A dashing adventure story set in 1880s Southern Africa, The Diamond Frontier sees ex-soldier Simon Fonthill and faithful Welsh companion '352' Jenkins fighting off Afghans, Boers and bushmen as they rescue a young damsel in distress and become caught up in General Wolseley's attack on Sekukunis Town. Oh and there's blossoming, buttoned up romance too, with plucky reporter Alice Griffith.
brilliant...
A change from the variously set detective novels of recent weeks, this heroic tale is packed with exciting escapades, jolly British derring do and a lot of realistic colonial history thrown in for good measure. Fonthill is an engaging hero, and his sidekick Jenkins, whose dialogue is written in convincing Welsh vernacular, is amusing, while Alice is a tough cookie making it in a man's world. The action sequences are gripping, the setting is authentic and original and the whole thing is a more than satisfying way to pass the time on a cold winter evening.
but...
Yet another book from the cheap 'thriller' collections that is the third in a series! It didn't matter a jot to the story that I hadn't met Fonthill and co before, but it would've been good to experience their adventures in Afghanistan and India first hand.
briefly...
All this excitement at the expense of Johnny-foreigner makes one proud to be British! Or something...
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