For nearly a quarter of a century Matthew Brent, expatriate, scholar and recluse, has lived at the oasis of Marbid. To this remote retreat comes Mark Lannet, a young friend of his, whose engagement has recently been broken off by his fiancee, Laura. She, however, hoping for a reconciliation, soon follows him. To Marbid too comes Lucius Wilde, wealthy American big game hunter, whose ambition to shoot the beautiful but rare Imbalian ibex has grown into an obsession since his first abortive attempt twenty years before. Colonel Zikku, a member of the country"s ruling military regime, goes to extraordinary trouble to ensure the success of the American"s safari, but it appears that his help is not entirely disinterested.
To Jimmy Strieker, a fellow expatriate of Brent"s, he confides that he believes Wilde"s presence in the country must be due to motives other than hunting. Strieker, himself a crack shot, is deputed to accompany the American on his expedition into the mountains with the object of keeping an eye on him. He does so - thereby stepping neatly into the trap which Colonel Zikku has prepared for him. Mark and Laura meanwhile, with tragic consequences, have unwittingly become involved in these intrigues.
In "Brought To Bay" Michael Pereira draws on his wide experience as a traveller in many parts of the world to create a setting which, while imaginary, is astonishingly vivid and realistic. Against this background, that of a newly-emergent nation somewhere in the Middle East or Africa, he unfolds a story whose ability to grip the reader"s attention springs as much from the brilliance of its construction as from the power of its characterisation. Its relevance to the contemporary scene in this age of military juntas and "strong man" governments gives an added dimension to the novel, but it is with human nature rather than politics that the author is principally concerned. As always, he proves himself a discerning yet sympathetic observer. Это и многое другое вы найдете в книге Brought to bay (Michael Pereira)