Stormvloed (Courtney Book 20)

Courtney publication order #21

by Wilbur Smith, Tom Harper, Anne Marieke Buijs (Translator)

Stormvloed , het twintigste deel in de Courtney -serie van bestsellerauteur Wilbur Smith, speelt zich af in de periode na Courtney's vuur . Het is 1774 en Rob Courtney groeit op aan de oostkust van Afrika, dromend van een avontuurlijk leven op zee. Wanneer zijn grootvader sterft, grijpt Rob zijn kans en vertrekt naar Engeland. Aangekomen in Londen wordt hij verleid door de charmes van de grote stad en al snel raakt hij al zijn geld en hoop op avontuur kwijt. Totdat hij bij de marine terechtkomt. Rob wordt de Atlantische Oceaan over gestuurd om te strijden tegen de opstandige Amerikaanse kolonisten.

Maar aan de andere kant van de oceaan leiden zijn verre neven Cal en Aidan Courtney, zonder dat Rob het weet, een opstand tegen de Britten. Hun enige wens is Amerikaanse onafhankelijkheid, en ze zijn vastbesloten om de Britten uit Amerika te verdrijven. In hun strijd voor vrijheid laten ze zich door niets of niemand tegenhouden...

Stormvloed van Wilbur Smith is een episch verhaal over moed, wraak en vrijheid, een intens verdeelde familie en een land op de rand van een alles veranderende revolutie.

'Topamusement.' - de Volkskrant

'De allerbeste historische-romanschrijver.' - Stephen King

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Africa, Historical, Adventure, Thriller, Audiobook

543 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 26, 2022

About the author

Wilbur Smith was a prolific and bestselling South African novelist renowned for his sweeping adventure stories set against the backdrop of Africa’s dramatic landscapes and turbulent history. Born in 1933 in what was then Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), he grew up in South Africa, where his love for storytelling was nurtured by the rich environment and tales of African history. His early years were shaped by his experiences in the wilderness, which later became a defining element in his fiction.
After studying at Rhodes University, Smith initially worked as an accountant, but his true passion lay in writing. His breakthrough came in 1964 with When the Lion Feeds, a historical adventure novel that introduced the Courtney family saga. The book’s success led to a long-running series chronicling the exploits of multiple generations of the Courtney family, spanning centuries of African and world history. Alongside this, Smith wrote the Ballantyne series, focused on colonial Africa, and the Ancient Egypt series, which delved into historical fiction with a mythical touch.
Over his six-decade career, Smith authored more than 50 novels, selling over 140 million copies worldwide. His works were characterized by meticulous research, vivid descriptions of the African wilderness, and gripping action-packed narratives. Whether set in the colonial era, the world of pharaohs, or modern-day Africa, his books often explored themes of survival, war, power, and human ambition. He collaborated with co-authors in his later years to expand his literary universe, ensuring his stories continued to reach new audiences.
Beyond writing, Smith was an avid traveler and adventurer, drawing inspiration from his own experiences hunting, sailing, and exploring remote corners of Africa. While he was passionate about wildlife and conservation, some of his views—particularly regarding big game hunting—sparked debate. Nonetheless, his deep affection for Africa was evident in his writing, which celebrated both its beauty and its historical complexities.
Smith’s influence on adventure fiction remains significant, with his books continuing to captivate readers around the world. His legacy endures through his richly woven tales of exploration, conquest, and the enduring spirit of Africa.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to return to the world of the Courtney family, especially when Wilbur Smith is the literary tour guide. In this twentieth novel in the Courtney series, Smith tosses things back to the late 18th century once more, as the American War of Independence looms, as well as some other topical adventures for the current Courtney to face. Full of history, drama, and just a little humour, Wilbur Smith proves that he is one of the greatest historical storytellers I have read. A return to greatness after some lacklustre collaborative work.

It’s 1774 and Rob Courtney is still coming into his own. Having spent much of his life along the east coast of Africa, Rob knows little of the exciting life that awaits him on the open seas. He decides to put his dreams into reality after a death in the family and sets off aboard a ship for England, with only a family heirloom to accompany him.

Rob discovers that life in Africa is but a speck of what is going on in the world. He finds himself. lapping up a life of adventure, though soon comes to understand that dreams cost money and he is soon to run out. With an offer to join the British Navy, Rob finds himself back on the open waters and sailing towards the American colonies, where an uprising is beginning to make things quite tense. It is then that Rob Courtney finds true adventure, following in the steps of his ancestors, who never turned away from danger and risk.

Arriving on colonial shores, Rob begins fighting to keep Britain in change, while being seduced by the beauty of a woman who wants to show him how gracious she can be. As Rob gets more ensconced with the battle, two distant relatives emerge on the other side of the fight; young men who will stop at nothing to toss off the yoke of British rule. Rob’s eyes are soon opened up to many new perspectives when he sets sail for other parts of the Americas, including the importance of freedom and that love cannot always follow societal rules. A stunning addition to the Courtney series, Wilbur Smith does well with a little help from a secondary author.

I remember discovering the wonders of the Courtney family years ago, as Wilbur Smith was setting the groundwork for some of these other novels. The stories were always rich with history, social revelations, and stunning narrative development. Smith has not lost his gusto, adding depth to the pieces all these years later. I can only hope there are a few more to come, as they surely capture the reader’s attention and force them to think a little harder.

Wilbur Smith has tackled some of the thorny issues related to African colonisation and how the white minority wrestled with their role generations ago. In this piece, the story looks not to colonisation, but rather the slave trade and uses some strong narrative pathway to express how things were back in the latter part of the 18th century. Smith keeps things on edge with some wonderful characters, each of whom play an important role in telling how things progressed, while using historical events to keep the reader connected with fact. Plot twists throughout with some detailed discussions of societal norms force the reader to remain attune with what is going on, as they piece together much of what Smith has expressed in past books over a handle of generations. Long live the Courtneys, which Wilbur Smith seems keen to do!

Kudos, Mr. Smith, for another great piece. Keep them coming as best you can!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Gary Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes, another Courteney adventure

Couldn’t wait to get this new book - started reading on Sunday afternoon and finished tonight (Wednesday). Only problem is, the adventure is over.
Sitting back with Wilbur’s books is like spending time with an old friend.
A great story from the Courteney dynasty. Lots of action, some twists and turns, evil characters, and a great finish.
From the commencement to the ending, some great reading. I have read every one of Wilbur’s adult novels, and never been disappointed!

[Bron S · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very hard to get into this book, but the ending was nice. Not sure I will read another of his books

[Anurupa Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK: Storm Tide
AUTHOR: Wilbur Smith, co-written by Tom Harper
GENRE: Historical Fiction

RATING:
Storyline- 4.2/5
Literature- 4/5

PLOT:
The sea and the ocean have always beckoned Robert Courney and so when his grandfather, Jim, breathes his last, Robert resolves his mind to leave his home behind and set sail to England.

London has been an eye-opener for Robert dealing with the travails of life without a penny in his pocket. Soon the Navy inducted Robert after which he sailed across Atlantic to fight against the American colonists.

On the other hand Robert's distant cousin, Cal, is fighting is own rebellious war to drive the British away and create an independent America.

What happens when Robert and Cal come face to face?

VERDICT
Pros:
1) This is another Wilbur Smith treasure which did not disappoint. I enjoyed the adventures of Robert Courtney which took place both on land and sea, keeping us riveted to know more about his expeditions.

2) I loved how the action sequences were so detailed and thrilling that as a reader, I could clearly visualize and mentally be a part of the action especially Cal's first tryst in stealing the British weapons.

3) The pace is gripping and I have no words to express how the story is written with poise and finesse.

Cons:
I wish there could have a bit more background to describe the colonial era so that young readers can connect to the timeline. I did my research separately to understand the socio-political condition of the timeline mentioned in the book.

Overall, hands down it is one of the best works of Wilbur Smith which was a sheer pleasure to read right from page one.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is another instalment in the Courtney saga - not set in Africa or African waters so a bit of a departure. Maybe due to the death of Wilbur Smith so the co-author wanted to explore a different environment.

I found the characters to be one dimensional - they were clearly all good or all bad. And while this is common for Smith characters, I found this portrayal to be more so. And I don't know how accepting 18th century Londoners (novel set in the 1770s) would have been of black people and an interracial relationship - this may be due to my ignorance of the times and the racial make up of London during this time.

But, its a good read that is action packed and keeps you turning the page - not least to find out how the bad guys are to be dealt with.

[Manuela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purtroppo lui non c'è più e questi romanzi, pubblicati postumi tramite anche un ghostwriter (mica tanto ghost, è nella copertina!), rilanciano i ricordi dei suoi migliori della saga Courtney anche se si sente che non sono completamente suoi, manca qualcosa.

[Carli Pienaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this was an adventure in a far away land! Splendid. It was just a little graphic at times but I still loved it!

[Darren Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the story line and the naval action. I was gripped through the first half of the book. Its defiently more fictional than historical but lost a whole lot of interest based off poorly written female characters acting in ways that would be unheard of after what they had experienced. Few things held this back from being as good as it could have been.

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read about the American Revolution but a little too much battle at sea for me.

[Eric (erics_furiouslyreading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storm Tide by Wilbur Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Now this was a great read! My first from Wilbur Smith and certainly won’t be my last(I bought four more at my used bookstore since i finished this one). Loved the excitement and adventure! This followed Rob Courtney from leaving the only home he’s ever known in 1774 to London and the adventure is just getting started at this point. No spoilers so I would encourage you to pick this one up. You won’t regret it!
#wilbursmith #courtneyfamilynovels
#suspensethriller #suspense #thriller
#bookstagram #readersofinstagram

[Teo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book, probably the best one of the saga second only to Monsoon (so far).
Full of action, I couldn't stop reading it.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Storm Tide is the twenty-first book in the Courtney Series by Wilbur Smith.
An epic historical action-adventure with dramatic developments, tension, intrigue, suspense, danger, and more.
Wilbur Smith books were a familiar fixture in our household when I was growing up. As I grew older and went looking for more ‘interesting’ things to read, Mr. Smith was amongst the first ‘adult’ reads that I gravitated to. I read everything he had written up to that point, and then through the years I kept up with each new release. It had been many years since I last read one of his books, but in the past few months have found myself exploring them once more.
Wilbur Smith is one of my mother’s favourite authors, so reading this was a bit of a bittersweet experience for me as my mother passed away over a year ago and didn't get the chance to read this book- which she would have loved, as did I.
I have been making my way through her extensive book collection, deciding which to keep and which to rehome. I also decided that reading each one could play a part in my reading challenge, as well as a way to pay tribute to my mother who was such a voracious reader..... This meant that I have reread a lot of books that I also have in my own collection- but, nonetheless, have enjoyed yet again. These books have stirred up a lot of memories, but I am forever grateful that mum passed on her love of reading to me.
Mr. Smith has a great knack for writing a great suspenseful and exciting read, and even though my tastes have evolved as I have gotten older, I still really enjoyed revisiting this book/series.
So if you are an action/adventure buff and want a book that will hold your attention and that you can immerse yourself in- then this may be the book for you!

[Milton P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting story line with historical relevance, poorly written.

I have read most of Smith's books. His early Courtney sagas were quite good; the recent books, including "Storm Tide" are tarnished by the excessive sexual debauchery. Why? Stick to action, gallantry and treachery Wilbur (and your writing team).

[Jc · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a rip off as it was not written by Wilbur Smith and one can tell the difference immediately. The plot does not make much sense with a bunch of different Courtneys coming out of the woodwork in the 1870’s and fighting each other. The book feels like a book for teenagers

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilbur Smith is, of course, a master storyteller. The plots are well constructed and the writing immersive. Despite my slight hesitation in believing that any real character could be so lucky as to survive quite so many threats to his life, the book is well worth a read 📖.

[Sandra Hamilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

A new superman.

[Clare Barrett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

8.4/10

[LM123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storm Tide by Wilbur Smith finished 13/11/25 genre historical fiction.
The overall theme I will be exploring is morals; the main points I will be writing about are using morals to figure out if something is good or bad, and making hard decisions for the greater good. An instance in the book where a character has to figure out if something is good or bad is when Cal steals gunpowder from the British: “Then he jumped on the wagon again, snatched the whip from the driver’s seat and cracked it over the horses’ backs. He had to get the powder away.” I think the author is trying to show the urgency of the situation. The Dragoons could be heard in the distance and Cal and his friends were heavily outgeared compared to them. If they did not get the powder out of here fast, there would be trouble. Cal and his crew realise that they are committing thievery but their moral compasses help them decipher if what they are doing is right or wrong. They badly need the gunpowder for their expedition as a bargaining tool and to protect themselves against pirates and other enemies. Cal’s moral compass is based around resourcefulness, loyalty, and revenge against the British for their methods of ruling. Cal especially didn’t like the mistreatment of American colonists and saw them as arrogant and dismissive of the towns-people. This hate of the British exploded when the British killed his brother. Previous experiences dealing with people are one of the core components of a person’s moral compass. Over time these experiences with other people shape the way you see them; you start judging their every move. Soon your compass has mapped a string of feelings together and helped decide how you feel about a person or group of people. No matter what happens, your compass will always remember the slip-ups and the cruelties of people.

A time when Cal had to make a difficult decision for the greater good was when he was trying to locate a passage to aid his rebellion. He was talking to a friend of his father’s (A man loyal to the British King) Moses. When Moses found out that he was a rebel, he started accusing Cal of betraying his father. This increased tensions: “Rage rose in Cal’s heart. Could he really kill the man who held him on his knee as a baby?” Cal was full of indecision but deep down he knew what he must do. Again Moses tried to talk Cal out of helping the rebels but that was the last straw. Moses was the only thing standing between the rebels and the transport of a lot of weapons. He would not step aside. Cal’s moral compass was still very conflicted on whether he should kill Moses, as any human being with an ounce of compassion would be in his situation. However Cal would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Cal’s mission to defeat the British and avenge his brother–his “greater good” was incredibly important to him. After all that had happened to him, it was his only real goal in life. A human life would not stand between him and his triumph. Inevitably in the end, he killed Moses. Cal’s moral compass had been corrupted over time. Sometimes our moral compasses get clouded by grief and anger; sometimes our morals will never go back to the way they were, when everything was black and white.

Morals are complicated things. They change the way we see the world and they are our map to navigate through life with. When Cal decided to try to steal gunpowder for his crew, his moral compass was rather straight-forward. Though they were stealing from the British army, Cal and his crew had no reason to be fond of them. Cal’s experiences with the British had been less than positive: harsh treatment of Americans, high taxes and their disrespect towards the community had shaped Cal’s views. His morals involving the British became more one-sided as time went on. In Cal’s eyes, the decision to take the gunpowder had been somewhat easy. Sometimes when we are faced with a hard decision, our morals can clash with each other. Cal’s moral compass is complicated, often taking action based on his loyalty to others and his fiery hatred towards the British burning away at him. This caused him to make some morally questionable decisions like killing Moses. But that is what happens because of clashes in your moral compass; you make decisions that are fueled by past experiences, especially meaningful ones (like his Cal’s brother’s death). Cal’s reason for these anger-driven decisions was that it was all for the greater good. Cal's idea of greater good was finally getting revenge against the British, believing that these sacrifices and tough decisions would pay off in the end. Sometimes people get so driven and motivated towards a goal that people get hurt because of it. Is the greater good truly worth the journey that you take? So morals help you determine what is right and can be the difference between killing a man and letting him go. No matter how sure your morals are, there is often another side to the story. Sometimes you need to look at things from a different, more inclusive perspective, since morals can become twisted and misguided, like Cal’s.

[Keshav Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 20th edition in the Courtney series by Wilbur Smith and co-authored by Tom Harper is a historic fictional thriller set against the backdrop of the American Revolution. This book showcases Courtney’s family tree spanning three generations and the differences in their ideologies that led to their clans fighting on the opposite sides of the American War of Independence. Sadly, with the demise of Wilbur Smith, this book and the future ones in the series will supposedly be written by someone else and yet carry his name, like the Bourne series managed by Robert Ludlum’s estate.

While the previous book in the Courtney series was about Gerhard Courtney, a later generation in the late 1940s, this one predates several centuries to the time of the American revolution in the 1700s. The plot opens in 1774 with the introduction of a young seventeen-year-old Rob Courtney, grandson of Jim Courtney who is spending most of his time in their sprawling estate at Nativity Bay on the east coast of Africa, along with his father George and grandmother Louisa. Rob always dreamt of a life of adventure at sea.

When Captain Cornish calls at their fort at Nativity Bay and Jim passes away, Rob seizes an opportunity and sails away on Marston’s ship as it embarks on a trip to England packed with goods for trading, much against the wishes of his father. He had some money given by his grandmother and their only family heirloom, the Neptune sword that was passed on from one generation to another in the Courtney family. During the long voyage, Rob quickly learned the art of sailing and was hardworking and the crew of Cornish’s ship was amazed by Rob’s enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Massachusetts, Theo Courtney was furious at his son Cal, as he was engaging himself in a revolution to free themselves from British rule. The young generation did not believe in slavery and taxes imposed by the British Empire, while Theo acknowledged that an act of war of independence from the Monarchy was an act of treason. Cal and his brother Aidan along with their horse Maverick ventured on a path to liberate America from the British empire. When Aidan is killed in a fierce battle with the British troops, Cal vows that he will not rest until he has avenged his brother’s death and freed America from British colonialism.

On the other side of the world, as the ship drops anchor in London, Rob is bewitched by the charms of the affluent city and soon finds himself immersed in exploring its beauty which renders him desperate and penniless. Rob befriends Hugo who offers to show him around and fathom the marvelous city of London had to offer. Hugo’s father was managing massive sugarcane estates in the West Indies and was out of the country most of the time. Rob and Hugo become thick pals and both plan to start their own trading business with the money from his grandmother and a few bull elephant tusks gifted to him by Captain Cornish, as an act of kindness towards the Courtney family.

Unbeknownst to Rob and Hugo, Baron Dartmouth, president of the Board of Trade and Plantations, one of the richest and most powerful men in England was keeping a close eye on Rob’s growing trading success. But he had his reasons to do so and which dated back to the Courtney family tree. However, when an unfortunate incident pushes Rob to the brink of bankruptcy, the navy comes calling to him and he is sent on a mission across the Atlantic to join the war against the American rebels.

The plot now toggles between the American rebels of Cal and his friends on one side and his distant cousin, Rob preparing to fight for the British army. The storyline also takes us through Jamaica, where a pitched battle is fought to abolish slavery and free the African natives who were captured and brought to the farm estates as slave laborers. The plot has a lot of characters within the Courtney family and it would take readers a while to discern the family tree. The last few chapters are filled with lots of action aboard the ship and with the two warring factions.

I enjoyed reading this historical fictional thriller and looking forward to the next one the in the series.

[Richard West · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rip-roarin' Courtney adventure, at least partly, from the pen of the late Wilbur Smith. As anyone familiar with his writing style will tell you, a lot of this book did not read like Wilbur Smith wrote it. He almost certainly had a hand in writing it, but not all of it. This brings up an interesting question - will we continue to see books supposedly written by him in part - or will they be written by someone else, yet have his name on the cover? With luck, he had laid out plans for a number of books and we will at least have some in the future that will have been co-written by him. Time will tell.

Centered around the sea and the American Revolution, there are a number of Courtneys introduced to the reader, and a number of them die, but not the main character, Rob Courtney. So much for not including spoiler information. But that's as far as we'll go - none of this business of re-hashing the plot etc. If you want to find that out, you'll need to get the book. If you're a fan of the series, you definitely want to read this volume. How much further the series will go remains to be seen.

Get it. Enjoy it. Once you start reading, it will be difficult to put down!

[John Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great, escape beach read (while at a Sandals Resort in Antigua), filled with lots of action and seagoing adventure. A fast-paced story. This story is part of the Courtney family saga series by Wilbur Smith. Having read "Monsoon", a prior book in the series I discovered they can be read as stand-alone novels. Both novels were filled with richly developed characters and multiple story plots.

A young and restless Rob, scion of the Courtney family, leaves his family in East Africa for adventure and to make a name for himself. In his ancestor's city of Londan, he is swindled by a new friend, pursued by a politically powerful great uncle out to destroy the remainder of the Courtney family, pressed against his will into the Royal Navy to fight against the American revolutionaries, and meets in battle with a patriot Courtney cousin. The action takes place within the historical context of East Africa, London, Boston, Newport Rhode Island, Charlston S.C. and the island of Jamaica. The hero will ultimately find loyal friends, prestige and true love.

A good story if you love seagoing adventure, graphic violence and some sex to boot.

[Gualtiero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob Courtney decide di lasciare le coste della sua Africa per intraprendere un'avventura per mare che lo porterà dapprima a Londra, dove affronterà l'ira di un cugino vendicativo e poi in America dove incontrerà altri parenti con intenti non proprio nobili come i suoi.
Il mio anno di letture è iniziato bene, con un libro avvincente che tiene incollato alle pagine. La storia è varia, sia come trama che come ambientazioni ed i personaggi sono ben costruiti. Gli autori sono riusciti a non creare una copia/macchietta dei personaggi dei libri precedenti ed hanno inserito anche personaggi con delle gradazioni di grigio e che non siano solo bianchi o neri.
L'unico difetto che ho trovato sono le forzature che portano tutti i cugini ad incontrarsi/scontrarsi in giro per il mondo: finchè si tratta di uno solo ci può anche stare, ma 3 iniziano ad essere un po' troppi.
Confermo che Tom Harper è il coautore degli ultimi libri di Wilbur Smith che più apprezzo, soprattutto quando scrive libri ambientati in America.
Aspetto in ansia la traduzione in italiano del successivo per vedere come procede la saga famigliare dei Courtney.

[Gerald Matzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is non-stop action thriller in the Courtney series by Wilbur Smith. Rob Courtney was born and grew up on the East Coast of Africa. His desire to see the world beyond his idyllic family compound leads him to disobey his father and sign on a British merchant ship that is headed for London. Before he left his grandmother gave him the treasured Neptune Sword that had been in the family for two hundred years. In a series of unfortunate events he lost the sword. The rest of the book takes Rob on many adventures that involve some of his distant relatives. Will he ever recover the priceless Neptune Sword? He becomes a central figure in the economic struggles that underlie the Revolutionary War. The control of the sugar trade in the West Indies and its dependence on slavery drive much of the plot of this novel.

[Steffan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

First time reading a novel by the author, Wilbur Smith.

Second read of 2023 and overall a good read. An interesting naval story that felt unique. I also enjoyed it as it was partially true to real world events. I also enjoyed the story developments of two sides of the family, kept it interesting. And at times kept me reading as a change from Rob to Cal happened suddenly when I was already invested in Rob's part.

The good didn't grab me 100% but I think that is mostly me reading when I'm not in the mood for reading. The writing didn't consistently excite me all that much, it definitely had it's moments of not being able to put the book down! But the parts between those did feel slow.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Co-author" Tom Harper butchers Wilbur Smith's legacy with this simplistic, low-brow novel that seems aimed for a readership of slightly slow fourteen year-old boys. It reads like a comic book, which fits with the cartoon characters Harper churns out. Virtually nothing of the text seems like it came from the hand of Wilbur Smith. Maybe a vague outline of the story. But even that crumbles into outlandish coincidences and worse, saved by the bell moments, as Superman Rob conquers all with only a scratch on his wrist. This boring, useless contribution to the Courtney series should be the last one. But I'm sure it will not, as Wilbur's estate seems intent on sucking out every penny from his corpse that they can. Not worth saying anything more about this monumental failure.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beware grabbing books on impulse off of library end caps. I did not realize this was book 21 (!!!) in a series. Obviously my fault for not checking, but I was able to follow the story fine. It was a classic “family on 2 opposite sides of the war” story as part of the family supports the American side during the Revolutionary War and the other side supports the British. I wish that had been explored a bit more. The main characters are both older teens, which means the author condemns them to making dumb decisions throughout, except for when it comes to battles when both are afflicted with Superman Syndrome and can’t lose. The book also shifted into 50 Shades of Grey territory, which I definitely was not expecting from the cover. Still an entertaining book on the Revolutionary War.

[Marika zappa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si tratta dell'ennesima avventufa della famiglia Courtney, ma questa volta per me si è trattato di leggere di un ramo di questa famiglia che non avevo ancora conosciuto.
La storia si sviluppa per mare dove tre generazioni di Courtney mescolano i loro destini senza mai sapere che tra di loro scorre lo stesso sangue.
Una storia narrata con i ritmi tipici di Wilbur Smith che cattura il lettore fin dall'inizio. Nonostante i rami dei Courtney raccontati siano più di uno quello principale che leggiamo è quello di Rob Courtney un giovane ragazzo con il richiamo per il mare che troverà proprio in esso il suo destino.
Una storia avvincente anche se secondo me meno di altre storie di famiglia che l'autore ha raccontato. Una lettura adatta a tutti anche a chi non conosce l'autore e le sue storie.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Wilbur Smith here. Either the last or next-to-last one he (co)wrote before his death, I believe. I first fell for Smith due to his naval writing, and there's a lot of that here. What there is not a lot of is the American Revolution, despite the subtitle. I was also very surprised to find the text take us at one point to the Jamaican backcountry--the greatest place on earth! (No, I do not exaggerate.) At other points the sexual savagery was too much, but this is Wilbur Smith after all. In sum, not a terrible way to end a career. Now we'll see how many books get his name on the cover without his having contributed to them!

[Jkane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quickly became my favorite Wilbur Smith novel. I thought the Egyptian novels he wrote were quite clever, and I can remember finding Wilbur Smith decades ago and being impressed with the African and nautical adventures of Birds of Prey, Monsoon, and The Blue Horizon. This one tops all of those. It’s almost as if he took everything he learned from writing those past novels, and perfected a perfect adventure set amidst a historically turbulent time. This book is much more about Rob Courtney than his cousin in America. In fact, that was the only disappointing part of the novel. The cousin was used more as a metaphor for the impertinent American upstart colonists.