last night I read..

Shout at the Devil

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Wilbur Smith

A nicely written tale of ivory poaching, reckless daring and humor, Shout at the Devil is set in German East Africa. Incorrigible rogue, Irish-American Flynn Patrick O'Flynn and his son-in-law Sebastian Oldsmith of impeccable English merchant background make unlikely partners as ivory poachers round the Rufiji Delta in East Africa in 1912, but prove a formidable threat to the peace of mind of Herman Fleischer, the fat German Commissioner in whose territory they make their living. Teasing Fleischer is an irresistible if dangerous sport, but it is not long before the outbreak of World War One enables the embattled sausage-eating Commissioner to take his revenge. While Flynn and Sebastian are away, he attacks and burns their homestead, and leaves among the dead Sebastian's infant daughter. Only Flynn's daughter Rosa survives - and distraught at the loss of her child she dedicates herself, her husband and father to the pursuit of bitter vengeance.

Wilbur Smith combines the comedy of the free-booting adventurers of his two central characters with desperate scenes of action on the wide enemy-infested ocean and in the steaming heat of the African jungle, the contrives a chilling ending to a novel started in light-hearted vein. Shout at the Devil has been made into a film in 1976.