the Zulu onslaught at Rorke's Drift, he is sent to the North-West Frontier - India's border with Afghanistan - and charged with a dangerous mission. Fonthill must infiltrate the warlike Pathan tribes and pass vital intelligence back to the British camp. He swiftly discovers a plot to massacre the regiments, but when his cover is blown, Fonthill steels himself for the harrowing consequences...
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 7, 2005
About the author
John Wilcox
18 books33 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Wilcox started out as a local reporter and journalist in Birmingham before spending many years in industry, which took him all round the world. He finally sold his company to devote himself to writing full-time. He lives in Salisbury.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
John Wilcox started out as a local reporter and journalist in Birmingham before spending many years in industry, which took him all round the world. He finally sold his company to devote himself to writing full-time. He lives in Salisbury.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 14, 2009
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2022
**Should Read as 4.5 Stars!**
Read this book in 2006, and its the 2nd volume of the wonderful "Simon Fonthill" series.
Its July AD 1879, and after their disappointed exertions in the Zulu Wars, Fonthill and '352' Jenkins are ready to rsigb their commissions, but Fonthill is persuaded by Colonel Lamb, in charge of intelligence, to join his next operation.
This will be in Afghanistan and with General Roberts, and soon enough Fonthill and '352'Jenkins are sent on a secret intelligence mission into the mountains to gain information about the troops the Afghans are gathering, while capture and torture hang over their heads.
In an desparate effort they will gain that important information and deliver it to General Roberts, so they can make ready to counter the attack that is to come by the Afghans.
What is to follow is a very enjoyable Afghan adventure for Fonthill and '352' Jenkins, and that is brought to us by the author in a most pleasing manner storytelling wise.
Highly recommended, for this is another superb addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Excellent Road To Kandahar"!
Read this book in 2006, and its the 2nd volume of the wonderful "Simon Fonthill" series.
Its July AD 1879, and after their disappointed exertions in the Zulu Wars, Fonthill and '352' Jenkins are ready to rsigb their commissions, but Fonthill is persuaded by Colonel Lamb, in charge of intelligence, to join his next operation.
This will be in Afghanistan and with General Roberts, and soon enough Fonthill and '352'Jenkins are sent on a secret intelligence mission into the mountains to gain information about the troops the Afghans are gathering, while capture and torture hang over their heads.
In an desparate effort they will gain that important information and deliver it to General Roberts, so they can make ready to counter the attack that is to come by the Afghans.
What is to follow is a very enjoyable Afghan adventure for Fonthill and '352' Jenkins, and that is brought to us by the author in a most pleasing manner storytelling wise.
Highly recommended, for this is another superb addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "An Excellent Road To Kandahar"!
May 30, 2022
In race between British Empire and Russian Empire that has been named Great Game(just like with USA and USRR, into race into space), our hero has mission in Afghanistan, where british defeat them, although lost the ground with The siege of the British Residency in Kabul, that was a military engagement of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The British resident, Sir Louis Cavagnari and his escort were massacred after an 8-hour siege by mutinous Afghan troops inside their Residency in Kabul.
There is sex life in this series, gently mentiond passion of lovers.
There is sex life in this series, gently mentiond passion of lovers.
October 28, 2015
The somewhat reluctant British hero Simon Fonthill returns to action for the second time, with his faithful Welsh sidekick 352 Jenkins – so known because of the sheer volume of men named Jenkins in his parent regiment – never far behind.
In some ways, the comparison between Wilcox’s Fonthill and Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe is justified, given that the two men are obviously larger-than-life fictionalised heroes, fighting in real campaigns, and interacting with real people in the process, and the two characters certainly don’t mind butting heads with superior officers in their own army (and seem to enjoy it as much as fighting the enemy) but Sharpe seems to enjoy life in the Army, such as it is, whilst Fonthill does not. Nor does his constant companion, 352 Jenkins.
In fact, the two are looking to be done with the British Army in the aftermath of the last victory in the Zulu Wars – Fonthill has already resigned his commission and has bought Jenkins out – but are blackmailed by an intelligence officer to travel to another hotspot for the vast British empire: Afghanistan, where the British are about as popular as they are amongst the Zulu hordes in South Africa.
Wilcox does a wonderful job of painting the picture of the times, militarily and politically, and his portrait of Afghanistan is one of lawlessness, with most of the country roused to fight against the British, who are having a tough time of it in the rugged landscape. Typically, Fonthill and 352 Jenkins (alongside a wonderfully eccentric Sikh guide who is a cricket fanatic and likes to be called W.G. Grace, one of Wilcox’s best creations) find themselves right in the middle of the action, working to gather intelligence for the British thrust towards Kandahar, and are captured in the process.
Not for the first time, Fonthill takes one for the team, and his torture at the hands of violent Afghani tribesmen (and women!) certainly made me squirm. I won’t elaborate, except to say that I’m glad it was Fonthill and not me. Even after putting his own life on the line to get the intelligence the British commanders need for their campaign, Fonthill is disbelieved by most of the upper echelon of officers, who regard him as unorthodox and insolent, and, because of his unorthodox nature, not to be trusted. In the end, though, the generals believe him.
As much as the battle scenes spring off the page – just like Cornwell’s do – it’s the personal conflict that makes these Fonthill stories so good. Fonthill’s enemy, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Covington makes a return, as does the intrepid female reporter Alice Griffith, and she’s still hell-bent on becoming a famous journalist, not caring which officers she upsets in the Army.
