The Long Wave

by Tom Dreyer

In the wake of his father's death, Gilbert du Toit begins to see rays of light and schools of fish streaking through the air. He believes that these visions are sending him a message, and sets off to follow his peculiar guides across the vastness of the Great Karoo. A journey that begins with a sense of purpose deteriorates into a manic and unpredictable expedition. When Gilbert's path crosses that of the Howlers, a trio of ex-convicts touring the country with violin, trumpet and guitar, he is steered to dinosaur parks and backroad bars in the South African hinterland. Yet, as his travels unfold, it becomes clear that his past cannot be outpaced easily. A love affair in Kuils River offers respite, but in the end Gilbert must confront the question: what is the message in the signs he sees all around him? In glimmering prose infused with humour and pathos, Tom Dreyer's The Long Wave is a tale of transformation, friendship and the mystery at the heart of ordinary life.

Genres: Road Trip, Africa

240 pages, ebook

Published October 1, 2016

About the author

Tom Dreyer is the author of the novels Erdvarkfontein, Stinkafrikaners and Equatoria, as well as short stories and poetry. Stinkafrikaners was awarded the Eugène Marais Prize in 2001. Tom holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town and is a fellow of the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program.

His fourth novel, The Long Wave, appeared at Penguin Random House in 2016. It was longlisted for the Sunday Times Literary Prize, while the Afrikaans version, Dorado, was shortlisted for the University of Johannesburg Prize as well as the KykNet/Rapport Film Prize.

Tom Dreyer is die skrywer van die romans Erdvarkfontein, Stinkafrikaners en Equatoria asook kortverhale en poësie. Stinkafrikaners is in 2001 met die Eugène Maraisprys bekroon. Tom het ’n meestersgraad in Skeppende Skryfwerk aan die Universiteit van Kaapstad verwerf en is ’n alumnus van die Universiteit van Iowa se International Writing Program.

Sy vierde roman, Dorado, het in 2016 by Penguin Random House verskyn. Die Engelse weergawe (The Long Wave) is gelanglys vir die Sunday Times-Prys, terwyl die Afrikaanse weergawe is gekortlys vir UJ-Prys sowel as die KykNet/Rapport-fliekprys.

Reviews

[Karl Malan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this novel quirky, poignant and quite thought provoking. The writing is vivid, and layer upon layer of images and metaphor give depth to the text. By the end it felt to me that the (admittedly strange) protagonist and his (admittedly strange) quest had something to say about the journey of all of us through life.

[Alitza · Rating 2 out of 5]

The death of the main character is the only thing that made it two stars. Otherwise, it would have been a one-star book. It was pretentious, and the main character clearly ignores his illness in favour of searching for something that doesn't exist.

[Lauren Mcgill · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was all a bit too strange and random for me.

[Madri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Dreyer neem die leser op 'n magiese reis. Ek het dikwels gevoel ek onderduik of ontduik dinge saam met Gilbert. Die roman speel met waarneming en waarheid, asook die weergee daarvan - veral met taal as manier om betekenis aan dinge te gee, dit te dekodeer. (Gilbert in sy Ford Capri dink: “Is ’n stuurwiel nie ’n beter koppelvlak met die wêreld as taal nie, taal met sy verminderinge en misverstande” (182).) O, en dan daardie soeke na die openbaring, die betekenis agter dinge wat die hoofkarakter en leser so stewig op koers hou. 'n Leesplesier!

[Nix · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was not my cup of tea. It's not a genre I really read or enjoy, but university forced me to. It was really putting me in a reading slump, and unfortunately, I will probably have to reread it in preparation for the exams.

[Gerhard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm. Have to ponder my response to this. Really difficult to connect with the characters in the end.

[Tiah]

– Luke found him under a half-built dimetrodon, felled by the intensity of his vision, though the doctor called it sciatica. –

– But how do you fit a life into a Thermos flask five inches in diameter? –

– We are forever seeing patterns in randomness. That's just what we do. –

– What lay ahead was more than just a place - whatever the other two might say. It was a culmination and a consummation: of his months in Kuils River and of the years and decades that had gone before. –

– This is what happens...stone crumbles, papers curl, and wreaths shrivel in their plastic domes. But even then something does endure. These objects, those that form the backdrop of our days, and those so intimately implicated in our lives that we think of them as ours, are just our accidental contemporaries and will one day go on without us. –

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully visual, funny, poetic and moving.