The Triumph of the Sun

I loved this book. I didn't care at all for his recent novel, The Quest, though I really enjoyed the other Egypt novels, but Triumph of the Sun is a magnificent portrayal of the seige of Khartoum, and I've read the novel three times, though I skim through/skip the love ane erotic episodes of the oldest sister after she becomes a slave. The rest of the book is utterly superb, and has the unusual romantic subplots of young girls falling in love with grown men, and with a great deal of seriousness. That leads to some very humorous scenarios, and also some very moving ones. I found Amber and Saffy to be essential to the enjoyment of the novel, as they set their sights on Penrod Ballantyne and Ryder Courtney, and just never gave up. Smith's handling of what would normally be a taboo scenario makes it totally acceptable, and the vulnerability of these young girls, and their fierce wills and emotions, and bravery, are very compelling. I have no idea how historically accurate this is, but Smith is usually pretty accurate as to history, and this was for me a riveting novel, full of suspense, adventure, tragedy, and love (even if that love was one-sided for many years). I think this concept of men slaying elephants with swords is pure fantasy, based upon myth, and is based upon "old warriors' tales", but I often see otherwise intelligent writers who don't think about ballistics, physics, and other things, when they incorporate such myths into novels. That's another aspect I skip when I re-read this novel. I won't spoil the story, and other reviewers have done a good job of discussing it. I liked the pure adventure and violence, and the book long rivalry between Penrod and the Arab leader, which obviously had to end in a final encounter. The incompetency of the military leasders is well done, and the ruthlessness of religious fantatics, which has relevance in modern times. Except for Rebecca's emotional ups and downs, and her overdone journey into sexual and emotional slavery, I thought the book was impossible to put down. It's not-stop action, intrigue, and emotion, and I so enjoyed Amber and Saffy, as very unusual and irresistible characters, that they give us something no other Smith book quite has. They were so cute as they pined over the grown men they had chosen as husbands. Sarah had loved Tom as a young girl in Monsoon, but we didn't learn that until she was grown. In Triumph of the Sun, Smith has lots of fun with that, and also some true bravery by the young Amber, who saves Penrod's life twice. It's Penrod's story mainly, but the supporting cast is very good, and I laughed quite a bit at Amber and Saffron. REading is subjective, and I note some poor reviews, but friends of mine agrree with me that this is one of his best novels.

I first started reading Wilbur Smith while living overseas. His books were not then available in the US. This latest Courtney adventure continues with as much excitement, historical fact, and great characterization as past works. I'm very pleased that his artistry is now readily available. I have his complete collection, all of which I've read at least twice.

Once again Wilbur Smith confirms his mastery of meticulous historical research coupled with a good old fashioned 'rip-roaring' yarn! As with his dozens of other tales that span the history of his of his fictional Courtney family, this tale keeps the reader literally on the edge of their seat throughout all 500 plus pages. As with the other superb books which track over four centuries of the lives, loves and struggles the Courtney clan, Triumph of the Sun is set against the sprawling backdrop of Africa. This novel covers the adventures of Ryder Courtney and pits him against the fanatical Mahdi and the infamous dervish troops during the long siege of Khartoum defended by the legendary British General Gordon. In this novel however Courtney's heroics almost pale in comparison to a member of the other fictional family of Smith's African saga's, Captain Penrod Ballantyne. Ballentyne plays the role of the handsome, dashing, fearless young British officer that was most typified in the swashbuckling films of the 30' and 40's, by Errol Flynn. The almost Hollywood style love interest is supplied by the beautiful teenage daughter of the British consul general, Rebecca Benbrook. In a neat little package that would have done a Hollywood director proud, Smith also manages to throw two preteen younger sisters, Saffron and Amber, into the mix as well. As the story weaves in and out to cover the long years of the siege and battles, Smith cleverly develops the pair of young sisters into love interests as we watch them grow up under the most adverse but exciting of conditions. In the hands of a lesser author, this tale of dashing hero's and winsome maidens in peril could have turned into a hackneyed 'Saturday matinee' of a novel. But Smith is a master when it come to the historical saga. And although both Ryder and Penrod make escapes from certain death, survive fiendish tortures and rescue fair maidens, Smith spices the mix with liberal doses of really good history and cunningly woven and often shocking detail, so that the reader is truly caught up in the adventure and never bored. As a matter of fact there is one incident when Penrod is held captive by a dervish prince, who suspects him of treachery, where I actually find myself getting choked up. The dervish decides to expose Perod by torturing in the most gruesome manner imaginable, a poor little slave girl that Penrod has befriended. For the rest of the novel, I perused the pages with a vengeance, waiting for Penrod to even the score by plunging a saber into the dervish's guts! It is a powerful writer who can evoke that sort of emotion in a reader, and Smith never disappoints. I heartily recommend Triumph of the Sun as yet another in Wilbur Smith's long list of triumph's. Richard S. Wasley "Ric - Author - Shadow of Innocence - coming January 2007 from Kunati" (Boston, MA USA)

