A Courtney series adventure – Book 1 in the Assegai sequenceFor King and Country. No matter the cost. With the backing of his uncle, General Penrod Ballantyne, young Leon Courtney joins the King’s Rifles of Nairobi. When he becomes discouraged by the dishonesty of army life, his uncle recruits him for a special mission – spying on the Germans in East Africa, whom the General suspects are … are preparing for the Kaiser’s war. Posing as a professional game hunter Leon is tasked with gathering information on one is his clients, a wealthy industrialist Otto Von Meerbach. Leon finds himself falling for von Meerbach’s beautiful mistress but never forgets that his real mission is to destroy the enemy. But how easy will he find his task when his true enemy is closer to home than Leon ever expected?
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Wilbur Smith is magical and knows old world Africa inside and out.
Wil Smith at his best.
Wilbur Smith has never written anything but the greatest books. Really historical fiction.
Love Wilber Smith
I love the Wilbur Smith novels; it is obvious he knows Africa which he writes about. Novels are well researched. But it is the action and ability to connect emotions and empathy that catches the reader.
Wilbur Smith’s books make me feel as though I were a part of the story. He depicts the African wildlife and natives realistically. He makes the effort to show relationships between his hero, usually a white man, and the native black friends he has among tribes, as well as the friction between some tribes. I always feel as though I had been with …
I loved this book it kept me up late more than one night
Wilbur Smith is one of my favorite authors. He makes you feel like your part of the story. I’ve read each of books 4x which includes reading them in order and now listening to them on tape. Awesome author.
Original storytelling presented in an historical setting. Informative of cultures, customs, people from different backgrounds and also of animals and their heart-breaking treatment by some humans. Mr. Wilbur Smith, in my opinion, has such an amazing command of the English language utilizing an abundant variety of words to tell his story.
I loved this book from start to finish, it’s a tad predictible if you’ve read Smith’s works before with his usual style and rythum, but a thrilling story with all the feel of colonial africa that only Smith brings to the table.
I have read many of Wilbur Smith’s book, and this one is one of the very best. Mr. Smith knows how to tell an absorbing story with unexpected twists and turns. This book excels!
good
I learn something new every time I read a Wilbur Smith book. Love them!
Colonial powers fight it out in Africa before and during WWII, when they aren’t hunting big game with trusty African tribesman as their guides and allies. Frankly, a lot of this book made me sick. The scenes of big game hunting, whether by Teddy Roosevelt and his son (later a major regime-change screw-up in the OSS/CIA, always trying to live up …
Like all of Wilbur Smith’s books, Assegai is a carefully-crafted story set in pre-WWII Africa. It follows the adventures of Leon Courtney, an independent scion of the Courtney family, who is recruited as a spy for the British. The descriptions and feel the reader develops for the African countryside are amazing.
Smith uses actual history to make his stories more believable.
A good yarn about WW1 Africa.
Wilbur Smith always gives his all to create excellent, fast paced African historical fiction that takes you on an adventure in the comfort of your recliner by the fireplace.
love Wilburs epics–compelling character development
Mr. Smith at his best