If you haven't read any Wilbur Smith yet - this is definitely an author I would HIGHLY suggest you start with! In this Courtney series - co-written with Tom Harper - there is so many incredibly wound tales encompassing characters and their lives span through so many generations. Smith's LOVE of the land he describes is utterly amazing and extremely evident in each novel he creates.

In this story, The Courtney's are Connie and Theo. They are inseparable until they are separated... their journeys each tug at your heart because they are raw, brave, ravaged and just trying to fill a void that is surrounded by guilt and a need for redemption.

The characters, the story, the writing itself suck you into their lives and with each Courtney book that comes out, you'll be like me and want to grab it and hold it dear, not wanting it to end - but anxiously reading because Smith's story telling skills are top notch!

I am incredibly honoured to have been approved by NetGalley for this complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest review, Many incredible thanks!

My first book by this author. Very well written. If you like adventure and twists and turns this book is for you. Let your imagination fly to the sky. The author has a power to do that though this book. I just wish I read Wilbur Smith's previous books first.

A Brother's Love

This story starts out in India, and travels to France, America and Canada. The story is of a brother and a sister who become orphans when the French invade their town in India. Throughout the book Theo searches for and tries to protect his sister Constance.

This is the second of Wilbur Smith's books I have read. I love the vivid descriptions of the country and the people living there. The characters are vivacious and full of life. The story is told with so much feeling I could almost feel the ground shake as the elephants walked. I could almost smell the gun powder in battle, and hear the cries of the wounded.

As the travels continue and the young people become adults the book continues to keep me interested. There is not a dull moment in this book. There is love, passion, war, tragedy, hope and despair. I think it runs the gauntlet of emotions, but it is built on excitement and adventure, taking me to places I have never been and sights I have never seen.

I will definitely be reading more of Wilbur Smith's books. I truly recommend this book it has been a wonderful journey.

Thanks to Wilbur Smith, Bonnier Jaffre and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Long a Wilbur Smith fan, I was initially glad to receive a copy of this book. Exploring a branch of his famous Courtney family, Smith writes about Theo and Connie Courtney, brother and sister living in India, but soon spanning the globe with their experiences. I found this book to not be as rich in detail as Smith's previous African books, not sure why this is, as this had promised to be an outstanding read. Only mildly recommended.

This is a great family saga-style historical fiction. I especially enjoyed the historic detail and rich descriptions of location. The characters are well-developed and there is plenty of action. I love family sagas and can’t wait to read more of the Courtney Series. Very enjoyable read!

An epic adventure spanning the globe from colonial India, to Europe and North America.

While I did enjoy and appreciate Ghost Fire for its descriptive settings and fast paced plot, I'm not sure I will read the other books in this series simply because I prefer my adventures a little more modern (ie. 20th century) and a bit more intellectual. Too much gratuitous violence and graphic sex scenes for my taste.

That being said, I would still recommend it for those who enjoy 18th century swashbuckling, high octane adventures of violence and revenge, full of brave men and damsels in distress.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre USA (Zaffre) for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

I've read most of the Courtney series. Some of the novels are better than others but they always have a sense of adventure, violence, anger, tragedy, betrayal and so on. In other words, a lot of drama. This is a prequel to those so if you aren't familiar with the family, this is a fine way to start. That said, it also is one of the weaker installments. Moving across continents, it's the story of Theo and Connie Courtney, siblings who really live large. Their parents are killed, they are in an uprising in Calcutta, Theo leaves for the US, and Connie is released from prison by a rat who uses her and takes her to France. Then she too leaves for the Colonies. There's a lot more than happens in between but suffice it to say, some of it (especially wrt Connie) is unsavory. I'm not sure I would have picked up another in the series if this was the first I read but try it and you might feel differently. I prefer the installments set in Africa and if you don't enjoy Ghost Fire, please do try one of those. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

Ghost Fire is the 18th book in the Courtney series and all I can say is that this is the first book by Wilbur Smith I have read. That being said, I loved this book so much I have decided to read the whole series!
This book has everything in it; adventure, history, war, and it takes place all over the world. A brother and sister, after a horrible accident takes their parent's lives, have to go on. Theo is 14, and his sister is 16, and Theo promises to always be there for his sister, Constance. Unfortunately, war separates them for over three years.
Theo winds up going to the colonies in North America, and then lives with an Indian tribe where he marries a young woman. Circumstances happen and he goes into the army to fight the French.
Constance winds up in france, after marrying an officer (to be able to leave India) and when he treats her terribly, she goes to Paris.
Constance and Theo have grown up so differently since they parted, and during a battle between the French, English and Indians Theo is captured. Constance sees him right away in the jail and helps him escape. At that point in time, Connie tells him she will go back to France to live.
This book was so amazing, had beautiful writing, and the descriptions made me believe I was there living in that time.
I gave this book 5 stars and am so glad I received this ARC or I would not have stumbled upon such a great author!

There are many things I appreciate about Wilbur Smiths novels, immersive setting, wholesome story, vivid scenery, just to name a few but the thing I most appreciate about his novels are his accuracy to detail. A a historian one of the things I love the most is the time and care he has put into his historical research. Wilbur Smith makes history come alive in his books and I am living for it,

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Wilbur Smith, Tom Harper, and Bonnier Zaffre USA for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having long been a fan of the Courtney series, I was pleased to see Wilbur Smith back with the seventeenth instalment. Working alongside Tom Harper, they trim back the family tree—or at least seek different branches—with another of the flashback novels that explores an earlier group of the popular family. Set in mid-18th century India, Theo and Connie Courtney have grown up as British subjects in the East India Company. When fighting breaks out, a proxy theatre of the Thirty Years War, Theo and Connie are left to fend for themselves after their parents perish. After Theo and Connie have a falling out, the former joins the fight to quell the local uprising, while Connie finds herself captured and detained. Theo’s friendships on the battlefield to keep Calcutta from falling lead him to make a promise to one of his comrades. When the dust settles and presuming that Connie is among the dead, Theo sails for the Thirteen Colonies, where he delivers news of a man’s death. With nowhere else to go, Theo connects with the locals and begins a new round of trials and tribulations. Meanwhile, Connie is well and saved from her Indian prison by a soldier who wishes to take her to France. However, her keen eye and attention to detail works well for Connie, who sets foot on French soil with a story of being a widow. She injects herself into French society as best she can, while Theo is across the world, also brushing shoulders with the French, though for completely different reasons. As Courtneys, they have gumption and while they may not admit it, there is a fire within them to survive, no matter what is put before them. In a tale of blood, fighting, and perseverance, Smith and Harper use this interesting flashback novel to bring their point home In this series that has seen much ebb and flow throughout its development, this one remains relatively strong. Fans of the series may enjoy this one, though it is sometimes hard to become enthralled with an era that differs greatly from the original series.

I have long enjoyed the work of Wilbur Smith, though this is the only series of his I have read (save, the intertwined Ballantynes). His attention to detail and wonderful characters are second to none and they fly off the page, enticing the reader to learn more about them, no matter the time period covered. In this piece, Smith and Harper develop both separate and intertwined narratives for the two protagonists. Theo Courtney is full of the energy of his ancestors and descendants, wanting to fight for what he feels is right. His split from his sister is partially pig-headedness and partially passion clouded in anger. As the narrative progresses, the reader can see how Theo uses all that is before him to make the most of the experience, though he is prone to finding trouble. By contrast, Connie seems happy to let life lead the way, though she is by no means a helpless damsel. Her independence is muted by the time, though she remains cunning and finds ways to get what she wants, through both her mind and with her own looks. Many of the other characters offer interesting perspectives throughout the novel, complementing the protagonists throughout. While this era is not one that I enjoy in this series, I must applaud Smith and Harper for keeping things interesting and on point. I struggled at times with the narrative, though was able to pick-up on the poignant parts that kept the narrative moving forward. Rich with history and told in numerous locales, the story rises above some of the other books in the series to keep the reader curious until the final pages.

Kudos, Messrs. Smith and Harper, for a decent addition to the series. It may be that the era is not of interest to me, but I can surely see a great deal of potential within the pages of this novel.

Thank you for the chance to review a pre-publication of Ghost Fire! It was well researched of a number of cultures and a plot to put the hero in each one in a period of our history. It makes me want to read more about the French Indian War.

Wilbur Smith is on the A list for Historical Fiction, and Ghost Fire does not disappoint. Ghost Fire covers 3 continents as circumstances sweep the characters across the world. Opening in India, with sweeping descriptions of the country and the world of the Dutch East India Company. Ending in America with the French Indian War. The characters are solid and well written and you enjoy being in their company.

Wilbur Smith knows how to write an historical saga you can really sink your teeth into!
This is the story of siblings Theo and Constance. They are living in India with their parents when war breaks out. An accident causes their parents to be killed and they become orphaned. Through the rest of the book you follow their lives and the many hardships they endure.
This is a page turning novel that will keep you reading long into the night! Excellent book!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for some very late night reading!

Ghost Fire is a fantastic book that grabbed me from the first chapter. Great writing and characters. I would read more from this author.

The author brings us another action adventure with this one featuring members of the Courtney family. Theo and Constance Courtney have grown up in India in the protective environment normally experienced by ex pats from England. The story opens as the area they live in is being attacked by enemies looking to conquer the city. The two are told by their parents to remain in their house in order not to be affected by the combat going on around them. Constance is determined to see what the war looks like and runs off to a section of the wall protecting the city and Theo looking to protect her goes after her. When their parents come home and see them gone they dash to the wall to bring the two home. In an accident caused by a cannon ball hitting a section of wall their parents are killed with Theo and Constance made orphans.
With the two siblings forced to take care of themselves Mr Smith moves them through world centers in which France and England are at war with each other. All events and areas in which these events take place have been researched by the author in order to present an accurate description of what is happening to both Theo and Constance. They become separated and Mr Smith follows each as they interact with the events they find themselves involved in.
The story culminates in the New World of North America where the battles between England and the French and Indians continue. Theo due to circumstances arrives there and through his own brave actions becomes an officer in a ranger group that is attached to the British army sent to fight in the new world. The story ranges through the skirmishes and battles that took place during the period resulting in a British victory and a migration west into new lands. The Indians that sided with the French in the war are portrayed by the author quite well. He describes their life style and beliefs using Theo's being forced to become a member of a tribe due to events he meets with.
Wilbur Smith usually paints his protagonists with a heroic brush making them larger than life. My own feeling is that this action enhances a good story making it better. His ability to fully paint a picture of a period and area involved in his books coupled with heroic people is a welcome trademark in his novels. He is a prodigious writer with his books welcomed by his readers with the faith that he will continue to produce fascinating novels for many more years.