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Spud: Two for the Road
It is 2004 and it's make or break for Spud Milton and his acting career. Having survived his ten-year school reunion and avoided becoming a shareholder in a dubious wellness start-up company, he believes he is free and clear of the Crazy Eight. Spud and his creative sidekick Fox have their sights set on the National Arts Festival to showcase their satirical sketch show, Viper. Despite needing to dodge a few potholes - including the upending of the Milton family dynamics, the unanticipated revival of a romance, and an encounter with an officious car guard - Spud is all set to take his chances on the road less travelled.
He has not factored in Rambo's manipulative powers. The casual idea floated at the reunion weekend about a year-end backpacking trip somewhere in South East Asia has been elevated to an odyssey. What's more, Spud has been designated regional manager. If Rambo has a secret agenda, he's not about to share it with the Crazy Eight. In what Spud has dubbed the Year of the Icarus, the possibility of someone getting their wings scorched is not to be dismissed, but the lure of an all-expenses-paid exotic holiday is hard to resist ...
He has not factored in Rambo's manipulative powers. The casual idea floated at the reunion weekend about a year-end backpacking trip somewhere in South East Asia has been elevated to an odyssey. What's more, Spud has been designated regional manager. If Rambo has a secret agenda, he's not about to share it with the Crazy Eight. In what Spud has dubbed the Year of the Icarus, the possibility of someone getting their wings scorched is not to be dismissed, but the lure of an all-expenses-paid exotic holiday is hard to resist ...
354 pages, Paperback
Published August 12, 2026
About the author
John van de Ruit
11 books205 followersJohn Howard van de Ruit is a South African novelist, actor, playwright and producer. He has been a professional actor, playwright and producer since 1998. He was born in Durban and educated at Michaelhouse, where he stayed in Founders House and from where he matriculated in 1993. He then went on to complete a Masters degree in Drama and Performance at the then University of Natal.
He is best known for his collaboration with Ben Voss on the satirical sketch show Green Mamba which has toured extensively throughout Southern Africa since 2002. His first novel was published in 2005 by Penguin, entitled Spud. The book was a runaway success in South Africa. It won the 2006 Bookseller's Choice Award. The sequel Spud- The Madness Continues... was released in mid 2007. Ruit has also sold the film rights to the book, and shooting will begin in 2008.
He is best known for his collaboration with Ben Voss on the satirical sketch show Green Mamba which has toured extensively throughout Southern Africa since 2002. His first novel was published in 2005 by Penguin, entitled Spud. The book was a runaway success in South Africa. It won the 2006 Bookseller's Choice Award. The sequel Spud- The Madness Continues... was released in mid 2007. Ruit has also sold the film rights to the book, and shooting will begin in 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 30, 2026
Always bitter sweet when you finish a beloved series. Thank you for taking us with you on this odyssey, JVDR. The Crazy Eight will forever stay with me.
September 8, 2026
Thank you to Pan Macmillan SA for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Spud: Two For The Road is the final story in John van de Ruit’s beloved South African series, and while it is definitely reference-heavy, I think it’s still possible to enjoy this one as a standalone.
I really enjoyed this little adventure. There’s something rather satisfying about following Spud and the Crazy Eight into adulthood and seeing just how much the boys have grown up — even if, naturally, they still manage to find themselves in situations that are anything but straightforward.
The National Arts Festival, a satirical sketch show, an exotic backpacking adventure and Rambo’s questionable powers of persuasion make for a wonderfully chaotic combination. And, as always, there’s plenty of humour along the way. It feels very much like a Spud story, while also acknowledging that these characters are no longer the schoolboys we first met.
For me, Two For The Road feels like a fitting place to leave the Crazy Eight. There’s a definite sense of moving on, growing up and heading into whatever comes next, and I rather liked that. After all the years, misadventures and questionable decisions, it was good to see where these boys ended up.
