Better than average adventure novel is The Winds of the World. What really sets it apart is the skill of Mundy in writing dialog. It enhances the multiple perspectives from which the story is told. And, for the first time, I came to appreciate his use of comic language, especially as it applies to the poor babu.

The story itself is a pastiche, with everything falling into place in the penultimate chapter. One nagging thing, this book and the first three of the Yasmini series were written during the opening phases of the Great War. And Mundy clearly had little idea of how things quickly bogged down into trench warfare on the Western Front. His closing image of a romantic cavalry charge in contrast to the meat grinder that was the real world reality seems very much out of order, today.

On the other hand, the character of Yasmini undergoes yet more change, fuller development. Here, she is something of a cross between Mata Hari and a woodland sprite. Deadly, smart, and devious but charming, flirtatious, and full of gay energy. ( )