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The Last Savanna
With Africa's last elephants dying under the poachers' guns, Kenya rancher and former SAS officer Ian MacAdam leads a commando squad against them. Pursuing the poachers through jungled mountains and searing deserts he battles thirst, solitude, terror and lethal animals, only to find that the poachers have kidnapped a young archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht, whom he once loved and bitterly lost. McAdam embarks upon a desperate trek to save not only Rebecca but his own soul in an Africa torn apart by wars, overpopulation, and the slaughter of its last wildlife. Based on the author's experiences pursuing elephant poachers in the wilds of East Africa.
REVIEWS
“Mike Bond’s THE LAST SAVANNA is shot through with images of the natural world at its most fearsome and most merciful. With his weapons, man is a conqueror – without them he is a fugitive in an alien land. Bond touches on the vast and eerie depths that lie under the thin crust of civilization and the base instinct within man to survive – instincts that surpass materialism. A thoroughly enjoyable read that comes highly recommended.” (Nottingham Observer)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hawaii-based bestselling novelist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet, Mike Bond has lived and worked in many dangerous, remote and war-torn regions of the world.
His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the vanishing beauty of the natural world.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR OTHER MIKE BOND NOVELS
SAVING PARADISE
KIRKUS REVIEW:
In the latest thriller from Bond (The Last Savanna, 2013, etc.), an Afghanistan War veteran–turned-surfer risks his life and freedom to search for a journalist’s murderer.
When Pono Hawkins finds surfing-magazine correspondent Sylvia Gordon’s lifeless body floating off the shore of Oahu, police quickly determine that she was murdered, but then promptly change their minds and rule it an accidental drowning. Pono makes it his mission to find the woman’s killer, and his quest takes him into a world of political and corporate corruption.
As he weeds through lies, suspects and threats, the police eventually agree that the journalist was indeed murdered—and they accuse the twice-jailed Pono, who soon finds himself on the run. More murders follow. Bond’s lusciously convoluted story provides myriad suspects and motives. At one point, near the beginning of the story, Pono lists Sylvia Gordon’s probable killers and has trouble eliminating any one of them. On multiple occasions, Pono believes someone is a murderer, changes his mind and then reverts back after uncovering new information. As a result, he distrusts nearly everyone, and readers likely will, too. Bond skillfully adds new elements to the mystery, including several energy corporations and no less than three femmes fatales: Angie, Sylvia’s Maui friend; Kim, a cop responsible for one of Pono’s trips to prison; and Charity, a receptionist for a company called WindPower. Other characters are more dependable, such as Pono’s fellow veterans—most notably, the technologically savvy Mitchell—as well as Pono’s cat, Puma, and surfing dachshund, Mojo. But his most persuasive relationship is with Sylvia, a woman he can’t stop thinking about, even though he never knew her when she was alive. In the end, readers may find it nearly impossible to guess the killer, but they’ll enjoy the trip.
A complex, entertaining whodunit.
REVIEWS
“Mike Bond’s THE LAST SAVANNA is shot through with images of the natural world at its most fearsome and most merciful. With his weapons, man is a conqueror – without them he is a fugitive in an alien land. Bond touches on the vast and eerie depths that lie under the thin crust of civilization and the base instinct within man to survive – instincts that surpass materialism. A thoroughly enjoyable read that comes highly recommended.” (Nottingham Observer)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hawaii-based bestselling novelist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet, Mike Bond has lived and worked in many dangerous, remote and war-torn regions of the world.
His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the vanishing beauty of the natural world.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR OTHER MIKE BOND NOVELS
SAVING PARADISE
KIRKUS REVIEW:
In the latest thriller from Bond (The Last Savanna, 2013, etc.), an Afghanistan War veteran–turned-surfer risks his life and freedom to search for a journalist’s murderer.
When Pono Hawkins finds surfing-magazine correspondent Sylvia Gordon’s lifeless body floating off the shore of Oahu, police quickly determine that she was murdered, but then promptly change their minds and rule it an accidental drowning. Pono makes it his mission to find the woman’s killer, and his quest takes him into a world of political and corporate corruption.
As he weeds through lies, suspects and threats, the police eventually agree that the journalist was indeed murdered—and they accuse the twice-jailed Pono, who soon finds himself on the run. More murders follow. Bond’s lusciously convoluted story provides myriad suspects and motives. At one point, near the beginning of the story, Pono lists Sylvia Gordon’s probable killers and has trouble eliminating any one of them. On multiple occasions, Pono believes someone is a murderer, changes his mind and then reverts back after uncovering new information. As a result, he distrusts nearly everyone, and readers likely will, too. Bond skillfully adds new elements to the mystery, including several energy corporations and no less than three femmes fatales: Angie, Sylvia’s Maui friend; Kim, a cop responsible for one of Pono’s trips to prison; and Charity, a receptionist for a company called WindPower. Other characters are more dependable, such as Pono’s fellow veterans—most notably, the technologically savvy Mitchell—as well as Pono’s cat, Puma, and surfing dachshund, Mojo. But his most persuasive relationship is with Sylvia, a woman he can’t stop thinking about, even though he never knew her when she was alive. In the end, readers may find it nearly impossible to guess the killer, but they’ll enjoy the trip.
A complex, entertaining whodunit.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
3138 people are currently reading
7198 people want to read
About the author
Mike Bond
39 books442 followersMIKE BOND has been called the “master of the existential thriller” by the BBC and “one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors” by the Washington Times. He is a bestselling novelist, environmental activist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet who has lived and worked in many remote and dangerous parts of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for what is good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the beauty of the vanishing natural world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
December 11, 2013
The Last Savannah is an African action adventure playing itself out in the deserts, savannas and wildness of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.
Ian MacAdam, a Kenyan farmer and former SAS officer, cannot deny his assistance when an old friend who saved his life numerous times, ask him to join a commando hunting down the poachers of the last elephants of Kenya. This request forces him to a make a final choice about his love and dedication to Africa when his wife, a lonely alcoholic, announces her departure to England for good. She never wants to see Africa again. He never wants to leave it. "He will die with his boots on" she says. Ian wants to go on this mission and use it as an opportunity to make a decision about his future. Through the aspirations of a young poacher in love, another dimension will be added to the battle, when he kidnaps Rebecca Hecht, an internationally well-known archaeologist who was also once the big love of Ian's life.
The story is constructed from two different points of view. One is the do-good group of soldiers and a few ex-soldiers who are instructed to find and kill the poachers of the last elephants in Kenya. The opposing group, the poachers, are poor, desperate Somalian men who have no other means of survival. In between the two groups are international role players, such as embassy personnel of ivory-seeking countries, local corrupt politicians and big global corporations.
“You know it won't stop till every elephant is dead. The problem's Africa—the world wants copper so Africa rips open its belly. The world wants diamonds so Africa sends its young men down mines to die for them. People want ivory and colobus skins and oil and slaves so Africa plunders herself for them.”
It's macho-lit book written for the man's man. Yes, if a term like that is allowed. The action is real, it happens everyday in Africa and the multitude of animals crossing the characters paths are real too.
Interesting social opinions are lightly splashed over the text, which adds another level of interest to the book. For instance: "Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it. They used to call acacias “fever trees”, thinking malaria came from them. Now they “know” malaria comes from mosquitoes. Some day they’ll realize malaria comes from the continent itself: Africa is a fever. For Africa there’s no chloroquine. No matter if you leave it, it’s engraved in your blood."
The story also highlights the fundamental and very real challenges in Africa. Although it is also applicable to the rest of the world, it is more so in Africa which is exploited from all over the planet for its natural resources:
"Now the land, the trees, the animals are gone; the whites were right—God’s not so hard to kill. And most of the whites had gone, too, leaving behind them a plague to finish off what they began. This plague, MacAdam had reflected so many bitter times, was medicine without birth control. It allowed the weak to live, populations to explode, the limitless savannas and jungles cut into tiny shambas where swollen families burnt and hacked the vegetation, then clung to the malnourished soil till it eroded to bedrock. Without the grass and trees the soil dried, the rains died and you could see a man coming miles away by the dust he raised."
These opinions are controversial, severely oversimplified, and debatable of course. It serves a particular agenda - saying what the world wants to hear. The book also describes the desolation, yet unimaginable beauty of the natural surroundings.
Apart from the selfish greed of everyone involved, the men are also inspired into action by the loss, or hope of their love for women which drives them. A rebellion against a love that conquers and tame them. “Her influence, little cousin. Woman’s influence is impure, and spreads around her like the disease that kills the camels, except that it kills men’s honor and will.”