A fun, nostalgic little adventure — and a pretty satisfying goodbye to a much-loved South African series.
Spud: Two For The Road is the final story in John van de Ruit’s beloved South African series, and while it is definitely reference-heavy, I think it’s still possible to enjoy this one as a standalone.
I really enjoyed this little adventure. There’s something rather satisfying about following Spud and the Crazy Eight into adulthood and seeing just how much the boys have grown up — even if, naturally, they still manage to find themselves in situations that are anything but straightforward.
The National Arts Festival, a satirical sketch show, an exotic backpacking adventure and Rambo’s questionable powers of persuasion make for a wonderfully chaotic combination. And, as always, there’s plenty of humour along the way. It feels very much like a Spud story, while also acknowledging that these characters are no longer the schoolboys we first met.
For me, Two For The Road feels like a fitting place to leave the Crazy Eight. There’s a definite sense of moving on, growing up and heading into whatever comes next, and I rather liked that. After all the years, misadventures and questionable decisions, it was good to see where these boys ended up.
A fun, nostalgic little adventure — and a pretty satisfying goodbye to a much-loved South African series.
September 29, 2026
Disclaimer: Pan MacMillan SA kindly sent me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
In the sixth and final book in the Spud series, Two For the Road takes place a year after the Crazy Eight attended their school reunion. Plans to meet up again are still floating around, but our protagonist Spud is too busy with his acting career to take it too seriously.
He and his acting partner, Fox, have created a two-man theater show, named it Viper, and are planning to take it on the road. This means taking a risk and leaving Durban. It begins with Spud moving out of his parents' granny flat.
The year is 2004, and as he is in his late twenties, Spud wants to leave childish things behind and get serious about his acting. At the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, Viper experiences a surprising burst of success. With the support of (most of) the Crazy Eight, the show is not just a success, but a catalyst for the impending "odyssey" to Thailand that Rambo introduced to the gang at their recent school reunion.
As the elusive Rambo continues to push his Thailand adventure, the rest of the Crazy Eight are dealing with life. Garlic has plenty of money, but has his fair share of marriage issues. Fatty continues to be into spiritualism, but this hasn't helped his love life. Mad Dog wants nothing more than to remain a Wildman in Limpopo. Boggo, the successful lawyer, is another one of the Crazy 8 who struggles with the opposite sex. Simon, who is a teacher at their old school, is, you guessed it, experiencing marriage problems. And Vern... Well he's just as strange and as random as ever. More so really.
As for Rambo, he's just sold off his business, Dark Star Wellness, and he is doing suspiciously well for himself. The problem lies in the fact that his friends feel as though they were conned into investing in his business, and it's left a bitter taste in the mouths of some of the Crazy Eight.
As if Spud's life wasn't complicated enough, Mermaid is suddenly back in his life, divorced with three kids, and looking to reconnect with her old boyfriend.
With everything happening all at once, Spud decides to give his friends (specifically Rambo) the benefit of the doubt and take one last plunge into the unknown, not unlike their midnight swims at school: a chance to reconnect with the men who gave him an origin story.
This uniquely South African series is a personal one for many South African readers. We grew up with Spud. We all knew a Fatty, a Boggo, a Rambo, and a Vern... well, maybe not a Vern. We relate to the realities of a pre- and post-Apartheid South Africa, the adolescent experience, the humor behind everything, no matter whether the occasion is appropriate or not, and the bitter realities of realizing you are not young anymore.
Two for the Road is the perfect conclusion to a series that gave South Africans their very own Adrian Mole: the prepubescent boy who wrote in his diary, loved his friends fiercely, whose family was funny in every way that never made them realize they were funny, and who wished nothing more than to act, read, write, and embrace the world of imaginative thinking. Spud brought many of us to life, and now it's time to say goodbye. Thank you Spud. Thank you Crazy Eight. Thank you John van de Ruit for all the laughs, the adventures and the brotherhood defined a childhood in South Africa, the land of making a plan no matter what life throws at you.
