Over nearly 200 years these hill-warriors from Nepal have attracted an uncomplicated admiration that no fighting force in the world can match. Their gentleness and courtesy are as legendary as their tenacity in battle, and they are universally respected by the British officers who have served with them. Yet this is the paradox of the Gurkhas - they are mercenaries, hiring themselves out to a foreign power. Since 1815, when the East India Company went to war with Nepal, the young men of this poor, isolated Himalayan kingdom have been the shock troops of the Empire.
This book is full of wonderful, unforgettable tales of conflict, but is much more than a regimental history. Gould is sensitive to the racial and political undertones of a unique military relationship, and alive to the dangers of patronising the Nepalese. A sweeping narrative of combat, intrigue, heroism and great-power politics which places the Gurkhas in the context of British and Nepalese history.
