Edge of the Rain

by Beverley Harper

Hunger ached in her belly... the lioness slid forward as close as she dared. The little boy seconds away from death was two, maybe three years old. He was lost in the heat-soaked sand that was the Kalahari desert.

Toddler Alex Theron is miraculously rescued by a passing clan of Kalahari Bushmen. Over the ensuing years, the desert draws him back, for it hides a beautiful secret... diamonds.

But nothing comes easily from within this turbulent continent and before Alex can ever hope to realise his dreams he will lost his mind to love and fight a bitter enemy who will stop at nothing to destroy him.

Genres: Africa, Fiction, Botswana, Historical Fiction

544 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Beverley Harper was born in Bulli on the New South Wales south coast. In 1967 she travelled to Africa, intending to spend one year there. She stayed twenty, returning to settle in Australia in 1988. Despite loving the northern tablelands, the memories of Africa have provided the inspiration for her best-selling novels and she visited that continent for research purposes once a year.

Beverley Harper died of cancer in 2002. She rests at peace in the Africa she so loved. Her ashes lay by the Boteti River in Botswana, below a lodge called Leroo-la-Tau. It means footprints of lion.

She left a draft of her final novel, Footprints of Lion, which was lovingly completed by her husband, Robert Harper, and Peter Watt.

Reviews

[Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I was immediately struck by the beauty and lyrical prose of this book. I was drawn into the story by the very first one in the book. This book may become one of my favorite things I have read this year. It truly was a pleasurable experience to read and wonderfully crafted.
Harper drew me into this new time and place filled with both political strife, and I did enjoy her at time comical commentary or the inefficiency of bureaucracy, petty human malice, harsh natural elements as well as great beauty, hope and love. I did love how Harper balances some of these heavy, serious and tragic events with a glimmer of the goodness of people, the joy of life and the beauty of the world. This could have been a very despairing novel, but Harper lets us see the poetical for brightness in the future.

I also appreciated the way in which Harper drew awareness to so many of the issues that the traditional tribes of the Bushman struggle with, and how their traditional way of living is endangered by changing times, modernism, politics, greed, and racialism.

The story focuses on Alex and his coming of age and trying to find himself, and his path in life, while he straddles the line between two very different worlds and seeks how to fine harmony with the different sides of himself. He is the son Afrikaners (Decedents of Dutch settlers living in South Africa, but also comes to be adopted into a tribe of Bushman. He takes the knowledge and wisdom of the Bushmen into his heart but their way of life if at odds with what they call his “white man’s restlessness” hie need to try and make his mark in the world, and make something of himself.

The book follows his life and his many trials, triumphs, and tribulations.

[Sportyrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

All things ‘Africa’ combine to form a charming story: lions, wild horses, diamonds, Bushmen, the build up to Botswana’s independence and a cast of interesting characters - a lost toddler, a bush tribe, family, relatives, farmers, chiefs and more.

Alex, the main character explores most parts of Botswana in search of work and personal pursuits. A group of Kalahari Bushmen find him as a youngster and he maintains a bond with them and his biological family. He takes direction from their peaceful ways and wise life lessons as he tumbles through life.

A bit of a stud, Alex finds love easily and finds many an occasion to mess around in the hay. His ability to understand the pleasure zones of a womans body comes more naturally to him than his ability to understand their heart. What a dilemma to keep readers interested between action. Such scenes were a bit cringeworthy for me but were quite amusing/comical nonetheless.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes stories about Africa, farm-life, national independence eras and formulaic love stories where boy meets girl...

[Cassie Holmes-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything that I love to read about all in one storyline; tribal life, prisons, decent spicy scenes, and a putrid villain that only knows hate.
This book will also teaches readers about invertebrate life in Africa, specifically about the use of flea beetle pupae to poison arrow heads and the tsetse fly which causes rinderpest in humans. This may not be of any interest to other book worms, but as an individual that has bugs on the brain, any book that obtains correct knowledge about insects will always be a good book in my eyes.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to Botswana in 1986 to do a 2-year contract and stayed for 19 years, such was the pull of this country, so the book evoked fond memories of areas I know quite well. The plot is very slightly predictable on just a few occasions, nevertheless the book is full of wonderfully strong characters who came to life easily for me knowing the country and it's peoples. The plight of the San people is highlighted with a good understanding of the facts and the players. I thought the romance angle was overplayed at times and, for me, paused the story briefly, but despite this it is a very enjoyable read.

[Carolin Wahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 (:

Hat mich wirklich sehr gut unterhalten, ich mochte den Schreibstil sehr gerne und auch geschichtlich wurden einige (reale) Aspekte aufgegriffen, sodass es durchaus interessant war.
Die Figuren waren stimmig und die Konflikte gut ausgearbeitet, das Erzähltempo fand ich dem Genre angemessen, manche Stellen, die meiner Meinung nach etwas mehr Zeit gebraucht hätten, wurden etwas zu abrupt abgehandelt. Ansonsten war es ein echt netter Roman für Zwischendurch! (:

[Shelley Kinash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading this book. The author takes readers on a journey into the Kalahari and other destinations in Botswana. She respectfully and richly addresses the culture, beauty, knowledge and customs of the bushmen tribes and how their very existence is threatened. In addition, there are love stories, transitions from boyhood to manhood and jealousies and competition. I will definitely read Harper’s other books.

[Flyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read. An exceptional story line of a young man, Alex who goes through many trials and tribulations........does he eventually come out on top? Read the book to find out. A good history of the San people of Botswana together with their beliefs and customs - very well researched. This is definitely worth the read - easy flowing story line that made reading the book very easy.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but felt it was not as good as People of Heaven (which was excellent). I thought the book was interesting as I find the Kalahari bushmen fascinating.

I did find the ending a bit predictable. I could pick pretty early that he would end up with Madison and even that she had gotten pregnant. I thought the wrap up was a bit quick. I would have preferred Kel be eaten by lions for being such a horrible person stealing the license, trying to destroy the Kalahari scheme and nearly raping Madison..

[Kathy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book especially since visiting Botswana last year and visiting a San camp. An interesting story in the context of Botswanas transition to independence. Felt the ending was a bit rushed and didn’t have the development of characters and incidents as early in the book.

[Wyktor Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly wonderful book about Africa, the independence of Botswana, and the San people and their daily struggle for existence, and the allure of diamonds.
A book to equal those of Wilbur Smith and James S Rand.
I recommend this book highly to anyone who loves a good story.

[Kali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Not many twists & easy to follow.

[Readlaxing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, I even shed a tear or two. I do wish they left some scope for imagination at the end though, but was a good holiday read for me.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started extremely well with lots of humour, but it did drop a bit as Alex grew older., although the pace was maintained throughout. The characters were interesting and varied, I especially liked the sand people, Chrissie and Marv. Having been to Botswana last year it was interesting reading about places and animals I had seen on my visit.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is my first Beverley Harper book...but it won't be my last. The story line moved at a nice pace and was all the more realistic having visited many of the areas or towns mentioned last year. I cannot say any more than that as my wife is also reading this book but is well behind me.....no spoiler comments. Definitely up there.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down, a lovely story with plenty of suspense to keep me wanting to read and so realistic.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a good read but was disappointed with the ending, seemed to wrap up too quickly and neatly

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first chapter immediately locks the reader in as tension immediately builds, 'The blood scent was fresh' then the hunger, and to grip the reader in further ' the little boy'. How could one not keep reading. Very much like the main character 'Alex' show him as a gentle man conscious of feelings of others. Enjoyed the read very much a page turner. I felt a bit short changed with the ending, it seemed to me to end as insignificant almost abruptly.