Tandia

By: Bryce Courtenay

Narrated by: Humphrey Bower

Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Tandia is a child of all Africa: half Indian, half African, beautiful and intelligent, she is only 16 when she is first brutalized by the police. Her fear of the White man leads her to join the Black resistance movement. With her in the fight for justice is the one White man Tandia can trust, the welterweight champion of the world, Peekay. Now he must fight their common enemy in order to save both their lives.

©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

"Humphrey Bower is brilliant....[Tandia] will resonate in the hearts and minds of listeners long after the final chapter." (AudioFile Magazine)

Immersive and rich with texture

A great listen and performance. Thick with the color and spirit of South Africa.

OUTSTANDING narration

I loved everything about this book. The story, the characters, and mostly the reader. I was sorry for it to end.

Narration is top notch!

By far the best narrator I've ever heard. This in combination with such a powerful story made for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

A beautiful sequel that stands on its own

We saw the Power of One through the eyes of PeeKay a young British kid begining at the age of 5 away at a boarding school. Yes he had harsh times but in the eyes of many he was lucky being born white in South Africa. the serious adult nature of the Power of one mainly developed after the end of the war with Doc leaving the prison and PeeKay going to school. With Tandia we don't have almost any of that luxury. We begin with a half black half Indian girl raped soon after someone important to them died(not a spoiler it is the first line of the book, a harsh reality that sets the tone). The book does not have a childhood section instead immediately having reality hit like a sjambok. The power of one may have had a children's edition but for Tandia this is an impossibility. Still the book is a wonderful sequel and has the same beautiful writing style as the Power of One. It has an alternating perspective viewing reality throught the eyes(mainly) of 2 protagonists with this version of the book alternating between them and building tension. I still need to read the physical copy I have in the way of the 2 for 1 Power of One and Tandia Book but I know that version at least initially does not follow the alternating style. I believe the alternating style adds to the book and I am glad to have listened to this before giving the physical copy a crack. The Kindle version seems to follow the alternating style of this audiobook, but I do not know if it is later editions or just the dual book where it was reordered. Great book must listen and then read the physical book for the differences.

Powerful story and performance.

Humphrey Bower was amazing once again, perhaps my favorite narrator for his ability to voice anyone. The story was amazing as well. I was often on the edge of my seat or in tears due to the powerful imagery I could clearly see through the words. This was different from The Power of One, in that the narration isn't filtered through the innocence of young PeeKay, but rather from a third person omniscient standpoint. It definitely gives it a very different feel to this story from its predecessor, but I think it was worth opening up our perspectives.

So grateful to Audible for bringing this book to the US

There is no better combination than Courtenay and Bower. Hard to find in book form in the States. Thank goodness it’s available here. And even better that Humphrey Bower reads it to us.

Entertaining and extraordinary

Not familiar with the author, I bought this one on the basis of other reviews. I was not the least bit disappointed. While the book is emotionally difficult at points, and quite graphic, it is beautiful, informative, and very compelling. The narrator does an exceptional job, and I am sorry to have it end.

After Power of One, not a contender

What did you love best about Tandia?

I listened to the audio mainly to continue in PK's story.

Would you be willing to try another book from Bryce Courtenay? Why or why not?

I might, but the difference between Power of One and Tandia was startling, and I would like to find more like the first book.

Which scene was your favorite?

The boxing scenes came to "life"

Any additional comments?

The Power of One felt like "Africa", the way PK grew up, the developing political scene worldwide, the descriptions of young PK's first train trip, the chicken, his growing up with close ties with all the tribes, his love of the botanists, the descriptions of mining, descriptions of country, the author had to have experienced some of that to write so descriptively, so movingly. Power of One = 10 stars. But "Tandia" was so different, almost as though a sequel had been just required, actually as though it were written by a different author. "Tandia" presents the reader with quite a few leaps and bounds in the disjointed script to get all the right characters into the right places, ie to tie it all up. The ending of Tandia, not where PK dies, but the whole sequence of the flight up the escarpment and over the saddle rang particularly contrived. Once it was mentioned that sure death would result if any of the pursuers would be caught out in the terrible freezing of night, yet that was never mentioned again as PK, Yani, Dum, and Tandia were being faced with sundown. One aspect that disappointed me in Tandia, was the near complete lack of "nature", I don't think any wild animals were ever mentioned, hard to get a feeling of the landscape, where the "Power of One" came alive with the feel. There is nothing better than the Wilbur Smith books for a presentation of South Africa's nature, but the narrator of the Wilbur Smith books is hard to listen to.

Highly recommended

Tandia is an excellent follow up to The Power of One. I can't say enough good things about the narration. HB does a fantastic job with all the different accents and voices. This was a book I didn't want to end. Normally, I only listen in the car but cheated several mornings while working out-I just couldn't help it. I am pretty cautious when selecting audio books as I've gotten a few that I felt were a waste of credits. This one was worth every penny. I recommend both books to everyone!

AWESOME, absolutely loved this bood

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, because it is a most entertaining book. I looked forward to listening to this every night

What was one of the most memorable moments of Tandia?

When Tandia told PK she loved him

Have you listened to any of Humphrey Bower’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes I listened to The Power of One and it was also just as good, i would rate them both the same - Fantastic

Who was the most memorable character of Tandia and why?

Mamma Tequilla because she was such a colourful character