What do you think?
Rate this book
Tokoloshe Song
When Richard Nevis quit the rat race, being pursued to the Owl House in Nieu Bethesda by an assassin with a books fetish was not what he had in mind.
The trouble started while Richard was volunteering at a shelter for mistreated tokoloshes. There he befriended Lun, one of these often misunderstood creatures. But Richard and Lun come to the unwelcome attention of both a brutal villain and Cape Town’s most dangerous criminal mastermind.
Teaming up with a potent duo of midwives, who are members of a secret order equally adept at delivering infants and performing martial arts, Richard and Lun have to race across the Karoo in a quest to open an ancient metal box to stay alive.
Delightfully entertaining and funny, Tokoloshe Song is Andrew Salomon’s fantasy debut.
The trouble started while Richard was volunteering at a shelter for mistreated tokoloshes. There he befriended Lun, one of these often misunderstood creatures. But Richard and Lun come to the unwelcome attention of both a brutal villain and Cape Town’s most dangerous criminal mastermind.
Teaming up with a potent duo of midwives, who are members of a secret order equally adept at delivering infants and performing martial arts, Richard and Lun have to race across the Karoo in a quest to open an ancient metal box to stay alive.
Delightfully entertaining and funny, Tokoloshe Song is Andrew Salomon’s fantasy debut.
- GenresFantasy
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Salomon
21 books22 followersAndrew Salomon has received the PEN Literary Award for African Fiction and the Short.Sharp.Stories Award. His debut novel, now titled ‘Tokoloshe Song’ was shortlisted for the Terry Pratchett First Novel Award and his short fiction has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. He is the author of the Young Adult thrillers ‘The Chrysalis’ and ‘Wonderbear,’ the dark fantasy thriller ‘The Equilibrist,’ and a speculative fiction short story collection ‘Dark Shenanigans.’ He completed an MA at the Institute for Archaeology at University College London and some of his most memorable experiences have been at rock painting and engraving sites in rock shelters and subterranean caves across the world. These often find their way into his fiction. He lives in Cape Town with his wife, two young sons and a pair of rescue dogs of baffling provenance. His website can be found at: www.andrewsalomon.com and his Amazon Author Page can be viewed at: https://www.amazon.com/author/andrews...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 19, 2014
This is a wonderful, fun book to read. South African fantasy based on a very African mythological figure namely the Tokoloshe combined with crime fiction. An interesting cast of characters and accurate references to South African places and history. Highly recommended!
October 27, 2014
In modern-day South Africa, things are not quite what they appear to be. It has come to light that the mythical creatures of our horrors, Tokoloshe’s, are real. They are feared, but one man, Richard Nevis, sees the truth – these creatures feel pain and are scared and they need our protection. In a world, where this is not public opinion, Richard volunteers at a Tokoloshe sanctuary, which leads him to dangers unknown.
However, Tokoloshe’s are not the only fantastical beings out there, there are also kick-ass midwives. Yip midwives. But as you guessed, there is something different about them. The midwives were probably my favorite characters, in this novel full of great characters. There is also another character that deserves mention, Doorway. His story was probably the most interesting, and the one I was left wanting more of! There were aspects in each character that felt very real and natural to me, even the Tokoloshe’s that make appearances in this novel. They were executed so well, and never felt like ‘cartoon’ characters to me, but rather real creatures. I love how this story reads like a fantasy that could very well have had vampires or werewolves in it – by that I mean it felt very current, and as mentioned it felt real in a way that I don’t think vampires or werewolves could be for me.
My favorite part of the novel was probably the mention and visits of archaeology locations around South Africa. As an archaeology Masters student, I loved how accurate the archaeology was and how it was incorporated into this story. It made the world of difference to me, as I can’t stand books who get it wrong or just make things up. The changing setting was also something I enjoyed, and I think it highlighted some great parts of South African and it’s history.
The title and cover were masterfully chosen to please the eye and intrigue! I am very happy to have a copy on my shelf and it fits right in!
Overall, a very easy and fun read. The pacing was excellent, the characters intriguing and the story very well executed!
On the Blog: http://sugarandsnark.co.za/?p=13340
However, Tokoloshe’s are not the only fantastical beings out there, there are also kick-ass midwives. Yip midwives. But as you guessed, there is something different about them. The midwives were probably my favorite characters, in this novel full of great characters. There is also another character that deserves mention, Doorway. His story was probably the most interesting, and the one I was left wanting more of! There were aspects in each character that felt very real and natural to me, even the Tokoloshe’s that make appearances in this novel. They were executed so well, and never felt like ‘cartoon’ characters to me, but rather real creatures. I love how this story reads like a fantasy that could very well have had vampires or werewolves in it – by that I mean it felt very current, and as mentioned it felt real in a way that I don’t think vampires or werewolves could be for me.
