Beyond The Ranges: Journey Into the Unknown

by Riaan Vorster

348 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Karin Turnley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It comes as no surprise to read Riaan Vorster’s first fiction novel and find his inherent knowledge of nature and mountaineering come shining through. Having thoroughly enjoyed his ‘Lines of Least Resistance: 101 hiking routes on Table Mountain’, this his first fiction novel is a wild, fun and slick ride through the Amazon Jungle.

The pace mounts as we follow the central character Mathew Travis at breakneck speed, hiking, canoeing, climbing and negotiating his way through the Amazon to fulfill his lifetime dream of being a genuine adventurer and discoverer.

To do this in a frontier region in 1924 was tricky to say the least, Travis collects and teams up with a motley crew all of whom have their own agendas. These characters are masterly fleshed out and their true natures are slowly revealed in the daunting depths of unchartered jungle.

Vorster’s love of nature, wildlife, plants, trees & even insects are finely detailed and described giving the book an authenticity and depth that clearly illustrates his first-hand experience in the South American jungle. He has made three expeditions to the Amazon and, like ‘Lines of Least Resistance’, Vorster has literally walked every step he describes.

The plot unravels and tensions build and, not to be a ‘spoiler’, I will say things get really exciting and hot in that jungle.

Non-put-downable - you hurtle towards an end you could not pre-conceive. This was an action filled, exciting, great read and I think it would make a wonderful film.

[Alan Commaille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the pleasure of knowing the author (and received my copy from him), so I felt as though I was reading this through his eyes, although throughout the early stages of the book I felt like Matthew Travis was based on me! I really felt for his despondency, and felt myself rooting for him as he made the insane decision to sell everything and head to the edge of the middle of nowhere.

The plot of the story is not my usual fare, but Vorster hits a rhythm and stays on that tempo through the entirety of the book. Because of this, it was very easy to read. Even after the major incidents, you don't have the 'come down' afterwards. It was hard to find a reasonable place to put the book down, so I didn't: it was read in a day and a half.

The other characters compliment the story well. They have their place in the story, and are not used just as supporting cast, but also do not hog the story. The relationship between the three, though tetchy, works well.
Hans is manic and unstable, and in the end acts exactly as we knew he would.
Jack Byrne has a gentle character arc, and reminds me of Humphrey Bogart's Rick from Casablanca. It was very sad to see him nit make it out.

And a love story to boot! Matthew falls in love like the full-of-wonder man that he is: instantly and hard (literally, we're told)!

What a great story, and I was almost furious that it ended! I really wanted to see Matthew back in Manaus. I wanted him to be staring at Table Mountain again.