Daniel wants to become a lawyer to right the wrongs he believes have been inflicted on his people by the white colonisers. His schoolteacher convinces him that he can arrange a university education. Instead, he is abducted and is trained as a terrorist. He returns to his country and uses his skills to fight the invaders of his land.Peter fulfils his ambition to be a pilot, flying a combat helicopter against the country’s enemies who are seeking to overthrow the government. Often flying into action with only a Perspex windscreen to protect him, he has to learn to control his fear.This is the story of boys forced into different sides of a war, pawns of the architects of the conflict, Cecil Rhodes, Robert Mugabe and other nationalists, Ian Smith the Rhodesian Prime Minister, and his nemesis, British PM Harold Wilson.As the two become men and seek their destinies, they become adversaries in an unconventional conflict that causes significant loss of life and injuries, untold misery, and results in the devastation of a country once described as ‘Africa’s bread basket,’ and which became ‘Africa’s basket case.’The terrorist and the pilot meet several times on opposing sides of the Rhodesian Bush War determined to prevail.On one side, a terrorist skilled in terrorising the population using hit and run tactics. On the other, a highly skilled pilot flying a highly manoeuvrable aircraft with significant speed, armament, and height advantages.Can there be any winners in this conflict?
Peter Fourie was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
He is passionate about Africa, its wildlife, people and landscape. In retirement, he is a part-time professional photographer and is the author of four photography books. He has also published a travel book based on his own worldwide excursions. This is his first novel.
He loves Africa with a passion and still considers it home. He has been a regular visitor to Zimbabwe, honeymooning there with his wife and touring the country with his adult children.
His family provides education support to a Victoria Falls family because they believe that education is the way out of poverty. They will donate the profits of this book to charities providing education in the Victoria Falls region because it is a cause in which they wholly believe.
He emigrated to Australia in 1978 to take up an engineering position in Sydney.
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Reviews
11 reviews
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The author used fiction to tell a confronting but genuine historical story. This made it a lot more fascinating than just the cold hard facts. Unusually, he writes much of the story in the first person as the characters telling their own story.
The strong emotions of the two main protagonists were well portrayed. Each fought for a cause in which they initially totally believed. Reading this book left me with many unanswered questions so I look forward to reading a sequel.
A great read for lovers of historical fiction.
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A compelling read for anyone interested in the transition of Colonial Rhodesia to an independent Zimbabwe as it shaped the lives of 2 small boys/young men.
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I enjoyed the book very much. I found it gave me a comprehensive valuable insight into the huge changes that Rhodesia was undergoing at that time and a glimpse into the lives of key players involved.
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