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Hal & Roger Hunt Adventures #6
African Adventure
A reissue of Willard Price's classic adventure series set in the animal kingdom.
Hal and Roger Hunt are on the trail of a vicious man-eating leopard. Yet they are also being hunted themselves, by a merciless band of killers known as the Leopard Society. Can they trust their own tracker, Joro, despite knowing that he has pledged to lead them to their deaths?
Hal and Roger Hunt are on the trail of a vicious man-eating leopard. Yet they are also being hunted themselves, by a merciless band of killers known as the Leopard Society. Can they trust their own tracker, Joro, despite knowing that he has pledged to lead them to their deaths?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
About the author
Willard Price
151 books82 followersWillard DeMille Price was born in Peterborough, Ontario, and moved to the US when he was four. He got his MA and Litt.D from Columbia. He held a special interest for natural history, ethnology and exploration and made numerous expeditions for the American Museum of Natural History and the National Geographic Society. Price also went on to edit various magazines on travel and world affairs and spent six years working in Japan as foreign correspondent for New York and London newspapers. He travelled in seventy-seven countries before his death in 1983.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 8, 2009
I'm going to rate all of the Willard Price books as four stars. Not because I think they're all that special (hell, they're basically the works of an eco-terrorism apologist), but because, when I was twelve, they were THE BEST BOOKS I'D EVER READ. I lapped them up. Loved 'em.
May 17, 2011
This review goes or the whole series really. I read these books too long ago to actually remember a lot of details of the individual books, a pity. For a crazy little escapist kid like me Willard price was simply transporting and intense while being knowledgeable at the same time. In his pages i learned of the age old enmity between salt water crocs and sharks, the difference between African and Asian elephants, the economics of poaching and sanctuary management, the arts of bushwhacking, snake charming, shooting, knife hunting, befriending wild cheetahs you name it, Willard Price has written about it. There is a sense of boyish adventure here that adult fiction simply fails to grasp. Or perhaps it is because we as adults expect a different sort of fiction to sate our thirsts. Maybe our sense of adventure has simply changed into something more tempered by the bleak realities we choose to see. Another pity.
May 4, 2009
Exciting adventure focusing on attempts to catch big game in Uganda. There are numerous fine set pieces, especially the capture of a hippo and three buffalo. The chief historical interest is the sinister Leopard Society, depicted as an unenlightened backlash against colonialism.
May 9, 2015
My five-year-old and I read this, a chapter a night. He LOVED it. He learned a lot about the different animals they encounter, and it's quite the adventure tale. It is VERY dated, with painfully racist views of Africans, so I skipped over those bits when I could.
July 17, 2020
After a few novels in which the Hal and Roger Hunt series had stepped slightly away from what seemed to be their core business of obtaining animals for zoos and focussing more on scientific work, they go back to animal hunting in a major way for the sixth novel in the series. For the first time in a few novels, their father is back as a main character as well, which suggests the focus will be very similar to that in the opening novel, “Amazon Adventure”.
As with that first novel, the title of “African Adventure” tells you exactly where the Hunts are travelling to on this occasion. The three of them are in Africa seeking buffalo, leopards, giraffes, hippos and other animals, mostly the larger ones that live in that area. As if this wasn’t complicated enough, they are hampered by the efforts of “Colonel” Benjamin Bigg”, an inept White Hunter who has stumbled across their camp after being thrown out of his own hunting party, and one of the members of their crew, Joro, who is a member of a secret leopard Society, whose aim is to kill the Hunts to save his own family from retribution from the group.
When Price sticks to what he knows best, this is quite an exciting novel. Whereas in previous novels, they have generally happened across the animals and waited for the animals to arrive at where they are, in some cases this time around, they have to physically chase the animals. This involves both tracking them, getting out on the water to follow them and, in the case of the later animals, physically chasing after them in trucks. Price’s writing has always been the most vivid and fast-paced when the Hunts are physically putting themselves into danger and interacting with animals, which happens a lot here.
What is less effective is the character building, which has always been the case, but this time there is some political involvement. Whilst it is worth noting that the book was first written in 1963, which was a far less enlightened time than we’re currently living in, there does seem to be a little more of a colonial mindset than is comfortable. There is a minor political and history lesson relating to the Leopard Society and other similar groups in which it’s quite clear which side of the argument Price falls upon and a section where modern medicine is effective over traditional methods, which didn’t seem entirely necessary.
Admittedly, “Colonel” Bigg is more racist than the Hunts, who do treat the locals like people in a way that Bigg doesn’t, there are frequent references to the Hunts local support crew as “the blacks” and their hands are often described as “black hands”, which seems entirely unnecessary. The characters are also forced into the background, with only a couple of them seemingly deserving of being named and none of them being given much in the way of a character, aside from Joro, who only gets this as he’s acting as part of the antagonist group. This had appears previously in a couple of books with the South Sea Islander Omo, but in a smaller cast, he was treated better than Price’s writing treats the African trackers in this case, who seem to be playing second fiddle to the camp dog on occasion.
