… I am living vicariously, watching someone else read it–someone who stops every few pages to read the next ‘great bit’ to me.
I wish I really was reading it now.
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I hope to one day meet Tony Park (I heard he visits my neck o’ the woods occasionally to catch up with mutual acquaintances) so his books have been on my TBR list for some time.
Problem: Reading time for me has been in short supply this last year, which has made me a little picky about what takes my attention away from my own writing and deadlines.
Solution: I have a ‘reading partner’ – a person to share the TBR pile; a kind of two person book club if you will, delving into book themes and plots, characters and author styles, while on morning walks and over the copious cups of coffee we consume each day.
The system has worked — until now. Until Mr Tony Park. Not satisfied with the usual second hand summary, I am wanting to read this author for myself – sometime.
African Dawn is the first Tony Park novel ‘we’ have picked up and, to be honest, when I looked at the first few introductory pages with its timeline, a family tree and a glossary, I said “Na-ah!” There is no way my friend is going to get past the first chapter. Don’t get me wrong, my reading partner loves a big story: a complex crime novel, a psychological thriller, a forensic mystery. But this story …?
Well, here I am eating my words. For the last two days, African Dawn has accompanied my friend everywhere: breakfast table, coffee breaks, bed. She is devouring the story and reading excerpts to me with increasing enthusiasm every fifteen minutes, the pages turning so fast they are fanning her menopausal flushes.
So in a way I am reading it, just not in the usual manner – hence my blog post title.
Only one complaint, Mr Park …
Where is Makuti’s family tree? As a character, especially opening the book in his POV, Makuti’s voice is the icing on an intriguing cake! (And as for Chapter 5, I just cried and cheered and cried again.)
Discover Tony Park’s world: http://www.tonypark.net/index.htm
You have a new fan, Mr Park. You are also my token bloke in the 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge (so if you would like to be a token bloke on my Author Harvest blog, pls let me know. I would love to see your answers to my…ahhh…very different Q&A.)
I was given Tony Park’s “Safari” last year by my brother-in-law after he discovered Park’s books in his local library. I really enjoyed it and passed it on to bh and then to son. Now, I’m really wanting to read this one but, like you, Jenn, don’t know how to find the extra time (though your approach is innovative!). I’m multi-tasking already with Test cricket, ironing, writing and email-checking (actually, I’m giving the iron a brief rest–it’s worked hard–lol). Grocery shopping looms. Oh to add a few more quality hours available in my day.
Thanks Jen, glad you and your reader are enjoying it! There’s actually a prequel to African Dawn – my third book, ‘African Sky’. Good idea about Makuti having a family tree!
PS: I’d love to be your token bloke!
LOL excellent! I’ll be intouch.
Hi Jenn!
I had the privilege of meeting Tony recently here in Perth. What a guy! I was totally in awe and he was totally at ease 🙂 and I missed a photo opportunity, can you believe it? Oh well, there’s always next time…maybe we should invite him to the Freo conference 😉
Squeee! I have a signed copy of Dark Heart.