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*.

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.

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.

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.

An interesting concept with 5 main characters who were all engaging.
Really enjoyed the South African setting. Appreciated the elements of protecting nature and the value of people.
Didn't completely love the romance distraction or extra element at the end.

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.

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.

Paul Bennett is a new author to me. He has a winner in the ivory war. This book reminded me of Lee Child’s favorite character. This was an action packed thriller, and a great read.

If you’re looking for a book that’s hard to put down, definitely check this one out. It’s not only filled with captivating settings, but plenty of shocking plot twists. You’ll also find the author’s writing style very refreshing and filled with beautiful descriptions that will instantly capture your imagination.

**AN UTTERLY GRIPPING, ACTION-PACKED THRILLER THAT WILL HAVE YOU HOOKED.**

Meet Johnny Silver. He’s an ex-mercenary who seeks justice whatever it takes. And that usually involves breaking a few things...

Johnny Silver has four men he trusts above all others, his former crew: 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 preserve in South Africa, needs help, Johnny rounds up the crew and comes to his friend’s aid.

Poachers are running rampant on the game preserve, killing elephants and rhinos for ivory 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 preserve — forever. But the market for African ivory is so profitable, these desperate men will do anything to get it. Including murder.

It all comes to a head when the poachers declare battle at dawn. It’s a challenge like no other, with Johnny and his crew 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?

Fans of *The Magnificent 7*, *The A-Team*, Frederick Forsyth, David Baldacci, Matt Hilton, Lee Child, Vince Flynn, and Robert Ludlum will devour this series of addictive action thrillers.

**JOHNNY SILVER**

Johnny Silver lives in St. Jude in the Caribbean. He’s retired from the mercenary life and runs a beach bar with his wife Anna. His former crew have all made new lives for themselves. Bull, a 6-foot-6 Jamaican, also lives on St. Jude. The others have dispersed to their homelands. Stan, the tactician, runs a hotel in his native Poland. Red, a half-Comanche, is on his Texas ranch. The team’s ladies’ man, Pieter, is on a wildlife preserve in South Africa working as a ranger and conducting safaris. But this band of brothers can never be apart for long, and when they reunite, chaos will ensue...