Wilbur Smith
La legge del deserto

THE REVIEW

The now old Wilbur Smith, with the publication (he has recently been writing every two years) of "Those in Peril", translated in Italy as "La legge del deserto", returns to quench the thirst for adventure of the millions of devoted readers he has gathered over the last 30 years.

This is not yet another chapter of the renowned family sagas or the gold mines of novels revolving around the Nile, and this immediately leaves you a bit taken aback. The detractors, in fact, will not have the chance to chant the adage of << writing for easy money >>.

With La Legge del Deserto, WS creates yet another new story, with original characters and situations, drawing from a well of creative inspiration that seems never-ending. Fans, however, can rest easy: we are still talking about great men and great women, capable of feats on the edge of believability, rich in virtues and characterized by the usual exaggerated flaws. We are always talking about Africa and its unique territory, seen this time from the perspective of the modern and ruthless religious extremism.

The plot envelops and involves the reader, the storyline is compelling, and the pace is tight. We are certainly not at the narrative levels of some past masterpieces, but Wilbur manages again what in my humble opinion is the mission that many writers, more or less known, almost always fail: the book slips away from you page after page and ends way too soon. Reaching the end (in my case, in 4 days), you immediately miss the characters and insist on flipping through the blank pages hoping that maybe the story could continue...

A comparison with the past is a must: in my opinion, this book far surpasses its predecessor ("Il destino del cacciatore"), which had deeply disappointed me. While not standing up to the wonders that made me fall in love with the genre, it is a storyline worthy of respect, as usual rich with historical-sociological notions, and showing the usual meticulous attention to technical details from the author, who this time introduces the reader to the fascinating world of oil tycoons and the most technological oil tankers. There is no shortage of blood, atrocities, and immense love stories, and compared to the standards, there is less attention to African flora and fauna.

A very successful book, in short, and now we'll have to wait another couple of years. Fortunately, there is no shortage of alternatives in the landscape of great adventure writers, but WS remains always and anyway the number one.