Pillage, death and destruction greeted the birth of Zimbabwe. Lives of innocents mean nothing in the power politics of the 1970's. Harry Andrews, amazed by what he discovers there, resigns his commission in the R.A.F. immigrates there and finds a job as a charter pilot. An accident thrusts him into a melee of treachery, spies, raids and inhumanity in the disintegrating rebel state. He falls in love, resigns his job and goes farming where he learns how to survive in an increasing spiral of violence. Helped by his friend Peter Templar, he also learns about Africa. They return to England, where they get married in a joint wedding but are forced back immediately because Peter's father is arrested in Zambia where he is to be summarily shot. Harry organises a raid to release him from prison. Harry with his new wife and young family, survive those troubled years, but their efforts to help the local people prove fruitless as their livelihood and assets are destroyed. Insurgents shoot down an airliner and after surviving the crash, Peter's parents are murdered. Heartbroken and defeated, the Templars 'gap it' to Australia. The Andrews, however, see out the troubles and rebuild their shattered lives in the new Mugabe controlled Zimbabwe. Although the war years are over, the troubles continue, past grievances never forgotten and within 12 years, intimidation, mutilation, murders and farm invasions by militants, the so called "war veterans", start again. This time it is state sponsored, totalitarian and illegally supported by the police and military. Again the world does little or nothing, consumed by other far greater imperatives. This time, embittered, his life virtually destroyed and with only his foreman to help him, Harry sets out to take revenge.