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  • The Sound of Thunder

  • Courtney, Book 2
  • By: Wilbur Smith
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (660 ratings)
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The Sound of Thunder cover art

The Sound of Thunder

By: Wilbur Smith
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Summary

The second novel in Wilbur Smith's The Courtneys series, The Sound of Thunder is a powerful story of family tragedy set against the backdrop of the ravages of the Second Boer War. 

'Only once in his life had Sean met a man whose strength matched his own - and now, again, they were pitted against each other....'

Sean Courtney, impulsive adventurer of When the Lion Feeds, returns from the wilderness a rich man - until he is robbed by the Boers of his wagons, his gold and the girl he loves. A grim homecoming finds his country in the cruel grip of war. But in the bloody days ahead, conflicts within his family will prove far more bitter than any fought on the veld....

©1966 Wilbur Smith (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about The Sound of Thunder

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Only disappointment is poor pronunciation.

I'm a massive Wilbur Smith fan and have read all of his books most more than once. Having grown up in Central/Southern Africa, I get great pleasure from Wilbur Smith's accuracies concerning local folklore & local places of interest. I can really vitalise myself there, in the story.
I have read the Courtney Saga twice in hard copy and I'm currently on my third run via talking books. My only disappointment is poor pronunciation of common African words & place names.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

À long saga, very graphic in parts

The ongoing saga of the Courtney family, though fascinating, was rather spoilt for me by the graphic descriptions of human on human, and human on animal violence. I realise this was the truth of their lives, but I didn’t need quite such a graphic picture painting.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic.

Loved it. Brilliantly narrated. Spell bound lost in the dream of South Africa. thank you. wonderful hours lost in the dreary rain whilst at work picturing the lives of those in the book. Narration at its best. can't wait to download the next installment.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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brilliant

as always Wilbur Smith just could not stop listening just loved the Horse race so dramatic







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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story woven into South African history.

Read the book 50 years ago and enjoyed having it read to me. Descriptions of the velt, mountains and koppies made my feet itch to walk them again.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Enjoyed it a lot more than book 1

Whatever else is said, you get value for money with W Smith and the Courtneys. So many different story lines all wrapped into one book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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nostalgia

having grown up in the area I can relate to a lot of the locations mentioned and brings back many memories

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great story to listen too

From the start the story and narration kept me listening. Masterful writing from Wilbur Smith and a great follow up on When the Lion Feeds. Sean Barrett also doing a great job as always. Would highly recommend

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic book

This is the best book or listened to ever. What an imagination this Author has it kept me occupied for hours.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent book

Loved the book. Tried to listen to it as often as I could. A must read.

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1 person found this helpful