Review by showhost.
1913 Africa. Leon Courtney is in the army but he isn’t happy and not getting on too well with his commanding officer Snell.. Leon wants to be a big game hunter and when he finds himself under threat of firing squad for disobeying an order from Snell Leons Uncle, Colonel Penrod Ballantyne, arranges for Leon to work with a friend of his who organizes hunting parties for the rich and powerful in America and Europe, safaris in Masai tribal territories. Leon will be working for the army predominantly, undercover as a spy. War is looming in Europe and the army need updated information, this they see as a perfect opportunity.
Leons prowess as a hunter comes to the fore as he takes Kermit Roosevelt (son of President) on safari and helps him bag a lion bigger than his fathers and makes a friend for life. His loyalty to King & country is tested when he has to entertain the sadistic German Matahari who is used to getting what she wants when she wants it.!
Just before the outbreak of WW1 count Otto Von Meerbach pays for a safari joined by his beautiful mistress, Eva, with whom Leon falls hopelessly in love with. Meerbach has an engineering company which builds aircraft and vehicles for the Kaisers army. Meerbach teaches Leon how to fly which is sued to the full when he thwarts the planned attack by the Kaisers men using the ‘silver fish’ (airship) to bring the ammunition.
Hunting parties, graphic killing of big game, love and adventure, Leon Courtney stumbles from being under threat of death to being a fabulously wealthy owner of a game hunting company, in 100 pages. Women throw themselves at his feet and enemies spill their deepest national secrets to him, and he is saved from death by his brothers from the Masai tribe whose dialect he understands.
I don’t know what to say really. It’s a boys adventure story but in parts it captures the harsh, brutal beauty of Africa. The characters didn’t grab me like in the ‘River God’ (I fell in love with the character Taitia). It was predictable, especially the ending and there was too much romantic dribble in it, so why do I read them, why did I carry on? I don’t know! I don’t reach as eagerly anymore though.
I must have liked his earlier ones for me to become a fan of his (When the Lion Feeds etc) But I really enjoyed and would definitely recommend: Wild Justice, Elephant Song and River God. So if you have never read a Wilbur Smith start with one of these.
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I loved the book. I have been a big fan of Wilbor Smith for over 30 years (starting when I was 18 with When the Lion Feeds). I have always found him to be a real page-turner and usually read his books very quickly because I just can't put him down :o) Having said that: has anyone noticed and does it drive you nuts too, the mistake in this book?Colonel Penrod Ballantyne was married to Amber Benbrook in The Triumph of the Sun and Saffron Bembrook was married to Ryder Courtney - in this book he has Saffron married to Penrod - huh?? Is there a book in between that I've missed
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