The Angels Weep

by Wilbur Smith

Series: The Ballantyne Novels (4)

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The third book in the epic Ballantyne series "The lion rose lightly into the air, and settled like a huge yellow bird on the horse's back, crushing Jan Cheroot beneath his massive, blood-streaked body. At that instant, horse and rider and lion seemed to disappear into the very earth, and there was only a swirling column of dust to mark where they had been." A new generation. An age-old struggle. Ralph Ballantyne is following in his father Zouga's footsteps, as a hunter, gold prospector and promoter of British colonialism in Africa. But the tribes that they -and men like them -have previously exploited or butchered in the name of civilisation are rising up, and will no longer submit quietly to the greed and mindless destruction of the trespassers. Over a hundred years later, Ralph's descendants are still in Africa, in the newly named Zimbabwe, and the battles have not yet ended. In fact, for Craig Mellow, the last Ballantyne, there is still a terrible price to pay for the actions of his ancestors...… (more)

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We begin The Angels Weep in the year 1895. Right away we join Zouga Ballantyne and his son, Ralph as they search for treasure (what else is new?). The other same old-same old themes are sex, violence and prejudice all leading to another war. The characters are older (Ralph now has a son, Jonathan or Jon-Jon), but their ambitions and attitudes are the same. Even Robyn Ballantyne is the same. She is so desperate to understand malaria that she stops taking quinine pills and infects herself with the virus in order to further her research. As with Falcon Flies and Men of Men, whites are still mistreating blacks and the power struggles continue. It is on this struggle that Smith centers his conflict. He masterfully shows both sides and when one side betrays the other you find yourself asking, "how could they?!" while your rational side is asking, "how could they NOT?!" Friend betrays friend. Years of companionship are wiped away in a single gunshot. Part II of the book takes us 80 years into the future when we meet Ralph's great grandson and other heirs. Craig Mellow becomes a prominent figure in the end. There is a nice little twist that made me think the series should have ended here. It brings everything full circle. (

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SeriousGrace | Mar 21, 2014 |

This is a book in two parts. The first part is set in the Rhodesia of the late 19th century and follows the life and adventures of Ralph Balantyne and his family. It is a time where the defeated Matabele are once again stirring in the throes of war, fueled by the prophecies of their oracle 'The Umlimo'. It also follows some of the adventures of Cecil Rhodes as he thrives to unite all of the Southern part of the African continent under one rule.

The second part of the book takes place in the Rhodesia of the late 1970's. Craig Balantyne, grand-grandchild of both Harry Mellow and Ralph Balantyne is sucked into the whirling vortex of another popular uprising and war, once more fueled by the ravings of the Umlimo who simply refuses to die and must be well over a 100 years old by now. (

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IAmAndyPieters | Oct 14, 2013 |

Good book intresting how it relates to Modern Day Zimbabwae (

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runnaln | Nov 17, 2009 |

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The Ballantyne Novels (4)

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Reader's Digest Condensed Books: The Angels Weep • All the Days Were Summer • Winner Harris • Sadie Shapiro Matchmaker by Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest Condensed Books: A Cry in the Night • One Man's Medicine • The Big Bridge • The Angels Weep by Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest 4 in 1 The Angels Weep etc. by Reader's Digest

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Information from the Finnish Common Knowledge. Edit to localize it to your language.

Valkoiset miehet

Original title

The Angels Weep

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1982

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Epigraph

But man, proud man,
Dress'd in a little brief authority,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As make the angels weep. - Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare

Dedication

This book is for my wife, Mokhiniso, who is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

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Three horsemen rode out from the edge of the forest with a restrained eagerness that not even weary weeks of constant searching could dull.

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The Angels Weep

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The third book in the epic Ballantyne series "The lion rose lightly into the air, and settled like a huge yellow bird on the horse's back, crushing Jan Cheroot beneath his massive, blood-streaked body. At that instant, horse and rider and lion seemed to disappear into the very earth, and there was only a swirling column of dust to mark where they had been." A new generation. An age-old struggle. Ralph Ballantyne is following in his father Zouga's footsteps, as a hunter, gold prospector and promoter of British colonialism in Africa. But the tribes that they -and men like them -have previously exploited or butchered in the name of civilisation are rising up, and will no longer submit quietly to the greed and mindless destruction of the trespassers. Over a hundred years later, Ralph's descendants are still in Africa, in the newly named Zimbabwe, and the battles have not yet ended. In fact, for Craig Mellow, the last Ballantyne, there is still a terrible price to pay for the actions of his ancestors...

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