Book Review: The Great Game

While everyone knows about the Cold War of the 20th century, little is known about its 19th-century version — the battle between Tsarist Russia and Victorian Britain for supremacy in Central Asia, otherwise known as The Great Game. At stake was the jewel in the British Empire, India. Weary of Russian encroachment, the British set about mapping and gaining influence in the little-known hinterlands between the territories of the two great powers. When play first began, the frontiers of Russia and British India lay more than 3,000 kilometers apart; by the end, this distance had shrunk to 30 kilometers at some points.
In this book Peter Hopkirk brings to life the grand imperial struggle across great mountain ranges and vast deserts. He recounts colorful tales of espionage and treachery, of brave men from both sides taking part in barely believable adventures.
The tale is as good as any blockbuster movie. But while at its heart it is an exciting work of narrative history, it is also a hugely relevant for today’s geopolitics. It acts as a warning of what happens when mistrust between great powers goes unchallenged.