My favorite part of the novel was probably the mention and visits of archaeology locations around South Africa. As an archaeology Masters student, I loved how accurate the archaeology was and how it was incorporated into this story. It made the world of difference to me, as I can’t stand books who get it wrong or just make things up. The changing setting was also something I enjoyed, and I think it highlighted some great parts of South African and it’s history.
The title and cover were masterfully chosen to please the eye and intrigue! I am very happy to have a copy on my shelf and it fits right in!
Overall, a very easy and fun read. The pacing was excellent, the characters intriguing and the story very well executed!
On the Blog: http://sugarandsnark.co.za/?p=13340
October 12, 2015
What a fantastic read! Tokoloshe Song by Andrew Salomon is a South African fantasy novel that is filled with such wonderful SA creatures that one hardly ever reads about in books. There are some tokoloshe's (duh), some demons (awesome), assassin nuns who also act as midwives ... It's bloody brilliant! I'm not one to usually tag passages in books, but this book has more post-its in it than any of my old university textbooks. What's more, it's quite humorous too.
I flew through this book, enjoying this alternate modern world that Andrew Salomon created, where humans and mythological creatures live side by side. I giggled, I laughed, I even had a moment of utter sadness for the poor tokoloshes who had to suffer through human abuse. Poor things.
It's safe to say that South African genre-fiction authors brings something unique to the table. Take Lauren Beukes, horror author, for example: No matter where in the world the story plays off, you can instantly see the South African elements and experiences inspiring her work. Gareth Crocker is another prime example of great South African writing - King, which plays off partly in America, has a definite SA feel to it. Andrew Salomon, with Tokoloshe Song, is no exception. This isn't bad whatsoever. It gives readers a taste of what South Africans have to offer, and as far as Tokoloshe Song is concerned, it's going to keep readers chuckling whilst schooling them in the mythologies we've grown up with.
I loved this book (I'll probably reread it again soon), and I would suggest it to everyone who enjoys their fantasy with some urban flair and some unique perspectives.
Review originally posted on:
I flew through this book, enjoying this alternate modern world that Andrew Salomon created, where humans and mythological creatures live side by side. I giggled, I laughed, I even had a moment of utter sadness for the poor tokoloshes who had to suffer through human abuse. Poor things.
It's safe to say that South African genre-fiction authors brings something unique to the table. Take Lauren Beukes, horror author, for example: No matter where in the world the story plays off, you can instantly see the South African elements and experiences inspiring her work. Gareth Crocker is another prime example of great South African writing - King, which plays off partly in America, has a definite SA feel to it. Andrew Salomon, with Tokoloshe Song, is no exception. This isn't bad whatsoever. It gives readers a taste of what South Africans have to offer, and as far as Tokoloshe Song is concerned, it's going to keep readers chuckling whilst schooling them in the mythologies we've grown up with.
I loved this book (I'll probably reread it again soon), and I would suggest it to everyone who enjoys their fantasy with some urban flair and some unique perspectives.
Review originally posted on:
August 18, 2014
Perhaps it is prudent to start this review by talking about Tokoloshes before going any further. Every culture and tradition has the beliefs inherent to a specific folklore. In turn, each folklore has its own respective bestiary. Africa is a continent with a considerably rich assemblage of folklore, each encompassing a wide variety of different supernatural creatures. Unfortunately however, these mythologies are hardly as well-known as their counterparts in western and eastern Europe, as well as those of the United Kingdom. In Sub-Saharan Africa and particularly southern Africa on the other hand, the Tokoloshe is as much a part of general folklore as the Chupacabra is in central and South America and the Leprechaun in Ireland. The descriptions of the Tokoloshe vary physically. In general however, it is agreed that it is not very large (about the same as a medium- to large-size dog), powerfully-strong and fast, covered in brownish-coloured hair, piercingly light-coloured eyes and a large mouth filled with small, razor-sharp teeth. The discrepancies concerning the behaviour are less wide-ranging. On the whole, the Tokoloshe is considered to be an intelligent, malicious creature with the ability and predilection for wreaking havoc. While not exactly verbose, they understand language with ease and it is for this very reason the folklore demands that talk of the creature be as limited and that a strict code of reverence be adhered to.
