Engaging...descriptions of walking through the bush, of sweltering heat, sweat and swelling blisters are juxtaposed against moments of beauty...a test of endurance -- Aminatta Forna * Sunday Telegraph * A brave book by a writer of skill and principle... He exposes the toxic cocktail of colonial exploitation, tribal conflict, ritual violence and blood diamonds that spits out regional monsrosities such as Charles Taylor... an admirable book -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times * Tim Butcher has a respect and affection for West Africa that is genuine and touching, writing in a way that brings out the exuberance and wit of its people. This book is required reading for anyone even vaguely interested in this remote and enigmatic region * Daily Mail * Butcher is really a Victorian explorer and writer endowed with the sterling grit of that age... He is tough and he's honest * Evening Standard * Butcher's book is packed with incident... fascinating, harrowing and eventful -- Joan Smith * Independent * An inspirational account of humanity's wonderful spirit to survive -- Archbiship Desmond Tutu This is a very fine, very depressing, travel book -- John Sutherland * Financial Times * This an engaging, well-written book. Anyone who enjoyed Blood River will enjoy this. The narrative skilfully interweaves Greene's experiences with that of the author and the history and the anthropology of the territory through which he is passing -- Chris Mullin * Daily Telegraph * The unflinching descriptions of the horrors of the recent wars in both countries are hard to shake from the mind. * Financial Times, Christmas round up * A clear-sighted view of the recent atrocities in Liberia and Sierra Leone. -- Hugh Thomson * Independent, Christmas round up *
