韦伯。史密斯于1933年1月9日出生在非洲的北罗得西亚（即如今的赞比亚），他曾就学于迈克尔中学（Michaelhouse）以及罗得斯大学（Rhodes University）。他的一生都在非洲度过，他对那块大陆怀有着极其深厚的感情。1964年以后，他成为了专职作家。但他在写作之余，还经常抽空到非洲以外的地方去旅行，以满足他在业余爱好方面的需求，比如收藏古钱币、野生动物摄影和钓鱼等。他和他的妻子一起，每年都要到非洲中部的正在日益萎缩中的原始丛林去进行狩猎旅行。在其它的季节里，他驾着小艇在印度洋上钓金枪鱼和其它的大鱼。韦伯。史密斯目前与他的妻子一起，生活在南非共和国的开普敦市，他们的房子矗立在郊外的桌形山的山坡上。

韦伯。史密斯是一位享誉全球的畅销书作家，专门从事有关非洲题材的小说创作，到目前为止，他总共出版了二十七部长篇小说，在西方世界都极为畅销，拥有广大的读者群体。

Wilbur Smith returns with the eagerly awaited sequel to his thrilling Egyptian series. Following on from "River God", "The Seventh Scroll" and "Warlock, "The Quest" continues the story of the Warlock, Taita, wise in the lore of the ancient Gods and a master of magic and the supernatural. Egypt is struck by a series of terrible plagues that cripple the Kingdom, and then the ultimate disaster follows. The Nile fails. The waters that nourish and sustain the land dry up. Something catastrophic is taking place in the distant and totally unexplored depths of Africa from where the mighty river springs. In desperation Pharoah sends for Taita, the only man who might be able to win through to the source of the Nile and discover the cause of all their woes. None of them can have any idea of what a terrible enemy lies in ambush for "The Warlock" in those mysterious lands at the end of their world.