Last Stand at Majuba Hill

Simon Fonthill #4

by John Wilcox

It is 1881, and General George Pomeroy-Colley, commander of the British forces in Natal, is planning to stamp out a rebellion. He is convinced the Transvaal Boers can pose no serious threat, but he needs reliable information. He calls on former army captain Simon Fonthill.

A veteran of the recent Zulu and Sekukuni campaigns, Fonthill knows to never underestimate the enemy. He and his servant, '352' Jenkins, agree to carry out a covert diplomatic assignment. But the greatest test is yet to come. As the two armies converge on the heights of Majuba Hill, Fonthill and Jenkins are first into the fray. If they are to break the enemy, Colley's men must hold the summit at all costs...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Military Fiction

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

John Wilcox started out as a local reporter and journalist in Birmingham before spending many years in industry, which took him all round the world. He finally sold his company to devote himself to writing full-time. He lives in Salisbury.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert]

Read this book in 2007, and its the 4th volume of the wonderful "Simon Fonthill" series.

This tale is set in the year AD 1881, and here we find Simon Fonthill and '352' Jenkins once again in South Africa.

In Natal the British forces under the command of General George Pomeroy-Colley are determined to stamp out a rebellion by the Transvaal Boers (mostly from Dutch origins), but to know the lie of the land he needs information.

In come our scouts of the army, Fonthill and '352' Jenkins veterans of the Zulu and Sekukuni campaigns, and they will set out in to this hostile territory, and after narrowly surviving this dangerous mission, they are set to another and this time a diplomatic assignment, where further danger and treachery awaits them.

But their biggest challenge will come when they arrive as one of the first into the fray and within sight of the imposing heights of Majuba Hill and the sharpshooting Boers, knowing that if they want to beat the Boers they need to hold summit at all costs.

What is to follow is an amazing and thrilling South African military adventure for Fonthill and '352' Jenkins, in which both will excel as military scouts for the army and where the British army will gain a hard fought victory over the Boers, and all this is brought to us in a most wonderful and believable fashion by the author.

Highly recommended, for this is another sublime addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Brilliant Last Stand"!

[Michał Hołda]

Unfortunate events that lead to duel between boer and brit. And boers are africans bit of Dutch origin, loving swag, trophy like diamonds or ivory. Duel over women and kissing her by that redcoat.

Now then, Battle of Majuba Hill was realy a skirmsh and not as big as in this novel. The British forces were routed, 400-strong British force occupying the summit of the hill and Colley himself killed.

Next morning, after a comparatively harmless fusillade, the hill was suddenly and quite unexpectedly carried by a rush of the Boers, Colley being shot dead by a rifle bullet through the forehead.

And although its not in the book that war was afther Arrow war in china(Second Opium War), and Second Anglo-Afghan War .Both 'been victories.

As of Arrow war:
- as In 1860, British and French troops landed near Beijing and fought their way into the city.

Origins of the war was Treaty of Nanking—the first of what the Chinese later called the unequal treaties—granted an indemnity and extraterritoriality to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island.

With the conclusion of the war, the Qing government was able to concentrate on countering the Taiping Rebellion and maintaining its rule.

And as of Secend Anglo-Afagan war:

The outbreak of the Second Anglo–Afghan war is usually seen as a deliberate attempt by the Russians to embroil the British disastrously in Afghan affairs, leading to the eventual installation of 'Abd al-Rahman Khan, hosted for many years by the Russians in Samarkand, on the Afghan throne.

Abdur Rahman Khan's rule was termed by one British official as a "reign of terror", as he was absolutely despotic and had up to 100,000 people judicially executed during his 21 years as Emir.

In 1868, the 92nd returned to India, this time for 13 years. It fought in the Second Afghan War (1878-80), service that included the Battle of Charasiab (1879), the Siege of Sherpur Cantonment (1879), the famous march from Kabul to Kandahar (1880) and the Battle of Kandahar (1880).

