"Assegai" by Wilbur Smith

[Moonraker]

This novel just about qualifies for a mention though most it deals with the pre-war years in Southern Africa. Leon Courtney combines running a safari business that attracts influential Germans with setting up an intelligence system among the natives in anticipation of a future conflict. One of his clients is Graf Otto von Meetrbach, a very rich industrialist who brings with him two aircraft that seem several years ahead of their time: each has a 65ft-long fuselages, 110ft wingspan, four 240hp engines, a bomb bay and is able to carry five people. The Graf also brings along his mistress, and if you know Wilbur Smith's books you'll guess that she and Leon fall for each other. When war does break out the Graf flies out a massive airship from Germany with supplies and gold for those Boers who remain strongly anti-British. (His mistress goes along too.) The Graf is also ahead of his time with supplying parachutes for all on board.

The climax is an air fight between the airship and Leon Courtney (with three native crewmen) in one of the Graf''s aircraft.

Just over half a page sums up the next four years, in which Leon takes part in the campaigns against von Lettow Vorbeck, who makes a brief appearance in a meeting with the Graf.

It's some years since I read many of Wilbur Smith's novels but I couldn't help feeling that Assegai (published in 2009) was not one of his best. It's probably better for readers who like hunting scenes than those interested in war fiction.

Moonraker

[kaiserknight]

I Read "Shout at the Devil"" more than 20yrs ago - the blurb for Assegai seemed like the same story, so have given it a miss.

Anyone else think so?

(No, did not watch the Lee Marvin film)

[Moonraker]

I enjoyed reading Shout at the Devil and thought the film was quite good, though Roger Moore never convinced as a rugged he-man type. Certainly Assegai has many of the usual Wilbur Smith ingredients - yet another heroic member of his fictional Courtney family, a faithful native sidekick, hunting scenes, a beautiful woman (or two) who can cope with the Great African Outdoors, a mystic, a florid sex episode (or two, and integration of invented characters with real-life persons and into actual historical events.

Moonraker