LION IN THE EVENING

by Alan Scholefield ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 5, 1974

A brisk, serviceable adventure/suspense tale set in a remote World War I East African outpost which features the various metamorphoses of an alcoholic Great White Hunter, a brace of man-eating lions, and a final frenzy centered on a makeshift escape-train transporting British wounded. Kendon, a young American engineer, senses the morale value for his native crew of killing the marauding lions, and seeks out Colonel Storey, now off the gun and on the bottle due to his gentle son's death-by-lion. The Colonel does wobble off to the assignment, however, because his daughter Margaret cannot pay the grocery bill. Once in harness, Kendon and Storey unite in purpose as the Germans move in, as Kendon's railroad is threatened, then taken by Germans, and as the corpses multiply -- by bullets and lions. The lion pair -- one old and ill, the other young -- symbolically echo the relationship of Storey (who makes the final sacrifice) and Kendon, who will make it with Margaret. Good train-and-track detail and as unpretentious entertainment, right on the rails.

Pub Date: April 5, 1974

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1974

Categories: FICTION