When the Lion Feeds

This story is definatly not what I was expecting, but I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this engrossing read, the main character, Sean, is a real man's man, an excellent creation. Few writers can genuinly shock me but Mr Smith certainly can and does, if you haven't read this yet then do so asap.

The first and best Smith by a mile. (4/4 people found this helpful)

Ah, these were the days - when Wilbur Smith wrote great stuff. Now he writes just average stuff, but in my opinion, When The Lion Feeds will be regarded as one of the best adventures of the genre ever.

Set during the Zulu wars and the subsequent diamond rush, Smith set out as he meant to go on with the outstanding Sean Courtney. A hugely strong man who rampages his way through life, a drinker of strong whisky, a seducer of women and fast with his fists, Smith revolves a whirlwind adventure around him from the killing fields of the veldt, the whorehouses of Natal and the mines of Kimberly.

It's not high-brow literature; it's just a magnificent, blood and greed-soaked romp through Southern Africa circa late 19th Century. The plot steamrollers along and breakneck pace, and even the lulls in the action are loaded with meaning and suspense. But let's not over-analyze it - it is what it is. If you like a great, well-rounded historic adventure with exotic locations, women, drinking, fighting and hunting, it doesn't get any better than this. If Hemingway turned the same plots into art forms, Smith just batters you with relentless adventure. If you're new to Wilbur Smith, start at the beginning with the Courtney series or the Ballantyne series. Smith is a shoe-in for the top of the bestseller lists these days, but his foundation was built on these earlier works that are far far better than the very average stuff he's turning out now.

Compelling (0/0 people found this helpful)

`When the Lion Feeds' is one of those rare books that I was simply unable to put down. It has the right mix of African imagery, historical reference and compelling story line.

If you liked this, you need to check out `Cry of the Justice Bird' by Jon Haylett. You won't be disappointed.

Certainly one of the best novels written. (1/1 people found this helpful)

I've just finished this book for probbaly the fifth or sixth time, i forget which, and it is still as good as the first time i read it about six years ago.

I've since read every one of Wilbur's offerings, so how funny that his first published book should be arguably his best.

Put simply, it's just a great, great story. It has it all. War, Violence, love and tragedy. It paints a beautifull and realistic picture of late 1800s South Africa.

That's all that needs to be said really, just read it for yourself, you won't be dissapointed.

Quite simply, a must read (3/3 people found this helpful)

How happy I am that one cold, wet and windy day sitting bored out of my mind, round my grandparents house aged 17 that my grandad gave me his copy of this book. Untill this moment in time the only ones I had ever read were the ones I had to for school!
As soon as I had finished the first page I was hooked, the only time that day the book got put down was to eat dinner & that was under protest!

Smith's fantastic writing style and his descripitive powers are amazing, he brings every page in the book to life and you really do feel that you are living the story with him.

It may now be ten years since I first read this book but that hasn't stoped me re-reading it many times and each time it has been the same compelling read that it was the first time! I have since gone on to read all his works, but for me this still stands out as the best, surley this should go down as one of the great classics of all time.

Wilbur Smith

Reader Reviews:

When the lion reads (0/0 people found this helpful)

The first and best Smith by a mile. (4/4 people found this helpful)

Compelling (0/0 people found this helpful)

Certainly one of the best novels written. (1/1 people found this helpful)

Quite simply, a must read (3/3 people found this helpful)

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