A Courtney series adventure - Book 1 in the Birds of Prey trilogy "Africa!" The sound of that mysterious name on his own lips raised goose pimples along his arms and made the thick dark hair prickle on the back of his neck.' A simple mission. A battle for their lives. It is 1667 and the war between the Dutch and the English continues apace. Sir Francis Courtney, his son Hal, and their crew are carried around the southern tip of the African colonies by the good ship Lady Edwinna, 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 the men on board will afce greater peril than they have ever faced before - and many good men may never see home again...

In this sweeping adventure full of danger, action, and intrigue, the master who has been the model for bestselling authors such as Clive Cussler and Bernard Cornwell returns to his longest-running series, taking fans back to the very beginnings of the Courtney family saga The son pirate and merchant Sir Frances Courtney, Henry “Hal” Courtney was raised at sea. When war broke out between the English and the Dutch empires, his father, fighting for the English crown, attacked a fleet of Dutch East India Company ships off the coast of Africa. That bravery was met with betrayal, and Sir Francis was executed. His heartbroken son witnessed his death and dedicated his young adulthood to avenging his father’s name. Now, twenty years of war have passed. It is 1784, and a truce has been made between the English and the Dutch, ending the long years of battle on the seas. Hal, too has changed. He has become the captain of his own ship, and is soon to become a father himself. Navigating his crew across the waves of danger, Hal sails his ship, the Golden Bough, from the slave markets of Zanzibar to the pirate-riddled waters of the Indian Ocean in search of fortune and treasure. But though the war is over, the final battle has not been won. Soon, Hal will learn that the more a man achieves, the more he has to lose... Bursting with swashbuckling action and thrilling adventure, this magnificent novel breathes new life into one of Wilbur Smith’s most beloved family sagas and confirms his status as our “best historical novelist” (Stephen King).

Monsoon, a Courtney Family Adventure from Wilbur Smith One man. Three sons. A powerful destiny waiting to unfold. Monsoon is the sweeping epic that continues the saga begun in Wilbur Smith's bestselling Birds of Prey. Once a voracious adventurer, it has been many years since Hal Courtney has dared the high seas. Now he must return with three of his sons - Tom, Dorian, and Guy - to protect the East India Trading Company from looting pirates, in exchange for half of the fortune he recovers. It will be a death or glory mission in the name of the crown. But Hal must also think about the fates of his sons. Like their father before them, Tom, Dorian, and Guy are drawn inexorably to Africa. When fate decrees that they must all leave England forever, they set said for the dark, unexplored continent, seduced by the allure and mystery of this new, magnificent, but savage land. All will have a crucial part to play in shaping the Courtneys' destiny, as the family vies for a prize beyond any of their dreams. In a story of anger and passion, peace and war, Wilbur Smith evinces himself at the height of his storytelling powers. Set at the dawn of eighteenth-century England, with the Courtneys riding wind-tossed seas toward Arabia and Africa, Monsoon is an exhilarating adventure pitting brother against brother, man against sea, and good against evil.

The New York Times bestselling author of Desert God and Pharaoh adds another chapter to his popular historical saga featuring the seafaring Tom Courtney, the hero of Monsoon and Blue Horizon, with this magnificent swashbuckling saga set in the eighteenth century and packed with action, violence, romance, and rousing adventure. Tom Courtney, one of four sons of master mariner Sir Hal Courtney, once again sets sail on a treacherous journey that will take him across the vast reaches of the ocean and pit him against dangerous enemies in exotic destinations. But just as the winds propel his sails, passion drives his heart. Turning his ship towards the unknown, Tom Courtney will ultimately find his destiny—and lay the future for the Courtney family. Wilbur Smith, the world’s greatest storyteller, once again recreates all the drama, uncertainty, and courage of a bygone era in this thrilling saga of the sea.

Following on from Monsoon the next generation of Courtneys are out to stake their claim in South Africa. The journey they make takes them through the untouched wilderness of a beautiful land filled with warring tribes and dangerous animals.

BOOK 17 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 Mirror BETRAYED BY BLOOD. BOUND BY FATE. Inseparable since birth, Theo and Connie Courtney are torn apart by the tragic death of their parents. Theo, wracked with guilt, seeks salvation in combat, joining the British in the war against the French and Indian army. On a personal mission he meets the beautiful, innocent Abigail, with whom he falls madly in love. But when their tryst is discovered, Theo is left outcast in the wilderness, desperately fighting for his life. Determined to reclaim his honour and save Abigail, Theo does whatever it takes to survive. Connie, believing herself abandoned by her brother, and abused and brutalised by a series of corrupt guardians, makes her way to France, where she is welcomed into high society. Here, she once again finds herself at the mercy of vicious men, whose appetite for war and glory lead her to the frontlines of the French battlefield in North America. As the siblings find their destinies converging once more, they realise that the vengeance and redemption they both desperately seek could cost them their lives . . . A Courtney Series adventure - Book 2 in the Tiger's Prey sequence . Ghost Fire is an epic historical fiction adventure of tragedy, loss, betrayal and courage that brings the reader deep into the seething heart of war, from Wilbur Smith, one of the best and most beloved authors of the century. Don't miss the next thrilling chapter in the sequence, Storm Tide . Book 18 in the Courtney family series, Legacy of War, is available now. 'Ghost Fire' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 08-09-2019.

