The Ghost of Africa by Don Brobst

About this book: (from the publisher) Together New York City surgeon Paul Branson and his wife, Nicki, had a dream: to help the people of the African bush. After Nicki’s untimely death, Paul decides to honor her memory and carry on alone. In South Sudan, he channels grief into hope, caring for villagers and working to save Leza, a little girl with leukemia who has captured his heart.

Meanwhile, Jason Quinn, terrorist leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army, has deadly plans for the people of South Sudan. But he needs information to carry out his plot—information from research Paul did for the US government years ago. Quinn will stop at nothing to obtain this secret intelligence, even kidnap a dying child. Now, in order to save the ailing Leza and stop a genocide, Paul must go beyond his medical training to journey into a world of brutal terrorism and global intrigue. With only instinct and his faith as guides, how far will he go to save the lives of thousands?

About the author: Don Brobst was born in New Jersey and educated in Chicago. He currently lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where he is a practicing physician, a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and the medical director of the state of Alabama.

The father of three grown children and grandfather of five, Brobst divides his time between his practice, family, writing, and trips to Africa. He is dedicated to giving medical care in the African bush, as well as in Egypt and Ethiopia.

For more information, visit www.donbrobst.com.

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary/General/Adventure

If this book were a movie, I would rate it: PG

[Tweet “Thrilling story of one man’s stand against evil @DonBrobst”]

Reflection: Ever since our family traveled to Africa two years ago, my interest in that continent has been heightened. So when another blogger reviewed The Ghost of Africa, it naturally caught my eye. And when I subsequently was given the chance to review it myself, I jumped. I intended, originally, to feature it only as one of several novels in a roundup earlier this summer. But once I started the book, I knew it deserved a spotlight post all its own.

The Ghost of Africa is a rare find, a superbly crafted novel, rich in both detail and adventure, and layered throughout with emotional depth. Multiple point-of-view characters create an ever-tightening noose of tension, the line stretched so taut the reader can’t help but anticipate the snap.

The author’s mastery of his craft means there are no stylistic foibles to distract from the story. At the same time, he brings to the page a refined balance of medical knowledge and passion for mission work that, when bound together by the author’s strong writing, makes for a compelling story indeed.

[Tweet “Flawlessly executed thriller with heart @DonBrobst”]

The Ghost of Africaa is that rare breed of book for its crossover audience appeal as well, likely to find its core audience in men who are drawn to adventure stories, but with enough emotional depth and abundance of female characters to draw in its share of women readers as well.  It’s also the type of action-adventure that would fare very well on the big screen. (Hm, right now I’m debating the merits of either Harrison Ford or Russell Crowe in the lead role. Both have their advantages.)

While the author supplied me with an e-book for review, I decided on a lark to spring for the audio version as well. Two bucks very well spent. The narrator, James Foster, delivers a pitch-perfect performance, lending just the right resonance to each character, with a mastery of the range of accents that added an entirely new layer of entertainment.

While all of these things made for a worthwhile read, I liked the takeaway best: that one person can, with God on his side, overcome overwhelming odds to make a real world of difference.

Thanks to the author for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

After words: Have you been to Africa? Where and when?