Book
Blue horizon / Wilbur Smith.
Summary:
Tom Courtney and his brother Dorian battled both vicious enemies and nature itself on the high seas, finally reaching the Cape of Good Hope to start life afresh. Now, half a generation later, they are successful and contented: merchants and family men, prospering on the very edge of an immense and beautiful continent, Africa. In the tradition of Wilbur Smith's earlier bestseller, Monsoon, this spellbinding novel introduces the next generation of Courtneys. They are out to stake their claim in Southern Africa, traveling along the infamous “Robber's Road.” It is a journey both exciting and hazardous---one that takes them through the untouched wilderness of a beautiful land filled with warring tribes and wild animals. But the most dangerous predators of all are other Europeans, crazed by greed, jealousy, and lust, and determined to destroy utterly all members of the Courtney clan.
Record details
- ISBN: 0330376314 (pbk)
- ISBN: 9780330376310 (pbk.)
- ISBN: 9780333761359
- ISBN: 9780312278243
- ISBN: 0333761359
- ISBN: 0312278241
- Physical Description: 620 p. ; 25 cm.
- Publisher: London : Macmillan : 2003.
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| Genre: | Adventure stories. Adventure thrillers. Family chronicles. Historical fiction. Adventure fiction. |
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Available copies
- 10 of 13 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Elkford Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 13 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkford Public Library | FC SMI (Text) | 35170000310227 | Adult Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Monthly Selections - # 2 March 2003
The eleventh volume in Smith's saga of the Courtney clan is every bit as riveting as its predecessors. In Monsoon (1999), brothers Tom and Dorian Courtney established themselves as both swashbuckling seamen and master tradesmen on the shores of South Africa. This time around, their sons, Jim and Mansur Courtney, are equally determined to carve out their own triumphs across the African continent. When Jim falls in love unexpectedly with a beautiful prisoner he spies on a convict ship, he vows to free her from her shackles and a life of certain misery. Escaping with the emotionally shattered and physically damaged Louisa, Jim flees cross country with both his beloved and his faithful manservant, Zama, in tow. Worried about their only son, Tom and Sarah Courtney pursue the young couple, eventually bestowing their family blessing upon them. Blazing a trail across Africa, Jim and Louisa traverse thousands of miles of unexplored wilderness, encountering risk, adventure, and passion along every step of their perilous journey into the unknown. Reuniting with Mansur, Jim and the rest of his expedition face mortal danger from an unexpected source. Brimming with bravado, greed, and romance, this rip-roaring historical romp across eighteenth-century Africa will mesmerize faithful fans and win new converts to Smith's trademark brand of lushly exotic fiction. ((Reviewed March 15, 2003)) Copyright 2003 Booklist Reviews - Kirkus Reviews : Kirkus Reviews 2003 March #2
Superprolific chronicler of Afro-colonial glory days Smith continues the saga of the Courtney family from where it left off in Monsoon (1999).The outcome of Smith's Big African Adventures is never in doubt: big lusty white men will prevail over evil, grasping white men with considerable assistance from hordes of adoring black men who have had the good sense to recognize lusty leadership when they see it. So what tension there is must come from the many, many, many intermediate battles between the big lusty white men and the evil, grasping white men, and from the electricity that flies between the big lusty white men and the fair bodies of the straight-shooting, outdoor-loving women lucky enough to come into their lives. Sailing now into the lives of the superrich 17th-century British Courtney family is long-legged Louisa Leuven, a plucky Dutch orphan who escaped the plague only to fall into the clutches of a sexually predatory, sadomasochistic, Amsterdam burgher who framed her when she tried to blow the whistle on him. As the ship transporting her and other hussies to the Indies rounds the Cape of Good Hope, Louisa captures the heart of young Jim Courtney, who, when the ship comes a cropper in a squall, spirits her away, enraging the grumpy Dutch overlords of the Cape Colony and forcing the entire Courtney clan to flee with their fortune. Louisa, understandably off sex for the present, is not immune to the manly charms of her rescuer, but Jim is a perfect gentleman, never pushing, just showing her a swell time as they hack their way north, dodging pursuers, slaying animals by the score, riding the finest horseflesh in Africa, prying the biggest tusks anyone has ever seen from elephants unlucky enough to meet up with them. While the young folk blaze new trails, the older generation sails up the east coast and into big trouble. Time to call in those adoring native armies.Utter nonsense, but as readable as ever. Really big retro-fun for the gents. Copyright Kirkus 2003 Kirkus/BPI Communications.All rights reserved - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2003 May #2
This is Smith's 28th novel and, like many of the others (e.g., Monsoon), it is a swashbuckling, brawling, sprawling historical epic of South Africa. Set in the early 18th century, it tracks early members of the Courtney family (later Courtneys have appeared in a number of Smith's previous books) as they stake a claim to South Africa. Louisa, a young Dutch woman brutally abused and wrongfully accused of jewel theft, is rescued from a life of slavery by young Jim Courtney. They are chased by bounty hunters and battle numerous enemies, while the rest of their family is forced to flee Dutch revenge. Although gory, The Blue Horizon is a rich, exciting, and fascinating look at an Africa just beginning to be discovered by Europeans: it was a savage and brutal time when only the hardiest and harshest survived, much less succeeded. Although somewhat predictable, this solid adventure saga will be appreciated by fans of historical fiction. Recommended for general fiction collections.-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information. - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 2003 April #4
Smith's latest Courtney family adventure (after Monsoon), set in colonial South Africa in the early 18th century, follows Jim Courtney, scion of the English shipping and adventuring family seeking their fortune in the Cape of Good Hope colony, administered by the Dutch. A storm at sea blows a ship full of female Dutch convicts into port, and Jim saves the life of the comeliest prisoner, Louisa, before the vessel sinks. Louisa was unjustly imprisoned when she went to the authorities about her lascivious and violent employer. Jim's rescue infuriates the greedy Dutch overlords, and the Courtneys, with Louisa in tow, head north in search of more hospitable territory. The balance of the long tale is elephant hunts, exploration of Indian sea islands, battles among native tribes and conflicts between principled colonialists-Jim and his father and brother-and their baser counterparts, including Jim's treacherous uncle and most of the Dutch population. The Courtneys are adored by various native peoples, and a Bushman tracker named Bakkat becomes their acolyte and guide, while his enemy, Xhia, takes orders from the Dutch. The eventual confrontation of the two Bushmen is gripping, if readers can get past the generally condescending way in which Smith writes about black Africans. Subtlety takes a back seat in this broad tale, and readers may be exhausted before they get to the end, but the writer's fans will enjoy the ride. (May) Forecast: Smith consistently hits #1 in the U.K. but not here, where he drifts onto national lists. This novel should repeat that pattern. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