To Tokoloshe Song. Once of the first things I noticed upon starting to read, was the eclectic richness of the characters that pepper the novel. Added to that is the skill with which each of these are crafted. The various temperaments and dispositions of the individuals are quite relatable, even if the respective characters are fantastical in nature. Richard Nevis is a perfect example. Once a successful attorney at quite a prestigious (and rather unscrupulous) law firm in Cape Town, Richard decides that working at an establishment that is less than interested in the moral consequences of its actions is simply not for him. To the chagrin of his employers, he quits and pursues his two real passions. One is the restoration of vintage boats and second, volunteering as an assistant at a Tokoloshe Shelter. Richard is intelligent, selfless and slightly awkward, which serves only to emphasize his humanity. Then there are the two mid-wives, Sindiwe and Emily. Theirs is not so much an occupation as a calling. They were born to be incredibly skilled mid-wives and are the best at it. Their skills at martial arts can be described in much the same way. The difference between the Mid-Wives and Richard is that, although all three are basically good people, the former have a slightly different, perhaps more punctuated manner of getting their point across.
Doorway isn’t your average assassin. Instead (apart from having been furnished with the best name for an assassin I’ve ever heard of), he is a human machine whose nature (and profession) it is to kill. There basically are only two kinds of people in Doorway’s world. Those whom he will kill (Marks) and those whom he has already killed (therefore no longer Marks). Sympathy, empathy, sentiment are all niceties which Doorway can describe, but their purpose is somewhat befuddling. Doorway’s only conceivable manner is that of perfection. His only fear is that of not achieving perfection and his only real emotional attachment is to books. Tokoloshe Song has a veritable assortment of characters and I certainly could not describe them all here, however there is one more kingpin I must mention. It is difficult to say exactly what Mamron is, but one thing he certainly is not, is human. Mamron is the distillate of pure evil. It exudes from his very being. His life’s compass merely points him in the direction of what he wants (the moral compass having ceased functioning millennia ago). To his mind, consequences are details that others have to deal with and if an individual becomes useless then said individual gets removed (the same can be said regarding separate parts of individuals).
It is at this juncture that the novel starts to find momentum. Mamron and some other seedy individuals (some of whom are sterling exemplars of the South African criminal) have their beady eyes set on a specific prize. There are a few problems, though. Firstly, they cannot collect their prize without the aid of a Tokoloshe. Secondly, in a country filled with people only too happy to break the law (for a reasonable incentive), they find themselves dealing with the one person who won’t, Richard. This a kind and honest man not only has access to a Tokoloshe, but also has, of all ludicrous things, a conscience. The Tokoloshe in question is named Lun and at much risk to his own physical health, Richard had won the trust of this incredible and enigmatic creature whilst doing volunteer work at the Tokoloshe Shelter.
With things heating up in Cape Town, Richard, Lun and the Mid-Wives decide to head into the arid and sparsely-populated Karoo. Naturally, it will take much more than a simple drive into the country to rid themselves of the pursuing and rather unsavoury mob, made up mostly of people who have little understanding of the word “no”. The chase takes them to strange and even bizarre people and places, but the pace never shows signs of slowing. And then there is always Doorway.
Author Andrew Salomon has, in my opinion, created something quite unique with Tokoloshe Song. I realize that this is a phrase regularly touted in book reviews, but here are my reasons for doing so. South Africa has produced fiction to fill many different genres. Urban, rural, Apartheid, post-Apartheid, South Africans abroad, horror and fantasy to name but a few. However, Tokoloshe Song does not slot comfortably into one of those categories. Certainly, there is a large aspect of the novel which could be construed as fantasy. However, this is one of the few South African fantasy novels that exhibits that humorous wit found so regularly and to such effect in Terry Pratchett’s works. Simultaneously, there are traces of the early Neil Gaiman, evident in the dark, sometimes chilling descriptions of the novel’s more disagreeable characters and the actions that make them so. However, having said all of that, these are no more than inferred influences. The book still stands very much on its own and the chief reason for that is because it is thoroughly South African, both in context and essence. The subversion of the age-old role of the Tokoloshe from a malicious, spiteful beast into that of a misunderstood, sentient creature is brilliant, since it represents a type of transformation, if you will. In the last twenty years, the idea and process of transformation has permeated much of the nature of South Africa itself.
