6 reviews for Golden Lion : With Giles Kristian
You must be logged in to post a review.
Golden Lion : With Giles Kristian
by Wilbur Smith
Description:
Praise for Golden Lion: Golden Lion is vintage Smith’ DAILY MAIL Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget’ The Sun Smith tells a fast-paced story with a certain Edwardian flair’ The Times
About The Author
Wilbur Addison Smith (born 9 January 1933) is a South African novelist specialising in historical fiction about the international involvement in Southern Africa across three centuries, seen from the viewpoints of both black and white families.
An accountant by training, he gained a film contract with his first published novel When the Lion Feeds. This encouraged him to become a full-time writer, and he developed three long chronicles of the South African experience which all became best-sellers. He still acknowledges his publisher Charles Pick’s advice to “write about what you know best”, and his work takes in much authentic detail of the local hunting and mining way of life, along with the romance and conflict that goes with it. As of 2014 his 35 published novels had sold more than 120 million copies, 24 million of them in Italy.
Skryf Review
“Good Reading”
Angaan
A fascinating book and one I was looking forward to reading. I’ve read a few of Smith’s novels in the past and he’s a recognised master of the pen and I’ve read everything Giles has written and have yet to be disappointed by him. So something written by both of them? Well it had to be a win.The book is set in the reign of Charles II with characters who remember the civil war all too well. It takes place on the Indian Ocean and the shore of Africa around Zanzibar. It involves an earlier villain previously presume dead and a series of revenge plots. It is as action packed and evocative as you would expect from either writer.So the upshot… would I recommend it? Yes I would. I suspect that readers of both writers will enjoy it. I think readers will get most from it if they have at least some familiarity with the Courtney novels and in particular the one that comes chronologically immediately before this but that being said I had not read that one and the book still worked for me. A hearty slice of adventure in an unusual milieu I would say and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Vishvesh
The first thing I have to say is the cover of this book is beautiful. It just looks like an epic book and it is. Reading this book was like being drawn into an amazing adventure with the two main characters Captain Hal Courtney and his love Judith Nazet. They are the heroes of this story and the love story between these two was so sweet. I also loved that Judith was just as tough of a fighter as the men. This is the first book I’ve read in the Courtney series and I definitely want to read more because I enjoyed escaping into this action filled book so much. This book was kind of Game of Thrones meets Pirates of the Caribbean with a dash of Man in the Iron Mask. The villain in this story is a man called the Buzzard and he certainly was a scary opponent. I absolutely recommend this book. Thank you to the Goodreads giveaway and William Morrow and HarperCollins publishers for this book.
Shrawan
Now this one sounds like the old Wilbur Smith. Dated back in the time of Birds of Prey, this one has great heroes, heroines, and gross villains willing to put their enemies through all kinds of inhuman torment. Wooden sailing ships, buried treasure, African fighters protecting their European masters…good stuff.
Anupama
It was with a little scepticism that I decided to read Wilbur Smith’s latest book, Golden Lion. Being a big fan of Wilbur Smith, his last two books were really disappointing and his latest book is the first one that has been co-written with Giles Kristian.Wilbur Smith really is an amazing story teller. The way he weaves many tense and exciting scenes together makes for a very exciting read indeed. This book’s focus was much more on adventure, love and revenge which I found to be refreshing, and exciting. Some of his previous books have focused heavily on graphically described torture scenes and sordid sex scenes. This book was more “wholesome” and thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to reading Wilbur Smith’s next book whenever it comes out.
aashna
The Courtney saga draws to a close (at least based on the number of published work) with author Giles Kristian taking control of the ship and returning to the high seas. Henry ‘Hal’ Courtney is back for another seafaring adventure, this time in the early days after the passing of his father. The novel opens with Angus Cochran (nicknamed the Buzzard), nemesis of Hal’s father, Francis, washing up on land, missing a hand and eye, clinging to life. Cochran is nursed back to health and then enslaved by Maharajag Jahan, the ruler of Zanzibar. Jahan wishes to see Hal Courtney killed for his antics in the Ethiopian War, which saw the Muslims defeated and Allah displeased. Kristian returns to this sub-plot throughout the novel, but also focusses on the protagonist, young Hal. While sailing with his crew and new wife, Courtney is challenged by a Dutch vessel, seemingly unaware that England and Holland have calmed their disputes. Courtney is able to overtake the ship and its entire hold, including a prisoner, an Englishman named Pett, who is haunted by a mental apparition. Pett speaks regularly with this figment of his imagination, which directs him to murder Courtney. Working alongside an enemy of Courtney’s, Pett tries to murder Hal, but is killed instead, alerting the Captain to the price on his head. When Courtney discovers that his wife, a famous Ethiopian general before her marriage, is pregnant, he is elated in hopes of having an heir to carry on the Courtney name. Working to fulfil his side of the bargain with Jahan, the Buzzard is able to capture Judith and imprison her as they sail back to Zanziabar. Courtney stops at nothing to find his wife and return her to the safety of his ship, though even doing so does not end the danger that awaits him. In a last-ditch effort to bring Courtney’s head to the Maharajah, the Buzzard hopes to attack Courtney at the site of his buried treasure, gathering more rewards than he could have previously imagined. This will be a battle to the bitter end, pitting one man’s honour against another. An interesting addition to the Courtney series that has enough action to keep Smith fans interested.