Birds of Prey

Part of the 'Courtney' series

It is 1667 and the mighty naval war between the Dutch and the English still rages. Sir Francis Courteney and his son Hal, in their fighting caravel, are on patrol off Southern Africa, lying in wait for a galleon of the Dutch East India Company returning from the Orient laden with spices, timber and gold.

From the very first pages, Wilbur Smith spins a colourful and exciting tale, crackling with tension and drama, that builds to a stunning climax.

Packed with vivid descriptive passages of the open seas, and an extraordinary cast of characters, Birds of Prey is a masterpiece from a storyteller at the height of his powers.

Reviews

"Smith's novel is far more than your typical pirate script ... A fascinating account ... Smith deftly evokes not only the horrific but also the beautiful, particularly the lush landscape of Africa." -- The Washington Post Book World
"A rousing adventure story ... Smith is a captivating storyteller. His writing is fast-paces yet richly textured. His characters are unique and intriguing ... As with Smith's previous two bestsellers, River God and The Seventh Scroll, this latest epic transcends the average action-adventure yarn." -- The Orlando Sentinel
"Smith know what his readers want, and once again he delivers the goods." – Publishers Weekly
'Wilbur Smith carries all the powerful drama and rich emotions of a bygone time into his action packed tale of the sea. BIrds Of Prey is magnificent story of adventure, he enthralled the world of readers once again.' – The Daily Mail
'The scope is magnificent and the epic scale breathtaking ... Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared'
– The Times
'A gripping tale, relentless in its flow, that evokes a more colourful age - one of passion and a majesty of spirit that is seldom illustrated with such nerve' – Express
'Meticulous research support constant excitement in a fast-moving tale' – Washington Post
'Birds of Prey is a wonderful novel filled with excitement, pirates, and vivid sea battles ... In short, it is vintage Wilbur Smith' – Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas)

Text and audio excerpts

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To buy

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