The Diamond Hunters

I am sorry the books were a gift but the recepent gives great reviews and wishes to have more from that auther'

I have seen Wilbur Smith novels on the bookshelves for years but for one reason or another none of them had ever really piqued my interest, but while browsing in an airport bookstore looking for something to read on a long flight I picked this one up and as I began to read I found that my flight was too short. I didn't want to be interrupted for something as trivial as changing flights. I intend to read more Wilbur Smith in the near future. The way Smith builds the story of Johnny Lance being an outcast and the way that he discovers the truth about his childhood and the animosity that builds between him and his foster brother Benedict Van der Byle makes for a spellbinding read. Smith's descriptions of the African landscape and exotic locations are well written without being over-done. When he describes Thunderbolt and Suicide you can smell the salt air and see the foamy spray shooting skyward and hear the crashing of the huge waves against the unyielding rock formations. Like all fiction stories this one is not for everyone, but if you enjoy action/adventure, emphasis on action you will find this a very enjoyable read.

This book is one of Smith's early books - originally published in the mid-70's, I think, and anyone who's read a lot of Wilbur Smith (like me) will be able to tell. It's shorter, and he's definitely refined his writing style since then. However, his talent for plot twists, engaging characters and sucking you right into the story is still there - I loved this book! It is well worth it for anyone who likes a rip-roaring adventure!

This is a great book. I read a lot of adventure fiction. This one was really good. The plot was well thought out. The details are great. The building of the characters.... Everything about this book is good.

I am a huge Wilbur Smith fan. "River God" is the best novel I have ever read. My second favorite Smith book is his newest: "Monsoon", 3 "Men of Men", 4 "The Sunbird", 5 "Golden Fox", 6 "Burning Shore", 7 "The Diamond Hunters". If you have read all the Wilbur Smith books like I have, you'll yearn for more, but it takes him years to come up with a new book these days. You might look at "Churchill's Gold" by James Follett after you have read all of Mr. Smith's books. It is very similar in style and quality to "The Diamond Hunters".