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[News] RIP Wilbur Smith







Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,404
Location Location
River God, A Time to Die, When the Lion Feeds and Eagle in the Sky remain some of my all-time favourite novels. Wilbur Smith's books were a big part of my youth, and were a true gateway to my love of reading. His Courtney and Ballantyne series were absolutely epic in scale, written with such visceral detail and a masterful in-depth knowledge of the time, and the world he set his stories in.

I clocked his latest (now last) Egyption novel The New Kingdom on the shelf in Tesco just the other day and read the inlay, making a mental note to pick it up some time. I admit I've not kept up, but its so sad to think there will never be another one now.

A true master of his craft. RIP Wilbur.
 


Napier

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2009
2,139
Devon
The master of the adventure novel. His portrayal of stories set mostly in Africa, from Egypt to South Africa, is gripping and I was hooked from When the Lion Feeds onwards.

I have all his books and was lucky enough to meet him a couple of times - he came across as very personable and was certainly not one of those "heroes" you meet and walk away disappointed.

A great loss. RIP Wilbur and many thanks for all the enjoyable hours I spent immersed in your stories and adventures.
 








BRIGHT ON Q

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
9,248
Always remember my late dad used to love his books.used to get them for Christmas for him!.
 


Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
62,404
Location Location
I'm amazed more of his books didn't make it to the silver screen. I think Shout at the Devil was the only one, might be wrong.

Personally I'd love to see those River God ancient Egypt series made into movies, if they could be done justice in the right hands. That battle scene when the defending Egyption army first clap eyes on the invasion of the Hyksos army, with horse-drawn chariots and WHEELS being used for the very first time at the vanguard, was an apex moment in warfare drama. In fact, I think I'm going to pick that book up again this week. So good.
 
Last edited:


Napier

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2009
2,139
Devon
I'm amazed more of his books didn't make it to the silver screen. I think Shout at the Devil was the only one, might be wrong.

Personally I'd love to see those River God ancient Egypt series made into movies, if they could be done justice in the right hands. That battle scene when the defending Egyption army first clap eyes on the invasion of the Hyksos army, with horse-drawn chariots and WHEELS being used for the very first time at the vanguard, was an apex moment in warfare drama. In fact, I think I'm going to pick that book up again this week. So good.

The best known films have been Gold (with Roger Moore), Mercenaries (Dark of the Sun) and Shout at the Devil.There have been a couple of others which I've not seen and I think River God was made into mini-series, but that must have sunk without trace.

I do agree with you though and have always been surprised that more were not made into film or mini-series.
 


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