Tokoloshe Song is a briskly-paced, thoroughly entertaining read. It plays host to a gamut of wonderful characters and an intelligent, well-thought out plot. Furthermore, the author shows an innate understanding of South Africa and the myriad of cultures that constitute it
To Tokoloshe Song. Once of the first things I noticed upon starting to read, was the eclectic richness of the characters that pepper the novel. Added to that is the skill with which each of these are crafted. The various temperaments and dispositions of the individuals are quite relatable, even if the respective characters are fantastical in nature. Richard Nevis is a perfect example. Once a successful attorney at quite a prestigious (and rather unscrupulous) law firm in Cape Town, Richard decides that working at an establishment that is less than interested in the moral consequences of its actions is simply not for him. To the chagrin of his employers, he quits and pursues his two real passions. One is the restoration of vintage boats and second, volunteering as an assistant at a Tokoloshe Shelter. Richard is intelligent, selfless and slightly awkward, which serves only to emphasize his humanity. Then there are the two mid-wives, Sindiwe and Emily. Theirs is not so much an occupation as a calling. They were born to be incredibly skilled mid-wives and are the best at it. Their skills at martial arts can be described in much the same way. The difference between the Mid-Wives and Richard is that, although all three are basically good people, the former have a slightly different, perhaps more punctuated manner of getting their point across.
Doorway isn’t your average assassin. Instead (apart from having been furnished with the best name for an assassin I’ve ever heard of), he is a human machine whose nature (and profession) it is to kill. There basically are only two kinds of people in Doorway’s world. Those whom he will kill (Marks) and those whom he has already killed (therefore no longer Marks). Sympathy, empathy, sentiment are all niceties which Doorway can describe, but their purpose is somewhat befuddling. Doorway’s only conceivable manner is that of perfection. His only fear is that of not achieving perfection and his only real emotional attachment is to books. Tokoloshe Song has a veritable assortment of characters and I certainly could not describe them all here, however there is one more kingpin I must mention. It is difficult to say exactly what Mamron is, but one thing he certainly is not, is human. Mamron is the distillate of pure evil. It exudes from his very being. His life’s compass merely points him in the direction of what he wants (the moral compass having ceased functioning millennia ago). To his mind, consequences are details that others have to deal with and if an individual becomes useless then said individual gets removed (the same can be said regarding separate parts of individuals).
It is at this juncture that the novel starts to find momentum. Mamron and some other seedy individuals (some of whom are sterling exemplars of the South African criminal) have their beady eyes set on a specific prize. There are a few problems, though. Firstly, they cannot collect their prize without the aid of a Tokoloshe. Secondly, in a country filled with people only too happy to break the law (for a reasonable incentive), they find themselves dealing with the one person who won’t, Richard. This a kind and honest man not only has access to a Tokoloshe, but also has, of all ludicrous things, a conscience. The Tokoloshe in question is named Lun and at much risk to his own physical health, Richard had won the trust of this incredible and enigmatic creature whilst doing volunteer work at the Tokoloshe Shelter.
With things heating up in Cape Town, Richard, Lun and the Mid-Wives decide to head into the arid and sparsely-populated Karoo. Naturally, it will take much more than a simple drive into the country to rid themselves of the pursuing and rather unsavoury mob, made up mostly of people who have little understanding of the word “no”. The chase takes them to strange and even bizarre people and places, but the pace never shows signs of slowing. And then there is always Doorway.
Author Andrew Salomon has, in my opinion, created something quite unique with Tokoloshe Song. I realize that this is a phrase regularly touted in book reviews, but here are my reasons for doing so. South Africa has produced fiction to fill many different genres. Urban, rural, Apartheid, post-Apartheid, South Africans abroad, horror and fantasy to name but a few. However, Tokoloshe Song does not slot comfortably into one of those categories. Certainly, there is a large aspect of the novel which could be construed as fantasy. However, this is one of the few South African fantasy novels that exhibits that humorous wit found so regularly and to such effect in Terry Pratchett’s works. Simultaneously, there are traces of the early Neil Gaiman, evident in the dark, sometimes chilling descriptions of the novel’s more disagreeable characters and the actions that make them so. However, having said all of that, these are no more than inferred influences. The book still stands very much on its own and the chief reason for that is because it is thoroughly South African, both in context and essence. The subversion of the age-old role of the Tokoloshe from a malicious, spiteful beast into that of a misunderstood, sentient creature is brilliant, since it represents a type of transformation, if you will. In the last twenty years, the idea and process of transformation has permeated much of the nature of South Africa itself.
Tokoloshe Song is a briskly-paced, thoroughly entertaining read. It plays host to a gamut of wonderful characters and an intelligent, well-thought out plot. Furthermore, the author shows an innate understanding of South Africa and the myriad of cultures that constitute it
February 4, 2015
Well written, easy to read South African urban fantasy. I found Tokoloshe Song to be really refreshing and fun to read. I was left wishing that I too could have a tokoloshe friend! Worth a read, especially if you are a South African on the hunt for some home based fantasy. We need more books like this. Hint hint publishers!
