Angolan Dawn
The story of a nation's agony and hope. A true tale of an Angolan migrant miner who goes to 'e'Goli', the big city of gold in South Africa. Also a realistic portrayal of the Angolan conflict in "darkest Africa" through the eyes of a hospital orderly. A "moving and realistic" novel about the evil and destructiveness of war, as well as the inherent goodness and resilience within every human spirit.
"To live in Africa one has to know what it is to die in Africa."
"It is always darkest just before the day dawneth."
- Thomas Fuller *
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Independent Review of: ANGOLAN DAWN "In most respects, this is an individual and innovative piece, with considerable character. It is conventional only in so far as the author has taken pains to structure this work in accordance with the dramatic necessities of pace, exposition and denouement. It is all the stronger for having what I would call a 'classic' plot: one which has guts to it, which takes its readers on a clear and well-defined journey from A to B and leaves us feeling like we have truly experienced something at the end of it. Not that there is anything at all 'obvious' about the manner in which the tale unfolds. Far from it- the world of the novel, though a fictional creation of some substance, is as unpredictable and enigmatic as reality. The essential realism carries over into the body of the text itself. The writing is packed with the products of real experience; little insights and observations combine with the fictional material to give the work a powerful relevance to its readers. Essential scene setting details and other information are not relayed in huge indigestible chunks, but are instead woven carefully into the fabric of the plot. The dialogue is particularly well handled: sharp and convincing. The total result of these factors working together is what papers call 'a thumping good read'! The written style is excellent, perfectly suited to the tale the author has to tell. Without seeming at all self-conscious, this author has found a voice in which he writes with fluency and confidence. The book is written in an engaging and convincing manner, with an appealing quality of direct communication. In short, "Angolan Dawn is a well-structured piece of work, a compelling novel, which deserves to do well in the marketplace".
Key words (tags): (Angola, political history, "faction", Africa, Southern Africa