Multimillion copy bestselling author Wilbur Smith returns with a brand-new historical epic, set against the backdrop of the American revolution. The Courtney family is torn apart as three generations fight on opposing sides of a terrible war that will change the face of the world forever. 'Best Historical Novelist' Stephen King 'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' The Times 1774. Rob Courtney has spent his whole life in a quiet trading outpost on the east coast of Africa, dreaming of a life of adventure at sea. When his grandfather Jim dies, Rob takes his chance and stows away on a ship as it sails to England, with only the family heirloom, the Neptune Sword, to his name. Arriving in London, Rob is seduced by the charms of the big city and soon finds himself desperate and penniless. That is until the navy comes calling and Rob is sent across the Atlantic on a ship to join the war against the rebellious American colonists. But on the other side of the Atlantic, unbeknownst to Rob, his distant cousins Cal and Aidan Courtney are leading a campaign against the British. Their one desire is American independence, and they are determined to drive the British out of America - by whatever means necessary. . . A powerful new historical thriller by the master of adventure fiction, Wilbur Smith, of families divided and a country on the brink of revolution.

A brand-new historical epic from the Master of Adventure, in which three strands of the Courtney family converge in a bloodthirsty bid for revenge. Paris, 1794. Revolutionary fervour has erupted into the Reign of Terror. A young man, Paul Courtney, hides in a crowd watching as condemned dignitaries have their sentences carried out. Among them is the Comtesse de Bercheny, Constance Courtney, Paul's mother. As he watches her brutal execution, he knows he must avoid the same fate and fulfil his promise to her – to survive, no matter what. When Paul rescues a girl from attack the two form an allegiance, but with the world at war and traitors in every corner, just how far will Paul go to ensure his own survival? Cape Town, 1806. Adam Courtney has spent his life in servitude to the navy and in the shadow of his father, the illustrious Admiral Robert Courtney. But when a visit home to Fort Auspice, Nativity Bay ends in tragedy, the fort destroyed and the Courtney family dead, Adam must accept his destiny and seek vengeance. Robert gives Adam the prized family heirloom, the Neptune sword, and makes his son swear on its blade that he will not rest until he has delivered justice. From Cape Town to Calcutta, on a quest for his family's honour, Adam discovers that the enemy he seeks may be closer to him than he realises . . .

Part of the 'Courtney' series 'Something always dies when the lion feeds and yet there is meat for those that follow him.' The lion is Sean, hero of this tremendous drama of the men who took possession of South Africa in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Sean and his twin-brother Garrick grew up on their father's farm in Natal. The first part of the book deals with his childhood and youth and his longing to become a successful farmer and hard-hitting fighter like his father. The tough life of cattle-farming is brusquely interrupted by the Zulu Wars, when Sean and his brother see fighting for the first time. Wilbur Smith vividly recreates the excitement of the war for the young men-their hope of winning their own cattle, the horror of the massacre at Isandhlwana, the heroism of the defence at Rorkes Drift. 'Witwatersrand' is the name of the second part of this book and it tells the story of Sean's fabulous success in the gold rush and his rich life with Duff Charleywood and the beautiful Candy in the new town of Johannesburg, where huge fortunes were made and lost in a morning's dealing on the Exchange. The atmosphere of this feverish, violent time is brilliantly drawn: the heavy drinking, the elaborate houses, the ruthless abandonment of the failure. Sean and Duff are caught at last in a trap laid by their rival, the sinister and clever Hradsky, and leave Johannesburg for the wilderness to seek their fortunes once more. And now the book moves to its climax. At last it seems as though Sean will settle to a quiet married life – but fate has other plans for him. They return to Johannesburg and tragedy strikes quickly. Sean finds himself alone once more... Filled with action scenes in war and the early heady days of the gold rush, and adventure among the vast game herds of the African wilderness, this novel is dominated by the towering compelling personality of Sean, whose life story is continued in The Sound of Thunder and A Sparrow Falls.

