THORPE V: PACESETTERS;INSTRUMENT HC

The Adventures of Paul Okoro #2

by Victor Thorpe

A terrible crime wave has hit Nigeria. People are being terrorised and the Government is puzzled by the large number of brutal murders and the spate of gold thefts. Paul and Aimie Okoro find their peace and quiet, so well earned after their adventures in The Worshippers, is shattered when they are called to help their country in its hour of need. Once again they battle against the sinister forces of darkness, armed with their own courage and helped by strange forces that even they find difficult to understand.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Victor Thorpe was in Calabar in 1919. After completing his secondary education, he served in the Army as a signaler, clerical officer, method instructor and physical training instructor. He joined the British Council in Ibadan in 1948 and worked as a library assistance and clerk before being promoted to Administrative Assistant. He retired in 1975 and was recalled in 1977 to serve as Acting Librarian. He was the Nigerian Chairman of the Society of Metaphysicians, leader of the Efik community in Ibadan and President of the Calabar Welfare Association. He died in 1994.

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say that comparisons are odious, but many African readers would probably agree that the Nigerian writer, Victor Thorpe is a great African writer - despite the fact that he mainly concentrated on writing wonderful thrillers. He wrote very well, always charmingly humorous, combining ingredients like murder, mystery, horror, outrage, the supernatural, with larger than life adversaries. So it is in this work. Like in the previous novel (The worshippers) incredibly evil forces are at work, with strange things going on - including horrific murders and sacrifices. Paul Okoro, journalist and investigator, assisted by his beautiful young wife, Aimee, are pitted against the most diabolical forces imaginable. They themselves are under siege, with a macabre gigantic mushroom wreaking havoc on them. The action moves on and we learn that Paul and his wife have been chosen for the special task of combating the forces of evil (and note that the intrepid man has only one leg!) Later on they meet the larger than life man behind all the horrors and crimes; they are captives themselves. But this time as the story tapers to an end, supernatural forces come to the aid of Paul and Co too, and the evil ones are all apprehended. Other strange matters are explained. A superb narrative, as Thorpe weaves his magic again.

[AMOS OSONDU · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his excellent works - which can easily be enjoyed by the literati and the masses - Thorpe often shows his excellent command of language. Not only English, which he writes with superb nuances, classical allusions, great humour and wit, including facile Pidgin English. But also other Nigerian languages like Hausa, Ibo, Efik, Yoruba etc. Hence we can read about gobe di nise, Oja-Gba, potopoto, Kiniun Zaki, and many others. What a writer.

[Olawale Oguntade]

I read this book in 2015 and I was utterly captivated. I sort of forgot the title for a long while as I lost the book. I read the book in paperback, the cover page was already torn away. I have tried searching for online for the title but I have been unable to get it until now.
The fantasy theme and surrealism held me spellbound, I couldn't drop the book till finished it. I am hoping to get a paperback for keeps but it is currently unavailable on Amazon.
This is an amazing read, I recommend it if you love fantasy.

[THRILLER · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly brilliant work. Ingenious