Those in Peril: Book summary and reviews of Those in Peril by Wilbur Smith

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James Bartholomew

THOSE IN PERIL
As a 5 times published novelist and reader of many Wilbur Smith novels, I feel somewhat qualified to comment on his new offering.
If you suspend the critical eye it does the business efficiently enough, in that it entertains the reader. However, it is surprising that after 40 plus years writing Mr Smith still commits structural and presentational sins that novices are warned to avoid. For instance -
1. Stilted and unnatural dialogue made worse by (for instance) 'I am' instead of 'I'm' and 'we do not' instead of 'we don't." He never uses the contractions that make speech natural.
2. Multiple viewpoints, even within the same paragraph.
3. Putting the 'he said,' 'she said,' etc at the very end of a section of reported speech, even ones consisting of several sentences.
4. Two dimensional, steroetyped characters. For instance Hector Cross is Sean Courtney from Mr Smith's first published novel, 'When the Lion Feeds.'

These are just are few of the irritants with which this novel is liberally sprinkled, and I find them distracting. Maybe I should just let myself be carried along and forget playing the literary critic.

Mike 1946

Less than 1/5
This book is a disgrace and is insulting to the many fine books that Smith has written. I'm wondering if someone else isn't penning this drivel he's been publishing lately. The characters are from Wilbur's worst nightmares, the plot is adolescent, and really, anyone who spent money on buying this should ask for their money back (I got it from the library thankfully). A person's money would be better spent on some video action game. Two hacked-off heads smuggled in and left in their bathroom in glass jars? C'mon, it's utter nonsense from start to finish and I only read it through to see just how stupid it could get, and it didn't disappoint. I'm starting "The Sunbird" tonight for the 4th time.

Dave L.

"Those in Peril" a big disappointment
Did Wilbur Smith really write this book? As a life long fan I cannot believe that this book is by the same author as the Courtney and Ballantyne series. Total disappointment.

Rowen H

Absolute Set in Africa
A dreadful read from start to finish. Ridiculous characters ponce about in an even more ridiculous plot waffling dialogue that is cringeworthy to the extreme. Really Mr Smith! Those in Peril - you are of course referring to the unfortunate reader. Unfortunately it will sell in droves.

Peter

Very Bad First Impression
This is the first Wilbur Smith book I read and will probably be the last. It begins with graphic sex descriptions, which I do not really care for, and then goes into a completely predictable and boring plot that is the stuff of a cheap action movie. By the 200th page (about when the rescue had been achieved), I already knew the ending. The plot follows a too simple formula: heroine needs hero to save her daughter, heroine falls in love with hero, hero saves daughter (but does not kill the snake), they all go off to live in la la land, then snake bites back, finally hero kills snake. There, I just saved you 400 pages worth of reading. I knew all of this after the first 200 pages that were torture to get through.

Red Opal

Those in Peril
The worst ever! I have loved most of Wilbur's novels but this one is just trying to sell sex. The description of his characters are exaggerated and the events are just not real. Very poor, I should say.

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