Alfred Assollant's La Chasse aux Lions (The Lion Hunt) whisks you away to colonial India for a story that’s far more fun and pointed than its simple title suggests.

The Story

We follow Henri de Kermadec, a spirited young Frenchman who finds himself in India. He gets tangled up with the courageous Princess Dourga, who is fighting to protect her people and her land from a scheming and cruel British officer, Sir Edward Monby. The central "lion hunt" is the dangerous mission Monby forces them on, but the real hunt is for survival, justice, and freedom. It’s a fast-paced mix of chase scenes, secret plans, and bold confrontations.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this book special is its voice. Assollant writes with a wink. His French hero is charmingly impulsive, the princess is a fantastic, active character (rare for the time), and the British villain is so over-the-top he’s almost funny. The book doesn’t feel like a stuffy period piece; it feels alive. It has the heart of an adventure novel but with a clever edge that critiques the very colonial system it uses as a backdrop.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for anyone who enjoys classic adventure authors like Alexandre Dumas or H. Rider Haggard, but wants something a little less known. It’s also great for readers curious about 19th-century popular fiction that dared to have a sense of humor and surprisingly progressive ideas. Just be ready for a lively, sometimes satirical, romp through the jungle.