Multimillion copy bestselling author Wilbur Smith returns with a brand-new historical epic set in Africa. South Africa, 1820 When Ann Waite discovers a shipwreck in Algoa Bay she is stunned to find a scarred sailor and a little boy. As the man walks away into the distance alone, Ann is left to raise the young child, Harry, in place of the baby she tragically lost at sea. Disaster and hardship befall Ann and Harry, and desperation drives them into the path of the mysterious shipwrecked man once more. Ralph Courtney has recently escaped Robben Island with two fellow prisoners and is destined to seek his fortune at Nativity Bay, the fabled place about which his father told him stories. But far from being a land of paradise, Ralph, Ann and their fellow settlers find themselves facing unfamiliar challenges. It isn't long before they learn their new home borders the Zulu kingdom, where the warrior king Shaka's empire spans the continent. When Ralph encounters King Shaka, it is only the beginning of a daring new adventure of loyalty and survival.

They've come from out of the shifting sands and down from ancient mountains. Mounted on horse and camel, carrying gleaming swords and plundered rifles, the sons of Allah are led by a holy warrior imbued with jihad, driving his army of thousands to wipe out the last Englishmen from the isolated Nile city... But in Khartoum is a legendary British general, a brilliant, mercenary trader, a beautiful woman and a courageous soldier whose fates have become one. They know that time is running out and rescue is improbable. So they prepare for one last stand—and the beginning of an epic journey of survival... From a passionate rivalry for a woman to an unforgettable face-off between warriors, TRIUMPH OF THE SUN is adventure fiction writ large—alive with the sounds of throngs, the terror of battle, and the mystical fire of human courage in the darkest moments of all.

BOOK 6 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 DIVIDED BY WAR. UNITED BY LOVE. On a beautiful September day, General Penrod Ballantyne and his fiancée, the successful travel writer, Amber Benbrook, stroll hand in hand through the busy streets of Cairo. The future is theirs for the taking. But when Penrod's jealous former lover, Lady Agatha, plants doubt about his character, Amber leaves him and travels to the wilds of Abyssinia with her twin sister, Saffron, and her adventurer husband, Ryder Courtney. On a mission to establish a silver mine, they make the dangerous journey to the new capital of Addis Ababa, where they are welcomed by King Menelik II, the King of Kings. He knows of a plot to invade his beloved Abyssinia, and he needs the Courtneys to help him win. Back in Cairo, a heartbroken Penrod seeks oblivion in Lady Agatha and the city's opium dens, descending into ruin. He is rescued from himself by an old friend, who is now in the Italian army, and offered the chance restore his honour and to join the military efforts. Italy has designs on Abyssinia, and there are rumours of a plan to invade . . . With storm clouds gathering, and on opposing sides of the conflict, can Penrod and Amber find their way back to one another - against all the odds? An epic historical adventure of love, betrayal, courage and war. King of Kings brings together two of Wilbur Smith's greatest families, the Courtneys and the Ballantynes in this sequel to his worldwide bestseller, The Triumph of the Sun (Sunday Times, Jul 2018). The sixth book in the epic Ballantyne Series and the second title in an exciting crossover sequence between Wilbur Smith's two iconic family sagas, the Ballantynes and the Courtneys. The adventures of the Ballantynes and Courtney's continue in Book 7 of the Ballantyne series, Mafeking, coming soon

THE SOUND OF THUNDER continues the Courtney saga where WHEN THE LION FEEDS left off. Sean Courtney is off to fight the burghers in the Boer War—first in harrowing missions on the front lines for the British Guides, then as the leader of commandos designed to fight the Boers on their own terms—guerilla combat in the field. The peace that follows find Sean with hopes of marriage and settling down to farming. But the hatred borne by his twin brother will not allow a peaceful life. Garry, who has been forced to live in the shadow of his twin's superiority since childhood, has vowed to pay him back for the wrongs done him.

Wilbur Smith has won acclaim worldwide as the master of the historical novel. Now, in "Assegai" he takes readers on an unforgettable African adventure set against the gathering clouds of war. It is 1913 and Leon Courtney, an ex-soldier turned professional hunter in British East Africa, guides the rich and powerful from America and Europe on big-game safaris. Leon had never sought fame, but an expedition alongside U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt has made him one of the most sought-after hunters on the continent. Soon, he finds that with celebrity comes not just wealth—but also danger. Leon is recruited by his uncle Penrod Ballantyne, commander of the British forces in East Africa, to gather information on one of his clients: Count Otto von Meerbach, a German industrialist whose company builds aircraft and vehicles for the Kaiser's burgeoning army. While spying, Leon falls desperately in love with von Meerbach's beautiful and enigmatic mistress, Eva von Wellberg. On the eve of the World War, Leon stumbles on a plot by Count von Meerbach that could wipe out the British forces in Africa. He finds himself left alone to frustrate von Meerbach's plan, and in grave peril as he learns more about the enigmatic Eva. Set amidst the tensions that will spark a war across continents, "Assegai" delivers the fast-paced action and vivid history that has made Wilbur Smith an internationally bestselling author.

