Far in the Wilds

A Spear of Summer Grass #0.5

by Deanna Raybourn

New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn takes readers into Africa during the height of British colonialism, to meet a man as wild as the land he loves in this prequel novella....

Kenya, 1918

Ryder White is Canadian by birth but African by choice. He is more at home in the wilds of the savannah, shooting and sleeping his way across the continent, than amongst the hedonistic colonists of Kenyan society.

In a landscape where one false move can cost a man his life, Ryder's skill as a guide is unparalleled, but only the rich or royal can afford his services. When a European prince hires Ryder to help him hunt an elusive leopard Ryder thinks it's just another well-paying job with yet another spoiled voyeur. But this perilous journey is full of dangers that may change Ryder forever....

Ryder returns in A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn, where he encounters a woman from a very different world, to explore beauty and darkness and what is truly worth fighting for.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Romance, Fiction, Novella, Africa, Historical Romance

54 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist Deanna Raybourn is a 6th-generation native Texan. She graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of one, Raybourn makes her home in Virginia. Her novels have been nominated for numerous awards including two RT Reviewers’ Choice awards, the Agatha, two Dilys Winns, a Last Laugh, three du Mauriers, and most recently the 2019 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She launched a new Victorian mystery series with the 2015 release of A CURIOUS BEGINNING, featuring intrepid butterfly-hunter and amateur sleuth, Veronica Speedwell. Veronica has returned in several more adventures, most recently AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTOR, book seven, which released in early 2022. Deanna's first contemporary novel, KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE, about four female assassins on the cusp of retirement publishes in September 2022. (Please note: Deanna is not active on GR.)

Reviews

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Stars

Much more a glimpse of what the mood and setting will be rather than a proper novella, this 53 pages teaser gives us a better understanding into Ryder White's background, hero and Delilah Drummond's partner in adventure and romance in the following main book, A Spear of Summer Grass.

"A true romantic in the wilds of Africa" as his last one-night lover calls him, Canadian by birth but living in 1918 colonial Kenya by choice as a hunter and a guide and not always smoothly navigating his way through Nairobi's exclusive European ex-pats society, Ryder is a man of action, a charming rough-edged free spirit accustomed to danger as well as passion. A man who appears to feel deeply, for the land his heart has elected as home, for friends lost in the war and for long-time ones sharing camaraderie and challenges, for women. And while a large part of his past still remains shadowed in mystery, the author's writing deftly paints in quick, evocative brushstrokes both the atmosphere and the character, showing him in his flawed strength, his disenchanted humour, the difficult and constant compromise between two worlds.
In this vivid tableau about his life we have a spoiled Danish aristocrat, a safari and a close encounter with a rare black leopard. And as Ryder muses that "anything with black hair has always been a trouble" for him, in the meantime socialite extraordinaire Delilah Drummond steps inside a glamorous Paris jazz-club patting "her sleek black bob." Just a few years before a scandal too many will send her to a particular corner of Africa waiting for the whirl of gossips to fade.
Sounds like a premise.

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Author Deanna Raybourn truly made a mistake with this slim novella. Far in the Wilds, a free 54-page Kindle download, serves as a prequel to Raybourn’s new series set in colonial Kenya in the years immediately after World War I which features Canadian-born big-game hunter, Ryder White. Just imagine the film White Mischief crossed with a bad Harlequin romance, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of this book. The prequel will diminish sales, not boost interest.

Raybourn doesn’t miss a single cliché. The dazzlingly handsome white hunter may sleep with most of the lily-white wives in Nairobi, but he nonetheless possesses his own strong moral code. All of the European women drool over Ryder — except the one woman he truly loves, naturally. Not only is Ryder the handsomest, strongest, and sexiest, he’s also harbors the finest bon mots at all times. Think equal parts blond Lawrence Olivier, Jungle Jim and Oscar Wilde. At a time when Europeans treated Africans as serfs in their own country, Ryder, of course, anachronistically shows them every courtesy. Even the Danish royal who plays a large role as a secondary character lives up to every cliché of a pompous princeling.

