The pair is noticed by Cape Town’s most dangerous criminal mastermind and a brutal vulture, and Lun and Richard are pulled into a perilous and mysterious adventure. Teaming up with a pair of midwives who are also master martial artists, Richard and Lun race across the Karoo to open an ancient, mystical box of undisclosed power. The novel begins in Cape Town and takes the reader on an action packed journey to the small town of Nieu-Bethesda in the Eastern Cape, famous for the strange Owl House.
The book’s triumph is its use of local legend in a fantasy novel, a genre that can easily fall flat. Salomon is skilled at recreating the Eastern and Western Cape locations of this novel. The Tokoloshe Song is a page turner with its quick and straightforward speech. Add to that the combination of eclectic characters and a unique storyline and readers will find themselves finishing the book quicker than expected.
Critics may condemn the few clichés Salomon falls into, particularly the idea of misunderstood creatures bridging the gap with humans, but the novel’s strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. The Tokoloshe Song is a delightfully home-grown, original addition to South African fantasy literature.
Image: randomstruik.co.za
