I cannot allow it. I need you here, Rob. There is much work to do on the farm. And if any danger threatened, who would defend your sister and your grandmother?’ a b Agence France-Presse (14 November 2021). "The Guardian". Bestselling author Wilbur Smith dies aged 88. The beast convulsed and writhed, churning the water red as its blood spilled out. A killer to the last, even in its dying moments the taste of its own blood drove it mad with hunger. Rob swam a distance away, watching and breathing hard. He felt no sympathy for the beast. His little sister often came to swim in this bay. Rob shuddered to think of her delicate body caught in those jaws. I remember how it was when I was your age. To fight for a cause, for a family or your honour, is a noble purpose. But perhaps when you have seen something of war, you will understand why your elders are less eager to embrace it.’ a b Thomas, David (29 March 2005). "Wilbur the womanizer". Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 14 March 2013.

Ghost Fire | Wilbur Smith Ghost Fire | Wilbur Smith

The other boys gasped. All of them could shoot, and had rifles hanging on the wall at home. Some of the bolder ones had brought them. But this was different. This was the weapon of a hero, the gun that had chased the French out of North America and won the battle of Fort Royal. Cal’s father rarely spoke of his exploits to others, but Cal had recounted the stories. Theo had arrived in America as an orphan. In a short time, he had become a hero in the frontier war against the French and their Indian allies. Against the odds he and his ragtag army had inflicted major damage on the French forces, winning the battle at Fort Royal, which turned the course of the war. He had fallen in love with Abigail and she became pregnant with Cal, to her family’s fury. Fame and victory had provided him with a certain amount of money, which he had invested in a merchant business from the port of Boston. The business had thrived, for Theo had learned his trade in the bazaars of Calcutta and could out-haggle even the meanest Yankee. Later, he had bought this farm in a township some twenty miles from Boston. He met his fourth wife, a Tadjik woman named Mokhiniso Rakhimova, in a WHSmith bookstore in London on 18 January 2000. [2] The two fell in love and married in Cape Town in May 2000. She was a law student studying at Moscow University and younger than him by 39 years. On their relationship, Smith said:

There was nothing Rob could say. He watched the pinnace row out to the Dunstanburgh Castle, the topmen running along the yards to loosen the sails. He imagined how the world would look from that height, balanced on a thin spar with nothing except a hundred feet of air between him and the ocean. The crew fitted the spokes to the capstan and began hauling up the anchor. As the ship prepared for departure, it seemed as if his whole future was about to sail away. He would never know. The handle was released, the shadow moved on. George walked away up the corridor. Tap. Tap. Tap. Rob heard the creak of his father’s bedroom door, then silence. The Dark of the Sun (1965), filmed as The Mercenaries (1968) starring Rod Taylor, Jim Brown and Yvette Mimieux Theo’s wife Abigail came in carrying a tray with a pot of tea. She set it on the table and poured two cups.

Storm Tide - Exclusive Books Storm Tide - Exclusive Books

No one could have missed their progress through the townships and farmsteads of Massachusetts colony. But the shutters on the houses remained closed, and anyone who heard them stayed in their beds. These were dangerous times to be abroad. Santaularia i Capdevila, Isabel (2000). Representations of masculinity in Wilbur Smith's Courtney Saga. Contextual Causes and Strategies of Authorial Control (Thesis). Universitat de Lleida. ISBN 9788469317723.

But the lure of the sea was irresistible. He released her, kissed her on the cheek, and loaded the sword and the money into the waiting canoe. Louisa pushed him off, wading into the water in her nightdress until he was clear. He paddled out to the ship with strong, confident strokes. But be careful,’ Louisa warned him. ‘Before Tom came to Nativity Bay, not one of the Courtney men lived out their full years. Tom’s father, his grandfather, his three brothers . . . they all met violent, untimely ends. Fort Auspice has been a paradise for us, a place where the family can live in peace. I fear what will happen to you if you leave it.’

Wilbur Smith The Books | Wilbur Smith

Centered around the sea and the American Revolution, there are a number of Courtneys introduced to the reader, and a number of them die, but not the main character, Rob Courtney. So much for not including spoiler information. But that's as far as we'll go - none of this business of re-hashing the plot etc. If you want to find that out, you'll need to get the book. If you're a fan of the series, you definitely want to read this volume. How much further the series will go remains to be seen. They embraced. Rob’s strong arms almost crushed Louisa’s thin body with the strength of his emotion. For a moment she feared he might never let her go. His grandfather, Jim, was waiting for them on the veranda of the big house. His broad frame was stooped from a lifetime of working the land. His hair had turned white and he leaned on a cane. But the strength in his green eyes was undimmed, and it was an ageless smile that lit up his face when he saw Louisa approaching with Cornish.The devil you say!’ he cried. ‘Sergeant, muster the men. We will march out to Fairfield and teach those Yankee rebels a lesson in the King’s power.’