Wilbur Smith

‘That time is upon us. I can feel it coming. That evil barbarian will not be satisfied until he has engulfed the whole world in war and death. I fear for us all.’ In a triumphant return to his much-loved Courtney series, Wilbur Smith introduces us to the bravest new member of the famed family, Saffron Courtney. Saffron grows up on a sprawling Kenyan estate, under the watchful eye of her father, prominent businessman and distinguished war veteran Leon Courtney. Her childhood is idyllic, until a family tragedy forces her to grow up much faster than necessary. As she grows into a spirited teenager, her thirst for knowledge and adventure leads her to England, where she finds herself inevitably drawn into the heart of the gathering storm in the lead up to World War II. Gerhard von Meerbach is the privileged and idealistic younger brother of Konrad von Meerbach, heir to an industrial fortune, and vocal supporter of the Nazi Party. Gerhard struggles to stay true to his principles in an increasingly cruel world. His friendship with a Jewish man places him in danger, and forces him to take a stand against the forces of evil that have overtaken his country and his family. But, unknown to him, he is caught in a trap that could cost him everything he holds dear. As the Second World War looms over them all, Saffron and Gerhard’s worlds will collide – but will there be more to unite them than tear them apart? A love story in the time of heroes, War Cry is the latest breath-taking episode in Wilbur Smith’s epic account of one beloved family.

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The Malabar coast is full of dangers: greedy tradesmen, fearless pirates, and men full of vengeance. But for a Courtney, the greatest danger might just be his own family… After his father’s gambling debts leave him penniless and in danger, Francis Courtney seeks revenge and fortune in South Africa. But on arrival, he uncovers a truth that leaves him overwhelmed and disoriented. Meanwhile, his cousin Christopher Courtney begins to make his own way in the world, foregoing the righteous path and falling prey to betrayal, violence and treachery. In this epic journey from the southernmost point of Africa to the lush Indian coastline, the lives of these two Courtney men will intertwine, and forever alter the course of their famous family. From the world’s greatest storyteller comes a compelling and breathless tale of intrigue and betrayal that draws the Courtney’s together, and just as easily tears them apart.

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Worldwide bestselling author Wilbur Smith will take you on an incredible journey on the thrashing seas off the coast of Africa in this glorious return to the series that made him who he is: The Courtney series. East African Coast, 1670. In a time of brave and brutal adventure, one man will journey across land and sea to pursue his greatest enemy … The Golden Bough, captained by Henry ‘Hal’ Courtney, is running south from Ethiopia to Zanzibar. Below deck, both his crew and his lover, the fearless warrior Judith Nazet, sleep. As the moon glints through clouds, Hal sights a ship passing close by. Although there is an uneasy truce between the warring English and Dutch, Hal scents danger. When the Bough is boarded, the crew must go hand to hand to defend their ship and their lives. But soon Hal will face even graver danger, as he discovers his mortal enemy still lives and is hell-bent on revenge. he must pursue his nemesis across desert savannah, through the seedy underbelly of Zanzibar’s slave markets and shark-infested waters, imperilling his own life at every turn. But it will take more than a slave’s shackles to hold Hal Courtney… A thrilling blend of extraordinary drama and epic storytelling, Golden Lion sees Wilbur Smith return in triumphant form to the adventures of his beloved and bestselling Courtney family.

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The WORLDWIDE Bestseller. A novel of Ancient Egypt from the bestselling author of River God. Wilbur Smith is a master at the helm of one of the greatest stories of all time. On the banks of the Nile, a hero will rise Egypt is under threat. Taita, a freed slave and the Pharaoh’s closest advisor, must create a master plan to crush the kingdom’s historic enemy and return Egypt to its former glory. He must call on his powers as both tactician and warrior to lead a great army up the Nile, through Arabia to the magical city of Babylon, then across the open seas to Crete. This army will meet battle and betrayal head on. But their greatest challenge will not be found on the battleground and it will threaten not only Taita’s plan, but the very future of Egypt.

