Publisher's Synopsis
FOREST OF FEAR
By 1998, four years after South Africa finally achieved democracy, hundreds of thousands
of destitute South Africans still lived in squalid squatter camps spread across the country.
San Diego squatter camp or informal settlement is situated on the western boundary of
Johannesburg. Themba "Legs" Gwala, the under-nine sprint champion at his school, lives in
the San Diego squatter camp near Johannesburg with his dad and mom and five-year
old sister, Gugu. His best friend, eight-year-old James "Chomp" Bafokeng, ravenous food
consumer, and his parents, also live in the settlement and the two boys witness the poverty
and hardships that the residents have to endure: no electricity, no proper sewerage system
and no running water, winter snow, summer torrential downfalls and the danger of runaway
shack fires. Other characters in the settlement include Misses Ntombi Zondo, the settlement's
Sangoma, who is dedicated to preserving the myths and legends of Africa and enthrals Legs,
Chomp and Gugu with her wonderful stories, Mister Bongani Cele, the retired illegal gold miner
who has spent most of his life searching for the non-existent treasure in abandoned gold
mines, Misses Lerato Nonyana, the retired school teacher with her stories about African
urban legends, Mister Calvin Tembe, the Mozambican "mayor" of San Diego, striving to help
the illiterate residents, Mister Joseph Amin, the Ugandan law student who helps Mister
Tembe with the resident's legal matters and Constable Edward Luthuli, the settlement's
lazy incompetent policeman. Amidst all this, the serial killer watches silently.
THE DEMON CHILD
Bruno Berger, living in Johannesburg, South Africa, is cruelly abused by his parents during
his formative years and develops a hatred for his fellow beings that dominates his life.
Throughout his young life he has been ridiculed and betrayed. He meets Conrao "Connie"
Amores, another abused student at his school and the two young boys plan to eliminate their
tormentors, especially their parents. On the day that they've agreed to begin their revenge, Connie
commits suicide and Bruno is left to continue with their mission on his own. Bruno kills both his
parents and then goes to his school, mainly to wreak revenge on Lucy Brentworth, his main
tormentor during his schooldays. Unable to kill Lucy, Bruno kidnaps her and holds her hostage,
only to find out that Lucy is also the victim of child abuse. The two young people decide to team up,
escape from the police, and go on the rampage, robbing a business, killing Lucy's abusive
father as well as Connie's parents. Captured by the police after a car chase, Bruno is found
guilty of several crimes including murder and kidnapping and incarcerated in a Child Detention
Centre while Lucy, denying all Bruno's claims of a joint conspiracy, is placed on probation.
Obsessed with Lucy's betrayal, Bruno swears revenge. This is a story of the triumph of love
over its real enemy; indifference, the turning away from those in need. It's the story of
the influence that one person's love can have on another; the transformation of an individual
filled with hatred and revenge into someone who can express love and compassion.
