A Sparrow Falls: Courtney, Book 3

I have been reading Wilbur Smith for many years now. My wife started me with Birds of Prey over a decade ago. She had found his writings through a recommendation, found his works exciting and thought he would spark my return to pleasure reading after many years concentrating on technical writing. Yes one of his novels and I was hooked. Now my wife and I compare all writers to Wilbur as the yardstick. I read many different writers and enjoy many areas of writing but have a special fondness for Wilbur Smith's writings. I decided after reading some of his later novels to start at the beginning and read in succession. Even though he has written several series that were written in a broken timeline. I found his own recommendation that a reader should read his novels in the order he has written them. This is how I have read from his first novel and plan to go continue to read all of them in the order written. I am currently reading A Sparrow Falls and will be sorry to see it end. Like all of his novels, there is a new point of reference in each one. The early novels did not reach the level his later novels have but I recommend seeing how his writing has progressed. This novel is another saga weaving through the history of Africa.The one thing that impresses me the most is how much detail he includes in his writing. It seems he had to be there observing the past to tell his stories. AT times I wonder how much is facts and how much he has taken the fiction writers license. My belief is that good writing takes you to some place you have never been before and leaves you changed for the experience. If Wilbur Smith doesn't do this to you, I wouldn't know who else to recommend. I only wish he had written about the entire planet instead of focusing on Africa. I am disappointed to see that his recent novels are not so well received. I will continue my travel through his bibliography and deal with the later books in succession.If you have read Smith, I think you will be glad to read this one too. If you have never read and have a love of fiction, his writing should fill some of your needs. He may not be so well known as other best sellers, but part of that is that his books aren't commonly found at the used books stores like many popular authors. Fans of Wilbur have friends waiting to borrow their copies and the tend to keep them rather than letting them go after they read them. I will love to read many a second time. Buy and enjoy reading. The British version I bought here is a large paperback and very nice. Worth waiting to have it mailed from England and it was very reasonable.

For those of us who have enjoyed reading hundreds of engaging, provocative and timeless novels, we always remember a few as being so flawlessly drawn upon the page that they will remain forever in our imaginations as wonderous tales set apart from the others. Novels like The Power of One, Lonesome Dove and Thornbirds stir our emotions and evoke such vivid scenes and memorable characters that we can’t wait to discover one to rival them. Wilbur Smith has created another classic for us.

Third book in the Courtney series. As well written as the others. On to book four. Reading about South Africa's early days is very interesting

Mark Anders came home from the trenches in France during the 'War to End All Wars' only to find himself in several larger battles. Wilbur Smith pulls us into the story, as well as the continuing Courtney saga, and brings us into South African history in an interesting and informative manner. Let's face it, Smith can tell a great action/adventure story but who would have thought he could hit an environmental nerve with his lead characters working to save the wildlife and protected areas around Chaka's Gate? It's obvious Smith loves Africa and he helps many of us see why with his books. His immense respect for the Zulus shines through as well. A good read, especially when you start with the first book of the Courtney series and see how the generational tales offer hours of great reading.

First read it when it first cam out. Still excellent

This is a rich, exciting, sometimes stark story. The descriptions are compelling and evocative. By the end of the book you care about the characters. The plot is gripping. In other words it's Wilbur Smith. His grasp of the subtleties of life increased later in his career but his raw talent as a writer and storyteller is unmistakable here. If you're new to Wilbur Smith, this is a good book to start with. It's the third in the series but if you're like most of his fans, you're going to read and reread all of his books anyway.

good read

This is a very good series and a long one. I was sorry to see it end. I was given the books originally by a friend and donated all of them which I now regret. All are very interesting and I feel that I probably learned a lot about Africa and how the settlers adapted to such a different country. The family that is the main story are quite diverse. I disliked some a great deal and admired others a lot. They all went through a lot just surviving where they settled. The wars between the natives and the white settlers parallel the US and our fight settling the west and fighting the Indians for land that they held forever.

Wilbur Smith ein hervoragender Schriftsteller!!

New, unused one. As good as displayed.

コートニー家系の大河ドラマで特に好きなのがショーン・コートニーだが、その精悍かつ情熱的なショーンも今や老いて最終章となった。今作の主役は若き日のショーンを彷彿とさせるマーク・アンダースで、彼は第一次大戦フランス戦線でショーン将軍のもとでドイツのスナイパーを仕留めて名を上げた。しかし帰国するとアフリカの大地主だった祖父が不慮の死を遂げて土地を奪われ、マークは一文無しで放り出された。そしてショーンの邪悪な面を受け継いだ息子ダークがその森林を伐採して砂糖畑にしてしまっていた。縁あってマークは政界に君臨するショーン将軍の右腕として働き始めたが、ハンサムな彼にショーンの我儘娘ストームとか村娘マリオンが絡み色を添える一方で、随所にスミス氏得意の豹やライオンなどが介入して話しがあちこちに飛び、重厚さが少々損なわれる。最後は祖父を殺した犯人と黒幕のダーク・コートニーを相手にマークは死闘を繰り広げ、遂に年老いたショーンは死んで幕を閉じる。途中まで★３つだな、と読み進めたところ、最後の追い込みは流石の腕前で満足した。マーク・アンダースの物語りとしては独立しているが、ショーン・コートニーの生きざまはこの一作では消化できないと思う。ぜひ A Time to dieを訪れてウイルバー・スミスの世界を堪能して欲しいものだ。

fixating

Excellent reading.Wilbur Smith has always been a favourite author of mine.