Стерв'ятник - птах терплячий

by James Hadley Chase

У нетрях Південної Африки зачаївся ексцентричний колекціонер Макс Каленберґ, що зібрав у себе найвизначніші художні скарби світу. Усі підступи до маєтку охороняються жорстокими зулусами. Команда професіоналів вирушає у нетрі Драконових гір, аби викрасти з неприступного музею знаменитий перстень Чезаре Борджіа, який може бути смертельною зброєю. Та викрадачі не знають, що їх зраджено, а божевільний мільйонер уже розпочав власну гру, де на кону — їхні життя.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Novels, Detective, Mystery, British Literature

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

René Lodge Brabazon Raymond was born on 24th December 1906 in London, England, the son of Colonel Francis Raymond of the colonial Indian Army, a veterinary surgeon. His father intended his son to have a scientific career, was initially educated at King's School, Rochester, Kent. He left home at the age of 18 and became at different times a children's encyclopedia salesman, a salesman in a bookshop, and executive for a book wholesaler before turning to a writing career that produced more than 90 mystery books. His interests included photography (he was up to professional standard), reading and listening to classical music, being a particularly enthusiastic opera lover. Also as a form of relaxation between novels, he put together highly complicated and sophisticated Meccano models.

In 1932, Raymond married Sylvia Ray, who gave him a son. They were together until his death fifty three years later. Prohibition and the ensuing US Great Depression (1929–1939), had given rise to the Chicago gangster culture just prior to World War II. This, combined with her book trade experience, made him realise that there was a big demand for gangster stories. He wrote as R. Raymond, James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Ambrose Grant and Raymond Marshall.

During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force, achieving the rank of Squadron Leader. Chase edited the RAF Journal with David Langdon and had several stories from it published after the war in the book Slipstream: A Royal Air Force Anthology.

Raymond moved to France in 1956 and then to Switzerland in 1969, living a secluded life in Corseaux-sur-Vevey, on Lake Geneva, from 1974. He eventually died there peacefully on 6 February 1985.

Reviews

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe how much trash dated stuff I read as a kid. No, really.

Nostalgia, sweet nostalgia. At least I got to enjoy his novels when I still could.

Can't help being sad that I wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much today. I'd go all about how apparently conflicted Chase felt about women and their roles in the society (this could've been expressed in harsher words but I won't, for the sake of oldie goldie times). Resultantly, this one could be graded anywhere between 0 and 5 stars.

Anyway, lots of fun, this one was.

[James Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this short novel in a matter of hours. Great action, good characters and everything else you'd expect from Chase during this late 1960s period. Its a heist novel set in the South African jungle. A quest to retrieve a precious ring from a crazed deformed sadistic millionaire with a private compound and his own private museum. I particularly enjoyed Chase's research on the flora and fauna of the jungle and the apparent ease in which he set many of his 88 novels often in places he hadn't traveled. It's all a bit James Bond and a bit cliche but good honest fun and a shame there aren't as many writers like Chase working in the pulp genre nowadays.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know I wanted a pulp crime/jungle adventure hybrid with a supervillain but shows how much I know.

[Crime Addict Sifat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A splendid however twisted safe-breaker; an excellent enchantress; a specialist youthful seeker and an expert pilot with a shady past - this is the group that covert administrator Armo Shalik amasses to take the extremely valuable Borgia ring from mogul Max Kahlenberg's firmly protected post in the remote and destructive African bramble.

Be that as it may, when Kahlenberg discovers they are coming, the pack's endeavor transforms into an entirely one-way safari - to butcher ...

[Hriday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read with a gripping plot and Chase has tried to play a GRR Martin.

[Chaitanya Kamat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too slow for my liking. The vulture may be a patient bird, but I am not a vulture.

