The Golden Impala

by Pamela Ropner

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Genres: Fiction

166 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Karen GoatKeeper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter's father is a game ranger in South Africa. The Reserve is being invaded by impalas, hundreds of them. Other Reserves say the same.
Outside the Reserve someone is slaughtering the impalas.
Why? Why does Peter see the legendary Golden Impala?
The book is a very fast read. The story has interesting points. It is simple. The setting is not fully brought in. The story is not as suspenseful as it should be. The drawings are nice.

[Rachel Santino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this young adult story. The Golden Impala is about a British family living in South Africa in the bush. The young son sees a golden impala in the night from his bedroom window, along with a huge herd. The herd is on the run from poachers, whom the boy discovers is staying at a nearby camp. He and his father (the warden of that area) and some friends get swept into an adventure involving discovery, suspense, and the local age-old legend involving the Golden Impala!

[Wayne Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve year old Peter Ward lives in Thabankwe House on the Taluki Game Reserve in the bushveldt of southern Africa where his father Hector Ward, a former hunter, is warden. One night, when a herd of impala comes near the house, an unusual occurrence indeed, Peter sees a special impala shining with a soft golden light. The old native gardener Jabula explains that according to African legend the Golden Impala, or Okhanyayo, appears only when the impala are in danger and will save them with the help of a white boy known as Okhethiwe or the Chosen One.

And other strange things are happening. Peter overhears an odd-sounding conversation between two visitors at Umsinsi Rest Camp. He learns that a scientist in nearby Johannesburg is exploring the possible scientific value of rare glandular secretions found only in certain African animals but finds all his papers stolen. It is then reported massive herds of impala are invading the game reserves and that in other places there is a great increase in game poaching so that the impala are now in danger of extinction. All this information puts Peter’s life in jeopardy. Will he be able to help solve the problem? Or will he perhaps end up losing his life?

I grew up watching Tarzan, Bomba, Sheena, Jungle Jim, and Ramar, so I have always had a fascination for adventure stories set in Africa. Pamela Christine Ropner (1931–2013) was a British author. The Golden Impala does a good job of picturing what life must have been like on the African bush in a previous era. A couple of common euphemisms (gosh, darned) are each used once. Some references to smoking and one to drinking millet beer occur. And there is some superstitious African mysticism woven into the plot, but it is more along the lines of fantasy than actual occultism. This kind of tale may not appeal to everyone, but I enjoyed the excitement and suspense.

[Psalm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, in spite of it being for a younger reader. The main character seems to have the whole African "bushveldt" as his backyard. A childhood like his seems unimaginable to me now.