In the sixth and final book in the Spud series, Two For the Road takes place a year after the Crazy Eight attended their school reunion. Plans to meet up again are still floating around, but our protagonist Spud is too busy with his acting career to take it too seriously.
He and his acting partner, Fox, have created a two-man theater show, named it Viper, and are planning to take it on the road. This means taking a risk and leaving Durban. It begins with Spud moving out of his parents' granny flat.
The year is 2004, and as he is in his late twenties, Spud wants to leave childish things behind and get serious about his acting. At the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape, Viper experiences a surprising burst of success. With the support of (most of) the Crazy Eight, the show is not just a success, but a catalyst for the impending "odyssey" to Thailand that Rambo introduced to the gang at their recent school reunion.
As the elusive Rambo continues to push his Thailand adventure, the rest of the Crazy Eight are dealing with life. Garlic has plenty of money, but has his fair share of marriage issues. Fatty continues to be into spiritualism, but this hasn't helped his love life. Mad Dog wants nothing more than to remain a Wildman in Limpopo. Boggo, the successful lawyer, is another one of the Crazy 8 who struggles with the opposite sex. Simon, who is a teacher at their old school, is, you guessed it, experiencing marriage problems. And Vern... Well he's just as strange and as random as ever. More so really.
As for Rambo, he's just sold off his business, Dark Star Wellness, and he is doing suspiciously well for himself. The problem lies in the fact that his friends feel as though they were conned into investing in his business, and it's left a bitter taste in the mouths of some of the Crazy Eight.
As if Spud's life wasn't complicated enough, Mermaid is suddenly back in his life, divorced with three kids, and looking to reconnect with her old boyfriend.
With everything happening all at once, Spud decides to give his friends (specifically Rambo) the benefit of the doubt and take one last plunge into the unknown, not unlike their midnight swims at school: a chance to reconnect with the men who gave him an origin story.
This uniquely South African series is a personal one for many South African readers. We grew up with Spud. We all knew a Fatty, a Boggo, a Rambo, and a Vern... well, maybe not a Vern. We relate to the realities of a pre- and post-Apartheid South Africa, the adolescent experience, the humor behind everything, no matter whether the occasion is appropriate or not, and the bitter realities of realizing you are not young anymore.
Two for the Road is the perfect conclusion to a series that gave South Africans their very own Adrian Mole: the prepubescent boy who wrote in his diary, loved his friends fiercely, whose family was funny in every way that never made them realize they were funny, and who wished nothing more than to act, read, write, and embrace the world of imaginative thinking. Spud brought many of us to life, and now it's time to say goodbye. Thank you Spud. Thank you Crazy Eight. Thank you John van de Ruit for all the laughs, the adventures and the brotherhood defined a childhood in South Africa, the land of making a plan no matter what life throws at you.
October 7, 2026
Back in the world of Spud Milton, and it feels so good to be laughing this hard again! 🇿🇦📚
John van de Ruit’s Spud: Two for the Road is everything a series finale should be, laugh out loud funny, undeniably South African, and packed with pure nostalgia.
Set in 2004, a mid twenties Spud is trying to navigate the chaotic hustle of fringe theatre at the Grahamstown Festival, classic family madness, and young adulthood. But the real magic happens when the Crazy Eight reunite for an unforgettable road trip. The banter, the local satire, the absolute chaos it’s vintage Spud from start to finish.
If you loved the original series, this belly laugh inducing send off will warm your heart and leave you beaming. Farewell, Spud Milton! 🎭✨
John van de Ruit’s Spud: Two for the Road is everything a series finale should be, laugh out loud funny, undeniably South African, and packed with pure nostalgia.
Set in 2004, a mid twenties Spud is trying to navigate the chaotic hustle of fringe theatre at the Grahamstown Festival, classic family madness, and young adulthood. But the real magic happens when the Crazy Eight reunite for an unforgettable road trip. The banter, the local satire, the absolute chaos it’s vintage Spud from start to finish.
