BAREFEET and PAPERTHORNS (Tom Owen Book 3)

Description

The story follows the lives and adventures of the three boys as they grow up to become young men. Tom, a white English boy and Themba, a black Swazi boy, grow up together on a remote farm in South Africa. A third boy, Koos, an Afrikaner who lives on the neighboring farm, hates the English almost as much as he has been brought up to dislike black people. Although surrounded by hostile neighbors they are blissfully unaware of the political intimidation and racial hatred their parents are experiencing during the lead up to the 1948 elections in South Africa. Eventually both boys families move to Swaziland to escape the Apartheid and the Immorality laws introduced by the new government. The boys are forced to go separate ways when Tom is sent away to boarding school. Years later when they have finished school and have grown into young men Tom and Themba meet up again work on the same cattle ranch in the bushveld. Koos in the meantime has chosen a life of crime and has teamed up with two other undesirables. Before long they clash with Tom and Themba, and sparks fly as old hatred comes to the surface. Determined to help put an end to the illegal activities of these viscous men, get into all sorts of scrapes, including the use of witchcraft, when they discover the poachers are also involved in abduction, rape, assault and marijuana dealing.The ensuing conflict leads to a series of events that come to a head when Tom and Themba become involved in the activities of Koos and his two friends. Based on the author’s early life, all the characters are real and the events did take place.