This attitude is a shame and takes the edge off the novel for me a little, as otherwise it is one of the better ones in the series. As with all of Price’s writing, it’s well paced and there are opportunities to learn a little about African animals mixed in with the standard action scenes of a thriller novel. The lack of character building is a shame, particularly as there is a larger cast of characters here than before and the inclusion of some scenes with the local village and “Colonel” Bigg, who seems to appear only as comic relief and the espouse some racist viewpoints not being entirely necessary and could have been jettisoned in favour of the animal tracking, as could the Leopard Society section. I suspect the political sections may have read better at the time, but the colonial and racist mindsets do mean I was unable to settle down and enjoy this novel as much as others in the series, which was a real shame as it could have been one of the better ones without all that.
As with that first novel, the title of “African Adventure” tells you exactly where the Hunts are travelling to on this occasion. The three of them are in Africa seeking buffalo, leopards, giraffes, hippos and other animals, mostly the larger ones that live in that area. As if this wasn’t complicated enough, they are hampered by the efforts of “Colonel” Benjamin Bigg”, an inept White Hunter who has stumbled across their camp after being thrown out of his own hunting party, and one of the members of their crew, Joro, who is a member of a secret leopard Society, whose aim is to kill the Hunts to save his own family from retribution from the group.
When Price sticks to what he knows best, this is quite an exciting novel. Whereas in previous novels, they have generally happened across the animals and waited for the animals to arrive at where they are, in some cases this time around, they have to physically chase the animals. This involves both tracking them, getting out on the water to follow them and, in the case of the later animals, physically chasing after them in trucks. Price’s writing has always been the most vivid and fast-paced when the Hunts are physically putting themselves into danger and interacting with animals, which happens a lot here.
What is less effective is the character building, which has always been the case, but this time there is some political involvement. Whilst it is worth noting that the book was first written in 1963, which was a far less enlightened time than we’re currently living in, there does seem to be a little more of a colonial mindset than is comfortable. There is a minor political and history lesson relating to the Leopard Society and other similar groups in which it’s quite clear which side of the argument Price falls upon and a section where modern medicine is effective over traditional methods, which didn’t seem entirely necessary.
Admittedly, “Colonel” Bigg is more racist than the Hunts, who do treat the locals like people in a way that Bigg doesn’t, there are frequent references to the Hunts local support crew as “the blacks” and their hands are often described as “black hands”, which seems entirely unnecessary. The characters are also forced into the background, with only a couple of them seemingly deserving of being named and none of them being given much in the way of a character, aside from Joro, who only gets this as he’s acting as part of the antagonist group. This had appears previously in a couple of books with the South Sea Islander Omo, but in a smaller cast, he was treated better than Price’s writing treats the African trackers in this case, who seem to be playing second fiddle to the camp dog on occasion.
This attitude is a shame and takes the edge off the novel for me a little, as otherwise it is one of the better ones in the series. As with all of Price’s writing, it’s well paced and there are opportunities to learn a little about African animals mixed in with the standard action scenes of a thriller novel. The lack of character building is a shame, particularly as there is a larger cast of characters here than before and the inclusion of some scenes with the local village and “Colonel” Bigg, who seems to appear only as comic relief and the espouse some racist viewpoints not being entirely necessary and could have been jettisoned in favour of the animal tracking, as could the Leopard Society section. I suspect the political sections may have read better at the time, but the colonial and racist mindsets do mean I was unable to settle down and enjoy this novel as much as others in the series, which was a real shame as it could have been one of the better ones without all that.
May 19, 2019
Good adventure novel set in Africa. The boys having served their apprenticeships in the last two books are this time joined by their dad in collecting wild animals in Africa. They battle not only the dangerous animals but hostile natives, the mysterious Leopard Society and a phoney 'white hunter' (though didn't see much point to introducing that character).
Lots more animals collected this time, and with the dad John becoming injured and incapacitated the boys rely on their wit to survive. Remember the scene with the baboons from reading this as a kid.
Great stuff.
Lots more animals collected this time, and with the dad John becoming injured and incapacitated the boys rely on their wit to survive. Remember the scene with the baboons from reading this as a kid.
Great stuff.
January 7, 2022
Found this in a local charity shop and reread it for nostalgia's sake. Sorry I did really because now I'm not sure why I enjoyed this series so much as a child.
It hasn't aged well, the racism galls and it reads more like a textbook than a story.
Ah well - at least my taste in fiction has improved since I was eleven.
It hasn't aged well, the racism galls and it reads more like a textbook than a story.
Ah well - at least my taste in fiction has improved since I was eleven.
February 18, 2024
Hard to pick between Amazon Adventure and this as my favourite of Willard Price’s books, but African Adventure might just edge it. The Leopard Society-backed witch doctor makes for a menacing villain, and Hal and Roger’s pursuit of Africa’s big game makes for a thrilling read.