If you loved the original series, this belly laugh inducing send off will warm your heart and leave you beaming. Farewell, Spud Milton! 🎭✨
September 22, 2026
The Final Spud. What a lot of fun! I'm happy that in the end, John let Spud graduate from Clown School and experience some well deserved success.
So crazy about that [unnamed event] at the end of the book! And that that was based off John's real experience. 😱 I listened to his interview with PlayZN and was really shocked. What a thing to live through.
Thanks for all the Spud memories, John! I'd like to reread all six books sometime over the next couple of years. They'll always have a special place in my heart.
So crazy about that [unnamed event] at the end of the book! And that that was based off John's real experience. 😱 I listened to his interview with PlayZN and was really shocked. What a thing to live through.
Thanks for all the Spud memories, John! I'd like to reread all six books sometime over the next couple of years. They'll always have a special place in my heart.
August 31, 2026
I didn’t finish the book.
It is heartbreaking, because I am a huge Spud fan. And this wasn’t Spud. Not by a long shot.
I’ll admit: the first part of the book was funny and witty and enjoyable. It is about two actor friends, Spud (allegedly) and Glen Fox (Ben Voss) whose comedy sketch Viper (Green Mamba) gets accepted by the Grahamstown Arts Festival. The narrator could very well have just been a guy called Chris or Peter or Andy or Brian. The story would have been funny regardless. I know I know. It is ten years later, and Spud has grown up and become an adult. Still. Not even the forced inserts featuring Wombat, Mermaid, the Guv, Sparerib, Viking and the folks in lower Durban North could convince me that this was anything but a book trying to ride the Spud wave one time too many.
Part two, the Crazy Eight’s Thailand odyssey, is where it fell flat for me. It was dark and boring, and Rambo’s secretive antics just got draining. Why did ‘Spud’ get to bring a plus one? I’m sure they would have coped just fine without the Thailand expert. And why did every single member of the Crazy Eight, except maybe Vern, turn out to be very unlikeable adults? I just couldn’t finish the book.
Is John van de Ruit an excellent writer? For sure.
Is he funny and sharp and talented? Very much.
Do I regret spending money on this book? I’m afraid so.
Would I recommend the book to Spud fans? Noooooo!
The Crazy Eight should have said goodbye after their matric year. Exit. Pursued by a bear.
It is heartbreaking, because I am a huge Spud fan. And this wasn’t Spud. Not by a long shot.
I’ll admit: the first part of the book was funny and witty and enjoyable. It is about two actor friends, Spud (allegedly) and Glen Fox (Ben Voss) whose comedy sketch Viper (Green Mamba) gets accepted by the Grahamstown Arts Festival. The narrator could very well have just been a guy called Chris or Peter or Andy or Brian. The story would have been funny regardless. I know I know. It is ten years later, and Spud has grown up and become an adult. Still. Not even the forced inserts featuring Wombat, Mermaid, the Guv, Sparerib, Viking and the folks in lower Durban North could convince me that this was anything but a book trying to ride the Spud wave one time too many.
Part two, the Crazy Eight’s Thailand odyssey, is where it fell flat for me. It was dark and boring, and Rambo’s secretive antics just got draining. Why did ‘Spud’ get to bring a plus one? I’m sure they would have coped just fine without the Thailand expert. And why did every single member of the Crazy Eight, except maybe Vern, turn out to be very unlikeable adults? I just couldn’t finish the book.
Is John van de Ruit an excellent writer? For sure.
Is he funny and sharp and talented? Very much.
Do I regret spending money on this book? I’m afraid so.
Would I recommend the book to Spud fans? Noooooo!
The Crazy Eight should have said goodbye after their matric year. Exit. Pursued by a bear.
September 21, 2026
3,5
Enjoyed lots of this
Enjoyed lots of this
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews