Rating: 
Summary: Truth is stranger than fiction!
Review: I have been fascinated with lions for years, so when the movie 'The Ghost and the Darkness' came out, I had to see it. I had heard brief accounts of this story before, and found the movie most fascinating. However, the book told an even more interesting tale than the movie. In my opinion, if the account in the book had been faithfully followed in the film, it would have been even more exciting! Besides the Tsavo man-eaters story, ther are other hair-raising stories about man-eating lions in the book. This book is basically a reprint of the 1097 edition with an excellent preface added. The preface goes into depth about the life of Colonel J.H. Patterson-- a most remarkable man. He went on to other notable adventures in his life after this incident.
Rating: 
Summary: An exciting story
Review: I read this book more than twenty years ago after first seeing the display in the Field Museum of the actual lions in the main story.The story of the predation of the railroad workers is horrifying, and the accounts of the hunt are full of terror and suspense. The almost supernatural powers of the lions to avoid the hunter makes the story almost as entertaining as Dracula. However, as one reader already noted, this story is only a part of the book. I also found the other stories tedious. And one must also wonder how the laborers could have been "shopped" by the lions night after night, almost like produce in a grocery store, without taking a more active defense. After all, they must have had implements that could have been used as weapons in a pinch.
Rating:
Summary: The Legend of the Lions
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. After spending a year in Kenya myself this brought back some memories (no I didn't encounter any maneaters). This books has lots of great b&w photos and descriptions of some of the many tribes of Kenya. Yes, only the first 100 of 300 pages deals with lion hunting, but as the Kenyan Culture Host @ Bella Online I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great...
Review: If you are used to the spine-tingling, nerve-wracking suspense and excitement of Jim Corbett books, this will be more of a disappointment. Titled incorrectly, this book focuses more on the work (bridge construction) of Patterson than on the man-eaters themselves. The man-eaters would've actually been killed long before you reached the half-marker. The rest of the book focuses on other adventures(misadventures) of Patterson i.e hippo hunting, rhino hunting, and meeting native african tribes. Patterson is not very good at keeping the suspense and divulges many secrets long before they happen. There is therefore no element of surprise. Patterson did not give me the impression of either being a good tracker or a good shot. I also did not like the way he describes the man-eaters (brutes) and their victims (wretches). Even though this book will look good in anyone's personal collection (as it is a part of history), a really riviting man-eater hunting book would be that of Jim Corbett. My overall impression of this book - 'Much ado about nothing'
Rating:
Summary: The TRUE story of the Ghost and the Darkness
Review: If you have seen the film I strongly suggest that you read the book, then you will understand why the retired members of the East African Railways (and their families) thought that the film was meant to be a comedy!
Rating:
Summary: Colonials at their best
Review: If you read "Man-eaters of Tsavo" as a historical story, one that tells you about how the first British pioneers started to live in than British East Africa, than it is truly a nice source. I guess it also liberates a "deja-vue" feeling among hunters - even though this is rather the sad part of the book. The author, J.H. Patterson, a passionate hunter (or "Sportsman" as he calls himself), must have shot dozens of beautiful lions, rhinos, impalas, hippos,... during his short time in Kenya - it is frightening to think about how many more were shot just for pleasure by all the other colonials. Maybe "the hunter became the hunted" - but with quite uneven means for defense. I am glad, todays visitors of Kenya shoot the animals with cameras instead of guns! The first part of the book is quite exciting, but the second half, after the man-eaters are killed, is rather boring. Still worth reading if you want to know about Kenyas rather recent history in an entertaining way.
Rating:
Summary: Atrue account of one man's courage.
Review: In "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo' I found John Patterson to be a man of incrediable courage who thought of himself as just an ordinary man. True his accounts of his time in Africa lacks the sweeping splendor and suspense that most novelists attempt, but this is not a work of fiction. He does not make himself out to be a hero. When he writes about how while hunting the lions, he had to crawl through underbrush on game trails barely wide enough for him and could only see feet ahead , you can feel the fear. His further experiences while working for the railroad and during WW1 in Africa are equally amazing. This man was about 5'6'' and 160lbs. but the things he did would make him a giant of legends.
Rating:
Summary: The facts from Patterson, read it if you liked the film.
Review: Man Eaters is one of the few readily available books detailing life on one of the last frontiers. The book is good, but less than half of it has to do with hunting of any kind. It is more a journal of time spent at Tsavo 100 years ago. For white nuckle reading about more real man eating cats pick up anything by Jim Corbett. Equally good reading about hunting other dangerous game can be had from Peter Capstick. Good reading, and good hunting.
Rating:
Summary: A true story, told by a hunter for hunters
Review: No doubt it is true. A must for everyone who has seen the movie 'Ghost & the Darkness'. Story of two man eating lions slaughtering railway construction workers in Tsavo, then the British East Africa and how they were eliminated. If you have ever hunted or had a brush with wild cats in the wild you will get the same feeling of nervousness and helplesness again. It is also very informative regardng african tribes and the customs we rarely see even on television these days. The movie was good the book just makes it better.
Rating:
Summary: A true story, told by a hunter for hunters
Review: No doubt it is true. A must for everyone who has seen the movie 'Ghost & the Darkness'. Story of two man eating lions slaughtering railway construction workers in Tsavo, then the British East Africa and how they were eliminated. If you have ever hunted or had a brush with wild cats in the wild you will get the same feeling of nervousness and helplesness again. It is also very informative regardng african tribes and the customs we rarely see even on television these days. The movie was good the book just makes it better.
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