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The Worldwide Number One Bestseller Wilbur Smith returns to Ancient Egypt in a captivating new novel that will transport you to extraordinary times. EGYPT IS UNDER ATTACK. The old Pharaoh Tamose lies mortally wounded.The ancient city of Luxor is surrounded.All seems lost. Taita, ex-slave and general of Tamose’s armies, leads his men to victory against Egypt’s enemies. But upon his victorious return to Luxor, he is seized as a traitor. Tamose is dead and a new Pharaoh has risen. Pharaoh Utteric is young and cruel, and threatened by Taita’s influence within the palace – especially his friendship with Utteric’s younger and worthier brother, Rameses. Rameses is torn between duty to his family and loyalty to his friends. Yet he knows that there is no choice. Taita must be set free, Utteric must be stopped and Egypt must be reclaimed.

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BOOK 5 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA POWERFUL FAMILY. A DEVASTATING WAR. Centaine de Thiry Courtney has not only survived the many challenges of her life but has thrived. A successful businesswoman with two sons: Shasa Courtney, the Courtney heir, and Manfred de la Rey, Shasa's half-brother, her secret child raised solely by his father. But as the Great Depression takes hold, Centaine must make difficult decisions to ensure the security of her family - decisions that will affect Manfred and his father, Lothar de la Rey, a man Centaine once loved. But the world is changing, and conflicts greater than any the world has seen before are looming. Centaine and her children must face the upcoming war - and not all of them will be on the same side . . . A Courtney Series adventure - Book 2 in The Burning Shore sequenceThe Power of the Sword is the shocking second novel in The Burning Shore sequence of the Courtney family saga by Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. Book 6 in the Courtney family series, Rage, is available now.

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THE SECOND HECTOR CROSS THRILLER FROM WILBUR SMITH. PERFECT FOR FANS OF BOURNE AND LEE CHILD'S JACK REACHER SERIES.He'll stop at nothing to protect the ones he loves. Hector Cross is under siege. After a lifetime of making enemies, Cross has settled down, but it seems someone missed the memo. When his life is turned upside down in a brutal attack, Cross recognises the handiwork of a terrorist organisation from his past and swears vengeance. But as he follows the trail across the globe a new more terrifying battle begins. For there are worse things in Cross's world than terrorist kidnappers. Can he save those he loves - or will he pay the ultimate price? The second Hector Cross thriller. Book 1 in the series, Those in Peril, is out now in paperback and ebook.REVIEWS'As adventurous, violent and artful as ever' - Libby Purves, Midweek on BBC Radio 4

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BOOK 11 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH 'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror A NEW START. AN OLD ENEMY. Jim Courtney is protected by all the wealth and influence that his family's successful business, the Courtney Brothers Trading Company, can provide in the Dutch-owned colonies of South Africa. Louisa Leuven is an orphaned young woman who escaped the plague only to be unjustly imprisoned and transported to the Cape. When a storm destroys her prison ship, Jim is her only hope of escape. But Louisa and Jim have greater adventures in the African wilds ahead of them: they must flee from Dutch forces who seek not only to recapture their prisoner, but also to hunt down and hang Jim Courtney - and punish the other members of the Courtney family, however they can . . . A Courtney Series adventure - Book 3 in the Birds of Prey trilogy.Blue Horizon is the eleventh novel in the Courtney family saga from Wilbur Smith and the final chapter in the Birds of Prey series, and is a glorious exploration of love and hatred, family and power. Book 12 in the Courtney family series, Assegai, is available now.

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BOOK 1 IN THE BALLANTYNE SERIES BY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA DISHONOURABLE MAN. AN HONOURABLE MISSION.Dr Robyn Ballantyne has always worked hard for what she wants. Following in the footsteps of their father she and her brother, the celebrated soldier Zouga Ballantyne, depart England on an expedition to Africa, the land of their birth. Robyn is determined to bring an end to slave trading, while Zouga is certain that Africa will be the land that makes him, and determines to make his fortune there, whatever the cost.Manning the expedition is the notorious American merchant, Mungo St John. Robyn is deeply attracted to St John but is horrified to discover that he is a slave-trader, and that she is unwittingly travelling on a slave ship.Also vying for her love is the fanatical anti-slavery naval captain, Clinton Codrington. Kind and respectable, Codrington is deeply in love with Robyn, but despite herself she cannot return his feelings.As Robyn finds herself torn between the two men, she is forced to make a decision that will change her life forever, and which will shape the future for them all.The first book in the first sequence of the epic Ballantyne seriesBook 2 in the Ballantyne series, Men of Men, is available now.

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The action-packed and gripping historical adventure by global sensation Wilbur Smith, about one man's quest for revenge.'An exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - SunTHE DESIRE FOR REVENGE CAN BURN THE HEART OUT OF A MANThe son of a wealthy plantation owner and a doting mother, Mungo St John is accustomed to wealth and luxury - until he returns from university to discover his family ruined, his inheritance stolen and his childhood sweetheart, Camilla, taken by the conniving Chester Marion. Mungo swears vengeance and devotes his life to saving Camilla - and destroying Chester.As Mungo battles his own fate and misfortune, he must question what it takes for a man to regain his power in the world when he has nothing, and what he is willing to do to exact revenge . . .Call of the Raven is the prequel to Wilbur Smith's bestselling novel, A Falcon Flies (1980), part of the Ballantyne Series.Don't miss the rest of the series, Men of Men, The Angels Weep, The Leopard Hunts in Darkness, Triumph of the Sun and King of Kings, all available in paperback and ebook now.Praise for Wilbur Smith'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror'Call of the Raven' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 06-09-2020.

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LET THE HUNT BEGIN. HECTOR CROSS, ex-SAS officer, private security expert, widower. His wife was taken much too soon, by a cruel man with evil intentions. JOHNNY CONGO, psychopath, extortionist, terrorist, the man who murdered Hector’s wife. Cross wants him dead. So does the US government. Congo is locked up on Death Row in the most secure prison in the free world, counting down the days until his execution. He’s got two weeks. He wants out. He’s escaped before and knows he can again. Cross, still licking his wounds from his last bruising encounter with Congo, is back and ready for work. In the middle of the rough Atlantic stands oil supertanker Bannock A. Terrorist activity in the area has triggered panic and there’s only one person they can trust to protect her. What is promised as a cakewalk turns out to be much more, a mission that will test Cross to his emotional and physical limits. But a life spent in the SAS and private security has left Cross hard-wired for pain and as he is thrown into the fire once more, he will not stop until he has snared his prey. Hector Cross is Predator.

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BOOK 9 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA DEADLY MISSION. A HEROIC BATTLE.It is 1667 and the war between the Dutch and the English is escalating rapidly. Sir Francis Courtney, his son Hal and their crew are carried around the southern tip of the African colonies by the good ship Lady Edwina, licensed to attack and seize the treasure-laden ships of the Dutch East India company. When they capture a Dutch trader and hold the passengers to ransom, Sir Francis hopes only for a good price and a small sense of satisfaction.But this is unlawful territory they sail in. An unexpected betrayal will mean those on board must face greater peril than they ever have before - and many good men may never see home again . . .A Courtney Series adventure - Book 1 in the Birds of Prey sequence.Birds of Prey is the ninth novel in the Courtney family saga from Wilbur Smith and the first novel of the Courtney series chronologically. Exploring the thrilling era of the Dutch East India Company, Birds of Prey is perfect reading for historical fiction and adventure fans, and those new to Wilbur Smith.Book 10 in the Courtney family series, Birds of Prey, is available now.

