Birds of Prey (Smith novel) Birds of Prey (Smith novel) Birds of Prey is a 1997 novel by Wilbur Smith set in the late 17th century. The novel was the first in the third sequence of the Courtney series of novels, and as of 2013 was chronologically the first in the entire series. Smith says the book established the characteristics of the family: "Right from "Birds of Prey"... the Courtneys were pirates, merchants, looking to seize the main chance. They were very much driven by monetary considerations. But with the Ballantynes it was much more empire, patriotism, glory – the soldierly virtues." In 1667 Holland
Bridge of Birds Bridge of Birds Bridge of Birds is a fantasy novel by Barry Hughart, first published in 1984. It is the first of three novels in "The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox" series. The original draft of "Bridge of Birds" is included in a special slipcased version of the omnibus collection, "The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox", released by Subterranean Press in 2008. Hughart called the novel "a modern version of a classical form of Chinese novel, which was an underground Taoist form designed to fight back against Confucians. Confucians liked to castrate people who