[Paul Lothane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shady and unscrupulous Shalik puts together four individuals in this thrilling operation, including the incredibly beautiful and gorgeous Ms Gaye. The plight and fate of Sec Natalie Norman is saddening; but not so the horrific end of the cruel, ruthless Fennel who is savaged by a hyena in the end. "Looking down he was horrified to see that where his right calf had been there was now only a mess of blood and splintered bone...(He felt) a blinding pain as the sharp powerful jaws and teeth bit through the top of his shorts and disembowelled him"

[Jatin Sethi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If You like fast paced thriller, this is the book for you

[Elohor Egbordi · Rating 1 out of 5]

James Hadley Chase was a racist, misogynistic, fatphobic SOB.

I'm glad I waited this long to read a book of his, and I know I won't be doing it again.

So long, farewell.

[Ionuț Anastasiu · Rating 4 out of 5]

O combinație savuroasă între thriller, roman de spionaj și de aventură pe tărâm african. Marea majoritate a eroilor sunt niște ticăloși, niște ființe egoiste, interesate doar de bani, dar există și o excepție, un personaj a cărui convingere este aceea că banilor nu trebuie să le "acorzi o prea mare importanță". A reușit astfel să-l impresioneze pe autor, într-atât de mult încât e posibil ca acesta să-i acorde o șansă.
Armo Shalik, un controversat recuperator de opere de artă furate, a cărui idee este aceea că "nimic nu este imposibil când dispui de fonduri nelimitate şi de un creier", el fiind acela care pune la contribuție creierul, iar clienții săi banii, angajează trei foști infractori cu scopul de a fura de la un milionar excentric un inel ce i-a aparținut lui Cesare Borgia. La rândul lui, milionarul, ce locuiește pe un domeniu imens în Africa, l-a furat de la proprietarul său. Garry Edwards, un tânăr american de 29 de ani, condamnat pentru contrabandă, Kennedy Jones, specialist în fauna africană și fost condamnat și Lew Fennel, un spărgător de case de bani, dar și un ucigaș feroce, cărora li se adaugă femeia fatală, Gaye Desmond, fost manechin, sunt angajați de Shalik pentru a recupera inelul. Misiunea nu e simplă, dar pare a fi realizabilă; în realitate, răsturnările de situație se vor succeda cu repeziciune. Lectură plăcută!

[Gerald Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Refreshing my memories with James Hadley Chase.

[Андрій Новік · Rating 5 out of 5]

Один з кращих прикладів класичного пригодницького трилера. Повне занурення у атмосферу кінця шістдесятих зі злодюгами, які вбивають за п'ятдесят доларів, жінками-фуріями, які вивищуються над чоловіками у всьому, та кримінальний світ, який, здавалося, дещо наївний, але від того не менш захопливий.
Не розумію, чому не брався за Чейза раніше, але саме зараз спокусив сам сюжет. Геній кримінального світу збирає групу з чотирьох людей, аби викрасти перстень Борджиа. Думаю, гм, непогано. Сам перстень знаходиться у іншого мільярдера в нетрях джунглів південноафриканського Наталю. Гм, ще краще! Ну і 69-ий рік. Ідеально.
Чейз зумів ледь не ідеально описати дику фауну, місцеве населення зулусів та, особливо, відлюдькуватий характер антагоніста. Правда, характери інших персонажів іноді перетворюються у неймовірну плоскість. До прикладу, один з викрадачів поганий, бо просто поганий. Без причин, він такий є і все. Агриться на все і всіх і вважає себе найкращим. Ну і до всього ще й расист. Але такі дрібні мінуси повністю перекриває карколомний і стрімголовий сюжет.
Щодо фіналу, то тут усе надто просто. Чейз не тримає інтриги та не створює загадок у цьому романі. Читач більш-менш здогадується що і як розвиватиметься, але навіть це змусило мене відкласти останні 10 сторінок на наступний день, аби хоч трішки відтягнути задоволення.
Нещодавно знайшов вдома Чейза радянське видання, відклав на полицю. Також приглядаюся щоб прикупити і решту українською. Ох і захопив мене цей письменник...

