The Ivory War

Johnny Silver #5

by Paul Bennett

Johnny Silver has four men he trusts above all others, his former Bull, Red, Stan and Pieter. They have each other’s backs through thick and thin, no matter what.

So when Pieter, now a ranger on a game reserve in South Africa, needs help, Johnny rounds up the crew and comes to his old friend’s aid.

Poachers are running rampant on the game reserve, killing elephants for their ivory and rhinos for their horns — and the impala just for the sake of it.

The local authorities are powerless to stop them, so it’s up to Johnny and his band of ex-mercenaries to run the poachers out of the reserve — forever.

But the rewards are so great, these desperate men will do anything to get them. Including murder.

It all comes to a head when the poachers declare battle at dawn. Johnny and his crew are vastly outnumbered. As the body count rises, a secret weapon is deployed to end things once and for all.

Will this be Johnny’s last adventure? Or will he and his band of brothers live to see another day?

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2024

About the author

Paul Bennett was born in London and educated at Alleyn's school in Dulwark. He studied Economics at Exeter University and spent seven years in advertising. When he left advertising, he set up a market research agency whuch he sold in 1986. He has now semi-retired in order to pursue writing. Bennett lives in a converted barn in Essex with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early ebook. The book is short and well-written, with engaging, realistic descriptions of a South African safari. In this case, we meet a group of five mercenaries who had banded together to administer justice. The men are now retired from deterring villains, and its leader, Johnny Silver, runs a bar on a Caribbean Island. A fellow mercenary, Bull, lives a quiet life on the same island. The remaining three are scattered, but they have promised always to have each others' backs and to support them when needed. An urgent call from Pieter, who now is a safari guide and ranger in a South African wildlife park.

Poaching has gotten out of control, with illegal poachers shooting impala for what they consider sport and killing elephants and rhinos for their ivory, which they can sell on the international black market for large sums of money. The four retired mercenaries quickly fly to South Africa, where they are met by Pieter and supplied with weapons to defend the animals. Violence and chaos ensue with frequent shocks and surprises.

I felt there was too much description of the various weapons unless the reader was a gun enthusiast. We all know that poaching exists, but we think of the beauty of the parks and the gorgeous, unforgettable sightings of animals in the wild while trying not to think of their tragic slaughter by poachers. This made it a disturbing read. The villains held no moral compunction, sneaking into the parks illegally, and their greed for the riches they would derive from the ivory overcame any fear of retaliation. They became impossible for the park staff to control, including Pieter. They will kill anyone that gets in the way of ill-gotten riches.
They are now in greater numbers and have more destructive weapons than the five former mercenaries. Will the former comrades be able to save the animals they hope to protect and themselves? We know deadly action will ensue. The Ivory Wars by Paul Bennett is my first thriller by the author, and I am interested in reading more of their adventures in previous books set in different locations. The Ivory Wars is due to be published August 08.

[Abibliofob · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this book and thought that storyline is just what I was looking for. The Ivory War by Paul Bennett has all the ingredients for a godd thriller. Sadly I felt like the author has no knowledge of weapons. There are so many things regarding them that raises questionmarks. Like this, "It's a .458 elephant gun, the early models where smoothed barrels: this one is later and spiralled for greater accuracy" Still I found the book worth reading and the characters where fine. I would have liked more about the poaching business but that's ok. I also found the concept of the group of mercenaries great but I don't think I will read the first four books. I thank Joffe Books and netgalley for supplying me with this advance copy.

[J Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honourable, ethical mercenaries!
That may seem a strange d3sccription, but to me, it clearly explains the morality of the group of five people who are the main characters, or rather were. They had retired to more peaceful persuits but were called to act when one of them called for help. They reunited in a game reserve in South Africa to combat a group of poachers who are intent on killing elephants for their ivory.
The descriptions of the surroundings are vivid, and there is a lot of detail about 6 meals that I found informative. A lot of beer is drunk.
I'd not come across the author before. He has a style that is easy to read. The book moves along rapidly with the action scenes nicely spaced which increases the tension rather than diminishing it.
It's a good read.

[Tove R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a hard book for me to review due to me being very familiar with the subject, whereas I know most people are not. To me most things are obvious, and at the same time I know it is news to others. Although the mercenary aspects I am luckily not that familiar with. I always enjoy reading books set in the bush in Africa, and when it is about anti-poaching, even better.

I find the characters to be a bit distant, but as they are mercenaries, I assume that is the way it is supposed to be. I think I should have started with reading the previous books in this series before I got to this one.

[Doug Yonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I’ve read in this series, but now I MUST go book and read the others, ‘cause I’m ‘hooked’. Excellent cast of supporting characters carry the protagonist through lots of tense action providing support, insight, and sometimes even a dose of humor. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the promise of this book, a group of mercenaries targeting ivory poachers in Africa, but it just failed to live up to my expectations. It would make a great holiday read, it's jam packed full of action and the characters are interesting. It's an easy read and worth reading. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

[Sebastian Barrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just another fun read to finish the collection quite neatly. Our 5 ethical mercenaries take on another job in South Africa. The reason being that Pieter, who runs a safari reserve, has a little problem with poachers. So they all come together again to help out.
I am sorry to get to the end of these easy to read exploits!

[Jeannie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via Joffe Books in return for an honest review.

I’ve read all the Johnny Silver series so far and this one doesn’t disappoint. Easy read, particularly suitable for a holiday read. Recommend.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ivory War by Paul Bennett.
Johnny Silver thriller book 5.
I did like the cover. This was a good read. I liked the writing style. I did like Johnny. How he came to Pieters aid. Even though this is book 5, and I haven't read the first four. I got into it. I did like the ending. 4*.

[Mary Matroni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful tribute to the animals of Africa

While the conditions of the safari were mostly primitive, it sounded like fun. Of course the poachers were not fun. What a team are Johnny and the guys. Enjoyable read with plenty of action.

[john alder · Rating 5 out of 5]

five Stars

I love this series. I have read them all on order and have never been disappointed. Lots of action and a nice easy read. I like the fact that the good guys win. A big thank you to the author Paul Bennett and from me a well deserved 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Melvyn Homer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think Clint Eastwood and the A Team and you have Johnny Silver and his crew. Modern day adventure with action, pathos and drama. Worth the read.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

good