It’s a pity. I really love Raybourn’s Lady Julia series, which, while exhibiting the occasional misstep, doesn’t descend to the level of clichéd romance. Ironically, had Raybourn not released Far in the Wilds, I would happily have bought the first full novel in the series, A Spear of Summer Grass, without a second’s hesitation, assuming that the novel would be as clever as the Lady Julia novels. Now I feel as if I’ve dodged one of Ryder’s bullets.

Oh, that’s right! Were Ryder White shooting, he would never have missed! But you can miss Far in the Wilds without a second thought.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story prequel to A Spear of Summer Grass. This was WAY melodramatic!

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moon was dark, but the starlight was softly silver, and Ryder decided it would be as good a night as any to die. He cocked the rifle and began to walk.

Such a beautiful short story. Only a name: Julian Ryder White. The only reason to read it.

Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time. Every morning Africa wakes and says, ‘This I have done before, and this, and this.’ And it’s done so for millions of years and it will do so a million more, every day just the same because this land is older than God himself. It calls all the dreamers and vagabonds.

[♡Karlyn P♡]

♡KarLynP♡ **FREE Pre-Order Today on Amazon!!** (March 30th)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C2GVA4A/?...

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far in the Wilds is a short story written by Deanna Raybourn as a prelude to A Spear of Summer Grass. This is Ryder's back story before he meets Delilah.
Set in Africa, Ryder is a farmer and businessman. He used to be a guide, but had given it up. However, when an obnoxious prince and his mistress arrive, Ryder agrees to help the prince aquire a trophy.
So, with Jude along for the ride, they go in search of a leapord that is a menace to people.

This short story is only about 50 pages long. The story does give us a little peek into Ryder's past. There are hints of deeper wounds and healing that still needs time. Ryder is a wonderful character. I wish the story had been just a little longer.
A Spear of Summer Grass is an awesome book. You can read this short story before or after the full length novel. So, even if you have already read the novel, this is still a nice addition to the story.
Over all a B.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short introductory piece that did its job well by giving me a taste of what I could expect in 'A Spear of Grass'. This is not my first rodeo with this author so I went into this story with a high level of expectation and was not disappointed. The author has the ability to immerse the reader thoroughly in her storytelling. By the time one is through reading they have been to a place, gotten to know the characters who live there and joined them for their story. It's always such a treat.

The story is told from Ryder White's perspective and takes place just after WWI in Kenyan Africa. Ryder may be Canadian by birth, but he's African by choice. Africa is doing its part of healing him from the devastation he witnessed during the war and helping him come to terms with the future. But he isn't the only fragile survivor. His friend, Jude, is also trying to muddle through. Her husband who is also Ryder's best friend disappeared in action during the war and never made it back. She has waited for him, but still no word and now she needs to move on. Their mutual friend sends them both into Nairobi for a Christmas celebration to have some fun.

This brings them into contact with a minor prince and his desire to snare a leopard on safari, his lady who has eyes for Ryder and a jaded world view, and a gentleman who thinks the world of Jude. Something happens out in the bush that may alter all their lives.

As I read this story I was so pleased because it had a Jack London feel to it and I adore Jack London's tales. Ryder is the reluctant hero type who is the guy that just wishes to be let be, but finds himself in the middle of heroic adventures without trying. He doesn't form many attachments, but the few he has are strong. It was great getting inside his head and watching the story unfold from his perspective. Jude and Tusker, Jude's aunt, along with Gideon the Massai are his circle of friends and they are great characters too. There are a few dangling story lines that I look forward to pursuing when I get to the novel.

Though this isn't a historical romance, it is the set up for one so I'm going to recommend it to Historical Romance lovers particularly those who enjoy this post-WWI time period in an exotic location.

