With Kitchener in the Soudan; A Story of Atbara and Omdurman by British author G. A. Henty is an adventure novel set during the British military expedition under Lord Kitchener and the subsequent destruction of the Mahdi's followers during the Mahdist War (1881–1899). It was first published in 1902. Plot Gregory Hilliard Hartley is a young man, brother to the heir of an English estate. When he marries a young lady lower on the social ladder than his father wished, he is expelled from his father's house. He soon travels to Egypt, due to his knowledge of Arabic, and obtains employment with a merchant firm. When the Dervishes attack and destroy his employer's warehouse, he joins the army under Hicks Pasha as an interpreter. The expedition is destroyed, and no news is heard of Gregory. His wife lives in Cairo, uncertain of his fate. Years pass, and she brings up their young son, also named Gregory, and ensures that he is taught several native languages. When she dies, Gregory is left alone in the world, with a small bank account and a mysterious tin box only to be opened when he is certain of his father's death. Gregory obtains a position as interpreter in the expedition under Lord Kitchener which is advancing into the Soudan to attack the Dervish forces. He endures many hardships and dangers in the great campaign, and gains high distinction, while continuing his search for his father. Soon, a discovery leads him to a clue, and the tin box, once opened, reveals a surprising discovery about his true identity. Characters Mr. Hartley: father of the main character Mrs. Hartley: mother of the main character Gregory Hilliard Hartley: main character Zaki: servant and friend Mahmud: commander of the Dervish forces Lord Kitchener: commander of the British forces Major themes This is an example of a Victorian subgenre of adventure fiction that celebrated the British Empire and Imperial ideals. They were mostly aimed at schoolboys and were important in maintaining enthusiasm for the Empire. A common theme, shared by this book, is the threat to the Empire from a less civilised foe; in this case the self-proclaimed Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer of the Islamic world, and his followers, who had already inflicted severe defeats on British forces. The hero, Gregory Hartley, is raised by his mother in a manner appropriate for creating an English Gentleman according to the