Product Description

In the Sudan, decades of brutal misgovernment by the ruling Egyptian Khedive in Cairo precipitate a fierce and bloody rebellion and Holy War headed by a charismatic new religious leader, The Mahdi or "Expected One". The British are forced to intervene to protect their national interests and to attempt to rescue the hundreds of British subjects stranded in the country. Along with hundreds of others, British trader and businessman, Ryder Courtney is trapped in the capital city of Khartoum. It is here that he meets Captain Penrod Ballantyne of the 10th Hussars, as well as the British Consul, David Benbrook and his three beautiful daughters. Against the vivid and bloody backdrop of the siege of Khartoum, in which British General Charles George Gordon is killed and the British retreat, these three powerful men fight to survive. Rich with vibrant historical detail and infused with his inimitable powers of storytelling, "The Triumph Of The Sun" is Wilbur Smith at his masterful best.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #225255 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

About the Author

Wilbur Smith was born in Central Africa in 1933. He was educated at Michaelhouse and Rhodes University.

He became a full-time writer in 1964 after the successful publication of WHEN THE LION FEEDS, and has since written thirty novels, all meticulously researched on his numerous expeditions worldwide. His books are now translated into twenty-six languages

Customer Reviews

A long awaited meeting for the Courtneys and the Ballantynes
I love Wilbur Smith, and I have been waiting for this new book for so long, so it almost seems a shame that I got it and immediately read it....what do I do now - wait until the next book comes out in two years time? In this new book, the great fictional families from Smith's previous novels encounter each other for the first time - the Courtneys and the Ballantynes. It's almost as though these two families have been in a parallel existence for so long, and for readers of Smith (like me), the encounter of both families has been long awaited. It's difficult to write a review about this book without giving anything away, but I'll give you a thumbnail sketch: British businessman Ryder Courtney is trapped in the siege of Khartoum in 1884, along with a captain of the 10th Hussars (Penrod Ballantyne), the British consul and his three daughters. Against the fierce, graphic setting of the battle, there is this great story of survival, strength and determination.

There are also some great strong characters which seem to be making contemporary references about the world today; Mahdi, the mystic warlord seems to be a comment about the rise of Islam and the problems in the world today.

This is a great book, and although the characters are from the families of previous books, this is not a sequel to any of the books which came before, nor a continuation of any prior story. It seems as though Smith has brought a natural meeting point for the families and taken them upon a new journey, and not just taken the easy route by writing a sequel to Blue Horizon (though I would really like to see that myself).

If you're new to Smith, you might be better off reading a few of the previous books first before taking this one on, just so that you get a feel of what the families are about, but even if you don't, you will not regret buying this book. Thank you Wilbur Smith.

A Story of the Siege of Khartoum
This is an excellant book about the siege of Khartoum and features a Courtney (Ryder, the uncle of Sean and Garrick) and a Ballantyne (Penrod). This does not follow directly from 'Blue Horizon' the last Courtney novel but is in fact a stand alone novel that takes place at the same time as 'When the Lion Feeds' and 'The Sound of Thunder'. Although Ryder and Penrod are joint 'leads' of the story Penrod gets the stronger personal story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was dreading reaching the end. There is one shocking part that hit me like a physical shot when I read it, I was expecting something bad to happen but not that bad. All I can do now is wait 1 or 2 years for the next Wilbur Smith novel and see where he takes us I'm hoping for a follow on from either 'Blue Horizon' or 'The Golden Fox'.

Yet Another Quality Offering...
For those Wilbur Smith fans out there this is a book you will enjoy I think. It is not vintage Smith by any stretch of the imagination but instead is a largely enjoyable and very readable tale.
For first time Smith readers I suggest you start with a book like River God or Warlock and then progress to the Courtney and Ballantyne novels. You will not appreciate the flowing style and historical competence of his writing by reading this book first.