Reading order · 4 books · 1980 to 1984 · Set in Rhodesia
Ballantyne Books in Order
The Ballantyne novels follow a family of explorers, settlers and soldiers in the land that became Rhodesia and then Zimbabwe, from the 1860s to the 1980s.
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Series facts
- Books
- 4
- Published
- 1980 to 1984
- First book
- A Falcon Flies
- Latest
- The Leopard Hunts in Darkness (1984)
- Setting
- Set in Rhodesia
The reading order
Every Ballantyne book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
4 books · Set in Rhodesia
- 1A Falcon Flies1980With Robyn Ballantyne and Zouga BallantyneIn 1860, Robyn Ballantyne, a doctor, and her brother Zouga sail to Africa to search for their missionary father, who has disappeared in the interior.Buy on Amazon
- 2Men of Men1981With Zouga Ballantyne and Ralph BallantyneZouga Ballantyne and his son Ralph are caught up in the ambitions of Cecil Rhodes and the conquest of Matabeleland.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Angels Weep1982With Ralph BallantyneThe Ballantynes face the Matabele rebellion, and the story moves on to modern Rhodesia.Buy on Amazon
- 4The Leopard Hunts in Darkness1984With Craig MellowCraig Mellow returns to independent Zimbabwe, and is caught up in its troubles.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read A Falcon Flies, Men of Men, The Angels Weep and The Leopard Hunts in Darkness in order.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Zouga Ballantyne | Ralph Ballantyne | Robyn Ballantyne | Craig Mellow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 A Falcon Flies | LLead | LLead | ||
| 2 Men of Men | LLead | LLead | MMajor | |
| 3 The Angels Weep | LLead | MMajor | ||
| 4 The Leopard Hunts in Darkness | LLead |
Characters in the Ballantyne books
4 characters from Wilbur Smith’s chart, with the number of Ballantyne books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Zouga BallantyneRobyn's brother, an explorer | 2 | A Falcon Flies 1980 |
| Ralph BallantyneZouga's son | 2 | Men of Men 1981 |
| Robyn BallantyneDoctor and missionary | 2 | A Falcon Flies 1980 |
| Craig MellowRalph's descendant in modern Zimbabwe | 2 | The Angels Weep 1982 |