It was a good read. An entertaining one. Not the best book I have ever read in the African adventure genre, but well written. Some parts, which was boring and predictable, could have been cut, resulting in heightened drama, but that is my personal opinion. Some elements were a bit unrealistic. For instance, a man who was kerfuffled by a buffalo horn in the chest, resulting in six broken ribs, cannot run around shooting and shouting like it never happened, trying to save damsels in distress. I've seen the results of a buffalo encounter, and boy, the hero might be macho and God's gift to women, but his superman stunts in the story after the encounter, do not fit the real deal at all. Yes, I know, do not allow reality to interfere with a good story, right? Right you are! The end was a total surprise!
So, really, enjoy this book. It is really based on much of the reality of modern day Africa, with not too much fantasy added. Every element in this narrative is either possible or true.
It is not the last book I want to read from the author, Mike Bond. I appreciate his observations of all the countries he has covered as journalist. He has many good, as well as valid, stories to tell.
Ian MacAdam, a Kenyan farmer and former SAS officer, cannot deny his assistance when an old friend who saved his life numerous times, ask him to join a commando hunting down the poachers of the last elephants of Kenya. This request forces him to a make a final choice about his love and dedication to Africa when his wife, a lonely alcoholic, announces her departure to England for good. She never wants to see Africa again. He never wants to leave it. "He will die with his boots on" she says. Ian wants to go on this mission and use it as an opportunity to make a decision about his future. Through the aspirations of a young poacher in love, another dimension will be added to the battle, when he kidnaps Rebecca Hecht, an internationally well-known archaeologist who was also once the big love of Ian's life.
The story is constructed from two different points of view. One is the do-good group of soldiers and a few ex-soldiers who are instructed to find and kill the poachers of the last elephants in Kenya. The opposing group, the poachers, are poor, desperate Somalian men who have no other means of survival. In between the two groups are international role players, such as embassy personnel of ivory-seeking countries, local corrupt politicians and big global corporations.
“You know it won't stop till every elephant is dead. The problem's Africa—the world wants copper so Africa rips open its belly. The world wants diamonds so Africa sends its young men down mines to die for them. People want ivory and colobus skins and oil and slaves so Africa plunders herself for them.”
It's macho-lit book written for the man's man. Yes, if a term like that is allowed. The action is real, it happens everyday in Africa and the multitude of animals crossing the characters paths are real too.
Interesting social opinions are lightly splashed over the text, which adds another level of interest to the book. For instance: "Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it. They used to call acacias “fever trees”, thinking malaria came from them. Now they “know” malaria comes from mosquitoes. Some day they’ll realize malaria comes from the continent itself: Africa is a fever. For Africa there’s no chloroquine. No matter if you leave it, it’s engraved in your blood."
The story also highlights the fundamental and very real challenges in Africa. Although it is also applicable to the rest of the world, it is more so in Africa which is exploited from all over the planet for its natural resources:
"Now the land, the trees, the animals are gone; the whites were right—God’s not so hard to kill. And most of the whites had gone, too, leaving behind them a plague to finish off what they began. This plague, MacAdam had reflected so many bitter times, was medicine without birth control. It allowed the weak to live, populations to explode, the limitless savannas and jungles cut into tiny shambas where swollen families burnt and hacked the vegetation, then clung to the malnourished soil till it eroded to bedrock. Without the grass and trees the soil dried, the rains died and you could see a man coming miles away by the dust he raised."
These opinions are controversial, severely oversimplified, and debatable of course. It serves a particular agenda - saying what the world wants to hear. The book also describes the desolation, yet unimaginable beauty of the natural surroundings.
Apart from the selfish greed of everyone involved, the men are also inspired into action by the loss, or hope of their love for women which drives them. A rebellion against a love that conquers and tame them. “Her influence, little cousin. Woman’s influence is impure, and spreads around her like the disease that kills the camels, except that it kills men’s honor and will.”
It was a good read. An entertaining one. Not the best book I have ever read in the African adventure genre, but well written. Some parts, which was boring and predictable, could have been cut, resulting in heightened drama, but that is my personal opinion. Some elements were a bit unrealistic. For instance, a man who was kerfuffled by a buffalo horn in the chest, resulting in six broken ribs, cannot run around shooting and shouting like it never happened, trying to save damsels in distress. I've seen the results of a buffalo encounter, and boy, the hero might be macho and God's gift to women, but his superman stunts in the story after the encounter, do not fit the real deal at all. Yes, I know, do not allow reality to interfere with a good story, right? Right you are! The end was a total surprise!
So, really, enjoy this book. It is really based on much of the reality of modern day Africa, with not too much fantasy added. Every element in this narrative is either possible or true.
It is not the last book I want to read from the author, Mike Bond. I appreciate his observations of all the countries he has covered as journalist. He has many good, as well as valid, stories to tell.
October 6, 2017
I received an free electronic copy of this from NetGalley for my review. Wonderful book, beautiful writing. The writing is so detailed you feel like you are in Africa. Ivory poachers are gunning down Africa’s last elephants and former SAS officer Ian MacAdam who leads a commando squad against them.
January 13, 2018
In a nutshell this isn't the book I thought I was going to get. I thought Africa, poaching and a thriller trying to save Elephants, yes please! I have strong opinions about poaching and I love animals, especially elephants! I expected a realistic, gritty but hopefully hopeful story about the fight against poaching. That doesn't seem to be what this is about.
I have looked at some other reviews in order to see what's going to happen, and i'm so not interested. I can already see MacAdam has no interest in saving the elephants, he doesn't give a crap. He just wants the thrill of killing, of action and adventure. It's not about saving the elephants at all.
MacAdam and his wife Dorothy are on the rocks. She wants to go back home to England...and apparently he deals with that by...searching the country for his ex-lover Rebecca? Seems she gets kidnapped by the poachers and he spends a lot of time pining after her. From what I gather his thoughts, and you spend a lot of time in his head, go between how beautiful Africa is, the thought of killing and him pining after his ex-lover when he has a wife and she is also in another relationship. It doesn't sound like a romance I can get behind, especially when it ends up such a big part of the story (even some glowing reviews which make up the first 5% of the book mention how it's a wonderful romance...that's not what I signed up for when I wanted to read this book, also how is cheating a wonderful romance?).
Also MacAdam is sexist. One quote that I did read in my short time reading this "He felt suddenly that women had emptied men through submission and fidelity, stolen their power by demanding that they not wander, not war, not hunt, not fertilize other women. What weaklings, how feeble we've become. I too. To call this life."
I can understand wanting to travel and needing to hunt for food. But why do we need war? And why do you HAVE to cheat? And what's this power shit? From what i've heard it doesn't get any better. I also think this book ends up being racist but i'm not entirely sure. I am white in the US so take that part with a grain of salt, something about it just didn't sit right with me.
I wanted something to address the poaching crisis, a thrilling read that painted a realistic picture of it but with hope. Not a main character I can't stand complaining about his wife, women and pining after his ex-lover while not caring a damn about the elephants that he's supposed to be saving.
Edited this part in because there was some other things I had wanted to address. Some quotes that didn't sit right with me.
"Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it. They used to call acacias "fever trees", thinking malaria came from them. Now they "know" malaria comes from mosquitoes. Some day they'll realize malaria comes from the continent itself: Africa is a fever." Comparing Africa to malaria? What? Among a few other things about violence as well as how a life not lived without action is worthless that bugged me.
I am aware I can't judge the entire book for myself seeing as I DNF'd it, but combined with hating it at the start and reading other reviews to see where it goes, and it doesn't appear to get better and I just can't push on anymore. It's making me not want to read and I have no time to read books i'm hating. If you want to give it a chance go ahead, please don't let me stop you, I just hope you enjoy it more than I did.
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I have looked at some other reviews in order to see what's going to happen, and i'm so not interested. I can already see MacAdam has no interest in saving the elephants, he doesn't give a crap. He just wants the thrill of killing, of action and adventure. It's not about saving the elephants at all.
MacAdam and his wife Dorothy are on the rocks. She wants to go back home to England...and apparently he deals with that by...searching the country for his ex-lover Rebecca? Seems she gets kidnapped by the poachers and he spends a lot of time pining after her. From what I gather his thoughts, and you spend a lot of time in his head, go between how beautiful Africa is, the thought of killing and him pining after his ex-lover when he has a wife and she is also in another relationship. It doesn't sound like a romance I can get behind, especially when it ends up such a big part of the story (even some glowing reviews which make up the first 5% of the book mention how it's a wonderful romance...that's not what I signed up for when I wanted to read this book, also how is cheating a wonderful romance?).
Also MacAdam is sexist. One quote that I did read in my short time reading this "He felt suddenly that women had emptied men through submission and fidelity, stolen their power by demanding that they not wander, not war, not hunt, not fertilize other women. What weaklings, how feeble we've become. I too. To call this life."
