From Publishers WeeklyLondon security expert Hector Cross, now married to Hazel Bannock (seventh on Forbes magazine's list of the richest women in the world), continues his battle with Somali warlord Tippoo Tip in bestseller Smith's lurid sequel to 2011's Those in Peril. Early on, a Mercedes van driven by a man wearing a Richard Nixon mask deliberately broadsides the red Ferrari that Hazel is driving on her way home to Brandon Hall, the couple's 18th-century estate outside Winchester. After extensive sleuthing and a long backstory set in a prison, Hector tracks down the perpetrators of the attack to a hilltop fortress in tiny Kazundu, the poorest country on the African continent. Readers, especially new ones, should be prepared for descriptions of death in all its many gory possibilities, as well as scenes of rape (both hetero- and homosexual), child molestation, sexual slavery, and torture. The exciting action scenes and larger-than-life characters, though, will appeal to a broad range of thriller fans. Agent: Kevin Conroy Scott, Tibor Jones Associates. (Oct.)From BooklistFollowing closely on the heels of 2011s Those in Peril, this oddly paced thriller finds Hector Cross, former soldier turned wealthy landowner and businessman, grief-stricken after a devastating attack on his wife and their unborn child. He vows to find the people responsible and to make them pay for what theyve done. Sounds like the makings of a really good thriller, but Smiths stately pacing and his frequently overwrought writing (Scream as much as you like. No one will hear you. No one will come to help you. No one will believe you) makes the book a bit of a slog for readers accustomed to speedy storytelling in their action-driven thrillers. Some of Smiths prose might rub some readers the wrong way, too, when they encounter lines that seem distinctly out of place in a modern novel (An hour dragged by like a cripple). Recommended mainly for veteran best-seller Smiths devoted fan base; others will be disappointed. --David Pitt One thrilling package that will be eagerly devoured by fans. Publishers Weekly on ASSEGAIThere is a reason Smith is a hugely popular writer of historical novels: his remarkable talent for re-creating historical periods and crafting characters we care about is virtually unmatched in the genre. Smith [has] been entertaining readers for nearly five decades, and if this novel is any indication, he is showing no signs of slowing down. Booklist on ASSEGAIEverything [Smith's] fans have come to expect: masterful storytelling and breathtaking adventurechalk up another winner. Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX) on THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUNEspionage, disguise, stabbings in the darka story that is--like the Nile itself--swift and powerful. Booklist on THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUNWildly entertaining, compulsively readable. Sunday Telegraph (UK) on THE TRIUMPH OF THE SUNThe eleventh volume in Smith's saga of the Courtney clan is every bit as riveting as its predecessors. Brimming with bravado, greed, and romance. Booklist on BLUE HORIZONReally big retro-fun. Kirkus s on BLUE HORIZONA swashbuckling, brawling, sprawling historical epic. Rich, exciting, and fascinating. Library Journal on BLUE HORIZONAdventure and danger at every turn. New York Daily News on BLUE HORIZONGripping. The writer's fans will enjoy the ride. Publishers Weekly on BLUE HORIZONMaster storyteller Smith takes his story into another generation of adventurers battling on the sea and on land in the settling of South Africa. Tulsa World on BLUE HORIZONEverything Smith's fans have come to expect from his epic adventure novels. His consummate skill at crafting vast battle scenes, passionate and wildly romantic characters, cruel and bloodthirsty villains, and larger-than-life heroes make Blue Horizon irresistible. Journal (Flint, MI) on BLUE HORIZON how do i download books VICIOUS CIRCLE
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. It's a he'll of a ride.By FooDogI have loved all of the 27 Wilbur Smith books I've read. In some of them, there have been times I've skipped several pages about elephant hunting. I find it too painful to read about. I wish he kept that to a minimum or didn't write about it at all. This book doesn't contain any of that. The first Hector Cross book was also excellent. Wilbur's books aren't page turners. They are page burners, and the suspense and thrill are like a roller coaster ride. I often times find myself ripping the words of the pages at incredible speed. They are that intense. If you like incredibly well written books with all the excitement you can handle, you owe it to yourself to atleast start with the Hector Cross series, or River God. I will try the Hector Cross book 3 sample. The only reason I hesitate is, I read that someone else is now doing the writing. The reviews haven't been the same in those. I'm eager to find out.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. The Worst from WilburBy J.C. TanThis was the 30th Wilbur Smith book I've read, and it's the worst. It's a follow-up of "Those in Peril" and, structurally, seems to have been put together with a "fork and knife." It comes across almost like the theme of several episodes of the old Perry Mason TV series -- wherein an unlikely individual turns out to be the guilty party. Only in this case, Smith has gone off on a long tangent to paint the culprit with excessive verbiage, and taken the liberty to include a massive element that grates completely with me: heaps of extreme, vile brutality, much of it perpetrated on innocent children. One can tolerate some brutality in books (for which Smith is noted) on adult victims for a purpose (e.g. to elicit information), but in "Vicious Circle", Smith has gone over the top. What exacerbated my disappointment was that he even borrowed ideas from one of the Hannibal Lecter books. If this was an attempt at humor, it failed. As has the entire book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Well doneBy Kirk G MeyerIt is not near as dark as the first book but is just as graphic to a degree. Well researched and the plot is well done and laid out. It is a direct setup for the third book and leads into it very well. I enjoyed this one more than the first and it is as the third which I actually read first.