It was the most popular of Smith's novels in the US to date although it still did not sell as well as in Europe and Africa.[3]
Plot
While in France a young sniper, Mark Anders, meets Sean Courtney who has risen to the rank of general. Following the end of the war the pair return to South Africa. After finding that his grandfather has died under mysterious circumstances, and his property has been taken over by an unknown company, Anders eventually becomes Sean's assistant. This brings him onto contact with Sean's beautiful, spoiled daughter, Storm, who he falls for. Sean Courtney becomes involved in suppressing the Rand Revolt of 1922 before becoming immersed in violent conflict with his corrupt son, Dirk.
Background
The novel was banned in South Africa by the Directorate of Publications (whose predecessor the Publications Control Board, which had banned a number of Smith’s earlier novels). They had found three of its 650 pages to be objectable. However the Directorate joined with Smith’s publisher in appealing their own decision. The appeal was successful but the Directorate of Publications then reimposed the ban it again claiming that 11 passages were too sexually explicit. The Publication Appeal Board lifted the ban in 1981.[4]
During the time that it was banned at least one person who had bought it overseas to read on the flight bringing him to South Africa had had it confiscated by a customs official upon arrival.[4]
Smith was awarded the Golden Pan Award in 1982 from his publisher Pan Books in recognition of the novel having achieved sales of a million copies.[4]
In the novel, Smith had Sean Courtney killed by his son Dirk. "I couldn't have a man like him dying in bed with his socks on," said Smith. "And I had spent a lot of time building up the animosity between him and his son so it seemed the only way to go. I couldn' have it go on forever. It's just like life. We all have our turn then leave it to our children."[5]
