SOUTHAFRICAS ANGLO-BOERS WAR...

My 200th posted review for 2015!

In this, the concluding novel in the Sean Courtney collection, Smith moves the powerful man aside and offers the reader a new focus in the young Mark Anders. Serving under Courtney in the Great War, Anders survives in the trenches and returns to his family homestead, which has been confiscated and his grandfather murdered. Learning of the gang behind the acts, Anders discovers that his former General's own son, Dirk Courtney, is the mastermind. Using this as a pretence for revenge, Anders begins working for General Sean Courtney, first as his assistant and eventually in a position of political patronage as game warden. At this time, Anders falls in love with the General's daughter, Storm, who has grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth and cannot imagine life with such a commoner. As Smith builds the novel's narrative, South Africa comes of age under the Smuts Government, where it begins to bulge at the seams after a surge of socialist upheaval. To quell the workers and the early germination of race clashes, government troops push back the protest, which only delays further action. Anders finds himself in the middle of this and other key aspects of South African independence as he tries to find his way. With the chance to eventually face his nemesis, Anders learns of the lengths to which Dirk Courtney will go to get his way, allowing no one to cross him. As Smith brings the Sean Courtney story to a conclusion, he has only just begun laying the groundwork for the explosive second collection of Courtney novels, in which future generations will surely see the country become cesspool of racism on the African continent. A must-read novel and series by any curious reader.

Over this short three-novel series, Smith has created the foundation for a wonderful series that places South Africa at its centre. Written with the mysteries of the continent in mind, Smith is able to use a core group of characters to live within history and yet forge their own lives and weave highly intriguing tales. His storytelling is second to none and the drama that Smith instills keeps the reader begging for more. Looking only at the first collection, if I were to offer a criticism, it would be that the time period between the books is large and brief narration to weave together the happenings from one book to the other does not adequately suffice. Readers like myself might enjoy additional novels in the series to flesh out the character arcs summarising their lives from one novel to the next, which are handled in a brief paragraph in Smith's narrative. A detailed construction could make for new and exciting storylines, if done properly. Smith has me thoroughly hooked and wondering what will come next in the second collection, a multi-generational addition to the Courtney series.

Kudos, Mr. Smith for the foundational work on this wonderful series. Your climactic ending has me wondering what other twists you have in store. However, it is time to diverge and explore the Ballantyne family to see how they differ or intersect the Courtneys, before returning for another round of South Africa's development.

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So good. Not many authors are as good at making me feel things as Wilbur Smith is. What a great book!

You know exactly what you're going to get with Wilbur and you get it

Excellent book, 4th in the Courtney family saga.

This is the third in the Courtney series and completes the ‘When The Lion Feeds’ trilogy

As with the previous books you have a sweeping adventure story which embraces the African landscape in all its majestic glory, as the reader will come to expect the book also covers an expansive time frame.

The book opens in the trenches in France during World War I, however, we are soon taken back to familiar territory. Whilst this is a book about the Courtneys it does to some degree focus more on Mark Anders, someone to who Sean Courtney takes under his wing, almost as a surrogate son. Two people who share a common vision for the protection of the African landscape and the protection of the animals within, you see a different side to Sean, age as transformed some of his thinking. This all takes place to a backdrop where Seans estranged son Dirk plots to bring down his Father.

Wilbur Smith combines a narrative which oozes in atmosphere, each paragraph rich in giving a real feel and depth to the plot, he takes you to the heart of the story, you are able to breath in the landscape, there is a real richness to the whole feel of the book.

The book is wonderfully plotted, in a way that keeps the story moving, the authors paints a picture, it also builds in tension and drama

The story moves and flows wonderfully, you can take in each scene, you get a sense of some of the horrors endured, whilst this is an expansive read, it is also one which I found hard to put down, so eager was I to know what would happen next.

It is fascinating to see how Sean and Dirk have become embittered enemies, the writing gives you a real sense of who Dirk is, someone determined to use whatever tactic necessary to reach the top. We also see more of Storm and the woman she has grown to be

By the end of the book, you start to feel for Mark, torn by a sense of duty and loyalty, where his heart yearns for others.

As this is a family saga of note, the author doesn’t shy away from making difficult decisions in the lifes of the characters, thus giving the story that air of believeability and authenticity

Wilbur Smith is a master of the adventure story for a reason, he creates a novel in which you can lose yourself and invest time with the characters

A story of love both won and lost, greed, power, corruption, a family torn apart, but one with Africa at its heart, is also an emotional and poignant read. One thing I always feel as I read the books is that Wilbur Smith has the reader in mind in bringing things to life and putting the reader at the heart of the action.

