The Diamond Frontier
In 1880, in the South African province of the Transvaal, Simon Fonthill and his sidekick “352” Jenkins are on a mission to save the kidnapped daughter of an old friend. A former British officer, Simon is occasionally hired by the British army to scout enemy territory. In this turbulent region, the British face opposition from the Boer farmers, diamond smugglers and the bePedi tribe, a local tribe trying to fight British rule. Not only must Simon fight the enemies of the British Empire, he faces problems with Colonel Covington, a well-respected English officer who hates him and is trying to destroy his career. Meanwhile, Simon falls in love with Alice, a young girl from back home who has promised to marry Colonel Covington. Alice is reporting on the British military activity in South Africa for an English newspaper.
This is the third book in the series. In the previous volumes, Simon fought the Zulu tribe in Africa and warlike factions in Afghanistan. The author does a believable job mixing actual historical events with his fictional characters.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the books in this series. Fonthill rivals Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpe series in military action and characterization. I can’t wait to read the next installment.
