Heart of the Hunter

Thobela, or Tiny as his friends call him, is a mysterious man that shows great kindness at moments, and cold-blooded violence at others. In a world when everyone wants to see things white or black, he presents a solid gray. This can be clearly appreciated by the reaction of the people as he goes on his quest, mounted on a powerful motorbike. Some see him as a hero, while others regard him as a dangerous man who cannot be good because he used to work as a "collector" for a drug baron. There is one reporter for the Cape Times, Allison Healy, who tries to answer the question: Is Tiny good or bad? This will provide us with valuable insight regarding the main character, but: can the question be answered with certainty?

One would thing that helping a friend that has been kidnapped would be hard enough, but Thobela has other problems too. Janina Metz, a high ranked officer in one of the intelligence agencies, had a wire that allowed her to listen to the conversation between the kidnappers and Monica. Therefore, she activated a special forces group led by a violent and vicious captain named Mazibuko. The idea is to prevent Tiny from delivering the information to the kidnappers. Thus, he is drawn into a mission filled with dangers and violence; a mission in which he will be faced with a worthy opponent in the relentless captain Mazibuko.

The exotic setting, the cleverly crafted plot, the exciting action, and the rich and complex main character, make this a novel that has it all. Deon Meyer has created a real masterpiece that is not even one notch below the work of some great authors in the genre, like John le Carre. I will be eagerly looking forward to this Meyer's new book!


Flawed but enjoyable   July 10, 2004
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Not quite up to the standard of Meyer's previous two novels featuring Zatopek Van Meerden. Here he is relegated to a supporting role, something of a disappointment, with his replacement Tiny Thobela a less winning creation. Though the plot is often schematic and the central narrative stretches credibility, this remains a stark indictment of the corruption and ineptitude of post-Apartheid South Africa.

An interesting novel from a gifted author, this remains a flawed but enjoyable thriller.