The Young Carthaginian: A Tale of the Times of Hannibal
About this audiobook
G. A. Henty’s latest historical adventure story for boys is set in ancient times during the Punic wars between Carthage and Rome, who are vying for world dominance. It follows the adventures of young Malchus, an officer in Hannibal’s army, as the army makes its incredible journey across the Alps, bringing cannons and elephants to overpower the great Roman Empire. Malchus has an unsullied energy that allows him to escape attacks from lions and wolves and maneuver through Carthage’s subterranean reservoir on a raft. Even though Carthage is eventually defeated, the thrilling clashes and vexing dilemmas gain the listener’s undivided attention, while the fascinating detail of the story provides an absorbing lesson in ancient history.
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About the author
George Alfred Henty (1832–1902) was born in Trumpington, England. He studied at Cambridge but left without his degree to volunteer for service in the Crimean War. After several failed attempts at careers, he decided in 1865 to become a writer, beginning as a correspondent for the Standard. He wrote his first boys’ adventure, Out of the Pampas, in 1868, and its popularity spurred him to write some eighty more children’s books. Drawing on his own experiences fighting in the Crimean War and as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa, Henty fashioned stories for children that combined realism and what he called a “manly tone.” His novels encompass an array of times and places from the early days of Egypt to the mines of the California Gold Rush. He died in 1906, having left a legacy of 144 books and several short stories.