[D.H. Hanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read all of the Lady Julia Grey books, I was excited to see something new coming out from Raybourn. I read this one in about a couple of hours. It is very well-paced and the characters are all intriguing. The setting is a nice departure from the Victorian era and earlier periods I usually read. Raybourn has done a great job of bringing to life Kenya in 1918 and the community of ex-pat whites and the natives that live together. Ryder White is a strong male lead. He's meant to be the rugged yet sensitive type although he has no hestitation about going through women. Raybourn writes from his POV and she does a great job of making it sound as if a man is actually writing the story. His two closest friends, Tusker and Jude, are a hoot. They definetly embody the type of woman who would enjoy 'roughing' it in Africa, surviving by skill and smarts, rather than floating about from one dance hall to another. I noticed this is a prequel and I have already pre-ordered my copy. I can't wait!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

This interesting little novella is best read as a prequel to the larger work to follow,A Spear of Summer Grass. Here we get to know the male lead for the next book, Ryder. Ryder is a Canadian now living in Africa where he is a business man but also a hunter of problem cats, such as man-eating lions. The writing is a little uneven, but some of that might be the fact that the reader jumps into the middle of the story and you figure it all out as you read. There is a short plot arc here, but not a really completed story. It's definitely a teaser for the book. And I am definitely "teased." I'll be reading A Spear of Summer Grass to see what happens next.

[Victoria Vane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this short novella set in post WWI Africa. It was extremely vivid and well written even though it really only served to introduce characters and situations that appear in a subsequent book. It definitely piqued my interest however, and I will likely pick up A Spear of Summer Grass

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this short novella that tells us the story of what happened to Ryder on that safari with the Dutch prince in which he was nearly killed by a black leopard. I read this after A Spear of Summer Grass, so I was able to appreciate the characters a bit more for I already knew them. I'm glad I read it in that order, but I suppose it would be just as good the other way around too.

3.5/5

[Nan · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an ultimately unnecessary glimpse into Ryder's history, it's a good thing this novella is free. The reader will learn this information when reading the novel, but it entertaining to read it from Ryder's viewpoint. I'm not sure that I really learned anything from it, though.

[Misfit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A short teaser for A Spear of Summer Grass.

[Verity W · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting scene-setting short story from Deanna Raybourn. I'm looking forward to reading the book proper.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far in the Wilds by Deanna Raybourn is the prequel to A Spear of Summer Grass, the first book of the A Spear of Summer Grass mystery series set in 1918 Kenya. Ryder White, reluctant to socialize at a stuffy high-society bash, nevertheless escorts Jude to a Christmas party at the Colony Club in Nairobi.

His Highness Prince Frederick-Christian "Freddie" wants to hire Ryder as safari guide. As a rule Ryder doesn't guide, but he agrees. He'll make sure Freddie's "trophy" is a problem animal that needs to be culled to protect the breeding stock and the Masai and Kikuyu villages.

Jude joins Ryder on the safari, loving yet respecting Africa's wild nature as he does. When the prince falters, Ryder proves his courage once again.

Fave Quotes:

Ryder said nothing. He had learned long ago that women wanted more than anything else a man who would listen. And Ryder could listen with the best of them.

Jude tried to lift a brow as she'd seen other, more sophisticated types do. But sophistication was not in her repertoire. "I can't imagine what you would think to do with a houseful of bored young soldiers."

"Oh, for God's sake, Helen, he's staying at the Norfolk. Room 414. Just have yourself sent up with a bottle of champagne. He's not terribly particular."

Jude wasn't pretty. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, the more so for never noticing how striking she was. She wore her beauty naturally, with no powder or paint to heighten it, no elegant coiffeur to enhance it. It was bone-deep, her beauty, with a promise to last a lifetime. She would be lovely at eighty, lovely in death, he had often thought. And she didn't need good clothes or jewelry to clutter it. All she needed was someone with the vision to see past her heavy bundle of hair and her shapeless sack of a dress.