December 24, 2020
a good read aloud book for the family. Educational and very informative on pygmy African culture. Also hilarious and fun for all ages.
Read
April 20, 2021This was terrible service and shame to you I couldn't the book. Shameful
July 5, 2018
Action, adventure, survival, environment, conservation...
I loved these books when I was a kid. At the time, they seemed to border on sci-fi regarding the at-the-time-amazing technology the boys used.
Of course, looking back you can see how these stories are flawed, but I still think they are enjoyable. In fact, it would make for a really interesting middle school science project for children to read one of these books and then compare them with the knowledge of the world and technology we have today.
I loved these books when I was a kid. At the time, they seemed to border on sci-fi regarding the at-the-time-amazing technology the boys used.
Of course, looking back you can see how these stories are flawed, but I still think they are enjoyable. In fact, it would make for a really interesting middle school science project for children to read one of these books and then compare them with the knowledge of the world and technology we have today.
May 25, 2011
African Adventure is an amazing book. The action starts from the first page and continues to the end. The book is intense and once you start you never want to stop. Willard Price ends the book in suspense and ou need to read the next book in the series to find out what happens. This time the two brothers are on their own as their father got injured. they are on the trail of a man-eating leopard and yet they are being hunted by a criminal organisation that takes the name o the Leopard Society. Their tracker Joro has pledged to kill them and will they find out soon enough or will they meet their death? I would give this book 4 stars because it was well written and it was full of action. I found the book suspenseful and I also found the plot interesting. My favorite part of the book was when they had the battle at the end of the book. I found that part very interesting. My favorite passage from the book was: "there was a rushing through the grass just outside the zone of firelight. HUnt put his .375 magnum to his shoulder. he lowered the gun when he saw that what was emerging from te bush was no wild beast but the headman of the village with three of his men."I thought that Willard Price wrote this part very well. He had a good choice of words and he was very descriptive. This was a good book and I would read it again.
Adil
Adil
July 19, 2019
When I was a child, this was the first book I read in the series, borrowed from the school library, and it remained my favourite. Currently returning from my own African safari in Kenya, the opening scene with the Hunt brothers listening to the nightly orchestra of the African jungle and having their father identify each 'instrument', was highly resonant. After tracking a man-eating leopard, the Hunts' new adventure starts with a mystery when the beast's footprints take on a supernatural aspect. Along with capturing wild animals for zoos, they must now watch out for a member of the secret Leopard Society who has pledged to murder them. The conflict between the civilised influence of the west and the primitive superstitions of the Africans comes into play here.
In spite of the assassination subplot, this book is relatively light in tone, introducing the character of Colonel Bigg as the fraudulent great white hunter who provides much of the slapstick. As the boys go about capturing leopards, hippos, baboons, hyenas, buffalo, and giraffes, the animals are introduced with lots of interesting facts, as usual, many of which are exaggerated or derived from unreliable eyewitness accounts. For instance, at one point the so-called animal expert John Hunt claims that the hippo catches fish by opening its mouth on the riverbed, despite asserting that hippos are herbivores a few pages earlier. He also incorrectly refers to baboons as apes. The book is fun, fast paced and an exciting change of setting from the Pacific based earlier adventures.
In spite of the assassination subplot, this book is relatively light in tone, introducing the character of Colonel Bigg as the fraudulent great white hunter who provides much of the slapstick. As the boys go about capturing leopards, hippos, baboons, hyenas, buffalo, and giraffes, the animals are introduced with lots of interesting facts, as usual, many of which are exaggerated or derived from unreliable eyewitness accounts. For instance, at one point the so-called animal expert John Hunt claims that the hippo catches fish by opening its mouth on the riverbed, despite asserting that hippos are herbivores a few pages earlier. He also incorrectly refers to baboons as apes. The book is fun, fast paced and an exciting change of setting from the Pacific based earlier adventures.
January 2, 2017
As before with this series, this was written ‘of a time’ so there are certain aspects and viewpoints which are a lot less palatable for today’s audience. Putting that aside, this was an informative adventure which as much focus on the flora and fauna as on the story itself. There are certain times where belief does need to be suspended, but we both enjoyed this.
November 28, 2014
This is NOT the copy I read. I read a lovely hardback. ;)
March 14, 2015
All the Willard price books are just as good the tribal story's apart from being completely brutal are really good
November 2, 2016
possibly read in winter 1967
December 10, 2016
Reliving my youth/researching my book.
January 15, 2023
I read this as a child and loved them, such an easy concept and still a very enjoyable read 20 years later.
January 27, 2024
The Hunts are back on form in this one after the distasteful blip that was Whale Adventure.
October 20, 2010
Action-packed.
September 8, 2012
I loved for these boos when I was about 11 and learned A LOT about animals and geography from them
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews