There is currently an enormous interest in postcolonial fiction in general, and Indian English fiction in particular. That interest extends to Raj fiction which preceded (and in some cases appeared alongside) the work of Indian authors in English. While the works of such well-known authors as Rudyard Kipling, E.M. Forster, and Paul Scott have remained accessible, those of lesser-known Raj writers have rarely been reprinted. The publication of this book marks the beginning of a ‘Raj recovery’ project, which aims to make available some representative Raj fiction. A heady mix of adventure and romance set within the walls of the besieged city of Lucknow in 1857, this new edition of Charles E. Pearce’s Love Besieged (1909) typifies the genre of the mutiny novel. The romantic intrigue is juxtaposed and interrupted by military action required to defend the residency, making the novel an exciting read for general readers. An introduction, maps, and notes by Ralph Crane provide a critical commentary to the novel, and will be welcomed by scholars of post-colonial literature.
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