[Varun Vasudevan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had just come off Michael Crichton's Congo and was yearning for more adventure and suspense in the dense jungles of Africa. But the old master disappoints.

Now this book has none of JCH's trademark plot settings - the straight guy who comes out of a jam playing by his wits and luck, the razor sharp allusions, the dry wise-guy humour.

So I was hoping for more out of the plot itself but the story becomes very predictable after you realize that one set of parties cannot even put up a fight in the pages that remain.

Not even close to his best, this one is for die-hard Chase fans only.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book....enjoied readin it....quite excitin

[W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chase wrote a lot of books,some were great while some were very ordinary.The Vulture is a Patient Bird belongs to the latter category,and even a two star rating is generous for this one.

[Volpe Nera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Непогане перше знайомство

[Dipanjan · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Hadley Chase was a true master of the thriller genre that my parents have supposedly grown up with. So I decided to travel back in time with my first James Hadley Chase book.

There is no real crime in the story, so it is a little different (I am told) from his other books.

It’s a mixed tale of a heist, betrayals, survival and a dash of romance and sex thrown in. The characters are very well defined and each stands out very clearly. There is no clear cut demarcated heroes and villains. Which I think is fabulous. It’s a story where a few people cross each other’s lives and the way things turn out. A reclusive millionaire, an ex-model, a helicopter pilot, an African tuour guide and a safe-breaker forms the principal cast of the story.

The location is mostly in South Africa. The descriptions of the majestic mountains, the jungle with its lush vegetation, different animals, smells, and sounds, as well as those of the reclusive millionaire’s mansion and the Zulu warriors whom he uses as his guards, are vivid and colorful. The characters are flawed, but they are real; the little twists are unexpected, and the ending is satisfying.

If you are looking for a fast, easy, and action-packed read, look no further. I quite enjoyed the book.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does JHC's The Vulture Is a Patient Bird remind me of something? Why, yes it does. The book Chase wrote right before Vulture, The Whiff of Money. With Whiff, the goal was for a team of specialists to break into a castle in Germany owned by the world's richest man, which is surrounded by a thick forest and guarded by 30-40 armed German lookouts. Their mission? To get into the castle and back out after stealing back important films. With Vulture, the goal is for a team of special agents to break into a vast palatial estate in South Africa owned by one of the world's richest men, which is surrounded by thick jungle and guarded by 30-40 Zulu warriors. The mission? To retrieve a valuable and deadly ring originally made for the Borgias.

Frankly, I enjoy reading adventure stories set in the jungle more than a European forest. So I like Vulture a little bit more than Whiff. But in both novels, Chase whiffs on his usual surprise endings: you can see them coming from almost the first third of the books. James Hadley Chase, you lazy rascal, you. Writing the same book twice, one right after the other, with only the setting changed.

[Confirmed Neurotic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a disappointment. I remember people going gaga over this book as his best book or one of his best books in internet forums. But frankly speaking, this is not even close to his best works. Although the story is good and the novel in itself is exciting to read, but perhaps my expectations were too great.It turn out another one time read. Good, entertaining but in no case worthy of the hype this book enjoys.

Started reading "Mallory" after this one and it is far more absorbing and thrilling till now.

[Mark Vickers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just another thriller packed full of never ending adventure through the jungles, with a brilliantly detailed description of Zulu warrior's, his typical hard boiled characters and of course his very beautiful women, another ripper for all fanatics, absolute genius.....

[Lamaran]

crime doesent pay. people should learn to be honest.

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just found this, remember reading it years ago , as I recall it was a good old fashioned adventure yarn. Brilliant!

[Kakha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, how I love this story! It is simply gorgeous, it is bright, tense, serious and how unique the atmosphere of African land is conveyed there! Great book.

[Suhas R · Rating 4 out of 5]

engaging story, but a bit abrupt end

[Yewande Akeredolu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book in less than 24 hours.
I loved it from the very first page. Very fast paced, straight to the point, should be made into a movie.

