KIBOKO

by Daniel P. Mannix ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 16, 1958

... was ""the whip that conquered Africa"", put to most profitable use by Captain Rutledge, a southerner, a Civil War casualty, now an expatriate, a slave trader who did business between the African east coast and Brazil. He is, at first, engaged in outwitting Captain Gordon, commander of the Medusa, a British frigate assigned to capture illegal slavers along the coast. Rutledge narrowly escapes the sea trap Gordon had set but in the process the crew (Independent Americans) of Rutledge's Flying Witch mutinies. Rutledge leaves the ship at Rio de Janeiro and returns to Africa, this time for ivory. He becomes a mercenary for ""Binbin"", a powerful Arab who has the ast coast and the interior in his control which he maintains by instigating periodic wars between the tribes. Rutledge, as ""Binbi's"" pasha, again meets up with Gordon who, as aid to the British consul, is still routing wrongdoors. Everyone is assembled in Buntoro (southern Uganda) for the land and lake battle between the British and the natives, led by Rutledge -- champagne drinking Englishmen, Boston missionaries, Ma Venner (who is killed violating tribal taboo) and Kitty (whom Rutledge has married in native ceremony). Amazon warriors and cannibals. Gordon is again defeated by the American. A second sea chase ironically on the Medusa and the Flying Witch attempts to carry off the smuggled ivory. Gordon seizes the Flying Witch but through a legal technicality, Rutledge becomes again a free man and a wealthy one. Amid much talk of How To Handle The Natives, the story skips from one adventure to another in an overly long and disjointed fashion with repetition of the name events in different places.

Pub Date: April 16, 1958

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Lippincott

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1958

Categories: FICTION