Monday, May 5, 2014

Review: The Adventures of Charlie Smithers

Charlie’s adventures literally begin with a bang! Of an elephant gun, and poor Charlie gets dumped into the shallows only to discover he is in the deepest waters of life ever.

He spends time with the Maasai and meets Loiyan, a woman and healer who sets his broken ankles … and cuts a vital piece of him away. I’m not telling you what that is; it’s up to you to find out!

Charlie is sent from the heavens, apparently, to help Musa, the chief, in his quest (for ill-gotten cattle), but the shaman denies this and the time comes when Charlie needs to flee for his life. Beautiful Loiyan goes with him … and thus begins a great love story.

Written with wonderful idiomatic English expressions that raise many a laugh, oh jolly good! this is an intricately woven tale about the brutality in Africa, a commentary on the terrors of slavery, and it also showcases the spectacular beauty of a wild land and the customs of the people who live there.

Chuck Lovatt weaves a mighty tale of adventure set in dark Africa in the 1800’s. This is highly readable work and I loved every word. It is also a love story and I smiled and laughed often … and cried.


I cannot recommend this enough. Stellar work. A wonderful adventure!


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