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.
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Top reviews from other countries
M B.
of the land its people , and its many struggles. All wrapped round the story of an awesome but divided family .
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2024Larry White
I am not finished it yet but it is totally awesome. The plot and characters are so real
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2018