[Roger Taylor]

This was historical fiction at its best. Based on the little known First Boer War that took place in 1881, it follows the actions of Captain Simon Fonthill and his two companions, Jenkins and Hardy as they are drawn into the fight against the Boer farmers from the Transvaal culminating in the bloody confrontation at Majuba Hill which was a disaster for the British who, as would be the case later, underestimated the fighting abilities of the Dutch farmers and were forced to accept an armistice negotiated by President Brand of the Orange Free State. This was just a preliminary action to the much bloodier Boer War of 1899 in which the mighty British Empire were humbled by the Boers. As part of this, Simon Fonhill's story is intriguing and exciting. Looking forward to reading the other novels in this series.

[Robert Enzenauer]

For me, the BEST in the series so far. Wonderful historical fiction. I am trying to read this Simon Fonthill series in order. I agree with other reviewers that this British soldier of fortune is a hero to match Sharpe or Hornblower, and for me Flashman

[Nick]

4.5

[Malum]

The best volume so far. Big battles, street fights, duels, and even a bit of romance; it has everything a good historical adventure should.

[Scott Geddes]

This is a Historical Fiction by John Wilcox. This is the fourth Simon Fonthill novel. The novel is not bad as a standalone story however Wilcox keeps referencing prior storylines. This gets a little distracting and I might have enjoyed it more if I started with book one and worked my through the series. All in all Wilcox does a very good job of of portraying fictional characters in actual historical events.

[Bill]

I started this book with some trepidation since I felt the third book in the series was a disappointment, but was soon caught up in the adventure and now believe this was the best in the series so far. I knew nothing about the Boer War and was caught surprised at the resolution. In fact, Wilcox's settings are what make the books fascinating, highlighting little known battles and wars (with the exception of the first book which takes place during the Zulu War, culminating in the famous Battle of Rorke's Drift). The book managed to avoid the worst offense of historical action adventure novels - the creation of a fantasy James Bond style hero who beds every attractive woman he meets. There is a little of that in the Fonthill adventures, but Wilcox keeps it to a minimum and he avoided the main romantic subplot that ran willy-nilly through the first three books creating some ridiculous coincidences and absurd characterizations. Still sub-Cornmwll/Sharpe, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[Ron Decaigny]

I read historic fiction primarily as a more enjoyable way to broaden my historical knowledge, as opposed to usually fairly dry non fiction tombs. I have read all of John Wilcox's series and have found them well researched, nicely plotted and populated with interesting and likeable characters,
A real plus for me is they are placed in a period that hasn't been written to death ( Rorkes Drift notwitstanding)So we are reading about out of the mainstream wars and battles and the people and political situations that created them.
There is an area near where I live (Langley BC, Canada) called Majuba Hill, and untill I read this book I had no idea where the name came from. Aside from knowing it happened I had no knowledge at all of the First Boer War, this book filled that gap very nicely.

[Marren]

One of those novels you like but... The story is likeable but the manner in which the war broke out and the tactics used were at times mind bogling: like the survival of some characters without a scratch but that happens in war.

SOmetimes I felt the description of the people were forced, affecting at times the flow of the story for me. In addition that bit of romance between Anne and Simon was well, awkward.

[Richard]

The first Simon Fonthill novel I read was Road to Kandihar which I thoroughly enjoyed. I have read a number since and while most are readable I find the odd one a little bit uneven and padded out. This one I felt, ended almost abruptly. It did benefit, however, from not having Simon's love interest, Alice, being shoehorned into the story which tends to skew the main plot line. On the whole this is one of the better stories in the series shining light on the beginning of the Boer conflicts.

[Doug]

John Wilcox is a great story teller.If you have ever read any of the Flashman books you will enjoy these stories of Simon Fonthill.He is a much tamer English officer but still thoroughly enjoyable.Graham Padden does an excellent job as the reader.

[Tom]

Reading these in sequence...by far the best one of the series.