The Lion Killer

The Lion Killer is an adventure novel that is set in South Africa and the southern United States. It is a fictional story about the dark side of South Africa following the end of Apartheid. The main character in this story is an avid big game hunter named Lucas who is recruited as a paid assassin by a secret organization within South Africa. He approaches the challenges of planning and conducting assassinations with a cold professionalism and displays less emotion when killing his human targets than he would when killing an animal. The author's extensive background as a professional writer and editor in the areas of hunting and firearms is evident in the discussions of firearms and African game in this story. Unlike many writers who pretend to understand firearms and hunting, Jim Woods does know both firearms and hunting and there are no technical errors regarding either the firearms or game animals discussed in this book. The reader comes away with the belief that the author has "been there - done that." It is also evident that the author has spent extensive time in South Africa and in its major cities. In the sections of this book where Lucas is planning and executing assassinations, you could easily follow his movements on a road map. The roads, the places and the scenes would be recognizable to anyone who has been there. There are no heroes in this story. Lucas becomes an assassin primarily because he wants the money to spend on additional African hunting trips. He is driven neither by politics nor loyalty to any cause. His motivation is strictly self-gratification and he kills people as a means to that end. Neither are his employers particularly likeable. They are driven by politics and power. The people that they contract for elimination are those that threaten their grasp on power and, in the end, they turn on each other. Overall, its an interesting story that will be most enjoyed by those readers who are into big game hunting and firearms and who have or plan to visit South Africa.

South Africa is a land of exotic animals and political intrigue. Author Jim Woods manages to blend these two aspects of this country into a tale of big game hunting and political assassination. The story opens up with Lucas Mellor, a Texan and frequent big game hunter, as he stops a charging male lion with one quick shot. His guide, a member of a white supremacy group called The Vengeurs, is impressed by Mellor's "grace under pressure" and recruits him as a hunter of human targets. The story line takes the reader through the rural United States, into the heart of the African plains and then into the concrete jungles of South Africa. Mr. Woods details the transformation of Mellor into a killer and compels the reader to experience the consequences of such a choice. As a hunter, I appreciated the vivid descriptions of the wild game and their natural habitat. As an engineer, I appreciated the technical detail Mr. Woods devised to accomplish some of the more sinister objectives such as weapon design. As an author, I was impressed with plot twists that kept me wanting more until the final page. The Lion Killer is well written and action packed. It takes the reader to a place that most have never seen and give's a glimpse into a dark, secret world on the Dark Continent. Jim Woods does an excellent job of making the reader comfortable in a foreign land, and then, proceeds to lead them through the twisting trails of the story line until the last round is fired. If you're looking for a Christmas gift for the adventurous at heart, I highly recommend this book. Even if you're not the adventurous type, you'll appreciate this well crafted tale.

Lucas Mellor, a Texas exotic car broker, had two desires in life, one to be a big league baseball player and the other to be a professional hunter in Africa. An injury to his knee while playing for the Triple A team put an end to that dream. While on safari he is approached by Danie Schwardt, the professional hunter leading his safari, with a proposition. Lucas is recruited to become a "Hit Man" for "The Vengeurs", a secret society of White Afrikaners. Now he has, in a way, fulfilled the second dream. That of becoming a professional hunter only he now hunted people and not in the bush but in the urban centers of South Africa such as Johannesburg, Durbin, and Port Elizabeth. He was charged to "eliminate" any person The Vengeurs felt were dangerous to their cause. The Lion Killer is your passport into the political intrigue of modern South Africa, an intrigue that extends internationally and into the United States. Jim Woods' knowledge of South Africa, safari's and weapons brings realism and life to Lucas Mellor and the members of The Vengeurs. This is a book for those who love action, mystery and intrigue in the setting of the New South Africa. Jim Woods also takes you on a tour of the game parks of South Africa; a small town located near Atlanta, Georgia, and Lucas' home, Houston, Texas. From the very first page this is "a can't put down" novel. Get your copy today and prepare yourself to hunt trophy game on the Transvaal or individuals in the confines of the city, this is the book that is a must have in any personal library. A must read for lovers of a good mystery and intrigue.