Assegai (Courtney publication, #13; Courtney chronological, #13)

Wilbur Smith has won acclaim worldwide as the master of the historical novel. Now, in "Assegai" he takes readers on an unforgettable African adventure set against the gathering clouds of war. It is 1913 and Leon Courtney, an ex-soldier turned professional hunter in British East Africa, guides the rich and powerful from America and Europe on big-game safaris. Leon had never sought fame, but an expedition alongside U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt has made him one of the most sought-after hunters on the continent. Soon, he finds that with celebrity comes not just wealth--but also danger. Leon is recruited by his uncle Penrod Ballantyne, commander of the British forces in East Africa, to gather information on one of his clients: Count Otto von Meerbach, a German industrialist whose company builds aircraft and vehicles for the Kaiser's burgeoning army. While spying, Leon falls desperately in love with von Meerbach's beautiful and enigmatic mistress, Eva von Wellberg. On the eve of the World War, Leon stumbles on a plot by Count von Meerbach that could wipe out the British forces in Africa. He finds himself left alone to frustrate von Meerbach's plan, and in grave peril as he learns more about the enigmatic Eva. Set amidst the tensions that will spark a war across continents, "Assegai" delivers the fast-paced action and vivid history that has made Wilbur Smith an internationally bestselling author. It is 1913 and Leon Courtney, an ex-soldier turned professional hunter in British East Africa, guides the rich and powerful from America and Europe on big-game safaris. Leon had never sought fame, but an expedition alongside U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt has made him one of the most sought-after hunters on the continent. Soon, he finds that with celebrity comes not just wealth, but also danger. Leon is recruited by his uncle Penrod Ballantyne, commander of the British forces in East Africa, to gather information on one of his clients: Count Otto von Meerbach, a German industrialist whose company builds aircraft and vehicles for the Kaiserś burgeoning army. While spying, Leon falls desperately in love with von Meerbachś beautiful and enigmatic mistress, Eva von Wellberg. On the eve of the World War, Leon stumbles on a plot by Count von Meerbach that could wipe out the British forces in Africa. He finds himself left alone to frustrate von Meerbachś plan, and in grave peril as he learns more about the enigmatic Eva On The Eve Of The World War I, Ex-soldier Turned Professional Hunter Leon Courtney Is Recruited By His Uncle Penrod Ballantyne, Commander Of The British Forces In East Africa, To Gather Information On One Of His Clients, Count Otto Von Meerbach, And Soon Finds Himself Left Alone To Frustrate Von Meerbach's Plan To Wipe Out The British Forces In Africa. By 1913, Leon Courtney has become a big game hunter in British East Africa. One of his clients is a German industrialist and military weapons manufacturer. From Von Meerbach's mistress, Leon learns about a conspiracy that would unite part of the Kaiser's army with the survivors of the Boer War against British forces in Africa