Scan barcode
A review by topdragon
Call of the Raven by Wilbur Smith
5.0
It must take a lot of courage for an author to write a prequel to a best-selling series and feature a prominent series character that readers “love to hate”. Especially considering that character is a slave trader intent on capturing blacks in Africa and selling them in America. Nevertheless, Wilbur Smith has teamed up with Corban Addison to so just that.
This novel is, essentially, Mungo St. John’s origin story. Born to wealth and privilege in 1840’s America as the son of a plantation owner, Mungo attend university in England only to return to find his inheritance stolen from him. His family’s enemies have colluded to manipulate loans and properties and their leader, Chester Marion, has even stolen Mongo’s childhood sweetheart, a black slave girl named Camilla that Mongo had grown up with. What follows is an extraordinary tale of revenge and the slow tragic decline of Mongo’s personal ethics. Despite Mongo’s choice of occupation, he actually makes for a great protagonist and I found myself rooting for him all the same.
Wilbur Smith fans will know what to expect from this novel and there is plenty of it. Adventure on land and sea, double-crosses, swashbuckling fights, sexy dalliances, duels for honor, unlikely but loyal friendships, and conniving plans all combine to make this one page-turner of a story. The novel is billed as part of the ‘Ballantyne’ series, but the only tie-in is Mongo, himself. No Ballantyne’s to be found.
This is another fun read by Wilbur Smith. I have no idea how much he wrote (considering his age of 87) and how much was written by Corban Addison but the result sure rings true to Wilbur’s style. I discovered Wilbur Smith’s books a couple of decades ago and always enjoy reading them, even if some of them are a little “over-the-top”. If adventure is what you’re looking for in a work of fiction, and you haven’t tried Wilbur Smith, then you are in for a treat.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review
This novel is, essentially, Mungo St. John’s origin story. Born to wealth and privilege in 1840’s America as the son of a plantation owner, Mungo attend university in England only to return to find his inheritance stolen from him. His family’s enemies have colluded to manipulate loans and properties and their leader, Chester Marion, has even stolen Mongo’s childhood sweetheart, a black slave girl named Camilla that Mongo had grown up with. What follows is an extraordinary tale of revenge and the slow tragic decline of Mongo’s personal ethics. Despite Mongo’s choice of occupation, he actually makes for a great protagonist and I found myself rooting for him all the same.
Wilbur Smith fans will know what to expect from this novel and there is plenty of it. Adventure on land and sea, double-crosses, swashbuckling fights, sexy dalliances, duels for honor, unlikely but loyal friendships, and conniving plans all combine to make this one page-turner of a story. The novel is billed as part of the ‘Ballantyne’ series, but the only tie-in is Mongo, himself. No Ballantyne’s to be found.
This is another fun read by Wilbur Smith. I have no idea how much he wrote (considering his age of 87) and how much was written by Corban Addison but the result sure rings true to Wilbur’s style. I discovered Wilbur Smith’s books a couple of decades ago and always enjoy reading them, even if some of them are a little “over-the-top”. If adventure is what you’re looking for in a work of fiction, and you haven’t tried Wilbur Smith, then you are in for a treat.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review