Other editions of book Birds of Prey

A simple mission. A battle for their lives. It is 1667, and the war between the Dutch and the English continues apace. Sir Francis Courtney, his son Hal and their crew are carried around the southern tip of the African colonies by the good ship Lady Edwina, licensed to attack and seize the treasure-laden ships of the Dutch East India company. When they capture a Dutch trader and hold the passengers to ransom, Sir Francis hopes only for a good price and a small sense of satisfaction. But this is unlawful territory they sail in. An unexpected betrayal will mean the men on board will face greater peril than they have ever faced before - and many good men may never see home again.... A Courtney Series adventure - book 1 in the Birds of Prey trilogy.

A Courtney series adventure - Book 1 in the Birds of Prey trilogy"Africa!" The sound of that mysterious name on his own lips raised goose pimples along his arms and made the thick dark hair prickle on the back of his neck.' A simple mission. A battle for their lives. It is 1667 and the war between the Dutch and the English continues apace. Sir Francis Courtney, his son Hal, and their crew are carried around the southern tip of the African colonies by the good ship Lady Edwinna, licensed to attack and seize the treasure-laden ships of the Dutch East India company. When they capture a Dutch trader and hold the passengers to ransom, Sir Francis hopes only for a good price and a small sense of satisfaction. But this is unlawful territory they sail in.An unexpected betrayal will mean the men on board will afce greater peril than they have ever faced before - and many good men may never see home again...

A Courtney series adventure - Book 1 in the Birds of Prey trilogy"Africa!" The sound of that mysterious name on his own lips raised goose pimples along his arms and made the thick dark hair prickle on the back of his neck.' A simple mission. A battle for their lives. It is 1667 and the war between the Dutch and the English continues apace. Sir Francis Courtney, his son Hal, and their crew are carried around the southern tip of the African colonies by the good ship Lady Edwinna, licensed to attack and seize the treasure-laden ships of the Dutch East India company. When they capture a Dutch trader and hold the passengers to ransom, Sir Francis hopes only for a good price and a small sense of satisfaction. But this is unlawful territory they sail in.An unexpected betrayal will mean the men on board will afce greater peril than they have ever faced before - and many good men may never see home again...

It is 1667 and the Dutch and the English are at war. Sir Francis Courtney and his son Henry 'Hal' Courtney, in their fighting caravel Lady Edwina, are on patrol off the Agulhas Cape of Southern Africa: lying in wait for one of the galleons of the Dutch East India Company returning from the Orient laden with treasure to fall into their net.It is the beginning of the quest that will sweep them from the new settlement of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa to the Great Horn of Ethiopia far to the north. The bloody capture of the Dutch merchantman, and three valuable hostages, launches Hal into a perilous adventure which only the bravest will survive... Along the way Hal will encounter many enemies. A dangerous mutineer, sworn to extract to revenge. A fellow Knight Templar, now his father's betrayer. And the most dangerous adversary on the African continent, the Dutch swordsman Schreuder. His spirit will also be tested by love. For the rich and pampered Dutch heiress, Katinka. For the beautiful slave girl, Sukeena. And for a woman whose unstinting courage will outshine them all...From the dungeons of Good Hope to the uncharted wilderness of the Dark Continent and then to the fatal narrows of the Red Sea, Hal's faith will lead him to his destiny. To the defense of the final Christian stronghold in Africa. The kingdom of Prester John, historic guardian of the priceless Holy Grail...Birds of Prey is a Courtney Family Adventure from bestselling author Wilbur Smith.

It is 1667 and the mighty naval war between the Dutch and the English still rages. Sir Francis Courtney 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... `The scope is magnificent and the epic scale breathtaking... Wilbur Smith is one of thos benchmarks agains whom others are compared` - The Times `Meticulous research supports constant excitement in a fast-moving tale` - Washington Post

The year is 1667. Sir Francis Courtney and his son Hal are on patrol in their fighting caravel off the Agulhas Cape of South Africa. They are lying in wait for one of the treasure-laden galleons of the Dutch East India Company returning from the Orient. so begins a quest for adventure and the spoils of war that sweeps them from the settlement of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa to the Great Horn of Ethiopia far to the north - at a time when international maritime law permitted acts of piracy, rape, and murder otherwise punishable by death. Wilbur Smith introduces a generation of the indomitable Courtneys and thrillingly re-creates their part in the struggle for supremacy and riches on the high seas.From the very first pages, Wilbur Smith spins a colorful and exciting tale, crackling with tension and drama, that builds and builds to a stunning climax. Packed with vivid descriptive passages of the open seas, breathless pacing, and an extraordinary cast of characters, Birds of Prey is a masterpiece from a storyteller at the height of his powers.