Knucklebone by NR Brodie

With a dearth of traditionally published speculative fiction in South Africa, I'm tickled pink to get hold of NR Brodie's Knucklebone*. I've been reading her non-fiction for a while, and I love her style, so I was dead keen to see what her fiction would be like, and I was not disappointed.

Set in Joburg, Knucklebone is a fast-paced occult-noir primarily from the point of retired cop Ian, and his unintended partner Reshma, as they are plunged into a shadowy world of witches, sangomas and poaching/animal parts smuggling rings.

Brodie brings her setting to life with a large, varied cast of memorable characters, many of whom have in-your-face attitudes that I enjoyed immensely. Her writing is precise without losing the ability to evoke, and she keeps her chapters short, so the story moves along at a breath-taking pace. So if you're like me and don't have extended periods to read, this novel is perfect. Of course, if you're anything like me, you'll be tempted to read just one more chapter before bed.

The brevity and fast pace does have its down side, however. While the story picks up pace as it winds to its conclusion I feel that it loses some of its impact near the end with the introduction of a whole passel of new characters who all play small roles before exiting stage left. I understand that they each contribute to the resolution, but gained the sense that it diluted some of the punch that the climax would have had, especially for Ian as a central character. I'd have liked to have seen a bit more development or, failing that, a paring down of the number of characters.

This being said, it was not a dealbreaker for me, since I was already on board for the ride. Brodie dips into South Africa's melting pot of cultures to produce a story that dances with many traditions, both African, Eastern and Western, and the end result is a delicious melange. Knucklebone is the kind of novel that will appeal to lovers of both fantasy and thrillers, in my opinion, and if you like your fiction with a more than healthy dollop of magic, then dip into this one.

* This is a hint to South African publishers that there are oodles of talented SFF authors in the country worth investing in, so do open your doors to queries in these genres.