Vicious Circle by Wilbur Smith

I love reading Wilbur Smith books.  They are an indulgence into a worlds and places I am never likely to go.  He has a superb knack of describing the environment and transporting you there, and can write some raunchy scenes with heroes who are manly yet romantic the next.  I love getting his books in hardback too because it is so much more of a decadent read too.  So often these are the books I give my Dad for Christmas, to spoil him.  It helps that our reading tastes often cross over for my benefit.

Vicious Circle is the second book in what I assume will at least be a trilogy.  The book this follows on from is called Those in Peril, and I have not read that, so I guess I will need to track it down.  The third book, Predator, is being released now in 2016.

Below is the cover and the blurb.

As you can tell from the blurb, this is a rollicking adventure.  It is violent and, at times, vile to read, but with moments of desolation, tenderness and adoration.

Hector is devastated by the loss of his wife Hazel, and soon realises that his baby daughter Catherine is at continued sustained risk from an enemy that just won't quit.  He has to secure her safety first, and turns to those he trusts the most to secure that safety, before he and his team work to identify who is targeting him and his daughter.

Along the way a family secret from Hazel's first late husband's past is found to be the catalyst to this violence and explains the, until then, background to the actions in Those in Peril.  And I am picking that because you know that there is a third book, that the threat is not totally annihilated at the end of Vicious Circle.

There is an aspect of 'as if' as you read parts of this book, but that is the decadence of reading such a book.  And it is why I keep reading Wilbur Smith books because I am transported to a world that is definitely not mine.

Brave Company by David Hill

Anzac Day is one of the most important days in the history of New Zealand.  It was the ignition of a series of events that began the formation of the New Zealand identity and loosened the apron ties of Mother England.  It was also the beginning of unimagined sacrifice by a country with a small population.

As a teacher, I believe that this important part of our history should never be forgotten and is a valuable part of the learning journey for our children.  Consequently I teach an Anzac Day unit each year and supply and read a selection of war stories to the children.

Last year I reviewed the David Hill novel My Brother's War set in WWI about two brothers, one who volunteered to serve and one who was a conscientious objector but was forced onto the battlefield against his beliefs.  Since that review I purchased another David Hill book focused on a different war.

Brave Company is set during the Korean Conflict and the main character is 16 year old Russell who is a member of the New Zealand Navy serving on a ship called HMNZS Taupo which has been sent to participate in the Korean Conflict.  Korea is war rarely discussed in terms of every day conversations on war, but New Zealand sent 4700 soldiers to serve during the 1950-1953 war and then as a peace keeping force during the armistice until 1957, and 1300 sailors served on frigates during the war and armistice, and all up 45 military personnel were lost.  (www.nzhistory.net.nz - Korean War)

I had a great uncle serve in Korea.  The first time I did an Anzac Day unit my Gran lent me a postcard Uncle T sent home about Christmas time with the Christmas Day menu on it.  I also treasure the photo I acquired of him in uniform with my great grandfather (who served in WWI) and great grandmother.  Uncle T saw enough of war in Korea to oppose his own son joining the army to serve in Vietnam.

This is the front cover and the blurb on the back cover:

 

 

Russell's family has a secret about an uncle who served and died in WWII who Russell once looked up to.  During his time in Korea Russell finds out about his uncle and discovers not all in what it appears to be.

 

Russell is a boy seaman on a frigate and the battle scene the frigate is involved in is tense and described in detail.  The tension is built throughout the book with innuendo about his uncle weaved through.  Hill doesn't reveal the questions asked about Russell's uncle early in the book.  They emerge as Russell's character is revealed and he meets a man who served with his uncle as he makes several trips into the battlefields of Korea. 

 

The book also reveals the plight of the Korean people as they fled their homes in the battle zone and the impact upon the children in particular.  Russell makes connections with a brother and sister in this predicament and demonstrates another side to his character as his understanding of their situation develops.

 

Again this is a great book to engage children in the realities and impacts of war.  It is a particularly good book to target boys aged 10 up to read, but I believe girls will also read this book.

The Peco Incident by Des Hunt

Des Hunt is a New Zealand author.  He was a teacher, and now writes books for children with strong themes about nature, science and technology.  I first heard about Des Hunt when I was teaching on the Coromandel, where Des also has taught and lives, and many parents and teachers talked about how great his books are and what wonderful books they are to get boys reading.  Go to Des Hunt's web page to find out more about him.

 

For Christmas 2012 I bought one of Des' books for my young cousin Sam as a present.  This Christmas I got him The Peco Incident.  I started reading the first few pages as I wrapped Sam's present and then decided that the concept of the book was quite engaging and that I wanted to read it too, and that it would be a great book to read to my class as well.

 

So here is the front cover and blurb on the back cover of The Peco Incident:

 

 

This book was quite engaging from the start.  Danny's cousin Nick arrives from the North Island to stay with Danny and his mum and dad near the albatross colony near Dunedin.  Danny doesn't know Nick too well, and Nick is rather a handful due to having ADHD.

What follows is an adventure tale that would be a New Zealander's worst nightmare - an eco-terrorist who is hell bent on destroying New Zealand's pride and joy - its native birds - to prove a warped idea against factory farming of poultry.

I'm going to read this to my class in 2014 because it brings up a lot of really important themes that I think are important:

• native birds
• factory farming of poultry
• bio-security
• eco-terrorism
• ethical protesting
• cruelty to animals
• safety of animals

I believe this book would create a lot of critical thinking and discussion in my class.  Also Des Hunt (according to his website) is willing to interact with classes about his books, so I think this would add a wonderful dynamic to reading the book with the class.

I really enjoyed this book, and I am an adult.  It brought up a lot of ethical questions as I read it and also gave me further insight into our bird species of New Zealand (a favourite topic I like to teach).  I think it is a book that people of all ages would enjoy, but especially boys aged 11+ could independently read and hook into this book and enjoy the adventure aspect of it.