Khyber Knights is a project that sticks out to me for a few different reasons. I’m a big fan of period pieces and the exploration of true life events, particularly those that revolve around largely ignored events. I think a lot of times we forget the extensive history of war that has gone on in Afghanistan so it’s nice to see something that is interesting that isn’t an overdone topic.
It’s tough for me to try and explain the premise better than the writer, so in writer Terrance Grace’s own words directly from the Kickstarter page,
“Khyber Knights is inspired by an amazing, true adventure story. An American journalist covering the Soviet war with Afghanistan, is setup by a corrupt Pakistani Police Chief and thrown into a notorious prison.”
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is actually very intricate and involved because it came on the heels of the United States withdrawal from Vietnam. The United States helped fund the Mujahideen while they fighted against the Soviets, so essentially they were the “good guys” throughout this war. I know Grace is a talented writer, I backed his series The Locksmith, but even he admits that this is departure from the genre he has been working in and is a new adventure for him. I like the idea of artists jumping out of their comfort zone and doing something new.
Usually I like to run down a few rewards to show what to expect but with this Kickstarter it’s a bit different. For one thing it has a fifteen page downloadable preview, not to mention all the normal rewards like prints and copies of the book, but that isn’t what makes it special. What makes this campaign really special is the fact that they’re donating five percent of funds raised to an Afghan arts education organization and a Women’s rights organization in Pakistan. If anyone wanting to raise funds for a project adding a wonderful cause onto the project price can only help and if anyone organization deserves help it would have to be a woman’s rights group located in either Pakistan or Afghanistan. Great book, great cause, fun rewards, not sure what else is needed for a successful Kickstarter.
If you want to help a woman’s rights organization and get some awesome rewards go give Khyber Knights a look on their website or at their Kickstarter and pledge!
