Adventurev November 10 and December 10, 1921

Jim Schuyler Grim is an American working for the British Secret Service in the aftermath of World War I in the Middle East. Accompanied by another American, Ramsden, an amateur adventurer, they explore a world of political intrigue, terrorist plots, and Palestinian archaeological wonders in Jimgrim and Allah's Peace. This is one of Mundy's better works, his storytelling works quickly and he fleshes out characters in surprisingly sharp detail.

But the thing most to remember from the book is the imagery of Jerusalem. Mundy can make it magical, as Ramsden walks through starlit city at night, hearing, seeing, and feeling its ancient past in the narrow streets and passages surrounding him. Then, during the day, it can all turn into a squalid, dangerous, oppressive city of stone, with hidden warrens and chaotic souks, promising adventure as much as death.

Not to be forgotten, too, is Mundy's bent for following in the path of Cervantes and Don Quixote. His dialogue is peppered with the comic and witty, while serving as critical commentary on contemporary politics and social attitudes. Like Cervantes, he also makes use of digressions that often seem to lead off from the main story into separate tales. They nonetheless eventually wind their way back to the main plot and have served in the meantime to create context, atmosphere, and character. ( )