Rudyard Kipling's tale of two scruffy adventurers, Carnehan and Dravot, determined to leave India and rule the pagan tribes of another land as kings. But their quest does not end as they had plotted, and Carnehan returns to the narrator's newspaper office two years later in rags, to recount their victories and sudden fall -- Dravot's quite literally -- from their positions of glory.

Public Domain (P)2009 One Voice Recordings

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Product details

Listening Length	1 hour and 25 minutes
Author	Rudyard Kipling
Narrator	David Ian Davies
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	December 20, 2009
Publisher	One Voice Recordings
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0031KN6U2
Best Sellers Rank	#240,524 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #8,087 in Classic Literature (Audible Books & Originals) #37,517 in Classic Literature & Fiction

Customer reviews

5 star		60%
4 star		22%
3 star		9%
2 star		5%
1 star		3%

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A. Steven Toby

Local color

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2018

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In this book, Mr. Kipling's encyclopedic knowledge of British India in the 19th Century shows through. As a dose of local color the stories are great! But, I think Kipling's skills are more suited to poetry than prose, and they lack the lyrical quality so common in his poems. Still, they are well worth reading. The title story is very much like a Greek tragedy in its structure, with the heroes barely nosed out of the conquest of Kafiristan (the semi-mythical land beyond Afghanistan) where the locals think the two British soldiers are gods. The story isn't much like the movie. Two of the other stories are ghost stories where native superstition becomes shockingly real to British characters -- these are really neat if you don't mind a dose of the supernatural. Then there's a cute coming of age story about the colonel's son leading a daring rescue (Wee Willie Winkie). There's also a very poignant love story that ends tragically when a British civil servant marries a Moslem woman in secret. The attitudes and customs are represented as accurately as possible (more accurately than could be done by a present day author because that culture of the Raj no longer exists), and the stories are well crafted.
Why didn't I give them more stars? I just didn't get the feeling of greatness! But you be the judge. These stories are certainly worth your time.

3 people found this helpful

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Skip Hughes

Story and Film are Both Classics!

Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2015

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Rudyard Kipling is one of the greatest writers of modern times. He seems to have found story-telling easy, writing for youth and for adults alike. Kipling wrote a great deal of mostly straight fiction, but he ventured effectively into fantasy as well. His short story, "The Man Who Would be King," interpreted quite faithfully, was made into a wonderful film starring Michael Caine and Sean Connery. Book and film together make that comparative rarity, wherein both are classics. Thus the story is well worth reading, especially for anyone who has enjoyed or will enjoy the film. The other stories in this brief collection are good reads also, though they may lack the familiarity that this one gains from the film.

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SuZQ

Can't beat the price or the story...

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2010

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I love a great story and this is one of my favorites. It conveys the circumstances of an underappreciated newspaper man in the British Colonial era at a minor outpost in what is probably a reasonably accurate way (politically correct by current standards or not).

The characters the writer encounters were likely somewhat common after finishing military duty in a far-off land and being at somewhat loose ends once mustered out. Going a bit "native" was probably not uncommon for those stationed throughout the reaches of the British Empire at its height (and decline). Ideas by those staying behind which appear hare-brained were possibly fairly familiar given the tenuous situation some of the ex-pats may have found themselves in. Heck, it might have even worked if they'd stuck to the original plan! It gives you a lot to think about as far as power vs. ego is concerned.

Read the story first if you haven't already seen the movie. You'll appreciate the writing's compactness and choice of style and flow that way. However, my feeling is that although this is an excellent read and definitely a classic, many readers may find watching the movie (which is absolutely in my top ten favorites of all time) helpful in understanding some of the more subtle aspects of the story. For example, the fairly obscure references to the Masons' rituals (perhaps by necessity at the time of writing) - which are in effect the central underlying theme in regard to the various characters' undertakings - are made much clearer in the film.

Enjoy!

6 people found this helpful

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Pippin

True Leadership

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2012

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Years ago, I caught on tv the tail end of the movie The Man Who Would Be King (TMWWBK). It starred Sean Connery and Michael Caine so, of course, I was riveted to the screen. It so piqued my interest that I looked up the title of the film in my TV Guide. Ever since then, I had been looking to borrow a copy of the movie from the local Blockbuster, but the title isn't exactly a popular favorite.

When Kindle became available on the PC, it struck me to look up TMWWBK on Amazon books. I figured, if there was a book version, I'd enjoy the piece much better than if I got hold of a DVD. Connery and Caine are two gorgeous men with a lovely accent, but I have to admit that their looks and manner of speaking sometimes gets in the way when I'm trying to understand a movie.

I was pleased to find out that there is a book version, but pretty much surprised to find out that it was written by Rudyard Kipling. I had always thought of him in terms of jungle books for kids and Gunga Din. Anyway, cheapskate that I am, learning that the author is Rudyard Kipling presented me with an added pleasure. I knew right away that there would be a free version on Kindle!

Enough of the backgrounder and on to my review proper: the book is an eye opener. It's a window into the mind of the colonizer; not the "noble" mind of the British statesman, but the more down-to-earth view of the British mercenary. It offers a simplistic analysis of what it takes to make subjects out of a bunch of natives and points out the important role of religion in the work of colonizing. It all seems so crass and mercenary, but in the end, the bumbling pair find out what true and lasting leadership requires.

This is great reading, especially for an election year like 2012. People should read this book before heading out to the polling places. And really, for Americans who take their right to vote for granted, TMWWBK will open your eyes to your responsibility to elect a true leader who will serve the people and lead them towards a shared vision of a better America for all. Enough of the squabbling and let's all get to work behind one man with a vision and the determination to serve no matter what the personal consequences.

And BTW, someone finally gifted me with my very own Kindle, the one with ads. It's a totally different experience from reading on your PC or even your iPad. It's so gentle on the eyes that I've read more books in the last few months than I have in the last five years. Not just the free classics, Amazon will be happy to note. Those ads of yours are so darn effective!

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Roy New

A truly excellent read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2017

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I find I re-read this book every now and again.
Two men against the world, against nature.
Novices in the Craft, but using for their most advantageous benefit.
Became Kings and God's then torn down, vilified and destroyed.
Crackerjack of a book!

3 people found this helpful

mark lees

Value

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 18, 2019

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Value

One person found this helpful

syd peru

The Man Who Would Be King

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2013

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The item arrived immediately. This is a free electronic book - so I highly recommend it.
I had never read any Kipling before-so this was ideal-short, easy read. I found the style a bit dated and not as graphic or entertaining as the film-but for free it's worth a try.

One person found this helpful

raffals

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2016

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Love Rudyard Kipling, enjoyed the movie more than the book - which is a change!

libba

Fascinating book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2016

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Haven't read it all but what I have I have enjoyed. What an imagination that man had ! Great writer.

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