I can understand wanting to travel and needing to hunt for food. But why do we need war? And why do you HAVE to cheat? And what's this power shit? From what i've heard it doesn't get any better. I also think this book ends up being racist but i'm not entirely sure. I am white in the US so take that part with a grain of salt, something about it just didn't sit right with me.
I wanted something to address the poaching crisis, a thrilling read that painted a realistic picture of it but with hope. Not a main character I can't stand complaining about his wife, women and pining after his ex-lover while not caring a damn about the elephants that he's supposed to be saving.
Edited this part in because there was some other things I had wanted to address. Some quotes that didn't sit right with me.
"Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it. They used to call acacias "fever trees", thinking malaria came from them. Now they "know" malaria comes from mosquitoes. Some day they'll realize malaria comes from the continent itself: Africa is a fever." Comparing Africa to malaria? What? Among a few other things about violence as well as how a life not lived without action is worthless that bugged me.
I am aware I can't judge the entire book for myself seeing as I DNF'd it, but combined with hating it at the start and reading other reviews to see where it goes, and it doesn't appear to get better and I just can't push on anymore. It's making me not want to read and I have no time to read books i'm hating. If you want to give it a chance go ahead, please don't let me stop you, I just hope you enjoy it more than I did.
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August 10, 2017
Mike Bond's The Last Savanna (Mandevilla Press 2013) is one of the most darkly beautiful books you will ever read. If it were non-fiction, you'd consider him a nature writer of the caliber of Matthiesen but more dystopian. Read these snippets:
"Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it."
"The shoulder-high thorn bushes grew thicker near the stream. The downslope breeze twirled their strong, dusty scents among their gnarled trunks."
"He waited for the comforting twitter of sunbirds in the streamside acacias, the muffled snuffling of warthogs, or the swish of vervet monkeys in the branches..."
..
"Shaking flies from his muzzle, he trotted through the scrub and bent his head to suck the water flashing and bubbling over the black stones. The old lioness..."
This is the story of a man who's lived his entire life in Africa's wild beauty. He's raised his children, built his ranch, and now become old and complacent. His wife has given up persuading him to leave and in his heart of hearts, he knows he'd leave her before giving up on the dream that has always included Africa, even though it seems unrequited. Like the African land around him, he's dying. His hope in the bright future that Africa always represented is being killed by poachers and corrupt governments and his wife's constant nagging to leave. As a last chance to redeem his dream, he agrees to join an old African friend who is committed to stopping the poachers that are decimating Africa's great herds. That goal dramatically changes when an internationally-recognized archaeologist he knows is kidnapped. Now, his journey has a goal that's much closer to home.
While this is his story, it is told variously through the eyes of an Eland who must risk its life for a drink of water, an African man trying to harvest the hide of a lion to pay for his sons' schooling:
"...yellow furious eyes, the impossibly broad square jaws framed in its colossal black mane nearing as the lion thrust himself up the trunk, his front paws the size of a man’s belly, their yellow curved claws shattering bark as they dug into the wood."
... and an elephant who is killed by hunters:
"The softest sweetest leaves of the baobab tree are high in the top branches, and the young elephant was determined to get them. ... She dropped to four feet and ripped away mouthfuls of lower, bitter stems, grunting at their dusty, rough taste. Without listening she heard ripping soil behind her as her sister pulled up chunks of murram grass, the crackling of boughs from a neighboring tree as old aunt yanked them down, the squeal of baby bull calf as he waited for the tasty leaves."
This is a darkly atmospheric tale of the eternal battle between man and Nature, the powerful and emotional struggle that is man's primacy and weakness, his goodness and evil, and what that means to Africa.
A few more snippets I think you'll enjoy:
"...he gathered dry leaves from the base of a thorn bush, and with his simi cut thin strips of bark from a small tamarind tree. These he piled near the lioness; then he ran to an umbrella acacia and snapped twigs from the edge of its canopy where giraffes had browsed the leaves and killed the branches. Something black moved through the gray scrub silvered by moonlight − a low, hunchbacked scurrying silhouette..."
--received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review
"Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it."
"The shoulder-high thorn bushes grew thicker near the stream. The downslope breeze twirled their strong, dusty scents among their gnarled trunks."
"He waited for the comforting twitter of sunbirds in the streamside acacias, the muffled snuffling of warthogs, or the swish of vervet monkeys in the branches..."
..
"Shaking flies from his muzzle, he trotted through the scrub and bent his head to suck the water flashing and bubbling over the black stones. The old lioness..."
This is the story of a man who's lived his entire life in Africa's wild beauty. He's raised his children, built his ranch, and now become old and complacent. His wife has given up persuading him to leave and in his heart of hearts, he knows he'd leave her before giving up on the dream that has always included Africa, even though it seems unrequited. Like the African land around him, he's dying. His hope in the bright future that Africa always represented is being killed by poachers and corrupt governments and his wife's constant nagging to leave. As a last chance to redeem his dream, he agrees to join an old African friend who is committed to stopping the poachers that are decimating Africa's great herds. That goal dramatically changes when an internationally-recognized archaeologist he knows is kidnapped. Now, his journey has a goal that's much closer to home.
While this is his story, it is told variously through the eyes of an Eland who must risk its life for a drink of water, an African man trying to harvest the hide of a lion to pay for his sons' schooling:
"...yellow furious eyes, the impossibly broad square jaws framed in its colossal black mane nearing as the lion thrust himself up the trunk, his front paws the size of a man’s belly, their yellow curved claws shattering bark as they dug into the wood."
... and an elephant who is killed by hunters:
"The softest sweetest leaves of the baobab tree are high in the top branches, and the young elephant was determined to get them. ... She dropped to four feet and ripped away mouthfuls of lower, bitter stems, grunting at their dusty, rough taste. Without listening she heard ripping soil behind her as her sister pulled up chunks of murram grass, the crackling of boughs from a neighboring tree as old aunt yanked them down, the squeal of baby bull calf as he waited for the tasty leaves."
This is a darkly atmospheric tale of the eternal battle between man and Nature, the powerful and emotional struggle that is man's primacy and weakness, his goodness and evil, and what that means to Africa.
A few more snippets I think you'll enjoy:
"...he gathered dry leaves from the base of a thorn bush, and with his simi cut thin strips of bark from a small tamarind tree. These he piled near the lioness; then he ran to an umbrella acacia and snapped twigs from the edge of its canopy where giraffes had browsed the leaves and killed the branches. Something black moved through the gray scrub silvered by moonlight − a low, hunchbacked scurrying silhouette..."
--received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review
February 9, 2014
"The Last Savanna" by Mike Bond is described as an existential thriller with environmental elements and a major focus on the extreme lengths we go to for love. Immediately I was swept up in the eloquent yet articulate prose, which at times delved deep into my being to touch upon experiences I have had in life, at other times the writing was so verbose that I had difficulty understanding what the author was attempting to say. In hindsight I believe this mix of "hitting the nail on the head" and "over my head" is a testament to the author's ability to strike a chord within the reader, when applicable, and to allow the reader to imagine, when not. Once I allowed myself to fall into the story and the heady language, I found myself needing to know how it was to end.
What first drew me to this book was the idea of an environmental thriller. Although superbly written, the environmental focus drops off quickly after the first few chapters. Although there are several moving scenes involving lions and elephants, all told from the vantage point of the animals themselves, one quickly forgets the environmental plight and focuses only on the human-struggle. The animal-struggle is a necessary introduction, but I was disappointed that the resolution of the book did not really tie up the loose ends associated with the slaughter of lions and elephants. Although the various circumstances surrounding these animal killings got me thinking--about intention, privilege, and humanity--nothing was ever resolved as far as the story was concerned. Perhaps this is intentional, as nearly all environmental issues are not resolved, indeed, some are hardly even addressed--but I truly thought this novel would be about reaching for that resolution.
Despite my disappointment with the environmental thread, the narrative certainly brings to mind important topics on fidelity, love, purpose, societal expectations, social status, etc. This book set in motion questions about who has the legitimacy to write what. Mike Bond is a white man writing about Africa through the eyes of a white, male, European transplant. His descriptions of the African landscape and rapport between his main character and the locals is vivid and engaging. Yet, at times I worried about his representation of the "bad" guys, the Somalis who capture Rebecca. I appreciated when Warwar became the good guy, then bad guy, then good guy, then bad guy again--he proved his humanity and shut down my worries of blanket judgment on a specific group of people. The felt similarly about MacAdam. I hated him for his unwillingness to address his crumbling marriage and for his infidelity, yet wholly acknowledged that he was meant to be the "good" guy, and found myself pulling for him. I appreciated that nothing is ever cut-and-dry, and really we are all human, all working toward what we think is best.
Although I think this book was actually both beautifully and intelligently written, a major gripe I had was with the completely unnecessary and unrealistic sex scene between MacAdam and Rebecca. The audience knows that MacAdam has never gotten over her. We know that he desires her both emotionally and physically. But I found it incredibly unbelievable--and also somewhat appalling--that after Rebecca has been stranded in the desert for days upon days, with nearly no water or food to nourish her, in the constant heat and sun, no real rest and pure exhaustion and fear eclipsing her entire existence....I highly doubt that either psychologically or physically would she be able to partake in sexual activity. We didn't need that scene to understand what they feel for each other, and I actually felt it significantly detracted from the realism in the book. The scene cheapened the experience, and I was really bummed that it was included.
As much as I struggled with this book, I cannot deny that it was a good story, written with an incredible voice. Some of the best work is the kind that makes you think, or the kind that makes you never want to read it again, because you must ask yourself why. I would recommend this book with the caveat that it may make you angry, or it may solidify stereotypes, or maybe it challenges them. I'm not quite sure. A powerful story, any way you look at it.
What first drew me to this book was the idea of an environmental thriller. Although superbly written, the environmental focus drops off quickly after the first few chapters. Although there are several moving scenes involving lions and elephants, all told from the vantage point of the animals themselves, one quickly forgets the environmental plight and focuses only on the human-struggle. The animal-struggle is a necessary introduction, but I was disappointed that the resolution of the book did not really tie up the loose ends associated with the slaughter of lions and elephants. Although the various circumstances surrounding these animal killings got me thinking--about intention, privilege, and humanity--nothing was ever resolved as far as the story was concerned. Perhaps this is intentional, as nearly all environmental issues are not resolved, indeed, some are hardly even addressed--but I truly thought this novel would be about reaching for that resolution.
Despite my disappointment with the environmental thread, the narrative certainly brings to mind important topics on fidelity, love, purpose, societal expectations, social status, etc. This book set in motion questions about who has the legitimacy to write what. Mike Bond is a white man writing about Africa through the eyes of a white, male, European transplant. His descriptions of the African landscape and rapport between his main character and the locals is vivid and engaging. Yet, at times I worried about his representation of the "bad" guys, the Somalis who capture Rebecca. I appreciated when Warwar became the good guy, then bad guy, then good guy, then bad guy again--he proved his humanity and shut down my worries of blanket judgment on a specific group of people. The felt similarly about MacAdam. I hated him for his unwillingness to address his crumbling marriage and for his infidelity, yet wholly acknowledged that he was meant to be the "good" guy, and found myself pulling for him. I appreciated that nothing is ever cut-and-dry, and really we are all human, all working toward what we think is best.
Although I think this book was actually both beautifully and intelligently written, a major gripe I had was with the completely unnecessary and unrealistic sex scene between MacAdam and Rebecca. The audience knows that MacAdam has never gotten over her. We know that he desires her both emotionally and physically. But I found it incredibly unbelievable--and also somewhat appalling--that after Rebecca has been stranded in the desert for days upon days, with nearly no water or food to nourish her, in the constant heat and sun, no real rest and pure exhaustion and fear eclipsing her entire existence....I highly doubt that either psychologically or physically would she be able to partake in sexual activity. We didn't need that scene to understand what they feel for each other, and I actually felt it significantly detracted from the realism in the book. The scene cheapened the experience, and I was really bummed that it was included.
As much as I struggled with this book, I cannot deny that it was a good story, written with an incredible voice. Some of the best work is the kind that makes you think, or the kind that makes you never want to read it again, because you must ask yourself why. I would recommend this book with the caveat that it may make you angry, or it may solidify stereotypes, or maybe it challenges them. I'm not quite sure. A powerful story, any way you look at it.
November 8, 2020
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A book with a definite 70's vibe.
A former SAS guy is living in Kenya, bored with his life on the ranch. His wife has turned into a bitter alcoholic. They're both just going through the motions.
When an old friend recruits him to go after ivory poachers from Somalia, he pretends reluctance, but the answer is obvious from the first.
It's okay, if you like bitterness.
A book with a definite 70's vibe.
A former SAS guy is living in Kenya, bored with his life on the ranch. His wife has turned into a bitter alcoholic. They're both just going through the motions.
When an old friend recruits him to go after ivory poachers from Somalia, he pretends reluctance, but the answer is obvious from the first.
It's okay, if you like bitterness.
January 10, 2023
it is a must read first - because the subject. Africa. second - because there that are really beautiful and poetic, which is a rear thing in thrillers. Bond doing something very unique- he is not judging. he lets us to decide who is the good guys and who are the bad ones. if there are bad ones? sometimes i got lost from sort of repetitions and floating thoughts.
March 27, 2024
Thank you Mandevilla Press for allowing me to read and review The Last Savanna on NetGalley.
Published: 08/15/13
Stars: 4.5
Amazing. This is the story that block buster movies are made from. I was shocked to see this was published in 2013. This is for smart people.
The synopsis says it all and I'm including the About the Author at the end of the review. It explains what I can't put into words.
Bond put me in the jungle. I could smell the blood. I felt the hatred and fear. Several times I had to stop reading to let my heart and brain come together. I cried a couple times -- once thinking I wouldn't have made it out alive, I would have gotten everyone killed from my crying. It is one thing to know that elephants are killed for their tusks, lions are killed for their skins, etc., but it's different when you experience the kill. The author had me.
His writing is truthful as well as beautiful. As much as I appreciated his talent and want to explore his other works through his eyes, I'm not sure if emotionally I'm strong enough.
This is definitely giftable: A basket with a fine wine, nice liquor, cheese, and chocolate.
* I saw this after reading The Last Savanna and find it matches his book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hawaii-based bestselling novelist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet, Mike Bond has lived and worked in many dangerous, remote and war-torn regions of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the vanishing beauty of the natural world.
Published: 08/15/13
Stars: 4.5
Amazing. This is the story that block buster movies are made from. I was shocked to see this was published in 2013. This is for smart people.
The synopsis says it all and I'm including the About the Author at the end of the review. It explains what I can't put into words.
Bond put me in the jungle. I could smell the blood. I felt the hatred and fear. Several times I had to stop reading to let my heart and brain come together. I cried a couple times -- once thinking I wouldn't have made it out alive, I would have gotten everyone killed from my crying. It is one thing to know that elephants are killed for their tusks, lions are killed for their skins, etc., but it's different when you experience the kill. The author had me.
His writing is truthful as well as beautiful. As much as I appreciated his talent and want to explore his other works through his eyes, I'm not sure if emotionally I'm strong enough.
This is definitely giftable: A basket with a fine wine, nice liquor, cheese, and chocolate.
* I saw this after reading The Last Savanna and find it matches his book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hawaii-based bestselling novelist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet, Mike Bond has lived and worked in many dangerous, remote and war-torn regions of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the vanishing beauty of the natural world.
August 4, 2017
By the time I finished “The Last Savanna,” I felt I had read several different books by at least as many authors. This book came highly recommended, and I expected much more than I received.
The book had a quirky start, taking almost three chapters until readers are finally introduced to some of the characters. I get that the author was trying to set the tone of the story, a lengthy survival of the fittest lesson taught over and over. By the time I was halfway through the story, I had almost come to appreciate the long setup. About that time, the whole story structure began to fall apart.
Author Mike Bond had developed a fairly decent story by then. MacAdam, a man more in love with his adopted country than his wife, agrees to help on a government-backed raid against Somali poachers. When the poachers split up, three come across Rebecca and her husband. The husband runs off and the poachers kidnap Rebecca, who happens to be MacAdam’s former lover. MacAdam begins a quest to find and save Rebecca (who he still loves), and the rest of the story revolves around those two and the three poaches, Ibrahim, Rashid, and Warwar.
As the story began to pick up the pace, the author sought to flip the point of view among the five characters, and do this multiple times in the same chapter. Unfortunately, he neglected to leave the traditional space between paragraphs when doing so. At first, because I had received the book from NetGalley, I thought it might have been a “proof” copy. In order to experience the book as I thought I should, I purchased a copy from Amazon. The first surprise was that the books were identical, so either the author meant to publish it as it looks or something had happened during the upload. It was then I noticed the book had been published almost four years ago, and I was left to shake my head in frustration. It was difficult to track the characters when the formatting was sloppy (unless, of course, the author intended it to be written that way).
I settled down and continued reading, putting up with the jumbled writing. I did enjoy the way the author used his description to paint a realistic picture of Africa. Unfortunately, even that began to fade when the book started to lose its focus, both in the manner it was written as well as its characterizations. First, characters would at times begin thinking in short phrases rather than the normal sentences that had appeared in the first three quarters of the book. These short thoughts were not merely a few lines, they would go on for paragraphs. Though this only happened a few times, it was horribly distracting.
Characters who thought sanely for most of the book began to espouse beliefs totally in contrast to what readers had been told previously. When this began to happen, I lost my last shreds of faith and believability in what was transpiring. Finally, I was upset with the end of the story. Not because I had guessed the ending many, many chapters before it happened, but because I believed it would make for a weaker ending and I had hoped my guess would be incorrect.
Overall, lots of mixed feelings here. A different but okay beginning followed by some solid writing until halfway to two-thirds through, and then a muffed opportunity to finish up with a suspenseful ending. Three stars.
The book had a quirky start, taking almost three chapters until readers are finally introduced to some of the characters. I get that the author was trying to set the tone of the story, a lengthy survival of the fittest lesson taught over and over. By the time I was halfway through the story, I had almost come to appreciate the long setup. About that time, the whole story structure began to fall apart.
Author Mike Bond had developed a fairly decent story by then. MacAdam, a man more in love with his adopted country than his wife, agrees to help on a government-backed raid against Somali poachers. When the poachers split up, three come across Rebecca and her husband. The husband runs off and the poachers kidnap Rebecca, who happens to be MacAdam’s former lover. MacAdam begins a quest to find and save Rebecca (who he still loves), and the rest of the story revolves around those two and the three poaches, Ibrahim, Rashid, and Warwar.
As the story began to pick up the pace, the author sought to flip the point of view among the five characters, and do this multiple times in the same chapter. Unfortunately, he neglected to leave the traditional space between paragraphs when doing so. At first, because I had received the book from NetGalley, I thought it might have been a “proof” copy. In order to experience the book as I thought I should, I purchased a copy from Amazon. The first surprise was that the books were identical, so either the author meant to publish it as it looks or something had happened during the upload. It was then I noticed the book had been published almost four years ago, and I was left to shake my head in frustration. It was difficult to track the characters when the formatting was sloppy (unless, of course, the author intended it to be written that way).
I settled down and continued reading, putting up with the jumbled writing. I did enjoy the way the author used his description to paint a realistic picture of Africa. Unfortunately, even that began to fade when the book started to lose its focus, both in the manner it was written as well as its characterizations. First, characters would at times begin thinking in short phrases rather than the normal sentences that had appeared in the first three quarters of the book. These short thoughts were not merely a few lines, they would go on for paragraphs. Though this only happened a few times, it was horribly distracting.
Characters who thought sanely for most of the book began to espouse beliefs totally in contrast to what readers had been told previously. When this began to happen, I lost my last shreds of faith and believability in what was transpiring. Finally, I was upset with the end of the story. Not because I had guessed the ending many, many chapters before it happened, but because I believed it would make for a weaker ending and I had hoped my guess would be incorrect.
Overall, lots of mixed feelings here. A different but okay beginning followed by some solid writing until halfway to two-thirds through, and then a muffed opportunity to finish up with a suspenseful ending. Three stars.
November 12, 2013
The Last Savanna
by Mike Bond
978-1-62704-008-2
Mandevilla Press
Love story. Fable. Lament.
Adventure. Travelogue.
Celebration of life, of things larger than life.
Celebration of love.
Celebration of death.
The Last Savanna is all of those, and more. Its characters are complex, their motivations a mix of the divine, the grand, the selfless, juxtaposed with the bestial, the small, the selfish. Which of these emotions do we, the reader, identify within ourselves as we read? All of them, I'd wager.
Mike Bond has evoked a vision of Africa that I will not soon forget. The dark continent lives below its white-infested surface, the wonders of the native animals forever changed by the scourge of the European invaders and empire builders. Its black rebirth yet has petty conflicts born from the imagined wealth represented by the white man's paper, and armies slaughter each other when someone steps across an imaginary line that exists only on a map.
“You know it won't stop till every elephant is dead. The problem's Africa—the world wants copper so Africa rips open its belly. The world wants diamonds so Africa sends its young men down mines to die for them. People want ivory and colobus skins and oil and slaves so Africa plunders herself for them.” So says protagonist Ian MacAdam, pulled from the farm where he and his wife have retreated into drink and distance from one another, she dreaming of England while he lives and breathes Africa, and it lives and breathes in him.
The chase after poachers becomes more personal when MacAdam learns they've taken a woman he loves. Hunter and hunted exchange their roles as easily as we might change our clothes; in a moment predator may become prey or vice versa. The chase involves Land Rovers, camels, paws, and feet. “You run like a fuckin' black man,” says one of the men to MacAdam. “I am a fuckin' black man. I just have white skin.”
Tragic and beautiful, sentimental and ruthless, The Last Savanna is a vast and wonderful book depicting a vast and wonderful continent.
by Mike Bond
978-1-62704-008-2
Mandevilla Press
Love story. Fable. Lament.
Adventure. Travelogue.
Celebration of life, of things larger than life.
Celebration of love.
Celebration of death.
The Last Savanna is all of those, and more. Its characters are complex, their motivations a mix of the divine, the grand, the selfless, juxtaposed with the bestial, the small, the selfish. Which of these emotions do we, the reader, identify within ourselves as we read? All of them, I'd wager.
Mike Bond has evoked a vision of Africa that I will not soon forget. The dark continent lives below its white-infested surface, the wonders of the native animals forever changed by the scourge of the European invaders and empire builders. Its black rebirth yet has petty conflicts born from the imagined wealth represented by the white man's paper, and armies slaughter each other when someone steps across an imaginary line that exists only on a map.
“You know it won't stop till every elephant is dead. The problem's Africa—the world wants copper so Africa rips open its belly. The world wants diamonds so Africa sends its young men down mines to die for them. People want ivory and colobus skins and oil and slaves so Africa plunders herself for them.” So says protagonist Ian MacAdam, pulled from the farm where he and his wife have retreated into drink and distance from one another, she dreaming of England while he lives and breathes Africa, and it lives and breathes in him.
The chase after poachers becomes more personal when MacAdam learns they've taken a woman he loves. Hunter and hunted exchange their roles as easily as we might change our clothes; in a moment predator may become prey or vice versa. The chase involves Land Rovers, camels, paws, and feet. “You run like a fuckin' black man,” says one of the men to MacAdam. “I am a fuckin' black man. I just have white skin.”
Tragic and beautiful, sentimental and ruthless, The Last Savanna is a vast and wonderful book depicting a vast and wonderful continent.
May 10, 2014
On its surface, The Last Savanna is about a group of Somali ivory poachers who have entered Kenya, the woman kidnapped by one of the poachers, and the man tasked with hunting down the poachers and rescuing the woman, and these events make for an interesting story. However, the real star of this novel is not any of the human beings, but Africa itself.
I cannot remember the last time I read a work of fiction in which the sense of place was so strong and commanding. Mike Bond's descriptions of the flora, fauna, and environment are so beautifully written that I felt as though I were standing there with the characters. The primary poaching scene is written from the point of view of one of the young elephants, and I could feel her rage and pain radiating from each sentence.
The Last Savanna is based on Bond's personal experiences in Africa, and that knowledge has clearly paid off in this novel. There has been much discussion in the last several years about whether a white male novelist can write authentically about the black experience in post-colonial Africa. While I cannot respond to that complaint (being a white female who has never visited Africa), I can say that Bond's novel deepened my emotional connection to the continent and its people. He made me care about a place I rarely think about, and isn't that, after all, one of the primary purposes of fiction?
I received a free copy of The Last Savanna through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I cannot remember the last time I read a work of fiction in which the sense of place was so strong and commanding. Mike Bond's descriptions of the flora, fauna, and environment are so beautifully written that I felt as though I were standing there with the characters. The primary poaching scene is written from the point of view of one of the young elephants, and I could feel her rage and pain radiating from each sentence.
The Last Savanna is based on Bond's personal experiences in Africa, and that knowledge has clearly paid off in this novel. There has been much discussion in the last several years about whether a white male novelist can write authentically about the black experience in post-colonial Africa. While I cannot respond to that complaint (being a white female who has never visited Africa), I can say that Bond's novel deepened my emotional connection to the continent and its people. He made me care about a place I rarely think about, and isn't that, after all, one of the primary purposes of fiction?
I received a free copy of The Last Savanna through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2013
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I requested this book on a whim, generally being interested in books on Africa, and I'm very glad that I opted to read this book as it was a very enjoyable read. There were many parts that set this book apart from other books about Africa, but most notably the characters and beautiful writing.
The plot in this book was really interesting. The story follows a couple groups of people, that end up interconnecting at the end. One group is a group of Somali poachers, bent on collecting tusks from the few remaining elephants in Kenya. Another group is a collection of soldiers, some new and some seasoned veterans, bent on protecting the elephants from the poachers. The reader is also introduced to a man and a woman (I won't give anything away) and is left entranced as the story follows the hardships they face. The plot was strong before the love element was introduced, but after that I found myself having a difficult time putting the book down.
The characters in this book are also really fantastic. It was interesting reading about the interactions between the groups of characters but it was also very interesting reading about the interactions between the groups. I thought that the characters interactions with each other seemed realistic and believable, even the characters who were a different culture than me still seemed believable and realistic. I found myself able to relate to the characters with relative ease and even if I wasn't able to relate to them, I was able to understand them and sympathize with what was going on.
Although the plot and characters are strong throughout the book, I thought that the strongest point for this book would be the writing. There were numerous times throughout the book where I paused in my reading and thought to myself, "Wow, that was a really beautiful sentence". And while the sentences were beautiful on their own, together they painted a wondrous pictures of Africa and a beautiful wilderness. While the writing was descriptive and beautiful, it wasn't overly so (which I greatly appreciate). I didn't find myself getting annoyed with the descriptions as they were tastefully placed throughout the story and added to the story, rather than detracting from it.
I think it's worth mentioning that the start of this book is really strong and unique. The story starts out from the perspective of an eland, then goes to the perspective of a lioness, then to the perspective of a lion, then to the perspective of a Samburu warrior, and so on from there. I thought that was an incredibly unique way to begin the story, I was hooked on the beautiful writing from the animals perspective and probably wouldn't have been disappointed had the book never transitioned to a human perspective. Stories don't normally start out from the perspective of an animal but I thought that it really suited this book and began the story nicely.
Overall, I am really glad that I read this book. There were so many different parts of this book that made reading it a truly enjoyable experience. After having the opportunity to read this book I will gladly be looking up other books by Mike Bond to read. 5/5 stars.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
I requested this book on a whim, generally being interested in books on Africa, and I'm very glad that I opted to read this book as it was a very enjoyable read. There were many parts that set this book apart from other books about Africa, but most notably the characters and beautiful writing.
The plot in this book was really interesting. The story follows a couple groups of people, that end up interconnecting at the end. One group is a group of Somali poachers, bent on collecting tusks from the few remaining elephants in Kenya. Another group is a collection of soldiers, some new and some seasoned veterans, bent on protecting the elephants from the poachers. The reader is also introduced to a man and a woman (I won't give anything away) and is left entranced as the story follows the hardships they face. The plot was strong before the love element was introduced, but after that I found myself having a difficult time putting the book down.
The characters in this book are also really fantastic. It was interesting reading about the interactions between the groups of characters but it was also very interesting reading about the interactions between the groups. I thought that the characters interactions with each other seemed realistic and believable, even the characters who were a different culture than me still seemed believable and realistic. I found myself able to relate to the characters with relative ease and even if I wasn't able to relate to them, I was able to understand them and sympathize with what was going on.
Although the plot and characters are strong throughout the book, I thought that the strongest point for this book would be the writing. There were numerous times throughout the book where I paused in my reading and thought to myself, "Wow, that was a really beautiful sentence". And while the sentences were beautiful on their own, together they painted a wondrous pictures of Africa and a beautiful wilderness. While the writing was descriptive and beautiful, it wasn't overly so (which I greatly appreciate). I didn't find myself getting annoyed with the descriptions as they were tastefully placed throughout the story and added to the story, rather than detracting from it.
I think it's worth mentioning that the start of this book is really strong and unique. The story starts out from the perspective of an eland, then goes to the perspective of a lioness, then to the perspective of a lion, then to the perspective of a Samburu warrior, and so on from there. I thought that was an incredibly unique way to begin the story, I was hooked on the beautiful writing from the animals perspective and probably wouldn't have been disappointed had the book never transitioned to a human perspective. Stories don't normally start out from the perspective of an animal but I thought that it really suited this book and began the story nicely.
Overall, I am really glad that I read this book. There were so many different parts of this book that made reading it a truly enjoyable experience. After having the opportunity to read this book I will gladly be looking up other books by Mike Bond to read. 5/5 stars.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
August 6, 2017
GNAB I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Mike Bond and Mandevilla Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
I always enjoy Mike Bond. This is a gem of a novel, bringing us into and through parts of Africa with clarity and a sense of the heart of this country that we don't often see. The story itself is fine - a mystery well tempered and told. The jewel is the love of this world Mike Bond is able to share with us in and around his tale - the world that will not outlive us all unless we fight for change.
pub date Jan 15, 2014
Mandevilla Press
I always enjoy Mike Bond. This is a gem of a novel, bringing us into and through parts of Africa with clarity and a sense of the heart of this country that we don't often see. The story itself is fine - a mystery well tempered and told. The jewel is the love of this world Mike Bond is able to share with us in and around his tale - the world that will not outlive us all unless we fight for change.
pub date Jan 15, 2014
Mandevilla Press
November 6, 2014
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway, and bid on it based upon the description as an Africa based adventure story. This is my first book by Mike Bond and I primarily struggled with the writing style which lowered my review score from 3 stars. I am not sure if all of his books are written in this style, but I found it exhausting and required re-reading certain paragraph to make sure I understood what he was saying. I almost gave up on the book, but stuck with it as the story was interesting and the action started to pick up around the second half of the book. I suggest you read the review posted by Faith (Geeky Zoo Girl) which contains many of the same comments I was going to make. If you enjoy reading books that use long complex run on sentences with very descriptive writing and really make you have to think and focus to understand what is being stated, then you probably would like this book. Here is an example: "Around her the plain, vast and indifferent, accepted her into its infinitude: wide, jagged and empty past the bounds of time, its peaks of broken lava teeth and osseous mahogany buttes quivering with heat, the seared white sky, were the landscape of childhood dream in which she first had glimpsed the horror, misery and destiny of all life, and where she, like the ancient young woman of the jawbone, would vanish into the geologic whorl of time."
Within the story there is a lot of suffering described with the animals and the main characters as they deal with the harsh realities of Africa and poachers. There is also suffering by Rebecca their kidnapped prisoner they wish to ransom. The 'hero' character MacAdam who is tracking the poachers in an effort to rescue Rebecca is not very likable and the author has you feeling empathetic toward Warwar (the main poacher character) as he forms a relationship with Rebecca and tries to protect her from various dangers. The story takes you through a very bleak and desolate African landscape with little hope for survival for both man and animals. It is clear the author is using the story as a way to raise awareness for the challenges facing the remaining animals in this harsh environment , but offers no clear solutions to the problem which leads to discouragement as you experience the story. Overall a dark tale of adventure and violance in a writing style that might remind you of taking a college literature class where you have to focus and work at understaing what you are reading.
Within the story there is a lot of suffering described with the animals and the main characters as they deal with the harsh realities of Africa and poachers. There is also suffering by Rebecca their kidnapped prisoner they wish to ransom. The 'hero' character MacAdam who is tracking the poachers in an effort to rescue Rebecca is not very likable and the author has you feeling empathetic toward Warwar (the main poacher character) as he forms a relationship with Rebecca and tries to protect her from various dangers. The story takes you through a very bleak and desolate African landscape with little hope for survival for both man and animals. It is clear the author is using the story as a way to raise awareness for the challenges facing the remaining animals in this harsh environment , but offers no clear solutions to the problem which leads to discouragement as you experience the story. Overall a dark tale of adventure and violance in a writing style that might remind you of taking a college literature class where you have to focus and work at understaing what you are reading.
December 10, 2013
Having just finished Mike Bond's The Last Savanna, I find I now have an unquenchable thirst and am downing glass of ice water after glass of ice water as I type due to Bond's vivid descriptions of the African sun:
All this was nothing to the sun which bore down like a molten weight dropped from a great height, always, every millisecond, crushing her, flaying her shoulders through the white cotton shirt, as if the fabric were not even there, or worse, as if it magnified the heat. Sun lacerated her neck and the inside of her throat with each intaken breath; it was an oven from which she could not withdraw her face, her hair so hot it burned her skull. (89)
Besides the vivid descriptions, Bond tells of elephant poaching in Africa, and the desire of protagonist MacAdam, a rancher, and his longtime friend Nehemiah to put an end to it. While part of a special unit, MacAdam learns of the kidnapping of a former lover, Rebecca. Thus, a complex journey through the desert ensues with danger from both the landscape and man lurking around every corner.
In addition, Bond, true to his writing, makes political and social commentary throughout:
Too much Coca Cola and motor vehicles have slowed even the Maasai. Every strength sows the seeds of future weakness: material advances destroy our defenses against the primitive. (52)
Although a gourd full of camel's blood and milk rinsed with urine (97) may be needed for survival in the desert, this may not be the ideal choice for book club. Even cold ugali (58) probably would not tempt discussion. Instead, a vast array of flavored waters: cucumber, lemon, strawberry/lime, seems ideal to prompt discussion of Bond's The Last Savanna.
All this was nothing to the sun which bore down like a molten weight dropped from a great height, always, every millisecond, crushing her, flaying her shoulders through the white cotton shirt, as if the fabric were not even there, or worse, as if it magnified the heat. Sun lacerated her neck and the inside of her throat with each intaken breath; it was an oven from which she could not withdraw her face, her hair so hot it burned her skull. (89)
Besides the vivid descriptions, Bond tells of elephant poaching in Africa, and the desire of protagonist MacAdam, a rancher, and his longtime friend Nehemiah to put an end to it. While part of a special unit, MacAdam learns of the kidnapping of a former lover, Rebecca. Thus, a complex journey through the desert ensues with danger from both the landscape and man lurking around every corner.
In addition, Bond, true to his writing, makes political and social commentary throughout:
Too much Coca Cola and motor vehicles have slowed even the Maasai. Every strength sows the seeds of future weakness: material advances destroy our defenses against the primitive. (52)
Although a gourd full of camel's blood and milk rinsed with urine (97) may be needed for survival in the desert, this may not be the ideal choice for book club. Even cold ugali (58) probably would not tempt discussion. Instead, a vast array of flavored waters: cucumber, lemon, strawberry/lime, seems ideal to prompt discussion of Bond's The Last Savanna.
January 7, 2014
Dorothy and husband Ian MacAdam had lived in Kenya for much of their married lives. Their marriage was stale, they were both unhappy, so when MacAdam was asked to lead a squad of soldiers who would search for and eradicate the poachers of the elephants’ ivory tusks, he did so happily. Dorothy decided to head back to England where she had been happiest; whether Ian would join her later, neither of them knew.
Upon capturing a group of Somali poachers, MacAdam returned with his men to the city. It was there he was told of the kidnapping of archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht; Rebecca had been his mistress two years prior – their break-up had been bitter, and she had had nothing to do with him since. But he loved her still and was determined to find her, even though chances of her survival were slim.
I struggled with this book. It took me a long while to get into as the words didn’t engage me – I had no feeling for the characters, and the further into the book that I read, the more I found the story to be not based around the plot, but around the male dominated environment, and the degradation of the women. I really thought I would enjoy it; the blurb painted a picture of a beautiful Africa with its wild animals, especially the elephants, and the poachers who needed to be stopped. I feel large chunks should have been edited out to make a better book which would then flow as it should have, and the story would follow.
With thanks to NetGalley for my copy to read and review.
Upon capturing a group of Somali poachers, MacAdam returned with his men to the city. It was there he was told of the kidnapping of archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht; Rebecca had been his mistress two years prior – their break-up had been bitter, and she had had nothing to do with him since. But he loved her still and was determined to find her, even though chances of her survival were slim.
I struggled with this book. It took me a long while to get into as the words didn’t engage me – I had no feeling for the characters, and the further into the book that I read, the more I found the story to be not based around the plot, but around the male dominated environment, and the degradation of the women. I really thought I would enjoy it; the blurb painted a picture of a beautiful Africa with its wild animals, especially the elephants, and the poachers who needed to be stopped. I feel large chunks should have been edited out to make a better book which would then flow as it should have, and the story would follow.
With thanks to NetGalley for my copy to read and review.
October 30, 2014
Excellent book.
It is historically accurate to the point of being disturbing with the graphic detail. It is apparent that the author has experience in the dangers of the region, and feels close to the
land and animals there. The characters that make the book come alive, are also vividly detailed.
You almost feel that you know them and some of what they are experiencing; fear, reluctance, responsibility.
It's difficult to comprehend for me the cruelty and horrific brutality inflicted by poachers. It's hard to envision that in our civilized society today, that some of this still exist. Mike shows how far they will go and its not only the animals in danger, but anyone who gets in the way or attempts to stop them.
This book was a Goodreads giveaway, but this author is among the best and I will certainly seek out more of his books. He writes in a knowledgeable, descriptive format with a theme that flows into an exciting story. You don't realize how much information you have gained until the end, and then its a powerful climatic ending. Hope others enjoy as much as I.
It is historically accurate to the point of being disturbing with the graphic detail. It is apparent that the author has experience in the dangers of the region, and feels close to the
land and animals there. The characters that make the book come alive, are also vividly detailed.
You almost feel that you know them and some of what they are experiencing; fear, reluctance, responsibility.
It's difficult to comprehend for me the cruelty and horrific brutality inflicted by poachers. It's hard to envision that in our civilized society today, that some of this still exist. Mike shows how far they will go and its not only the animals in danger, but anyone who gets in the way or attempts to stop them.
This book was a Goodreads giveaway, but this author is among the best and I will certainly seek out more of his books. He writes in a knowledgeable, descriptive format with a theme that flows into an exciting story. You don't realize how much information you have gained until the end, and then its a powerful climatic ending. Hope others enjoy as much as I.
July 15, 2014
Mike Bond's The Last Savanna is a survival story at several levels, from the survival of predatory and prey in the African bush, to the survival of men and women in the unforgiving landscape, the survival of human-hunted and the human-prey, and the survival of the continent itself as the land is stripped of its wildlife. I didn't really know what to expect of this novel, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is much more literary than your typical adventure novel. The characters are all too human, and the struggles they face are as much within themselves as outside themselves. In particular, I was impressed with Bond's ability to depict how, under the stress of thirst, exhaustion, and emotion, the mind can begin to deteriorate. I was also impressed with Bond's ability to clearly show the differences in values and culture and thinking between the indigenous people of Africa and the whites. I would recommend this novel to anyone.
March 14, 2014
I was instantly taken to the mountains and deserts of Africa. Along with an understanding of McAdams love for all that Africa was and will no longer be. We are all aware of the disappearance of African animal species. I really felt his heartbreak as he also realized this.
Of course there is another matter going on here with the chase between hunter and hunted - and are is McAdams the hunted or the hunter. The book intrigues and keeps your heart racing at times as the hunt continues on.
If I have one complaint about the book, it is the ending. A setup for a sequel or just unfinished?
I would recommend this book.
Of course there is another matter going on here with the chase between hunter and hunted - and are is McAdams the hunted or the hunter. The book intrigues and keeps your heart racing at times as the hunt continues on.
If I have one complaint about the book, it is the ending. A setup for a sequel or just unfinished?
I would recommend this book.
November 21, 2018
Tedious... the only word I can think of to describe this collection-of-words-without-purpose. Actually, "excruciatingly tedious" would be a more apt description. Couldn't finish it. I tried. I really tried. But the long-winded, rambling collection of adjectives and adjectival clauses in almost every sentence was just too dense to bear. They obliterated any story that Bond may have been trying to tell. If there was any. I'd rate this a minus 10 if I could. Definitely not an "author" I will read again.
September 2, 2016
This is my second attempt reading a book by Mike Bond and I just don't think he is the author for me. The book is well-written, and it is good for anyone looking for a gritty adventure set in modern-day Africa, but the story just wasn't for me. None of the characters are likeable, everyone is a little bit o9f a terrible person, so I wasn't invested in any of their fates and ended up hoping they would all meet some sort of demise. It'll probably be my last attempt at a book by this author.
February 20, 2014
A brilliant adventure story which feels, tastes, smells and despairs of Africa. How does an expat feel thousands of miles from home?Read this to find out. How does a hunter feel when he is being hunted ? The answer is also in this book. Mike Bond paints a brilliant picture of post colonial Africa where expats experience a multitude of conflicting emotions living in a country which is no longer "theirs" but which they love and are loath to leave. Superb.
January 31, 2017
That cover, that cover, that cover. Would you look at that beautiful cover! OK now onto the book itself...This was an amazing story with vivid descriptions that make you feel like you can "see" the story unfolding. I found this book very hard to put down and just wanted to keep reading. The fact that this book is based on the authors actual experiences makes this book even more amazing. Highly recommend this book!
May 12, 2019
Too unrealixtic!
Jumped around to much. Was hard to stick with. The only reason I finished it was that I always finish what I start.
Jumped around to much. Was hard to stick with. The only reason I finished it was that I always finish what I start.
September 28, 2019
Not my cup of tea. Too much thinking about why and how. Think I will stick with other authors.
September 19, 2017
The Last Savanna by Mike bond.
As ivory poachers are gunning down Africa’s last elephants, former SAS officer Ian MacAdam leads a commando squad against them. He pursues the poachers through jungled mountains and searing deserts, only to find they have kidnapped a young archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht, whom he once loved and bitterly lost. He embarks on a desperate trek to save not only Rebecca but his own soul in an Africa torn apart by wars, overpopulation and the slaughter of its last wildlife. Based on the author’s own experiences pursuing elephant poachers in the wilds of East Africa, The Last Savanna is an intense personal memoir of humanity’s ancient heartland, the beauty of its perilous deserts, jungles, and savannas, and the deep, abiding power of love.
A very good read with good characters. Different to what I usually read. 4*. Netgalley and author buzz.
As ivory poachers are gunning down Africa’s last elephants, former SAS officer Ian MacAdam leads a commando squad against them. He pursues the poachers through jungled mountains and searing deserts, only to find they have kidnapped a young archaeologist, Rebecca Hecht, whom he once loved and bitterly lost. He embarks on a desperate trek to save not only Rebecca but his own soul in an Africa torn apart by wars, overpopulation and the slaughter of its last wildlife. Based on the author’s own experiences pursuing elephant poachers in the wilds of East Africa, The Last Savanna is an intense personal memoir of humanity’s ancient heartland, the beauty of its perilous deserts, jungles, and savannas, and the deep, abiding power of love.
A very good read with good characters. Different to what I usually read. 4*. Netgalley and author buzz.
June 2, 2020
Bond uses his international settings to point out political and environmental problems that affect the people and their world. This book is no exception. Going after poachers from Somalia, who enter into Kenya to gather valuable elephant tusks, the main character is involved in a tortuous journey to save a female archaeologist kidnapped by the Somali poachers on their way back to Ethiopia.
The novel is both an adventure, a thriller, and a romance.
The novel is both an adventure, a thriller, and a romance.
July 28, 2017
This book pulls you in with the first chapter, a vivid description of life and death on the savanna. This is the third book by Mike Bond that I have read. One of his strengths as a writer is the quality of his descriptions of people, places, and events; at times, you feel like you are actually there. This was another enjoyable book by Mr. Bond. The book focuses on poaching in Africa, but also addresses broader issues of how Westerners have transformed Africa and African societies (not always for the best), our relationship with the world/nature, the power and importance of love, religious beliefs and beliefs regarding the value and status of women (the poachers in this story are Somali Muslims), violence, corruption, etc. One of the aspects of the book that I particularly liked was that it alternated between Macadam (Welsh, ex-military, has lived in Kenya for years, reluctant participant in anti-poacher unit), who is questioning what he wants from life and whether he has a purpose to remain in Africa, and three of the Somali poachers, in particular Warwar, the younger of the three, who is trying to prove himself to the others, but whose actions often bring increased problems, and who often thinks deeply about Allah, Islamic beliefs/practices, and clan dynamics. Adding a personal element to the chase of the poachers, it is discovered that three of the poachers, who had split off and headed north with the poached elephant tusks and lion skin, had attacked an archeological expedition and kidnapped a white woman (Rebecca), who happens to be a former love interest of Macadam, providing him with a renewed purpose for catching the poachers. The interaction between Warwar and Rebecca is quite interesting. The ending is somewhat surprising, but also rather fitting.
I received a copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
I received a copy of the ebook from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
January 3, 2014
Images of Africa contain savagery, curious animal behavior, human suffering, and hostile environment. Mike Bond, in THE LAST SAVANNA, touches on all these elements and does it with style and realism.
The protagonist, former SAS officer Ian MacAdam, leads a campaign against ivory poachers, chasing them through the steamy jungles and burning deserts of northern Kenya. The pursuit eventually centers on a small band of natives who have kidnapped a woman who was a former love of MacAdam’s, but who has drifted away to become an unshakeable memory.
That’s about it for the story, but the distinction of the book comes with the chase, exhibitions of ferocity and determination, the incessant presence of vicious animals and their primal sounds, and the turmoil of thought as served up by the author. Bond captures the very heart of African existence with all its beauty, violence, and strange customs. Then he introduces the way the characters think about them and the suffering that accompanies them.
The writing is beautiful. There are many sight and mind poems roiling in the minds of the characters but the reader doesn’t have to try to interpret them. I find it best to go with the story and let the mind games accompany me as I eagerly wait for the next incident. The existential experiences bring texture and add background to the journey.
The characters are not particularly well defined. There are too many native names that are difficult to pronounce and separate into recognizable entities. MacAdam is flawed and remote. Rebecca Hecht, the kidnapped woman, while courageous and pugnacious, has a wildly scattered mind. The kidnapers, adhering to their tribal customs, are threatening and brutal, and often extremely stupid. The tag along, Warwar, is a brave little man who can’t resolve his fascination for Rebecca and his hatred for her.
In the end, some readers will not like the author’s resolution of the story. I found it to be abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying. But, when I think about it, I see the history of Africa there; violent, perpetual, and inexplicable.
Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES
The protagonist, former SAS officer Ian MacAdam, leads a campaign against ivory poachers, chasing them through the steamy jungles and burning deserts of northern Kenya. The pursuit eventually centers on a small band of natives who have kidnapped a woman who was a former love of MacAdam’s, but who has drifted away to become an unshakeable memory.
That’s about it for the story, but the distinction of the book comes with the chase, exhibitions of ferocity and determination, the incessant presence of vicious animals and their primal sounds, and the turmoil of thought as served up by the author. Bond captures the very heart of African existence with all its beauty, violence, and strange customs. Then he introduces the way the characters think about them and the suffering that accompanies them.
The writing is beautiful. There are many sight and mind poems roiling in the minds of the characters but the reader doesn’t have to try to interpret them. I find it best to go with the story and let the mind games accompany me as I eagerly wait for the next incident. The existential experiences bring texture and add background to the journey.
The characters are not particularly well defined. There are too many native names that are difficult to pronounce and separate into recognizable entities. MacAdam is flawed and remote. Rebecca Hecht, the kidnapped woman, while courageous and pugnacious, has a wildly scattered mind. The kidnapers, adhering to their tribal customs, are threatening and brutal, and often extremely stupid. The tag along, Warwar, is a brave little man who can’t resolve his fascination for Rebecca and his hatred for her.
In the end, some readers will not like the author’s resolution of the story. I found it to be abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying. But, when I think about it, I see the history of Africa there; violent, perpetual, and inexplicable.
Schuyler T Wallace
Author of TIN LIZARD TALES
February 14, 2017
THE LAST SAVANNAH by Mike Bond is a tale of survival and the circle of life told out on the plains and deserts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. The book is set up with an opening story of one animal hunting and killing another, which in turn is brought down by another predator, all the while being watched by the hyenas awaiting their chance at the scraps.
Along the way there are Somali poaches tracking and killing elephants for their ivory. When the local police ask former SAS man Ian MacAdam to leave his ranch and lead a team of hunters to track the poaches, he reluctantly agrees.
The conflict he feels within reflects the conflict felt throughout Africa. What is right and what is wrong, what is important, why do we love what we love and do we have to let it go. Here is modern Africa in turmoil, trying to be true to itself, while becoming a greater player on the world stage. All this is bound up in the story of a white man who has given almost all of himself to this place he loved for so long that even the least observant of the population knows that he is as black as any of them and as true to the land more than most.
The hunt becomes more urgent when a small group of archeologists is attacked. A woman is taken ransom, her husband forced to cross the desert with the demands of the very same poachers MacAdams and crew are hunting. To make it worse, the woman is the one person MacAdams loves more than any other.
This is a sprawling story of modern Africa which has to come to terms with itself, a place of abundant beauty and great wealth. It is the story of a struggle for survival, and the tragic consequence of greed, of love lost, and hope for the future.
THE LAST SAVANNAH IS one hell of a read. It brings you out of your chair and into the heat of dust of that far away land. I found myself transported on every page, every word making the realism even greater. But there is one bullet,one shot,I don't believe in,but I know it was needed to make the story into the circle it had to be. Ah well.
Along the way there are Somali poaches tracking and killing elephants for their ivory. When the local police ask former SAS man Ian MacAdam to leave his ranch and lead a team of hunters to track the poaches, he reluctantly agrees.
The conflict he feels within reflects the conflict felt throughout Africa. What is right and what is wrong, what is important, why do we love what we love and do we have to let it go. Here is modern Africa in turmoil, trying to be true to itself, while becoming a greater player on the world stage. All this is bound up in the story of a white man who has given almost all of himself to this place he loved for so long that even the least observant of the population knows that he is as black as any of them and as true to the land more than most.
The hunt becomes more urgent when a small group of archeologists is attacked. A woman is taken ransom, her husband forced to cross the desert with the demands of the very same poachers MacAdams and crew are hunting. To make it worse, the woman is the one person MacAdams loves more than any other.
This is a sprawling story of modern Africa which has to come to terms with itself, a place of abundant beauty and great wealth. It is the story of a struggle for survival, and the tragic consequence of greed, of love lost, and hope for the future.
THE LAST SAVANNAH IS one hell of a read. It brings you out of your chair and into the heat of dust of that far away land. I found myself transported on every page, every word making the realism even greater. But there is one bullet,one shot,I don't believe in,but I know it was needed to make the story into the circle it had to be. Ah well.
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