My book Justice of the Wild
This book is available on Amazon as an e-book, a paperback and an audio-book. The audiobook version is also available on Spotify or Findaway Voices.
THE STORY In the twilight during a heavy storm, six hungry lions escape from the Lion Park near Johannesburg. They are now roaming free in suburbia. Tiny Terblanche and Brett van Jaarsveld, two cruel poachers watching the news, spring into action. They lure the predators to a field opposite the Park where they dart and capture four of the lions, one male and three females. They load the drugged animals into a van, to transport to their farm in Botswana.
Paul Patterson and his school friend Rampha Singh happen to witness the lion capture. Days later, they notice the same van at a fast food outlet and decide to follow it on their motorcycle. Tiny, driving the van, spots his followers, ambushes, kidnaps and abducts them to Botswana where he locks them up. His two American clients are also there to hunt their promised trophy lion.
That night, the boys break free and run off into the African bush. Tiny discovers their escape and enraged he sets after them in his jeep. They could ruin his plans.
In the bush the boys face their worst nightmares as they strive for freedom. A rogue lion also picks up their scent and trails them.
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Both boys have love interests with girlfriends Debbie and Ayesha who are worried about them. They initiate a frantic search with the Park officials, the police and their parents.
The daunting family divorce issues Paul has to deal with, pales into insignificance when he and Rampha have to figure out how to escape from their nightmare.
This nail biting drama reveals the scourge of wild life poaching!
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[Official OnlineBookClub.org review by Emily Jen, of "Justice of the Wild" by Michael du Preez.]I rate this novel a resounding 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to readers above thirteen that are interested in fiction books about wildlife, poaching, mystery, and adventure.
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Below is the URL for the video song promoting the audiobook 'Justice of the Wild'.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiSDf3i5oi0
eBook & Audio Book Version Available
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Jesus and the Minstrel
I am halfway through this book.
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From a musician’ s POV I know a little about entertaining crowds, and as the story unfolds you the reader, will travel alongside the minstrel and encounter Jesus as a close-up spectator in the crowd.
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The minstrel and main protagonist, Nathanael, suffering from the loss of his wife and newly born daughter, first meets up with Jesus at the wedding in Cana, where he is hired to perform, and then follows Him, entertaining the crowds that Jesus attracts. He and his friend Jothem are amazed at the miracles they witness first hand, and they decide to follow Jesus everywhere He goes, making this, their life’s mission and quest. At Cana, Nathanael is attracted to one of the bridesmaids named Miriam, who despite her worsening illness, finally teams up, and travels with them.
FOREWORD Synopsis
John, the youngest disciple of Jesus, and the one closest to Him, ends his Gospel with the following words: ‘This is the disciple which testifies of these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written’.
What a statement!
Well, this is yet another book about Jesus, albeit semi-fictional, to help fill that void. Each tale, however, is told in the first person, past tense, from our Minstrel’s perspective, although the events are true to Biblical facts.
The healings Jesus carries out, the miracles He performs and the statements He declares, are profound. To top it all, each statement He presents, reveals something deeper These are not immediately apparent to the crowds surrounding Jesus. For our Minstrel protagonist, however, they take root and blossom to reveal the true mission of the long-awaited Son of God, the Messiah.
In Jesus’ time, minstrels, apart from their entertainment skills, were important news gatherers, as they performed from one village to the other. Their intuition was legendary as they wove current events into stories and songs.
Nathanael
After an extended period of mourning following the tragic loss of his wife Diana, and their still-born daughter Eve, in childbirth, Nathanael, our main protagonist, is surprised when his best friend and fellow student, Jothem, arrives at his door. He encourages Nathanael to end his grief, exploit his talents with a paid engagement as an incentive.
Nathanael, is finally persuaded, and accompanies Jothem to Cana, where an important wedding is pending at which Jothem is booked as a steward to the governor. There, the two encounter Jesus for the first time. Not only is Nathanael intrigued by this amazing Teacher, but he also finds himself attracted to Miriam, one of the bridesmaids. After eye-witnessing Jesus turning water into wine, Nathanael’s interest is thoroughly aroused, and he resolves to learn more about this legendary Teacher.
A relationship between Miriam and Nathaniel that is about to blossom, is cut short, when without explanation, she abruptly departs the Cana venue with her parents. Nathaniel is disappointed and reluctantly decides to leave that prospect to fate. He now becomes more determined to follow Jesus and personally observe any other miracles He may perform in the future. This places him and the reader, in each situation, not simply as one of the crowds, but invariably as a front seat spectator.
Each chapter, in eclectic, chronological order, tells a separate tale, as Jesus moves from village to village, teaching, healing, and crossing swords with the authorities, finally ending up in Jerusalem where He faces His pre-ordained destiny.
Nathanael follows Jesus all the way to the cross. En route, he once more encounters Miriam, who wishes to share in his mission and, at the same time, ask Jesus to heal the growing numbness in her legs. Their mutual feelings are re-kindled, and Nathanael proposes to her on a dusty road, but she becomes increasingly plagued by this unknown disease, which gradually cripples her. This could impede his quest, but Miriam is brave beyond words, and travels with him in a makeshift cart, drawn by a donkey.
During this time, they make the journey back to her parents’ house to arrange their wedding and naturally miss some of Jesus’ healings and miracles, but Nathanael learns of these via hearsay and face to face encounters with various eyewitnesses.
Following the Crucifixion and subsequent Resurrection and the beginnings of the written Gospels, more particularly Mark, Nathanael and Miriam are finally convinced that Jesus is indeed the long-awaited Messiah and after experiencing a personal miracle bestowed upon Miriam, the two of them become converted followers of ‘The Way.’
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