Centaine de Thiry grew up with privilege, wealth, and freedom on a sprawling French estate. Then war came crashing down around her, and a daring young South African aviator named Michael Courtney stole her heart amidst the destruction. But the tides of fate and battle sent the young woman on a journey across a dangerous sea to the coast of Africa. When Centaine's ship is torpedoed and sunk, she is plunged into a shark-filled sea miles from the unseen shore. And when she reaches land, Centaine puts foot not in the lush world that Michael Courtney described to her, but on the edge of a burning desert—alone and fighting for her life. In a strange world, under a great rushing sky, Centaine sets forth in the company of wandering Bushmen—and then into the arms of a renegade white soldier who may be her savior or destruction. As Michael Courtney's family searches for Centaine, she comes near her promised land—and the untold tragedy and riches that it holds...

‘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.

A Sparrow Falls, another gripping installment in Wilbur Smith's Courtney Family Adventure series Mark Anders grew up on eight thousand acres of African land that bore his family name. Then he fought in Europe's Great War and, upon returning to his ancestral home, he saw savagery unlike any other…. In Africa, Mark's family estate has been despoiled. His grandfather has died under mysterious circumstances. And he has inherited a murderous enemy—the rogue scion of the powerful Courtney clan—in an altogether new kind of war. Now, Mark will make a fateful choice between two women. Journey into the wilderness to uncover his grandfather's fate. Find his way through battles raging between fathers and sons, generals and politicians, and nature and man. In an age of violent conflict, Mark Anders will live or die for justice—and his fight will echo across a country he always loved….

Shasa Courtney was groomed by his French-born mother to take control of the Courtney Mining and Finance Company, whose font of wealth was sown deep beneath African soil. But Shasa's brother, Manfred, had been trained by his renegade father to be a hunter—of lions, and of men. As the two boys became men, they took on the extraordinary powers of each parent: Shasa, a man in tune with his continent and its people; Manfred who, like his father, was willing to shape his world with a gun. So when the winds of World War II reached Africa, each brother chose a side… Now, the future of a young nation is being forged amidst a clash of civilizations, ideals, and blood feuds. And as Shasa and Manfred rise to power, a land of beauty and suffering will be remade—for better or for worse—in an image of their own, in Wilbur Smith's Power of the Sword.

A Courtney Series novel and the sequel to the global bestseller WAR CRY Paris, 1939 -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 to one day have the opportunity 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 being hunted by Germany's most ruthless spymaster. Confronted by evil beyond their worst imaginings, the lovers must each make the hardest choice of sacrifice themselves, or do whatever they can to survive, hoping that one day they will be reunited. Courtney's War is an epic story of courage, betrayal and undying love that takes the reader to the very heart of a world at war.

Beloved characters Leon Courtney, Centaine De Thiry and Shasa Courtney return in the action-packed and gripping sequel to Courtney’s War, and the epic conclusion to the Assegai Sequence. The war is over, Hitler is dead – and yet his evil legacy lives on. Saffron Courtney and her beloved husband Gerhard only just survived the brutal conflict, but Gerhard’s Nazi brother, Konrad, is still free and determined to regain power. As a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse develops, a plot against the couple begins to stir. One that will have ramifications throughout Europe. Further afield in Kenya, the last outcrop of the Colonial Empire is feeling the stirrings of rebellion. As the situation becomes violent, and the Courtney family home is under threat, Leon Courtney finds himself caught between two powerful sides – and a battle for the freedom of a country.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the future bears down on Africa—fueled by the sins of the past and the blood feuds of nations, tribes, and families. For the Courtney family, who have known this continent from the depths of its gold mines to the pinnacle of political power, a time of reckoning is at hand. Shasa Courtney has lived, fought and loved amongst Afrikaners, Englishmen, and natives. His mother is by his side but the rest of the world around him is exploding. Even his family harbors secrets more dangerous than his own worst enemies. Now, a continent is convulsed. Streets teem with protestors. Desperate and devious men forge volatile alliances. And Shasa faces shocking revelations amongst traitors, fugitives, and heroes—leading a beloved country into the flames of civil war…

The Courtney family blood has long run hot - as hot as the passion and turmoil boiling in war-torn South Africa. When one of their own succumbs to the worst kind of evil, those ties are put to the ultimate test. Isabella Courtney, dazzling daughter of South Africa's ambassador to England, is passionately obsessed with Ramon, the Marques de Santiago y Machado - also known as the Golden Fox, one of the world's most ruthless terrorists. When she secretly bears his child, Ramon kidnaps the boy and persuades powerful, yet reluctant, Isabella to betray South Africa and her beloved family... until the truth at last comes out, and the explosive Courtney's rally to her side and strike back with a raging vengeance.

Two men and a woman embark on a hunt that will tear their safe African safari apart in a deadly civil war. For Sean Courtney, guerilla fighter, it is a time to fight and find love. For Claudia Montero it is the ultimate test of her values, and, for her father, a time to confront obsession.