Assegai (Courtney Family Adventures)

Wilbur Smith is the great African story writer. Love the way the fact and fiction are blended together to make for a fantastic story.

Some twenty years or more ago, my wife gave me a book written by an author I had never heard of, saying at the time, "I think you will like this writing." The book was "Rage" and the author was Wilbur Smith and was she ever right. One of the most pleasant finds I ever made in a used book store was a treasure trove of hardcover Wilbur Smith books. I prefer hardcover and these books were going for less than paperback prices. I have the entire works of Mr.Smith on my bookshelves and was delighted to see that he had returned to Africa and the Coutney clan with his latest effort. I agree with many here that as a younger author Smith's books about Africa had a quality to them that has slipped a bit as he has aged, but there is still plenty of fire in his writing and when he puts pen to paper about Africa and it's peoples, it is a delight to read. Leon Courtney is the focus of this book as he grows from a soldier to a big game hunter whose clientele keeps him busy in more ways than one. There are the indiginous people of Africa populating the book as well as the rich and famous as well as infamous who show upon safari. Smith's brush is broad as he takes Leon through several harrowing adventures incuding some events leading up to the beginning of WW1. All of the characters Smith draws have depth and the situations he fashions are often "hold on to your seat" adventures. We are indeed fortunate that he has kept his zest for writing and he has promised us a 33rd offering next year. I will be looking for it.

I haven't read any of Wilbur Smith's other books. I was pleased to find that Assegai is not a dry historical novel. It is a rip-roaring story with a terrific hero who has many adventures as an army officer--later an intelligence officer--and a renowned white hunter. Assegai is set in British East Africa in 1913, a backwater for the British army and a place from where white hunters could become global celebrities. Smith's descriptions of early 20th century African safaris are particularly noteworthy. These events lasted for months and were incredibly elaborate--and fantastically expensive. And the hunted animals were certainly not pitiful. I saw a full page ad for Assegai in the New York Times last week. Then it was available on Kindle, with the usual free sample. The free sample--the first chapter or so--was enough for me. I bought it and am delighted. My best judgment of a novel is whether or not it is easy to put down for later. Assegai is definitely not easy to put down. I loved it. I wish I could say the same for Amazon. I bought Assegai for Kindle when it came out for $15.37. A few days later the price was dropped to $9.99. This seems to be the way Amazon operates with some new books; they refuse to refund the difference which they have always done in the past when a price changed right after a purchase. This certainly takes the bloom off the Kindle. The moral of the story is do not pre-order or buy a new title for a few days until the Kindle price drop comes.

I loved this book. The writer made you feel as if you were on the hunt with Leon. It was a hard book to put down. The style of writing was wonderful especially how he describes the area. I could almost smell the surroundings. A book that takes a good look at Africia and it's people as well as the British and Americans. Fun book for all to read. Enjoy. Marlane

it was good, not as good as the older WS books I don't think but still enjoyed the story, worth a read. May be because I was a lot younger when I read his earlier stuff.

This was a very good book, clearly not his best, but very enjoyable....Everytime I read something by Smith, I look at a map and say I want to go to Africa. I have read all the Ballyntine and Courtney books, as well as the Egypt series. I love them all and will continue to read his entire library as long as the rest on are on kindle....He is a great author, but I wish he received more attention in the USA....

Assegai, was one of the best in the Assegai was one of the Best of the Courtney Family Series. As usual Wilber Smith goes above and beyond most writers. The story never goes stale and the incidents that occur flow well with the overall slant of the novel. This book is hard to put down and the story line stays in your head when you're not reading because it's like being there. This is the type of story that remind us of how much we don't know about historical events that the book alludes. If you are even a "Quasi History Buff", you will enjoy this book even more,as well as all of the other History related Wilber Smith writings.

the best work of wilbur i listened to so far, and he's no slouch at writing good adventure... though he has put out some stinkers, read reviews... this is historical fiction at its best, a great ride along in the waning world of unbridled African big-game hunting... i hate the idea of such sport, but you dont have to love it to love this book, but you can love it... the best sort of characters are those we can love to hate, or just love as we please, every reader is sure to have a different opinion on who is right or wrong here...that's what we get when we inundate fiction with our reality, we believe it and wonder about it

Great read

Another brilliant read from Wilbur Smith. Can’t fault his ability to keep you gripped until the end. Disappointed it’s finished

As always great story and read

Ich verschlinge alles von Wilbur Smith. Die Courtney Reihe über alle Kontinente und mehrere Jahrhunderte, verschiedene Religionen, die Abenteuer, Niederlagen und Siege werden spannend erzählt. Uneingeschränkte Empfehlung 💫💫💫💫

Ok