By – Wilbur Smith
Mungo St John, the flashy scion of a much respected family claiming a major tobacco plantation, unexpectedly loses his family, his manor and the love for his life to the cunning Chester Marion. Presently Mungo is compelled to turn into a slave dealer, however it may be contended that he may have had a decision in the issue, to get sufficiently rich to get his revenge on Chester. He is driven by his hunger for vengeance through risky journeys over the Atlantic sea and audacious adventurous in Africa followed by a fierce showdown back in America. This, basically, is the story of Call of the Raven by Wilbur Smith with Corban Addison set in the center nineteenth century.
Mungo St John is a well crafted character from Smith’s well known Ballantyne series and this book expects to show the readers what made Mungo the man he is. His is an exceptionally tangled character, with reasonableness, and a mercilessness, that make him difficult to like or dislike straight away. The other significant characters are balanced, as well; they can’t be easily characterised positive or negative, making Call of the Raven an engaging read.
The plot moves along at a quick pace and there are lots of action, on ocean and on land. The depictions of the naval matters and the African wildernesses feel striking and authentic. The situation of the slaves is portrayed in tragically violent detail. The issue of slave-exchanging is analyzed from the two perspectives however the closure, where Mungo apparently goes slaving again with no legitimization for the activity, leaves an awful taste. Perhaps this has been done it to safeguard the continuity with the Ballantyne series for which this is billed as a prequel.
There are no particular negatives in this novel other than the treatment of ladies, particularly Camilla, that numerous readers may discover unpalatable. Aside from that, it is an elegantly composed, engaging adventure that kept me snared beginning to end. Wilbur Smith has reliably conveyed various hits during his long career and this one looks encouraging to join that rundown.
