The Sound of Thunder

Writer: Wilbur Smith

Genre: Fiction

Sean Courtney has decided to return from wilderness into civilization, but his ideas go for a toss when Boers wage a war against the whites and Sean is caught right in the middle of the war. He however decides to pursue his path and go home to Ladyburg. On his way he meets a woman named Ruth and falls for her. However she leaves him and returns to her husband, but destiny are to bring them together.

After dropping of Dirk to the safety of his mother he joins the war as a soldier and this time his path crosses again with his brother- turned- foe, Garrick. Garry is no mood to relent and Sean's efforts of reconciliation falls on deaf ears. However, owing to his courage he soon becomes a popular soldier and a dear friend to Saul, Ruth's husband. Saul dies in action and soon the war ends. Sean marries Ruth and gets her home and starts his own business at Ladyburg. His war heroics have gained him enough fame and fortune and he soon turns his eyes towards politics. Michael, his first born , however raised by Garry, soon becomes enchanted with his Uncle Sean and decides to work for him. Just when he thinks he has everything a man would ask for, his son, Dirk decides to leave him because he has become too jealous for his father. 

The book ends once again on a sad note with Dirk leaving his father. However Sean has been accepted by Garrick and the brothers look forward to a better life.

It's a little difficult to explain my fascination with the Courtney books. However after this second book in the First Courtney sequence, I think of all his characters....Monsoon and Tom Courtney still are the best....Sean comes in at the second place only.  One more book to go to finish this first sequence ;)