Historical fiction tends to run along a spectrum. At one end are the "educational" novels that focus completely on the facts and which allow little room for any diversion from them; James Michener is one of the masters of these types. On the other end are the pure entertainment stories that are quite willing to fudge things if it makes the plot more interesting. We see a lot of this in movies: for example, Braveheart or (many years earlier) My Darling Clementine: both are good movies, but they take their liberties with the facts. Then there are those in the middle of the spectrum, which offer a reasonable adherence to fact, but focus primarily on story. Examples of these authors include John Jakes, James Clavell and Wilbur Smith. What makes Smith special is that he is one of the few historical novelists whose focus is on Africa, a continent which is underrepresented in fiction. In this story, he focuses on the siege of Khartoum (in the Sudan) in the 1880s and its aftermath. The book begins with the siege already underway. British and Egyptian troops, led by General Gordon, are holding the city away from the messianic Mahdi, a dangerously devout Muslim with a fanatical following. For good-natured smuggler Ryder Courtney, this siege offers financial perils as the goods he has are either commandeered by Gordon or threatened to be stolen by the Mahdi. For Penrod Ballantyne, the siege offers opportunities for military glory. Both Courtney and Ballantyne have romantic interest in Rebecca Benbrook, daughter of the British consul; she in turn, is torn between them; this romantic triangle will eventually be resolved in an unexpected fashion. Meanwhile, Rebecca's pre-teen twin sisters (Amber and Saffron) spend time either assisting or getting in the way of both Courtney and Ballantyne. Finally, there is Osman Atalan, a chieftain under the Mahdi, whose initial appearance of villainy belies a more complicated character. He and Ballantyne are particularly enemies, although even this relationship is more complex than it first seems. In the aftermath of the siege, all of these characters will be deeply affected. This is in many ways a typical Wilbur Smith novel, which is a good thing. It is also a rare intersection between his books about the Courtney family and the Ballantynes. We get plenty of adventure and romance and there is never a slow moment. On the other hand, this is a bit darker than the typical Smith book, with certain characters being forced into situations that are quite grim. Nonetheless, this is an exciting and entertaining read, good for either long-time Smith fans or first-timers.

Knowing that you have to read in order to write, I find that Wilbur Smith's adventures and novels keep getting better year by year. The Triumph of the Sun is the kind of novel that takes you back to Colonial times and into the days of the Whirling Dervish. No one does African better than Smith. The two things I like best about the book are the characters and the settings. Mr. Smith has the uncanny ability to shape and weave a character into a plot that seamlessly holds your interest as you turn page after page. I usually find his books too short, even though the publisher would usually have him cut the pages. The settings of Africa and the Nile river draw one into a romantic age and tell the story of how colonial power was lost in that part of the world. The epic battles of Islam and Christianity underlie the tale and the development of the warlords of the Sudan are tautly told. I find books like this far more refreshing than the Da Vinci Code with its secrets and made up plots. A great read. TS Ferguson, Author of Apocrypha