Campfires Beyond The Frozen Passes The theme of this book is exploration in Central Asia in the latter half of the 19th century by the big powers of that era, the British Empire in India and the ever expanding Russian Empire under the Tsars, whose involvement in Afghanistan dates back to the nineteenth century and was epitomized by deceit, treachery, wars and exploration of the vast central Asian hinterland by brave and daring individuals. At times the rivalry between Imperial Britain and Tsarist Russia to woo the Afghan Amirs was so intense, that it was feared they might head for a collision course in Central Asia. The story is set in the early 1860s and the characters in this story, its events, and central idea are entirely fictional. It is meant to be a light adventure story that is easy to follow and describes the hardships faced by those hardy spirits, the European explorers whether Tsarist, or British. Above all, it also eulogizes the loyalty and dedication of those unsung heroes who were their local guides, porters and companions. The story blends characters conjured up in the mould of 19th century British and Tsarist explorers with fairytale characters, some of which are out of Pashto folktales that have been woven into the fabric of the tale, while some are the author's own concoctions. The dwellers of these high mountains to this day believe in paranormal creatures, and natural phenomenon is often ascribed to their doings. This is a novel to entertain you and to take you to another place and time. The places, rivers and some of the mountains mentioned in the book are fictional. The experiences and terrain described are based on the author's personal treks in the high mountains of Northern Pakistan. The contents of the book were shared with school children, friends and family, and they encouraged the author to publish it. According to them it was among the best adventure stories they had read in a long time.
About the Author: Asad Khan was born in 1955, in the Frontier Region of Tank on the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan, where his father was posted as an officer in the Frontier Constabulary. His family belongs to Malakand Agency in NWFP, which was the scene of a major Pathan tribal uprising against the British in the 1890s. He was educated in various cities and schools of Pakistan. He did his MBA in the United States of America and has worked with a multi-national bank, international development agencies and public and private sector institutions in Pakistan. He has trekked off the beaten tracks in Chitral, Swat, Malakand and the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Other than his native Pakistan, he has traveled extensively in Afghanistan, the United States of America, China, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore. He is an amateur wild life artist and has worked with communities for conservation of threatened species in NWFP, Pakistan