The Hosts of the Lord

"The Hosts of the Lord" by Flora Annie Steel is set in British India during the late 1800s, and tells the story of British officers interacting with the local Indian culture in the town of Eshwara. The novel follows Captain Vincent Dering, Lieutenant Lance Carlyon, Dr. George Dillon, Father Ninian Bruce, and Laila Bonaventura, and the story explores the relationships between the British and the Indians, focusing on their different perspectives in a colonial environment. The characters' interactions show their varying views of the local people, revealing the social and cultural challenges of the time, especially around events like the opening of a new canal, and the story paints a picture of cultural misunderstandings and the search for knowledge within a time of colonial strain and desires.