The Covenant

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

James A. Michener's masterly chronicle of South Africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents, who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness.

From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners. The Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation. And the wealthy Saltwoods are missionaries and settlers who join the masses to influence the wars and politics that ravage a nation.

Rivalries and passions spill across the land of The Covenant, a story of courage and heroism, love and loyalty, and cruelty and betrayal, as generations fight to forge a new world.

©1980 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A prodigious endeavor.... Nowhere else could an American reader unfamiliar with South Africa get so full an understanding of its problems in so engaging a form." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Riveting

Being a South African now living in Texas, of both Dutch (Arikaans) and British heritage, having heard so many family stories from my older family members, I was absolutely riveted by this book. It all tied in with all I had heard and experienced. I’m not young but left the country due to crime and the problems in South Africa. I did not mind the narrator but was so confused at the pronunciation of so many names and words! Could someone not have at least coached on the real way to say South Africa’s place names and more? Brilliant brilliant book.

great!

I thought this book was wonderful. And, believe it or not, I really like the narration. I just really like that reader. I don't like a lot of fancy stuff with narration. This guy is great. And so is the story.

Michener never disappoints.

I was disappointed when the book was over. The book is excellent. The narrator is superb. Can’t wait to start another Michener book.

Great book.

This book is outstanding historical fiction that I truly enjoyed. I recommend it highly. I wish an update could be written to bring us past 1980.

The Covenant is great, but the narrator adds an errant syllable(uh)

McKeever enunciates well(luh). He makes sure that he gets that last consonant of each sentence in(nuh).

Michener’s the Covenant is amazing, and you get used to the occasional over kill enunciation of the otherwise awesome narrator(ruh).

It was interesting to learn what they did and compare life, then and now.

The book brought the time periods to life. The people worked each day to survive. There was abuse, murders, and all the problems of any society today.

Reader is not as bad as everyone says

I read a lot of reviews that excoriated the reader Larry McKeever. I listen to this entire book and I enjoyed his reading so I guess each to his own. If you refuse to listen to this book because of some reviews about for performance, then you are missing out.

This book and the storyline is majestic, amazing, beyond understanding, and he does an outstanding job at painting the picture of South Africa and its development.

Great Book, Boring Reader

I loved the story, and its great to listen to before you travel to South Africa, but good God, the reader sounds like a math teacher giving a lecure.

Narrator isn't horrible, but isn't great.

GREAT book. If you won't read this on paper, don't let the narrator stop you.

Narrator not so bad!

Michener weaves a great tale of the history of South Africa, and the narrator does a fine job.