Troy Blacklaws – författare

One boy’s journey to see his favorite soccer player in action becomes an uplifting song to the South African spirit A modern-day folktale set in the heart of South Africa, Bafana Bafana is the story of Pelé, an eleven-year-old village boy whose dream is to see his soccer team play. Such a dream is considered crazy for a boy from the distant outback, but Pelé is far from ordinary; determined to see his favorite player, Sibusiso Zuma, play live, Pelé treks hundreds of kilometers to the jostling, jiving Cape Town. From the dangers of townships, the incredible story of Nelson Mandela, and the magic of a local medicine man, Bafana Bafana is a joyous and lively tale about following your dreams, even in the face of daunting hurdles. 

Troy Blacklaws’s follow-up to his internationally acclaimed Karoo Boy is the bittersweet tale of a South African boy coming of age during apartheidGecko’s childhood is one of sheltered, almost magical innocence on a farm in Natal. He spends his days taking barefoot expeditions with his dogs and his nights listening to Springbok Radio, unaware of the cruel force in his life that apartheid will soon become. With the start of high school in the Cape, Gecko is thrust into a political and personal awakening that is both tragic and heartfelt. With conscription into the South African army looming over him, Gecko’s future is as uncertain as his country’s. Blood Orange evokes the absurdity, longing, and fear of growing up white in the last decades of apartheid.

Troy Blacklaws’s acclaimed debut novel is the remarkable story of a boy coming of age in the wake of tragedyWhen his twin brother dies in a freak accident, Douglas’s life begins to unravel. His mother leaves his father, taking Douglas with her to live in the Karoo region, a harsh desert landscape that is a far cry from Cape Town and the seaside life Douglas has always known. In this small village that is wary of outsiders, he makes two friends who change his life forever: a beautiful girl named Marika and an old man named Moses. Immersed in rich language and vivid detail, and set against the backdrop of 1970s South Africa, Karoo Boy is the story of a young man finding his way in the midst of chaos and loss. 

Troy Blacklaws’s follow-up to his internationally acclaimed Karoo Boy is the bittersweet tale of a South African boy coming of age during apartheidGecko’s childhood is one of sheltered, almost magical innocence on a farm in Natal. He spends his days taking barefoot expeditions with his dogs and his nights listening to Springbok Radio, unaware of the cruel force in his life that apartheid will soon become. With the start of high school in the Cape, Gecko is thrust into a political and personal awakening that is both tragic and heartfelt. With conscription into the South African army looming over him, Gecko’s future is as uncertain as his country’s. Blood Orange evokes the absurdity, longing, and fear of growing up white in the last decades of apartheid.