The Lure of the Lion

by J.P. Fonté

Book by Fonté, J.P.

360 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2004

Reviews

[Alan Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how intricate the plot is in this book. It takes place on three continents over many years with characters from three generations aging, dying, growing up and being born. Merging with reality from time to time, such as the Israeli raid at Entebbe to free hostages from the famous Palestinian airline hijacking, the action is continuous and the settings constantly changing. If you like family sagas, this book may be for you. Some extra adverbs can be skimmed over and don't interrupt the flow of the narrative.

[Mark Fine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this thrilling novel from the first page. It’s an epic saga that’s so cinematic in scope in its telling of exotic African vistas and grand European locations. And the fascinating characters and creatures that inhabit this moving story help draw the reader along a great literary adventure. Knowing Africa as I do, it’s clear the author is equally familiar with this most intriguing—yet misunderstood continent. J.P Fonte’s intimate appreciation of the history, culture and the wildlife of Africa have come from actually living it, and as such the writings within “The Lure of the Lion” are imbued with an aura of authenticity.

What held my interest, and what was so compelling about this book, was how this nail-biting, inter-generational plot was cleverly inserted into the raw history of the times. And then there’s the cast-- richly described. We have the dangerous and corrupt: from the brutal dictator Idi Amin to deadly elephant poachers. We also meet the decent and courageous: from Maasai tribesman, wildlife conservationists to loyal servants selflessly protecting their master’s family. Echoing human behavior we have the animals too, displaying similar traits of good and evil: from a deadly cobra to a sweet trio of cheetah orphans.

But there’s uniqueness to this book that, at first, eluded me. Then I came to appreciate the heart of a woman at its core; yet this spirit in no way diminishes the thrilling and robust action sequences (such as the Israeli commando raid to save the Entebbe hostages), and versatility is the mark of a gifted writer. So treat yourself to this story-- so complete and compelling, you will be pleased you did.
[Mark Fine, author of "The Zebra Affaire"]
The Zebra Affaire Mark Fine