Birds of Prey

In BIRDS OF PREY, it is the year 1667, and we are introduced to the 17-year old Englishman, Hal Courteney. Hal is a crewmember on his father's ship, the "Lady Edwina", as it sails the high seas off the southern tip of Africa. England is at war with the Dutch Republic, and the ship's captain, Sir Francis Courteney, has been given license by the British Admiralty to prey on Dutch trading ships of the United East India Company as they return to Amsterdam from the East Indies via the Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope. Sir Francis captures a Dutch ship carrying the newly appointed Governor of Good Hope and his wife, Katinka. During the period when the Governor and his wife are held for ransom, Hal loses his virginity to Katinka, a sadistic, treacherous, highborn slut. (Well, good breeding isn't everything.) Subsequently, Sir Francis, Hal and the rest of the Lady Edwina's company are betrayed by a former ally, the Scottish Earl of Cumbrae, with the help of a former crewmember, Sam Bowles, and imprisoned at Good Hope. Sir Francis is brutally tortured and executed. Hal and a handful of survivors later escape, acquire another ship, and go on to defeat their primary tormentors, Cumbrae and a Dutch army colonel named Schreuder, against the backdrop of a war between the Christian Emperor of Ethiopia and the Moslem Sultan of Oman. Along the way, Hal inherits his father's captaincy and finds true love (as opposed to hormonal-driven sex with Katinka) - twice.As painted by the author, Wilbur Smith, the chief characters of this swashbuckling adventure are almost caricatures. The "good guys" - principally Hal and his loyal buddies, Aboli, Ned, and Daniel - are brave, noble and heroic. The "bad guys" - Katinka, Governor van de Velde, Bowles, Cumbrae, and Schreuder - are cruel, dishonorable and totally vile. The action, much as in Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones film trilogy, is wildly improbable, especially over the book's latter half. Similarly, however, that same action is scripted with such exuberance and energy that it's totally engaging. Finally, I read to be transported to places that, in most cases, I will never visit. I doubt that I shall ever ply the Indian Ocean or South Atlantic aboard a frigate under sail. This book took me there in grand style.

BIRDS OF PREY is no doubt the very best novel Wilbur Smith has ever written. Although it is a bit too long, you must read it; it has all of the right ingredience a novel needs - it sure is a flawless masterpiece. I have read ALL of Wilbur Smith's books, and this one is his greatest. Want more? Read the sequel: MONSOON. Read BIRDS OF PREY & MONSOON now and see for yourself what I mean. I hope BIRDS OF PREY eventually gets made into a major movie. It's good and powerful, believe me. I can't wait for Smith's next book! Other books by Wilbur Smith I highly recommend are EAGLE IN THE SKY, ELEPHANT SONG, RIVER GOD, and THE SEVENTH SCROLL. Smith is the most talented author in the world - he meticulously researches many things and never rushes his job. His books are therefor almost perfect. Buy BIRDS OF PREY, be patient with it, and you'll see what I mean.

I am an avid reader of adventure and historical novels and have recently found Wilbur Smith through a recommendation of a friend. I recently read Birds of Prey and Monsoon back to back. I couldn't wait to read on and was saddened when I completed the two books. I anxiously hope and wait for a sequel to Monsoon. Now I have ordered the entire Courtneys of Africa series. I just completed The Sound of Thunder and while good (3 star)was not up to the excitement and adventure of Birds of Prey and Monsoon (both 5 stars). Perhaps it was the adventure on the high seas as opposed to the Boer War that I enjoyed but I think it was more the writing style and great decriptive and story telling skill that made the difference. I can't imagine a more exciting or better written novel than Smith's latest two books. Tomorrow I will begin A Time to Die.

I believe Wilbur Smith has written in the vicinity of 30 novels. I should go home and count them tonight as I have every one of them, and I am starting his most recent, Monsoon, this evening. My dear wife gave me his novel, Rage, about 11 years ago and I have been hooked ever since. He simply has never written a book that was not a delight to read and an educational experience as well. The history of South Africa is woven through many of his books and you will not find an easier way to learn it. This book is a rolliking story of the sea which contains all of the elements he weaves so effortlessly into his books. Adventure, romance, sex (there is a difference), mystery and suspence come in many measures, all palatable and more than enjoyable. The outline of the story has been told by other reviews. Suffice it to say, you always get more than your money's worth from Mr. Smith...even at today's prices!

This was my first Smith book, but not my last. In the past I'd never read this type of book -- dealing with sailors (unless of course they were in an historical romance novel), but I decided to give it a try. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. This book has it all -- action, adventure, romance, some sorrow, loyalty, you name it. The characters are very well developed so that you come to know and care about them. The loyalty between some characters and what they would do for each other brought me to tears. The plot twists and turns in such a delightful manner that you never want to the book to end. But when it does, don't despair -- just pick up Monsoon -- the sequel. You won't be disappointed!