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BOOK 2 IN THE BALLANTYNE SERIES, BY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA RUTHLESS MAN. AN UNFORGIVING DESTINY. Zouga Ballantyne has in his blood a fanatical need to find diamonds, and it is in the diamond mines of Kimberley that he finally realises his fate. But the price of success in one of the most punishing places in the world is high, and Zouga loses his beloved wife to one of the many sicknesses that haunt the diamond mine camp. Zouga and his sons are left to find their fortune elsewhere, and end up a part of the flourishing British Empire, developing their own form of civilisation in the face of tribal opposition.But Zouga's success has come at a price. The local Matabele tribe, who have tried to live alongside the colonists, are slowly losing everything. In the face of exploitation, violence and greed, who will triumph in the land of ruthless men?The second book in the epic Ballantyne Series.Book 3 in the Ballantyne series, The Angels Weep, is available now.

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BOOK 1 IN THE ICONIC ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SERIES, FROM THE MASTER OF ADVENTURE, WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King 'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror IN THE LAND OF GOLDWHERE THE WEAK PHARAOH RULESA NEW CIVILISATION WILL BE BORNTaita is a humble slave; an expert in art, poetry, medicine and engineering, as well as the keeper of important secrets. He is the most treasured possession of Lord Intef. Yet when Intef's beautiful daughter Lostris is married to the Pharaoh, Taita is commanded to follow her, and swiftly finds himself deeper than he ever could have imagined in a world of deception and treachery. But outside the palace, the great kingdom of Egypt is divided, and in even greater danger. Enemies threaten on all sides, and only Taita holds the power to save them all . . . Book 1 in the Ancient Egyptian series from the master historical adventure writer, Wilbur Smith. Book 2 in the series, The Seventh Scroll, is available now. Book 7 in the series and book 1 in The New Kingdom sequence, The New Kingdom, also available now.

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BOOK 10 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorTHEY LEAVE AS BROTHERS. THEY RETURN AS MEN. The East India Trading Company is under attack from pirates. Under orders from the King himself, famed sailor Hal Courtney makes the dangerous journey to Madagascar with his young sons, charged with stopping the pirates responsible or to die trying.In this epic swashbuckling adventure of love and treasure, the brothers will face duels, chases, betrayals and battles - and see their fates cast in ways they could never have imagined . . .A Courtney Series adventure - Book Two in the Birds of Prey trilogy.Monsoon is the tenth novel in the Courtney family saga from Wilbur Smith, introducing beloved characters and setting the stage for generations to come.Book 11 in the Courtney family series, Blue Horizon, is available now.

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BOOK 5 IN THE BALLANTYNE SERIES, BY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King 'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror A FEARSOME ENEMY. A CITY UNDER SIEGE. In the burning heat of the Sudanese sun, the city of Khartoum is under siege from the fearsome forces of the Mahdi, the charismatic leader of rebel forces who tire of the brutal Egyptian government. In Khartoum, along with thousands of innocent citizens, are trapped the fanatical General Charles Gordon, intrepid soldier Penrod Ballantyne of the 10th Hussars, English trader Ryder Courtney and the British consul, David Benbrook, and his three beautiful daughters, Rebecca, Saffron and Amber. As rescue becomes increasingly unlikely, this group of Queen Victoria's loyal citizens must unite to prepare themselves against a violent enemy, and for the savage battle that must surely follow . . . The Courtneys meet the Ballantynes in a sweeping adventure from the master of adventure fiction.The fifth book in the epic Ballantyne Series and the first in an exciting crossover sequence between Wilbur Smith's two iconic family sagas, the Ballantynes and the Courtneys. The adventures of the Ballantynes and Courtneys continue in Book 6 of the Ballantyne series, King of Kings, available now.

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BOOK 3 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror A BATTLE WON. A LEGACY DESTROYED. General Sean Courtney returns from the horrors of the Great War in France, his mind on his heirs and his legacy. Three potential successors are determined to take on all Sean has built: his beautiful but spoiled daughter, Storm, his corrupt, disgraced son, Dirk, and his new assistant Mark Anders, a fellow survivor of the trenches, carved in his own image and as dear to him as a son. As Mark finds himself trapped between Sean's two children, impossibly besotted with Storm and tormented by Dirk's jealous loathing, the Courtney legacy lies on rocky foundations. With Sean determined to name a successor, can Mark prove himself worthy before the younger generation of Courtneys destroy him - and the Courtney legacy - in the process? A Courtney series adventure - Book 3 in the When the Lion Feeds trilogyA Sparrow Falls is the epic conclusion to the first sequence in the Courtney family saga from Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. The Courtney series continues with The Burning Shore sequence. Book 4 in the Courtney family series, The Burning Shore, is available now.