"You might just be a good egg, Helen. Would you like to dance?" She threw back her head in a theatrical gesture. "Would I? Just try and stop me."

Ryder shrugged. "I'm Canadian by birth and African by choice, and in neither of those places did I learn to bow and scrape."

"Freddie is not difficult to manage. He likes to instruct. If I can set him a task where he is above others, teaching them, he is happy. And it leaves me free to pursue my own interests."

The veranda doors had been thrown open to the warm night, the perfume of it thick with flowers and spice and smoke and the red earth of Africa itself. Outside the stars were shedding their light on the club gardens, glittering like so much broken glass on the velvet of the night sky.

Life turned on a dime in Africa. A man could be hale and hearty at breakfast and dead by lunch, taken out by a bullet or an animal bite or a fever so savage it could turn a man's organs to liquid. It didn't matter how often you said your prayers or how many good luck charms filled your pockets. Dead was dead, and Africa could get you there quicker than anywhere else.

The fragrance of Africa clung to his skin, cooking fires and rpe fruits mingling with the red dirt under his feet, with the odour of spices and green leaves and the peculiar sharp smell of the lion itself. The moon was dark, but the starlight was softly silver, and Ryder decided it would be as good a night as any to die.

Big cats, like domestic tabbies, smelled strongly of urine. They marked as they walked, kings of creation, claiming whatever they saw for themselves.

If the moment had passed, the whole rest of that day, the whole rest of their lives might have been different. But the moment did not pass.

"Some of the hooved animals will use giraffe as sentinels. The wait to see if crocs attack, and if they don't, then they know it is safe to drink. I've watched them gather for hours on a riverbank, too scared to drink without something else bigger than they are to test the waters."

"Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time. It calls all the dreamers and vagabonds."

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went for a short novella this week for the bonus review, titled “Far in the Wilds” by Deanna Raybourn. This novella is the sequel to A Spear of Summer Grass, a novel I read last year. Deanna does a fantastic job of elaborating on the back story given to Ryder in the book and also setting up the beginnings of the novel.
Ryder’s tale of killing the lion in Nairobi and then leading a Danish prince on a safari is told in the same flowing, colorful manner that Deanna uses in her longer novels. As it is a novella, she does a great job of keeping the story neat and concise, but still manages to evoke a sense of the wilds of Africa in the colonial era with her words. Ryder’s point of view gives the reader the wonder he feels about the land he lives in and the bitterness he is working through before he meets Delilah.
I highly recommend getting the novella if you are able and having a good read. There are no spoilers in it for the novel, as Ryder’s story is told quite plainly and matter-of-factly, with no real secrets behind it. Also, the back story does not influence the novel, beyond showing more of Ryder’s character. I still love her writing!

[Dekaydreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enticing - and well written, except for flying in the face of my high school English teacher's assertion that "it's all right, or it's all wrong" - that is, alright ain't such good wordage, y'all, aiight?
--Or at least it wasn't considered so way back in the deep dark ages of my teens. Since the setting of this tale predates said teens by another forty years, I would think that proper usage of the day should apply, but that's just my prehistoric take on the subject. Still a fine story!!

[Ken Finlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Far in the Wilds” is a short prequel to the “A Spear of Summer Grass” series.
Set in Africa in the immediate aftermath of WWI, big game hunter, adventurer, lover and all round man of the world, Ryder White, has a great time shooting lions and leopards, and getting to bed a glamorous French woman.
The real problem with it is that it is far too reminiscent of Wilbur Smith (“When The Lion Feeds”), just not as well done.
I'm undecided whether to continue reading more.
2.5 Stars, brought back to 2 Stars.

[Maren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've rarely read a good novella and this one was no different. It's too bad because they could be really useful in getting people interested in a new book or series. For me, a good novella has a fun story-line and creates some interest in the characters. I think this book had a little of that, but not enough to make up for this real stinker of a line: "Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time." Ooof.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great little novella that did a wonderful job at introducing readers to an interesting cast of characters and a beautiful setting. I will definitely be reading A Spear of Summer Grass next.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice little novella. It doesn’t really stand on its own, but does intrigue the reader for the following book. However, I really cared more about Jude and Stephen than I did about Ryder and Delilah. Is there a Jude book? If so, I want it!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful short story of a safari adventure.

