When the Lion Feeds

Set during the Boer war, and yet completely glosses over if not outright ignores, the horrendous oppression of the indigineous peoples. The characters are portrayed as heroes, despite being party to the creation and continuation of the brutality of colonising Africa.

What a gem of a find...the author and the story are brilliant. Have read the first 4 books of the Courtney saga and am now genuinely sad to see it end. Am on my way back to Chapters to find the next novel! Just an amazing read for all ages!

Personally I loved this book it pulls you in and truly makes you care about the characters with it's exciting descriptions of their highpoints and even their tragedy's.

The chronicles of the lives and loves of the Courtenay family really start here although Smith has now released Birds of Prey which is also about this illustrious family but set much further back in time.

There are some that view this work of Smith's to be a 'perfect' novel
ie a true beginning, middle and end.
His character Sean is really lovable although quite the rogue. The backdrop of Boer wars and sibling rivalry make for a brilliant story and the reader finds herself desperate to read more about the life of the Twins and how they win/lose friends, money and ultimately women.

This book started me reading Wilbur Smith, previously an author I thought reserved for the male reader. After 14 subsequent books I can never get enough of reading about Africa; its beauty and history.