Assegai by Wilbur Smith

Overall Rating: 10/10

Set in Masai tribal territories in Africa just prior to WW1, ex-soldier turned professional big-game hunter Leon Courtney is recruited by his uncle Penrod Ballantyne, Commander of the British Forces in East Africa to gather information from his V.I.P. client, German industrialist Count Otto von Meerbach. However, Leon doesn’t count on falling passionately in love with the Count’s beautiful and mysterious mistress, Eva. The plot thickens as Leon stumbles across the enemy’s plans to recruit disenchanted survivors of the Boer War to take over South Africa thus potentially turning the tides of war in favour of the Kaiser’s (Germany’s) army.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the realism and detailed, vivid portrayal of African big-game hunting, especially of large, dangerous game like elephants, rhino, lion and Cape Buffalo towards the end of the golden age of the African safari. Leon’s hunting rifle of choice is typical of the era; a double-barrelled rifle chambered in Holland and Holland Royal .470 Nitro Express which he employs to collect a number of 100+ pound ivory tusks and some very ornery Cape Buffalo under extremely harrowing circumstances. Cue music - “I Like Big Bores and I Cannot Lie!” LOL Furthermore, some of the characters were particularly interesting and memorable, including Count Meerbach, who insists on hunting a king of lions in the traditional Masai manner for their rite of passage, armed only with a hide shield and an assegai. There was very little in this book that I did not like. It was a real page-turner filled with realism and the sights and sounds of Africa in the early 1900’s. An unexpected bonus is reading about very early aviation.

I recommend this book to anyone who is an avid hunter; doubly so for those interested in hunting large, dangerous game. This book will also appeal to those who enjoy a great historical adventure novel or finely-tuned romance.

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Reviewed by Mr. Tim.