[Princess Sherifat Akorede · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used to read the series of James Hardley Chase. It was what young Nigerians did in the 70s and 80s. It was an exciting and book exchange era. Nostalgic right now in 2020!

[Anna Plishak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Інтригуюча аннотація та захоплюючі попередні романи Чейза спонукали мене взятися за цю книгу. Та цього разу спіткало розчарування.
⠀
Я очікувала на динамічний сюжет. Адже четверо колишніх злочинців і шахраїв вирушають до Африки, щоб викрасти у ексцентричного колекціонера перстень Борджіа. Окрім того, що у навколишній природі чатує небезпека у вигляді хижих звірів, ще й колекціонер дізнався про їхні наміри і підготував пастку.
⠀
В результаті я отримала пів книги знайомства з персонажами, поспіхом викладені пригоди в Африці і сумбурний фінал.
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Словом, цікавий авторський задум перетворився на звичайний набір слів та літер.
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Тепер, якщо чесно, мене мучає питання: "А що це взагалі було?"

[George K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Σαφάρι για τυχοδιώκτες", εκδόσεις ΒΙΠΕΡ.

Τρίτο βιβλίο του Τζέιμς Τσέιζ που διαβάζω μετά το Φέρετρο από το Χονγκ Κονγκ που διάβασα το 2012 και το κλασικό Όχι ορχιδέες για την Μις Μπλάντις που διάβασα τον Ιανουάριο που μας πέρασε.

Σαφώς κατώτερο και διαφορετικό από τα δυο προηγούμενα, δεν μπορώ να πω όμως ότι πέρασα άσχημα τις δυόμιση ώρες που κράτησε. Περισσότερο με περιπετειώδες θρίλερ μου έκανε παρά με κλασικό αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, στο οποίο ο Τσέιζ έχει δική του σχολή.

Ένας έξυπνος αλλά σαδιστής διαρρήκτης, ένας έμπειρος νεαρός κυνηγός, ένας πιλότος ελικοπτέρων με σκοτεινό παρελθόν και μια πανέμορφη πόρνη πολυτελείας ειδική στις απάτες, θα προσληφθούν από έναν επαγγελματία απατεώνα για να κλέψουν ένα δαχτυλίδι τεράστιας αξίας, από έναν διεστραμμένο και ανάπηρο πολυεκατομμυριούχο, τον Μαξ Κέλεμπεργκ, που ζει στο απόρθητο φρούριο-σπίτι του στην Νότια Αφρική. Υποτίθεται ότι πάνε να κάνουν την δουλειά κρυφά, έλα όμως που ο Κάλεμπεργκ τους περιμένει και έχει όρεξη για σαφάρι...

Χαρακτήρες και πλοκή δίχως πολύ βάθος, η ιστορία κινείται υπερβολικά γρήγορα και σε σημεία αρκετά βολικά για τον συγγραφέα, η κατάληξη λίγο-πολύ αναμενόμενη (αν και με κάποιες απώλειες ανάμεσα στους πρωταγωνιστές), η γραφή απλή και ευκολοδιάβαστη. Γενικά ένα μέτριο προς καλούτσικο θριλεράκι που διαβάζεται ευχάριστα για λίγες ώρες και μετά ξεχνιέται...

Η αλήθεια είναι ότι προτιμώ τον Τσέιζ όταν γράφει σκληρές νουάρ ιστορίες. Προτείνεται μόνο για τους φαν του είδους. The Vulture Is a Patient Bird ο τίτλος στ'αγγλικά.

[Jitender · Rating 3 out of 5]

To me an average book. Mr Shalik engage fennel, Gary, Men and Gaye Desmond to regain an poisonous Borgia Ring from Max Kahlenberg. Suspense quotient is very low while thrilling end is very well written. For detailed view you can visit
www.theblacksparrowmusings.com

[Jeff Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first James Hadley Chase read. A potentially great story underwhelmingly developed. Character development left something to be desired. Will definitely give Hadley Chase a chance for redemption :-)