September 30, 2014
Unlike anything I've ever read before! A quirky, fast-paced and very entertaining fantasy novel grounded in South African landscape and folklore. I found the plot refreshing and loved the unusual characters. Highly recommended!
August 14, 2014
Loved it! A South African urban fantasy, written as straight forward crime fiction... Who would have thunk it ☺
August 25, 2014
Entertaining page-turner. Interesting baddies. The backstory of the tokoloshe is still to be revealed.
December 11, 2017
It took me quite a while to get into this book, because the characters and their roles in the story are introduced in separate chapters, with no apparent connection between them. Richard Nevis helps out at a shelter for abused tokoloshes. Toby is intimidated by Kras (who appears to be very rich) into stealing something for him. Two midwives wander round in long coats. A bloke is conducting surveillance on someone (who has nothing to do with the story) in Mumbai. Another bad guy has a couple of hangers on who are not midwives.
When the characters come together and you see hoe they connect, the story starts to move a bit, and eventually moves out of Cape Town to Nieu Bethesda, though it doesn't stay there for long. What was quite nice about that was that I could actually picture several of the places, having been to some of them, though following the directions in the book will not get you to Nieu Bethresda from Graaff Reinet.
I was enjoying it and was getting ready to give it four stars, but then in the penultimate chapter it jumped the shark, literally as well as figuratively, so I gave it three instead.
When the characters come together and you see hoe they connect, the story starts to move a bit, and eventually moves out of Cape Town to Nieu Bethesda, though it doesn't stay there for long. What was quite nice about that was that I could actually picture several of the places, having been to some of them, though following the directions in the book will not get you to Nieu Bethresda from Graaff Reinet.
I was enjoying it and was getting ready to give it four stars, but then in the penultimate chapter it jumped the shark, literally as well as figuratively, so I gave it three instead.
December 22, 2015
In an alternate South Africa, where tokoloshes aren't just myths, but are actually part of society, albeit a persecuted side of it, one tokoloshe, one man, and two warrior mid-wives go on a quest pursued by multiple villains.
I took pleasure in the fact that I was familiar with most of the lore and the land. All South Africans know about tokoloshes, and having spent time in Nieu Bethesda on several occasions meant I could more easily visualize what the author was describing.
What I found a little difficult to picture were the characters themselves. All the characters used the same vocabulary and the same polite tone which made them blend into each other a bit. I think if the author were to spend a little more time building up their unique talking styles they would have felt more distinct and believable.
I also would have liked a bit more info on the other unusual creatures (i.e Arthur and Mamron). Generally in speculative fiction when the author is trying to introduce a new race or species of beings, he or she will give them names (for example hobbits or klingons), because in real life when something new is discovered, it gets named and classified...But here the author just describes them without naming their species or giving some sort of back story for their kind.
I was disappointed that the author mentions foie gras in his book, but the fact that one of the arsehole villains was eating it makes sense I guess, because only arsehole villains eat foie gras.
Lastly, and I could be wrong, but I think this book's target audience is South African people, so I would say to the author to go all in and call it a dassie instead of a rock hyrax. I'm nitpicking though. Overall, I think the author did a great job.
I took pleasure in the fact that I was familiar with most of the lore and the land. All South Africans know about tokoloshes, and having spent time in Nieu Bethesda on several occasions meant I could more easily visualize what the author was describing.
What I found a little difficult to picture were the characters themselves. All the characters used the same vocabulary and the same polite tone which made them blend into each other a bit. I think if the author were to spend a little more time building up their unique talking styles they would have felt more distinct and believable.
I also would have liked a bit more info on the other unusual creatures (i.e Arthur and Mamron). Generally in speculative fiction when the author is trying to introduce a new race or species of beings, he or she will give them names (for example hobbits or klingons), because in real life when something new is discovered, it gets named and classified...But here the author just describes them without naming their species or giving some sort of back story for their kind.
I was disappointed that the author mentions foie gras in his book, but the fact that one of the arsehole villains was eating it makes sense I guess, because only arsehole villains eat foie gras.
Lastly, and I could be wrong, but I think this book's target audience is South African people, so I would say to the author to go all in and call it a dassie instead of a rock hyrax. I'm nitpicking though. Overall, I think the author did a great job.
Want to read
November 9, 2014South Africa! Available on kalahari.com
May 12, 2017
It's a nice light read. Don't particularly like how it was written.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews