Katambora Rising

I wish I had read the first book in this series in order to be familiar with the many characters. But Mr. Johnston's descriptions of African flora and fauna make this an enjoyable read.

Katamboro Rising is set in the southern countries of Africa during some rather tumultuous times. Life was unsettled in many ways and politics were askew with nefarious dealings. Corruption, revenge, greed all played major roles. The interplay of the indigenous tribes with those of European ancestry and the unique alliances that formed all provide the colorful and explosive setting for this novel. There is a good amount of action in the narrative and the book flows well. And, of course, the story is set in safari country which always seems magical to read about.

While this is a stand-alone story, it is also the second book in a series and it would have been easier to follow had I read the first book. There are a good number of characters to follow so, without having met them in the first book, I had only thumbnail introductions to some of the characters and I did not feel that I knew enough about some of them.

The plot is interesting and reflective of the young years of the African safari business. The pacing of the story is good and definitely held my attention. The author clearly speaks from personal knowledge of African wildlife and the African safari business. However, the writing is not yet polished. The dialog seems a bit stilted and unnatural. There are some very abrupt transitions between scenes.