There’s nothing ground-breaking in these Fonthill adventures, but they’re enjoyable and easy to read, and have certainly opened my eyes as far as knowledge about the smaller conflicts the British were involved in during the last two decades of the 1880s.
There’s a definite formulaic approach to these novels – not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it just means that, no matter what scrape Fonthill finds himself in, you know he’s going to somehow emerge more or less unscathed. Which is good, because it means more adventures!
In some ways, the comparison between Wilcox’s Fonthill and Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe is justified, given that the two men are obviously larger-than-life fictionalised heroes, fighting in real campaigns, and interacting with real people in the process, and the two characters certainly don’t mind butting heads with superior officers in their own army (and seem to enjoy it as much as fighting the enemy) but Sharpe seems to enjoy life in the Army, such as it is, whilst Fonthill does not. Nor does his constant companion, 352 Jenkins.
In fact, the two are looking to be done with the British Army in the aftermath of the last victory in the Zulu Wars – Fonthill has already resigned his commission and has bought Jenkins out – but are blackmailed by an intelligence officer to travel to another hotspot for the vast British empire: Afghanistan, where the British are about as popular as they are amongst the Zulu hordes in South Africa.
Wilcox does a wonderful job of painting the picture of the times, militarily and politically, and his portrait of Afghanistan is one of lawlessness, with most of the country roused to fight against the British, who are having a tough time of it in the rugged landscape. Typically, Fonthill and 352 Jenkins (alongside a wonderfully eccentric Sikh guide who is a cricket fanatic and likes to be called W.G. Grace, one of Wilcox’s best creations) find themselves right in the middle of the action, working to gather intelligence for the British thrust towards Kandahar, and are captured in the process.
Not for the first time, Fonthill takes one for the team, and his torture at the hands of violent Afghani tribesmen (and women!) certainly made me squirm. I won’t elaborate, except to say that I’m glad it was Fonthill and not me. Even after putting his own life on the line to get the intelligence the British commanders need for their campaign, Fonthill is disbelieved by most of the upper echelon of officers, who regard him as unorthodox and insolent, and, because of his unorthodox nature, not to be trusted. In the end, though, the generals believe him.
As much as the battle scenes spring off the page – just like Cornwell’s do – it’s the personal conflict that makes these Fonthill stories so good. Fonthill’s enemy, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Covington makes a return, as does the intrepid female reporter Alice Griffith, and she’s still hell-bent on becoming a famous journalist, not caring which officers she upsets in the Army.
There’s nothing ground-breaking in these Fonthill adventures, but they’re enjoyable and easy to read, and have certainly opened my eyes as far as knowledge about the smaller conflicts the British were involved in during the last two decades of the 1880s.
There’s a definite formulaic approach to these novels – not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it just means that, no matter what scrape Fonthill finds himself in, you know he’s going to somehow emerge more or less unscathed. Which is good, because it means more adventures!
August 4, 2015
I bought this in a charity shop. I was curious about it and as i am working on a novel set at the time of the Zulu war, I though this might give me an idea of the time. However i could not finish the book.
Why, I can not say. The author's didn't agree with me but that is not rare. I didn't like the character's, again not unusual. And i struggled to picture the acts playing out as actually happening.Yet all of these are my own issuses. The book itself is not bad, but i just couldn't enjoy it and will not be considering the author again. If you are interested in this genre, i would recommened seeing if it is to your likingas i am only one man, or else just bypass and head straight to the king of the genre, Bernard Cornwell.
Why, I can not say. The author's didn't agree with me but that is not rare. I didn't like the character's, again not unusual. And i struggled to picture the acts playing out as actually happening.Yet all of these are my own issuses. The book itself is not bad, but i just couldn't enjoy it and will not be considering the author again. If you are interested in this genre, i would recommened seeing if it is to your likingas i am only one man, or else just bypass and head straight to the king of the genre, Bernard Cornwell.
July 25, 2011
Old fashioned derring do on the frontier. The author does pretty good action scenes, but te main character behaves like a modern 20th century person and talk like one. Not the best Victorian Hist-fic (Frazer still retains that title).
June 18, 2012
Finished finally amidst so many other things on my list. I can only say it was pretty vacant. Well written. The plot moved along fine. But was there a point. If there was I couldn't find it. It was bit like television. It filled the time but was very forgettable.
August 29, 2018
A jolly good adventure romp set in 19th Century British India & Afghanistan. I've read a couple of other books in this series, and this follows pretty much the pattern of those. So if you have read one you know what to expect. Cracking adventure yarn with good characters and action scenes. Great holiday reading.
March 7, 2024
While the story starts with all the happenings and mishaps in a war, the strategies, the plot, the torture, the flight. It got a tad bit dragged while describing the incidents word -word. Being a fiction a lot could have been edited during the course.
June 29, 2023
getting interesting now
Can’t wait to start the next book to see what these two get up to next.
Great 2 books so far.
Can’t wait to start the next book to see what these two get up to next.
Great 2 books so far.
May 10, 2025
3.5 stars really. Enjoyable read but it ain’t in the same league as Forrester or Cornwell.
August 14, 2009
just about readable.nothing great.
May 9, 2014
Actually, a solid 3.5 stars but I always round up. A tad too much romance kept it from being a solid 4. Still some good action and battles.
June 24, 2016
Good read
Good rip roaring read. The pages just rattled by. I like the characters of Simon Fonthill and 352 Jenkins. Look forward to the next one in the series.
Good rip roaring read. The pages just rattled by. I like the characters of Simon Fonthill and 352 Jenkins. Look forward to the next one in the series.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews