Great review of 'The Prey'
(Sydney) Daily Telegraph
Best Weekend
March 1, 2014
The Prey
When Australian author Tony Park penned his 10th African novel about illegal gold mining in South Africa, not even he could have imagined just how prescient his story would be. Park's new book, The Prey, plots the activities of South Africa's zama zamas (chancers) - and their ruthless leader Wellington Shumba who illegally hunt for gold deep underground in the Eureka mine. The pirate miners ruled by torture, fear and death threaten the legitimate operations and investments of Eureka's Australian owners on the border of the famed Kruger National Park. Park, who spends six months of every year living in Africa writing his novels, visited gold mines while researching The Prey and found evidence of illegal mining. Now news reports from Johannesburg revealing 200 illegal gold miners were trapped, freed and then refused to come to the surface could be straight from the pages of The Prey. The criminal miners, often illegal immigrants from poor neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Zimbabwe, live underground in disused tunnels for months. They are often armed, protecting their operations with military assault rifles and hand grenades. Park says the mining companies resort to hiring ex-military security people to fight fire with fire and it's not unusual to hear of pitched gun battles - and casualties - underground. His latest thriller is another ripping yarn based on realistic scenarios in the classic African adventure genre.
Bruce MacDougall.
Best Weekend
March 1, 2014
The Prey
When Australian author Tony Park penned his 10th African novel about illegal gold mining in South Africa, not even he could have imagined just how prescient his story would be. Park's new book, The Prey, plots the activities of South Africa's zama zamas (chancers) - and their ruthless leader Wellington Shumba who illegally hunt for gold deep underground in the Eureka mine. The pirate miners ruled by torture, fear and death threaten the legitimate operations and investments of Eureka's Australian owners on the border of the famed Kruger National Park. Park, who spends six months of every year living in Africa writing his novels, visited gold mines while researching The Prey and found evidence of illegal mining. Now news reports from Johannesburg revealing 200 illegal gold miners were trapped, freed and then refused to come to the surface could be straight from the pages of The Prey. The criminal miners, often illegal immigrants from poor neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Zimbabwe, live underground in disused tunnels for months. They are often armed, protecting their operations with military assault rifles and hand grenades. Park says the mining companies resort to hiring ex-military security people to fight fire with fire and it's not unusual to hear of pitched gun battles - and casualties - underground. His latest thriller is another ripping yarn based on realistic scenarios in the classic African adventure genre.
Bruce MacDougall.
Comments
- Clive Park
Please note, everyone else, we're not related!