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– Wilbur Smith is a great storyteller. In Birds of Prey he tells the story of young Hal Courtney who is learning the craft of sailing from his stern father. His father's hard discipline will turn out well for the lad as he faces treachery, uncharted lands and seas, and a confrontation of cultures. The setting of this novel is around southern Africa. Smith's research into sailing seems quite throrough as well as his attention to the areas around the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th century. Smith does give his plot away at the beginning, but that does not prohibit the reader from enjoying the playing out of the plot and sometimes a few surprises as well. This is good. Buy it....