[MaryJane Rings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice light read for a rainy day.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

These novellas and short stories are like snack food to me.

[Ronda · Rating 4 out of 5]

prequel and does not end in HEA or HFN but sets up the next book

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.

Last night I finished reading Far in the Wilds , the prequel novel to A Spear of Summer Grass .



A few years ago I started to read ASoSG but was turned off by the over sexual nature of the story. After recently reading A Curious Beginning , I decided I would give this saga another try because I do so enjoy Deanna Raybourn's writing. This week I started reading ASoSG again and when I came across the introduction of the character Ryder, I decided I wanted a little background on his story. So I hiatus ASoSG and picked up FitW.

Far in the Wilds was a great read. I got it when it was a freebie on Kindle, but I have noted that it is also available in the Overdrive R.E.A.D.S. Library system as a digital book as well. It apparently translates to about 54 physical pages and I read it in about two evenings before bed. I think it may be the most personal side I have ever read of one of Deanna's male characters, because her stories are usually completely told from the female protagonist's angle and it was a neat intrigue to get to know a bit more about the man that frames the character Ryder.

This eBook prequel has left me wanting to read more, and I'm picking up A Spear of Summer Grass again.



View all my reviews
This review was originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this slim novella, released as a prequel to A Spear of Summer Grass, Deanna Raybourn -- best known for her superb Lady Julia Grey mysteries -- introduces a new leading man, hunter Ryder White. Canadian by birth and African by choice, following the conclusion of the Great War Ryder chose to lose himself in the wilds of Kenya, taking the the occasional guide job or indulging in an affaire de coeur with any one of the lovely female European expatriates all too eager to succumb to his rugged charm. When a minor member of the Danish royal family wants to mark his stay in Kenya with a big-game kill on a hunt led by Ryder, the enigmatic guide agrees -- but only so he can determine the prince's mark, an animal that's gone rogue. But when the prince's mistress sets her sights on Ryder, she unwittingly sets in motion a dangerous chain of events that unleashes a threat greater than any in the wild that Ryder's ever faced -- the power of a heart scorned and a man humiliated, a threat the hunter is ill-equipped to comprehend.

Oh, this was SO much fun people! Not only is this a thoroughly delightful change-of-pace and setting from Raybourn's superb 19th-century historicals, but it is quite simply a rollicking good adventure. I adore the classic Stewart Granger film King Solomon's Mines, and Ryder is very much cut from the same cloth as the Allan Quartermain of literary legend. A brooding alpha male, burdened by secrets and loss, determined to protect his heart -- Ryder is a hero practically begging to meet his romantic match, and I for one cannot wait to see how his story unfolds in Raybourn's full-length follow-up.

Far in the Wilds is old-fashioned adventure and high romance at its finest. Within its slim pages Raybourn transports readers to a world of startling beauty and life-threatening danger. While Ryder is arguably a little *too* invincible, able to face down death by leopard with just his arm and sheer force of will, it works. I like my brooding, smoldering heroes (hello BRISBANE), and in Ryder Raybourn has crafted a larger-than-life character that stands comfortably alongside the pulp fiction heroes such as Quartermain and his ilk who perhaps inspired him. This slim volume is a thoroughly entertaining introduction to Ryder's world, replete with Raybourn's trademark sharp characterizations and wry humor -- this is a hero I'm eager to revisit in A Spear of Summer Grass. *wink*

[Sally906 · Rating 4 out of 5]

FAR IN THE WILDS is a prequel novella for the soon to be released A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS which is a new book by Deanna Raybourn that is set in Africa in the post WWI years. FAR IN THE WILDS is told from the point of view of Ryder White, the reader is introduced to the colonial society that existed in Kenya at the time, a society that Ryder prefers to avoid as it is the African continent and her peoples and animals that he loves, and he’s not afraid to admit it:

‘…“He gave her a half smile. “No. Africa chose me. That’s how it works out here. It’s a hard place, and you can’t ever tell when someone comes out if they’re going to make it or not. ”…’


“…Africa is a land of dreams and memories. It is rifts of remembrance stitched together with the sighs of time...”

