A direct challenge to the revered constitutional Democracy of the Rainbow Nation of South Africa provides the backdrop to this powerful and gripping novel by ML Smith. Will the greed of a powerful elite destroy the hopes and dreams of an entire nation? In “The Rainbow Revolution,” the author demonstrates his mastery in weaving a plot of great magnitude that could change the face of a country in the future.
No 1 Military Hospital, Pretoria 1987. Pieter Rossouw is fighting for his life in ICU. With an inoperable injury to the brain which will render him unable to feel emotion, Pieter’s parents are apprised of his condition,’ and advised to keep it under wraps at all cost.
Fast forward to September 2017 Armand Rossouw is advised that his Son Pieter, a self-exile currently on the high seas with neither the intention nor the desire to ever return, could be an invaluable asset to head up a secret operation. How can Armand lure his son back home? He realises there is only one way that will bring him back.
Under an obsidian sky with a million stars shining on the distant horizon, Piet Rossouw debates returning to South Africa. An urgent plea from his Father leaves him confused and unsettled. As Pieter manoeuvres his craft out of a harbour in Barbados, he notices that a collision with a churning hurricane could be on the cards. Battered by a hostile ocean, the prodigal Son finally berths in Cape Town.
The Rossouw homestead nestles on a plateau with an impressive panorama for miles around. Observing it from a distance, Piet finds his mood lifting. He discovers that his Father’s ‘feigned illness’ was an excuse to hasten his return and that the politically fragile state of the country is dire.
At the hands of a corrupt elite who are determined to outdo past masters at what seems to be the country’s oldest tradition, the ANC regime will stop at nothing to ensure continued feeding at the trough. The Brothers Gupta,’ a grim grouping of notorious villains using the country’s deeply compromised President, Jacob Zuma to further their nefarious means are riding the crest of a wave. A deal involving the Russian behemoth ‘Nuclatom’ is poised to take centre stage.
Time is running out for this fledgling Democracy, and Piet makes a life-changing decision to become an integral part of a sophisticated covert structure being put in place to wrest control from the incumbents before its too late. An Antonov freight carrier bearing contraband cargo bound for South Africa goes down over the Eastern Mediterranean leaving Piet in no doubt, sinister forces are at play.Unfortunately, he finds himself caught up in an incident; the police are sniffing around and warning bells start ringing. Has he compromised this sophisticated and well-planned endeavour by allowing his curiosity to get the better of him?
This well written and professionally edited novel kept me turning the pages till the end. The author delivers a faultless storyline which was well structured and flowed seamlessly between the various easily relatable characters. The plot themes progress through the book, keeping the reader invested at all times. This highly topical work of fiction is a reminder that the proverbial saying ‘power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’ is very relevant in the beleagured South Africa of today. This extraordinary book will appeal to those who enjoy a suspenseful thriller steeped in fact with a touch of romance.
Add Comment