Book: Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012)
Author: Omoseye Bolaji
Publisher: Eselby Jnr Publications
Reviewer: Mpikeleni Duma (for Sowetan)
Black African authors who churn out Mystery/Detective adventures (books) are thin on the ground. Against this background the Free State based author Omoseye Bolaji has to be praised for his fecund output in his wise.
Cedric Robinson has written that a novel is a parable. It is a moral, philosophic, and political exercise. Like the myth in phatic groups, the purpose is to demonstrate the terrible consequence to the human spirit as well as to the social organisation of a total exorcising of a social ideology.
Bolaji created the now famous detective or sleuth Tebogo Mokoena and before the beginning of this year he had published seven books in the series. Early this year the eighth of the series, Tebogo and the Bacchae (2012) was published to the excitement of readers of the series.
In this new work the author creates the fictional town of “Khayachow” where Tebogo has to investigate the events of an ill-starred night when three people lost their lives in gruesome fashion. As Tebogo burrows into life in the small town he discovers that things are not necessarily what they seem to be on the surface.
In Tebogo and the Bacchae the reader is introduced to a gallery of intriguing characters, including the enigmatic Tiisetso, the ubane Sibusiso, the shadowy Allan and of course the tantalising lady, Thobeka. The story reaches a climax later on and ends in a shattering manner – like previous adventures in this series.
The author also largely changes his style of narration in this new adventure. Hitherto, teh adventures were written in the first person – “Tebogo” himself telling the stories; but this time around the Omniscient narration style is utilised with Tebogo sometimes playing very much a secondary role in some of the chapeters.
Becasue of this Omniscient style of narration we get to know many of the characters very well, even sharing their thoughts; irreverent and zany thoughts every now and then. But all combine to emphasise the ambience of mystery that surrounds this new adventure.
I enjoyed reading this adventure very much but felt that the author could have done more to paint an even stronger picture of Khayachow town. Also, in this wise the reader can be confused sometimes as to whether the action is happening in Khayachow toropo (town) or the adjoining township.
But on the whole this is another excellent adventure of the grassroots-oriented sleuth, Tebogo Mokoena. He is still very much into bonhomie, grins and wisecracks. He even indulges in some romantic match-making in the end!
The preceding adventures of in the Tebo Mystery series are Tebogo Investigates (2000), Tebogo’s spot of other (2001), Tebogo Fails (2003), Ask Tebogo (2004), Tebogo and the Haka (2006), Tebogo and the epithalamion (2009) and Tebogo and the pantophagist (2010)
* Originally published in SOWETAN, Monday, January 30 edition
3 comments:
Bolaji has done superbly to write so many of these adventures over the years. It was a thrill for me to read this latest one. And the name "Khayachow"; how it makes one laugh!
Another impressive review of this new book. I have read so many of them over the past fortnight or so. Mr Bolaji has kicked off the new year with a bang - and of course Mr Lechesa must be commended too for his new book of literary essays.
another round of applause to the chief for consistently dishing nothing but the best of mysteries, it sounds like a thriller pula!
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