Book Review: In Pursuit of the Giant Sable Antelope

Reviewed by John M. Murray

A poignant coming of age adventure led by an aging explorer hungry for fame set against a volatile period in South African history

University student Walker Scoville finds himself a bit adrift in life, not quite fitting in with his wealthy neighbors and colleagues but unsure of what comes next in life. Soon, a speaker at his school offers a surprising opportunity: a safari in Southern Africa. 

Walker and several other boys chosen by the hopeful explorer Cecil Covington board a ship and arrive in a tumultuous 1970s South Africa, set to explore the brush and sleep under the stars, hopefully far away from the fighting of the Angolan Civil War. 

The threat of fighting looms, but Cecil and the boys set off on a quest to find something to prove his worth to the explorer’s guild back home. That something turns out to be a curious rumor. A few days drive from their hotel, there was a sighting of the rare giant sable antelope—a unique creature that would be sure to cement Cecil’s fame. Societal changes ripple through Africa while the young men confront looming adulthood and pursue this rare animal.

John Manuel weaves historical context into this adventure novel with a deft hand. Apartheid shocks the young men as they’ve lived a life of sheltered comfort. Newspapers, radio reports, and gossip keep the threat of the war ever present. Manuel balances the violence and racism with wholesome moments—Cecil hires Patrick, a local guide, who shares his tribal history and tries to teach the young men about his country and its troubles. Walker kindles a romance with a German tourist, Ulsa, too, and their tenderness is a welcome contrast to some of the more violent moments.

While Patrick ferries Cecil and the young men after the antelope, Patrick’s brother Josiah enlists in the revolution. The stark contrast between Josiah and Patrick’s experiences are jarring and paints a vivid picture of South Africa in the late 1970s. Josiah studies but also learns how to wield a weapon and unfortunately, watch his compatriots die. Cecil’s quest for glory is a dark mirror to Josiah’s drive to help free his country from its oppressors. 

In Pursuit of the Giant Sable Antelope successfully pulls from several genres—adventure, action, romance, and coming-of-age—to tell a sympathetic tale where one man chases fame and another risks his life to free his country. 

The group of young men are dynamic and endearing, even as they struggle to understand things outside of their limited experiences. Cecil’s intense adoration of nature and drive to prove his worth to the world buoys the story with the sense of adventure and the horrors of war tinging the narrative with taut tension.

Thank you for reading John M. Murray’s book review of In Pursuit of the Giant Sable Antelope by John Manuel! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post Book Review: In Pursuit of the Giant Sable Antelope appeared first on Independent Book Review.