Ryder has a past – a great loss – the loss of a woman. Who and why is not revealed but it has brought him to Africa where he now works a hunter, trader and reluctant guide. It is his guiding skill that leads him into this adventure. We meet his close friends who are two women, Jude and Tusker; along with a Masai warrior called Gordon. Rugged and handsome Ryder respects women, and the women certainly seem to like Ryder with most of the society women blatantly throwing themselves at him, married and single alike. Ryder is a gentleman though, and while he is not angel he does not always take what is offered to him on a plate. I have written before that one of Raybourn’s strengths is her imagery, wherever her character is so exquisitely recreated in words that you can see the setting. In FAR IN THE WILDS I could feel the heat, hear the sounds and see the sights as if I was actually there.

FAR IN THE WILDS is a fabulous teaser for ‘A Spear of Summer Grass’. The story ends with Ryder vowing to avoid brunettes and the next scene switches to Paris as a brunette goes out on a date; she is obviously the about to be introduced new heroine.

To tease readers’ even move there is an excerpt from the start of A SPEAR OF SUMMER GRASS that left me wanting more and wanting it NOW!!! I have it on pre-order and hope to have it in my hot little hand before I go on a long flight in June.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far in the Wilds is the perfect prequel novella to A Spear of Summer Grass.

For too long have we read of the tortured hero whose backstory remains a mystery until it is revealed only with the assistance of the heroine. Yet what if the heroine herself is flawed (or considered so by society's standards)? What if each character is so multifaceted that the reader needs a little something extra to understand their motivations?

Ryder White is a complex and maddening character, who seems nothing but set in his convictions. From taking up a gun without hesitation to protect a hysterical crowd, to refusing to posture to minor royalty, he is full of contradictions. Far in the Wilds provides a faultless introduction to our perfectly imperfect hero.

Yet what of those things that go unmentioned? The characters that are named, but no longer present? Or those present, which such fascinating histories of their own, such as Ryder's sibling-like relationship with the wonderful yet damaged Jude, or the sad story of the French mademoiselle? Could Ryder instinctively be offering protection to others as a substitute to those who are no longer around to protect? I am cannot wait to find out!

For what the novella lacks in length, it does not lack in intrigue. I am quickly becoming a fan of these short, yet revealing interludes. Far in the Wilds provokes just enough questions to have me counting down the days until the release of Spear of Summer Grass. I am excited to see Ryder and Delilah on the same page together.

[Ashley Arthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fabulous teaser for Deanna's upcoming release - A Spear of Summer Grass.

I usually gripe about novellas, and the fact that they are too short to allow anything really interesting to happen, but in this case, I was pleased. The novella is written from the perspective of Ryder White, who will be the hero of Deanna's new novel, and I really enjoyed this introduction to him. He is a great character, all rough exterior and "devil-may-care" attitude wrapping up a genuinely caring heart. We don't get to know his whole story through this novella, of course - there are provocative hints of something in his past that I hope we get more information about in A Spear of Summer Grass . There is enough action here to satisfy even my nit-picky little heart, and an introduction to a host of interesting characters.

One of Deanna's strengths as a writer is her skill with imagery, and you can really get a sense of how Africa looks, sounds, and smells in this novella. Her savannah glitters with danger and possibilities, and I can't wait to read an entire book in the setting that she has recreated for us.

Two BIG points in this novella's favor:
1. It contains a snippet of A Spear of Summer Grass .
2. It was a free download on my Nook.
You can't get much better than that!