The Last Savanna

The Last Savanna ISBN: 9781627040082 Mandevilla Press (Earlier published by Headline Book Publishing [London] in slightly different form as The Ivory Hunters), an e-book by Mike Bond,Plot: MacAdams is one of those long-time immigrant residents from England who could never leave Africa. His wife, Dorothy, an alcoholic and no longer able to take it, leaves for England where their two sons now reside when Mac decides to again aid the government. He joins his long-time friend Nehemiah to attempt to save the wildlife from the illegal poachers – a new breed armed with AK-47’s. On a foray they are partially successful, but he obtains a chest wound and several broken ribs when charged by a cape buffalo. It is discovered that three of the Somali poachers who escaped with ivory also had killed most of an archeological group and kidnapped a woman member, with whom he retained strong emotional ties after an earlier clandestine love attachment. In spite of his severe injuries, he decides to attempt to rescue her and the story follows in detail the ensuing chase ending as might well be expected.Discussion: The entire tale is perhaps one of the most complete word pictures of a country/persons, this reviewer ever has read. Africa and its inhabitants are depicted simultaneously with all of the beauty, ugliness and both necessary and seemingly often unnecessary cruelty generated within its boundaries by its various life forms. An Elan gradually approaches a stream to quench its thirst. It is killed by an old lioness, who in turn suffers the same fate from a magnificent young beast, only to be killed by a native’s spear because the hide will provide enough to pay for his two boy’s schooling. Regrettably, he too is killed by a raiding Somali’s AK-47. All of this action along with accompanying thoughts interestingly and quite minutely described. The author further beautifully presents the totally engulfing hold that the continent seems to exert on some individuals. “On the equator the days pass one like the next. You come here young, marry, raise a family, die and leave no tracks. Occasionally you go “home”, to London and the Cotswold mists….. After a few weeks you wake up one day and decide to go back to Africa – the rest is just a game. Like malaria, Africa. Once bitten you can never shake it. Yet Africa is dying, taking the fever with it. Have no attachments, MacAdam knew the Maasai said: see the world as it passes, not siding with lion or gazelle. A century ago the whites came, ploughed and fenced the savanna, cut the forests, grazed their ignorant cattle where the wildebeest had roamed. They killed the warriors and made the docile ones clerks, told them we nailed God to a tree because he threatened to free us from our sins. What are sins?” the Maasai answered. God is the land, the trees, the mountains, the animals, the sky, the rivers and the rain. How do you nail this to a tree?” Now the land, the trees, the animals are gone: the whites were right – God’s not so hard to kill.And now most of the whites had gone, too, leaving behind them a plague to finish off what they had begun …allowed the week to survive, populations to explode, the limitless savannas and jungles cut into tiny shambas where swollen families burnt and hacked the vegetation, then clung to the malnourished soil till it eroded to bedrock” and nothing is but dust. In other words, the author has provided a story that is sad but factual, full of suspense and action but with much about which to ruminate. It is well-written. Probably could have profited from judicious editing but then again such action could interfere with the ruminations to which the material could lead the contemplative reader. The more pragmatic reader probably will find too much that is too difficult to accept.Summary: A most unusual and descriptively detailed story some readers will discover to be most intriguing.

More than mindless drivel, this story is full of thought provoking passages and moments of suspense that keeps you reading beyond your intent so you can discover what happens. Hard to put down with all its surprises.

This story is a bit preachy. Although some of out is thoughtful and worth thinking about. The ending is reasonable, but sorrowful.

I both liked and hated this book. The descriptions were way too much. Too many descriptive adjectives. The story line was good, but a bit tedious. Allegorical for sure.

This was such a great story! If anyone knows anything about the nature of life in Africa (and if you don't), then you would know, or you would learn. Like Pat Conroy poetically wrote "Prince of Tides" and "Beach Music," Mike Bond graphically draws life in Africa on your heart and mind like no other author, but if he was there while is was finishing reading his story, I would have throttled his neck!! He broke an important "Golden Rule," he didn't finish the story! After all that beautiful writing, he left the end hanging. That was a horrible end. If he says as a response, well chose your own ending of the three possibilities, I would say that's a flakey response. I would rather hear it from the author, because he wrote the story, than make up my own ending. Like Stephen King's father told Stephen, never write a story without an ending. Other than that, it was one of the greatest multi dimensional stories I ever read on Africa and life.

Writing was not up to my usual standards for these type books. Returned to kindle unlimited after the first 50 pages.

I just finished this book and as one person said in their review, the last portion of the book was tortuous to read as it drug on too long. When I first started reading, I immediately wanted to watch the movie "Out of Africa" again as it was one of my favorites, and this book reminded me of it in the beginning. It sounds like a very difficult life to settle there after living in a European lifestyle. The Somalis seem to be able to endure every kind of pain imaginable such as cutting off their own limbs which is rather hard to believe one would survive. It is difficult to read of the unnecessary slaughter of animals which we all know as true and how many are now extinct because of the ignorance of mankind. The author uses so much descriptive language which became very distracting for me as to what was actually happening at the moment and was unnecessary. The ending also was disappointing as it was as though the author just abruptly ended the story.

Unfortunately, due to time restraints, I have been able to read only the first chapter or so of the story. To give a proper review, this piece of literary art warrants a full and complete reading. However, from what I have seen up to this point, I feel that it is extremely well written. The author has taken the time to place the reader into the story with beautifully detailed descriptions. Easily you can visualize the landscape that has been word painted around you while at the same time experiencing the smells and atmosphere surrounding you. The character first presented in this story is alive with his emotions. You can understand his feelings and there is no questions left in your mind as to why he is has gone about doing what he has done. Even the wild life has character to the point were you can perhaps experience what they are feeling at that very moment. If the rest of this story is as beautifully written as the first, you should immensely enjoy this reading experience.

The story was exaggerated beyond belief , It never lived up its promise as the previous people who had reviewed it has stated. In general not a good read

A good read from the start, great plot and characters, the ending is a bit of a.let.down twist, but, in Africa nothing is normal.

good read

I enjoy most of books about Africa. I could not finish this one. The descriptive over load is nauseating !

I rarely read fiction and reading this confirms my prejudice. It is appallingly written, bad English, invented words and grossly inaccurate. It certainly doesn't portray the Samburu I know well.Cliff Jones