This is another outstanding epic read, it leaves you breathless and poses questions as to where the story will go next. One thing the book does do is leave you wanting more

5* I can’t recommend the books of Wilbur Smith highly enough. once you have read one you will be hooked into a whole world of adventure

Another excellent book by the master of storytelling.

I enjoyed this book very much as I have all the Courtney novels. This one I marked as a 4star because of a graphic dog fighting scene which I and many others may find upsetting. The rest of the book was great as were the characters some we have got to know very well. The main character in this book was not a Courtney but a young soldier called Mark Anders who went on to become one of the 1st game wardens in South Africa. The story tells of family betrayal and the government’s fight with the communist workers in South Africa.
Altogether a good read if you can miss out the dog fighting scene.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

The third book in the Courtney series marks the end of the Sean Courtney era. In book one, we saw him transition from childhood to adulthood. In book two he moved from rags to riches time and again and became a family man. In book three we see him experiencing the joys and indignities that come with advancing years. Part of aging is paying for the sins of one’s youth; another is raising up the next generation of leaders. Since his son Dirk proved himself to be the “spawn of Satan,” Sean finds a new protegé in Mark Anders.
Sean meets Mark in France during WWI where Sean is a brigadier general and Mark is a sharpshooter. Mark is called into action when a German sniper picks off anyone who tries to exit the trench or sneak a peek at the enemy. Dealing with that incident creates a bond between the two men, filling a void in each man’s life that lasts long after the war.
Returning home to his portion of S. Africa, Mark finds things much changed. The grandfather who raised him is gone, and the land has been cleared for a new owner with new ideas for its use. While trying to find answers, Mark finds trouble instead and looks for refuge with an old army buddy who was a Marxist during the war, but since then has drunk deeply from that cup and shared the draft with his wife Helena. This provides a snapshot of the country’s struggle to rid itself of communism and the political fallout that resulted when things turned violent.
Sean’s children–Dirk and Storm–play critical roles in the story. Dirk is a prime example of beauty not reflecting goodness but masking rottenness, while Storm remains the spoiled, headstrong girl she was as a child though a few humbling events help to file down her edges. Mbejane is no longer around to counsel Sean, but another Zulu referred to as ‘the Jackal’ serves Mark in similar ways.
This is my favorite book in the series so far despite the graphic violence of a dog fight, a lion attack, and other atrocities committed by men on other men. More than ten years passed between the writing of the first and this closing of the trilogy, and it’s obvious that the author honed his craft in the intervening years. 5

The third and final part of the Sean Courtney trilogy sees the action man grow old gracefully from a soldier into a statesman. However the battles of the fractured Courtney clan continue and Sean diverts his attention to Mark Anders, a young man he sees as the son Dirk never was.

In fact the story is mostly set around Mark with Sean taking a secondary role.

The story takes us from the trenches of war torn France to the violence of the Johannesburg strikes in the twenties and out into the vast South African wilderness.

Over the three novels Wilbur Smith has managed to weave a fictional family history into the history of South Africa. The stories are full of action, intrigue and romance. Maybe some of the characters are a bit stereotypical, strong, muscular, tanned heroes and beautiful women who despite old age have a youthful sparkle in their eyes. Also typical evil sneering bad guys. But it’s all good fun.

Parts of this book though I felt dragged a bit and became a bit boring but then the story picked up again. I liked the way Sean had changed from the elephant killing great white hunter of ‘When the Lion Feeds’ to a conservationist and protector of Africa’s wildlife.

This book wasn’t as good as the first two, mainly due the lull in the story in the first half. But it has a storming, edge of the seat finale and if you got this far and enjoyed the first two you’ll probably enjoy this.

Er på Wilbur-kjøret om dagen. Som de fleste bøkene hans (er vel sjette boken jeg leser nå) er det grei skuring. Man blir underholdt, men skjønner som regel hvor det ender.

En ting jeg savner med bøkene (les karakterene) er at det er så svart/hvitt; enten er du helt eller skurk. Er du helt så er man alltid på laget, er du skurk får man veldig antipati. Skulle gjerne hatt litt mer variasjon, og selvsagt får heltene det alltid til (med noen få, litt ubetydelige unntak).

Man blir allikevel sugd inn i Courtneys verden og fascinert av datidens samfunnsstrukturer som han beskriver på en grei måte.

Vil nok ikke lese denne igjen på en stund, men er ikke fremmed for tanken.

A Sparrow Falls

Third book in the Courtney series. As well written as the others. On to book four. Reading about South Africa's early days is very interesting

As a huge and long time Wilbur Smith fan, I must admit I did struggle to get through this one. However once the characters develop and you start to buy in, the story unfolds nicely and really picks up pace towards the latter quarter. A pulsating ending will leave long time Courtney fans misty eyed and mouth agape