A long time ago I read one or two of his books and found them very entertaining. I don't remember the titles. Recently while browsing I thought I'd pick up a couple more. There were so many titles, some with recurring characters, that I could not make a selection.
Star, if you'd care to make a recommendation I'd appreciate it. Thanks,
Out
West
Out West-
One of the early ones that has always impressed me is, "The Train From Katanga". I think the usual US title is, "The Dark of the Sun." The movie starred Rod Taylor, Yvette Mimieux, and some black guy who played football. Jim Brown? I think the movie has been released under several titles, one being maybe "Africa Ablaze" ?? The book involves a Rhodesian mercenary captain running from a failed marriage who works as a soldier in the Congo. He has to relieve a Belgian village under Simba attack and transport the diamonds mined there to the capital of rebellious Katanga province. Along the way, he has to fend off the nasty Wally Hendry (Kenneth More) and falls for a girl in the town, Shermaine. (Yvette). I love his description of Wally: "It was the measure of Wally Hendry that he had been three months in the Congo and spoke not a word of French." That's by memory, but I think it's exact.
Any of the Courtney or Ballantyne books are good, a favorite being, "The Triumph of the Sun." "Blue Horizon" is good. I could have done without some of the scenes involving a girl's sickness in Holland, but the rest is good. You may be a trifle shocked at some of the kinky sex stuff from her master before he had her shipped off to the East Indies in chains, claiming that she was a thief, lest she tell about his depravity. But she is rescued by one of the early Courtneys while the prison ship is docked in South Africa. Their subsequent adventures are good. This one is set in the early days of white settlement there, when Cape Town was still Kaap Stadt, ruled by the Dutch. The interior was still unknown land to Europeans. (Dunno if it's in the book, but the Dutch founded Cape Town in 1652.)
Another favorite is, "The Angels Weep", about a Ballantyne who observes the fall of white-ruled Rhodesia and the darkness into which that once prosperous nation was plunged. It also has some of the history of Rhodesia, as I recall, leading us through a few generations to the later period. I think he covers the war between the Matabele and the white settlers, led by Cecil Rhodes. (Smith is a graduate of Rhodes University, but clearly saw the man's flaws.) This is good stuff, especially if you don't know about the Umlima and the ultimate fall of Lobengula. Smith didn't make that up. He does at times adjust history to suit his stories, especially in his ancient Egyptian novels. I recommend all of those except for, "The Quest". That is so bad that I never finished it. One of the best was the first of those, "River God."
These Egyptian books mention a blue sword. I guess it had an iron blade, as contrasted to copper or bronze swords. The books have some sensual scenes that might not appeal to those who are easily shocked by sex in literature. But the love of the Pharoah for the fictional Queen Lostris is rather tender, and I like it.
"The Seventh Scroll" is in the River God series, but tells the story of a modern couple who want to discover the tomb of the Pharoah of the other books. Has a lot of ingenious detail about how the tomb was protected. The hero has a .275 Rigby, which appeals to me.
"The Sound of Thunder" is a good account of a Courtney in the Boer War. He falls for a Jewish girl, but has to wait until her husband becomes a battle casualty to get her, then expand his land and crops.
His stuff ranges from fair to excellent. Most are very good or better. He didn't get to be one of the bestselling authors in the world by being mediocre very often.
I strongly suggest going to his site and examining it in intense detail.
www.wilbursmithbooks.com You can find a photo of him with his third wife, Mokhiniso, there. She's from one of the former Soviet republics, but they met in London, where they live for much of the year. She's a "looker!" I think they also have their estate in South Africa, but sold some land elsewhere, maybe in the Seychelles. Smith was born in what was then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. He left before the darkness descended, and has probably lived longer in South Africa than anywhere else.
However, he seems not to set current books in SA, probably to avoid offending the black govt. He was pretty honest in earlier books, and may have upset some of the powers that now rule. But that led to some really good historical books.
Work that site and you can hear him in a TV interview.
Let me know if you read any of his books. I think you'd like most. Oh: Try
"Gold Mine" or rent the movie ("Gold") , starring Sir Roger Moore.
T-Star
