Power of the Sword

Swashbuckling Adventure and Some History to Boot…….

This epic (871 pages) starts at the end of WWI and takes the reader through 1948. It’s a riveting historical fiction fueled account of South Africa during that time and Smith illustrates the issues of South Africa through the characters well. The characters are great and while there is a tinge of “airliner thriller” here, it is coupled with a Hemingway-esque atmosphere and attitude. The book has all the goods: from the political intrigues, family clashes, sex, romance, wars (WWI, reference to the Boer Wars, WWII) and some captivating scenes at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. But Africa is where the bulk of the story resides.

The African scenes are enthralling and I confess to show more have consulted the history books and maps, many times, to know more. So I’d say Smith captured me and certainly enough so to read some of his others. Looking forward to more. I say. Nice work old boy. show less

One of my favourite books since River God and it's no coincidence that it's by the same author. Smith writes one helluva book.

Sasha 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 Sasha'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: Sasha, 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 Sasha and Manfred rise to power, a land of beauty and suffering show more will be remade--for better or for worse--in an image of their own.**

### From Library Journal

A sequel to Smith's The Burning Shore , this novel continues to trace the lives of Lothar de la Rey and Centaine Courtney. Their love/hate unfolds in the South Africa of the 1930s. Centaine's son by Lothar and her son by an English gentleman also become bitter enemies. Diamonds stolen by Lothar are a pivotal element in the story, which ranges from Bushman country to the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936. Even without the first book, this is an exciting story. Smith makes us sympathize with both the Afrikaners and the British South Africans. His details and historical setting seem authentic. Recommended for historical fiction collections. A third novel is clearly intended. Judith Nixon, Purdue Univ. Libs., W. Lafayette, Ind.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

### Review

**Praise for *Power of the Sword***

" ... a writer who ranks among the top three in the world in combing action, a venture and a sense of tough terrain to produce superbly readable books." – Georg Thaw, *The Mirror*

**Praise for Wilbur Smith**

“Smith is a master.” —*Publishers Weekly
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“One of the world’s most popular adventure writers.” —*The Washington Post Book World*

“A rare author who wields a razor-sharp sword of craftsmanship.” —*Tulsa World*

“Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared.” —*The Times* (UK)      
"Best Historical Novelist--I say Wilbur Smith, with his swashbuckling novels of Africa.  The bodices of rip and the blood flows.  You can get lost in Wilbur Smith and misplace all of August."--Stephen King

"Action is Wilur Smith's game, and he is a master."--*The Washington Post Book World*

“The world’s leading adventure writer.” —*Daily Express* (UK)

"Wilbur Smith rarely misses a trick."--*Sunday Times*

“Smith is a captivating storyteller.” —*The Orlando Sentinel*

“No one does adventure quite like Smith.” —*Daily Mirror* (UK)

"A thundering good’ read is virtually the only way of describing Wilbur Smith’s books.” —*The Irish Times* show less

COURTNEY

La acción se desarrolla en los años previos a la Segunda Guerra Mundial, entre las minas de oro africanas, los cielos de Abisinia y el estadio olímpico de Berlín, en el corazón mismo de la Alemania nazi. Manfred De la Rey y Shasa Courtney son medio hermanos —ambos hijos de Centaine de Thiry Courtney, recordada protagonista de Costa ardiente—. Están mortalmente enemistados y libran entre sí una guerra privada sin cuartel.

(Spanish Edition)