The Burning Shore

I absolutely love Wilber Smith's books, and this is another winner. It's not my favorite, even though I would have a hard time picking one. I did absolutely love "Monsoon", but it was the first one of this books that I read, so I could be prejudiced. I'm one of his newer fans, but if you like exciting books with marvelous characters, you can't go wrong. He is fantastic!

In this first of the Courtney in Africa series, Wilbur Smith depicts nature in wondrous descriptions, sharply brings out the personalities of his characters, and weaves a tapestry of action-filled intricate plots. When you read one of Wilbur Smith's novels, you want to read them all.

This is a truly gripping novel, NO!, I take that back, it's an adventure, once you start reading it's no longer just a book, it is real, as though you were experiancing it. When Centaine is scampering up a tree avoiding the ferocious jaws of the terrifying lion below, you are scampering up the tree with her, giving her a push and saying get up there you must save the baby!!! You cry with her when the tribesmen are so brutely slaughtered. You cheer with her when baby Michael is born healthy and strong. You reminisce with her of long past times with her father before the war. And so on and so forth, but to cut to the chase, it's a good read give it a go mate.

Centaine de Thiry meets Michael Courtney, and then her amazing journey begins. The tragedies she endures develop her strengths and she blooms. Wilbur Smith spins the story of her life without any dull moments. There are quite a few surprises along the way. It's a difficult book to put down and it leaves you longing for the story to continue...which it does, thankfully, in the Power of the Sword.

This continuing Courtney epic runs slightly parallel with A Sparrow Falls, at about the same time period. The main character, Centaine de la Thiry, makes an excellent mother for a Courtney as she is incredibly tough but without being harsh. This is an incredible tale of death and survival under the most savage and primitive conditions; a must read.