Synopsis

An action-packed hunt across South Africa full of international espionage, twin swaps and prison escapes, by Australia’s master of adventure.

Former mercenary Sonja Kurtz’s archaeologist daughter Emma is captured by Russian forces in Ukraine, while working to save priceless antiquities from the ravages of war.

Emma’s captor, Major Vassily Orlov, who served time in a South African prison for poaching and murder, is planning a return to Africa – for business and pleasure – with Emma in tow.

Sonja’s mission seems simple: to hunt Orlov and rescue Emma.

But first, Sonja must reconcile with the estranged daughter who tried to kill her: Emma’s twin sister, Fiona.

Behind the Scenes

One my long-term characters, former soldier and mercenary Sonja Kurtz is back in this, my 24th novel and the sixth in the Sonja series (have I really been doing this for so long? Lucky I love it!).

King of Beasts is also the long-awaited (like, 22 years-long) sequel to my very first book, Far Horizon. You’ll get to find out what happened to Mike Williams, Sarah Thatcher and that thoroughly-rotten baddy, Vassily Orlov!

Sonja and her boyfriend Hudson Brand are managing a private safari lodge where a trial is taking place of a state-of-the art drone for use in anti-poaching.

Meanwhile, Sonja’s daughter, Emma, is captured by Russian forces in Ukraine while working on an archaeological dig. She seems to get into almost as much trouble as her mother!

And there’s a certain Fiona Stewart lurking about. If you don’t know who she is, I suggest you read The Pride, very quickly.

Fiction crossed over with real life several times while I was writing King of Beasts.

I’d heard of African people from Nigeria and elsewhere being recruited under false pretences to work in Russia and ending up on the frontline in Ukraine. I ‘invented’ a black South African character who is co-opted to fight for Russia. Then, imagine my surprise when a story broke in the South African media that locals had been sent to Russia by a political party, supposedly for bodyguard training, and had been sent off to Ukraine as soldiers!

Drone warfare has progressed with frightening rapidity in the war in Ukraine, with both sides relying heavily on unmanned aerial vehicles. I thought it was time I had a drone storyline in one of my books.

Advances in drone technology and AI are being applied to anti-poaching operations in Africa. I’ve had a bit of experience in this, volunteering on Project Meerkat in the Kruger Park that uses modified shipping radar to spot animals and people out in the bush, in a bid to locate rhino poachers.

King of Beasts features a new South African-designed drone that has a precision weapon on board and can recognise and track people by identifying not just their face, but the way walk (yes, it’s real – it’s called ‘gait recognition’). All of the crazy drone stuff in King of Beasts is at least partly based on truth.

At the same time, debate is still raging, as it has been for some time in South Africa over the hunting of lions.

There have been moves to end the ‘canned’ hunting business, where lions are bred to shot, but at the same time wild lions are coming under increasing threat from poachers, who want to sell their bones into Asia, where they are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Lions are in big trouble across Africa and have disappeared from many places where they once roamed. I wanted to shine a spotlight on the problems facing these iconic big cats. Look out for the character ‘Nhena’ (‘legend’ in xiTsonga) who makes a few cameo appearances in the book.

Enjoy!