'I have travelled much of the territory described here but I cannot say that I remotely knew it until I read this wonderful book. With her debut work Alice Albinia is set to take her place alongside the greats like Eric Newby and Colin Thubron. Her prose is lucid and entertaining and her insights invariably penetrating'
Fergal Keane
'Alice Albinia is well placed to unpick the country's complex history in this impressive debut'
Independent
'The truly great achievement of this book is to reveal, unflinchingly and with panache, the rich and varied heritage of the Indus in all its appalling spleandour'
Guardian
'As the first book of a young writer, it's an impressive achievement'
New Statesman
'Imaginatively structured'
Scotland on Sunday
'Its originality, enthusiasm and understanding add up to a memorable, illuminating read.'
Scotsman
'In an engaging blend of travel writing and history, journalist Albinia charts the course of the longest river in the Indian subcontinent.'
Financial Times
'Such an accomplished first book'
The Sunday Times
'Empires of the Indus is a magnificent book, a triumphant melding of travel and history into a compelling story of adventure and discovery ... an inspiring book, and readers with even a fraction of Albinia's wanderlust will want to set off on their own explorations.'
Paddy Docherty, Financial Times
'Impressive and original ...In the course of her journey, Albinia encounters all kinds of danger, and at times her courage tips her into foolhardiness ... This however, is the behaviour we expect of the best kind of travel writer.'
Peter Parker, Daily Telegraph