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BOOK 16 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' ­-The Times'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorTWO HEROES. ONE UNBREAKABLE BOND.Torn apart by war, Saffron Courtney and Gerhard von Meerbach are thousands of miles apart, both struggling for their lives.Gerhard - despite his objections to the Nazi regime - is fighting for the Fatherland, hoping one day to rid Germany of Hitler and his cronies. But as his unit is thrown into the hellish attrition of the Battle of Stalingrad, he knows his chances of survival are dwindling by the day.Meanwhile Saffron - recruited by the Special Operations Executive and sent to occupied Belgium to discover how the Nazis have infiltrated SOE's network - soon finds herself hunted by Germany's most ruthless spymaster. Confronted by evil beyond their worst imaginings, the lovers must each make the hardest choice of all: sacrifice themselves, or do whatever they can to survive, hoping that one day they will be reunited.A Courtney Series adventure - Book 3 in the Assegai sequence.Courtney's War is an epic historical adventure of courage, betrayal and undying love that takes the reader to the very heart of a world at war, from Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. Don't miss the thrilling conclusion of the Assegai sequence, Legacy of War, available now.Book 17 in the Courtney family series, Ghost Fire, is available now.'Courtney's War' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 09-09-2018.

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BOOK 4 IN THE EPIC HISTORICAL SAGA OF THE COURTNEY FAMILY, FROM INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Smith will take you on an exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun'With Wilbur Smith the action is never further than the turn of a page' - Independent'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorLOVE IN A TIME OF WAR. HOPE IN A TIME OF CRISIS.One of the greatest fighter pilots of the Great War, Michael Courtney, is saved by the French noblewoman Centaine de Thiry when he crashes near her home. A wild love affair begins, but as the war still rages, tragedy strikes.Centaine is left on her own, heartbroken, homeless and pregnant with Michael's child. Desperate, she determines to travel across the ocean to join his family in South Africa.But no journey is ever simple, and Centaine finds herself shipwrecked off Africa's notorious Skeleton Coast, a deadly swim away from the sun-bleached desert that will see her left defenceless and alone. When hope arrives, she has no way of knowing if she will be saved -or left in greater danger than ever before . . .A Courtney Series adventure - Book 1 in The Burning Shore sequenceThe Burning Shore is the exceptional and inspiring first title in the second sequence of the Courtney family saga from Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century.Book 5 in the Courtney family series, The Power of the Sword, is available now.

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BOOK 4 IN THE BALLANTYNE SERIES, BY INTERNATIONAL SENSATION WILBUR SMITH'Best historical novelist' - Stephen King 'A master storyteller' - Sunday Times 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times 'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily MirrorA FAMILY'S PAST. A COUNTRY'S FUTURE. Bestselling author Craig Mellow is tired of fame and wants only to return to his family's old home in Zimbabwe. When the World Bank recruits Craig to investigate ivory poaching and corruption it is the opportunity he so desperately craves to return. Under the guise of writing a new book on Africa, Mellow returns to his family's old ranch, Rholands, accompanied by beautiful young photographer Sally-Anne Jay. Although it's now derelict, Craig wants to rebuild and turn Rholands into a tourist safari, but he finds his way unexpectedly blocked by his old friend, now government minister, Tungata Zebiwe. With the corrupt government blocking his plans and new conflict on the horizon, Craig and Sally must fight not only for their lives, but for the very future of a country. The fourth book in the epic Ballantyne Series and the final instalment in the first sequence.Join a new generation of Ballantynes in Book 5 of the Ballantyne series, The Triumph of the Sun, available now.

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