Review: Ericas of the Fynbos by John Manning and Nick Helme

 

• Rating: A must-have for Fynbos lovers What is it? A field guide
• Ideal for fans of: Field Guide to Fynbos by John Manning, Field Guide to Succulents in Southern Africa by Sith, Crouch and Figuerido
• What makes it special? The attention to detail, and flowering times are highlighted 
• Get it in South Africa from: Struike Nature 

 Ericas are one of the true gems of the Fynbos flora, yet they’re notoriously difficult to identify. Of the over 700 different species of this plant, many of them look eerily similar.

Well, not any more. John Manning and Nick Helme have solved the quandary of Erica identification. Ericas of the Fynbos is an easy-to-use guide to these glorious plants. After a comprehensive introduction covering Erica phenology, pollination, adaptive traits, and where to locate these plants, the 180 most common species are identified.

The different species are grouped, rather ingeniously, into five categories, based on the shape of their flowers. These are the elongated sunbird heaths. The bulbous vase heaths, small flower heaths, the adorable stoppered heaths (my personal favourite), and minor heaths. Thereafter, the various kinds of Ericas are narrowed down by the many defining features of each flower type. For example, whether they are velvety, have tassels, or the pattern in which the flowers cluster on a stalk. As an added bonus,endangered species are highlighted, so if you come across these, not only are you lucky, but you’re reminded that these are not for picking. PLEASE don't pick them.

From there, identification is a breeze, as you simply search for an image that best suits your specimen. To make it even easier, each entry features the geographic region in which the plant thrives, the months in which it flowers, and the average size of each bloom.

The photographs of each flower and plant are crisp close-ups, allowing you to see each hair or leaf on a plant to ensure you can accurately identify them.

And what a riot of colour! Who knew that there were so many different colours of Ericas (apart from the authors, and now, the lucky owners of this book). My ignorance of Ericas was further highlighted when I realised that what I’d mistakenly thought of as one very prolific pink Erica in our nearby mountains was actually a mix of ELEVEN different plants. Reader, I am humbled.

As a lover of plants, and botanical graduate, this book takes pride of place in my reference library. As a compact soft-covered book, it fits perfectly into a backpack, and I dare you not to take it with you whenever you’re among the plants.

Ericas of the Fynbos by John Manning and Nick Helme is published by Struike Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa.

Review: The Year Of The Locust by Terry Hayes

 

Rating: An excellent start but the twist might be too niche for some readers 

What is it? Fiction

Ideal for fans of: The Martian by Andy Weir, The Institute by Stephen King

What makes it special? The attention to detail, and the fulfillment of a long wait for fans of Hayes’ I am Pilgrim

Get it in South Africa from: Penguin Random House South Africa

  

Ridley works for the CIA, but he’s not your average spy. He’s a Denied Access Area spy, which means he’s been to and worked in some of the deadliest locations and the world. All in secret, of course. Naturally, Ridley has to hide his work from the world, including his partner Rebecca. 

However, that becomes increasingly difficult when he’s tasked with the seemingly impossible - tracking down a terrorist that the world - thanks to the Pentagon - believes to be dead. But as Ridley soon discovers, not only is the man very much alive, he poses a massive threat not just to the USA, but to the entire world. 

Readers of Terry Hayes’ first novel, I am Pilgrim, will be aware of the author’s attention to detail and ability to make a spy novel not just riveting, but sexy. And The Year Of The Locust is no different. 

Hayes builds a world in which espionage, technology, action, romance, intrigue, and politics merge seamlessly into a brilliant narrative. Hayes’ character building is especially impressive - none of his cast, from spymaster extraordinaire Ridley, to his partner Rebecca, the head of the CIA, or the most notorious terrorist the world has ever seen, could be called conventional or flat. 

Moreover, the author’s ability to launch into nail-biting, sitting-on-the-edge-of-your-seat with bated breath action scenes is just *chef’s kiss*. I am quite sure I’ve never held my breath or gotten goosebumps as many times in 469 pages. 

Eagle-eyes readers might be wondering at that low page count. After all, The Year Of The Locust is an impressive 663 pages - a real brick of a book. 

However, it feels more like two books. The fourth and final part of the book takes a totally unexpected twist that drives the narrative into an entirely new field. This sudden segue is as jarring as it is unexpected. Without giving it away, this change goes beyond affecting the narrative, it takes the book into an entirely new genre.

I have no doubt there will be millions of fans who adore the incorporation of something new and unexpected, but I am not entirely sure it works. As any writer will know, merging genres is not a task to be undertaken lightly, yet kudos to Hayes for trying, and for taking his story to the next level. 

All in all, The Year Of The Locust is an action-packed adventure from the first sentence, and remains one of the greatest spy novels you’ll ever read. In fact, I have no doubt the likes of Netflix or a Hollywood studio will snap it up to make their next feature film. 

The Year Of The Locust by Terry Hayes is published by Bantam, an imprint of Transworld Publishers, and a Penguin Random House company.

Review: Southern African Moths & Their Caterpillars by Staude, Picker & Griffiths

Rating: A nature-lover’s bookshelf essential 

What is it? Field guide 

Ideal for fans of: Field Guide To Spiders, Medicinal Plants of East Africa

What makes it special? Comprehensive guide to all life stages of the insects

Get it in South Africa from: Struik Nature (Penguin Random House South Africa) 

Have you ever found yourself trying to identify a caterpillar and failing? After all, it is surprisingly easy to mistake a moth caterpillar for that of a butterfly. Well, it used to be. 

With Southern African Moths & Their Caterpillars, you have access to 1500 moth species, making misidentification almost impossible. You see, not only does this guide provide clues to these insects’ geographical locations and preferred habitats, but it gives a comprehensive overview of the family, species, size. The best part? Every entry is accompanied by a series of glorious, high-definition colour images of all stages of the life cycle. 

In a nutshell, this means you can now identify a moth based on where you found it, the appearance of the pupa or caterpillar, or by looking at the adult moth itself. Genius, right? Staude, Picker & Griffiths have totally eliminated the guesswork in moth identification, and they have made it fun. Then again, that’s hardly surprising given the impressive list of qualifications and years of experience behind their names.

So how do you start your identification journey, especially if you know next to nothing about these winged and many-legged creatures? Easy. The entries are organised by family, with a brief description of the most noticeable shared features. So if you spot a moth that’s really small, with spiny legs and narrow yet long wings, you’d start with the Plume moths (family Pterophoridae). If you see a caterpillar with a horn-like protrusion on its rear, you’re likely looking at a hawkmoth. Interestingly, these little guys are huge fans of grape vines, so if you happen to see a fat, green, horned caterpillar wiggling about among your grapes (as I have in my garden), that’s your most likely culprit. 

Of course, Southern African Moths & Their Caterpillars is not just a way to identify moths. It provides additional information on moths in general, from their genetic evolution and their importance as pollinators to their unique means of protecting themselves as caterpillars and adults. In short, it’s the go-to compendium for anything to do with moths in Southern Africa. 

Southern African Moths & Their Caterpillars by Hermann Staude, Mike Picker & Charles Griffiths is published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa.

Review: Masters Of Death by Olivie Blake

Rating: Genre fans will lose their minds 

What is it? Fiction 

Ideal for fans of: Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef; David Mogo: Godhunter by Suyi Davies Okungbowa.

What makes it special? It puts a whole new spin on mythology, and good vs evil

Get it in South Africa from: Pan Macmillan South Africa 

Viola has a problem. It's not that she is a vampire who takes the form of a cat. It's actually work-related. Viola's trying to make a name for herself in real estate, but no one is interested in her newest property, as it's haunted by the ghost of the former owner. 

Luckily, with a network of demon friends, Vi comes up with a plan: hire a medium to exorcise the ghost. 

Enter Fox D'Mora. A surprisingly successful medium with a dark secret. He communes with the dead via an unexpected middleman - Death himself. You see, through a series of rather strange events, Death was named Fox's godfather, and ever since, he's been begrudgingly helping his mortal charge. 

But when Fox tries to enlist Death's help for Viola's haunted house, he discovers another problem. Death isn't answering. 

So what happens when Death goes missing from his post? All hell breaks loose, somewhat literally, as competitors vie for his throne, and the power that comes with being the master of Death. Unless, that is, Fox can save him.

If you’re a fan of paranormal fiction, this book will be the brightest gem in your collection. We’ve got gods, demigods, angels, demons, creatures, cryptids, shapeshifters, and then some (cough cough, Santa Claus). There’s also romance, intrigue, drama, humour and death - so much death. 

What may initially seem an overemphasis on the mythological and supernatural is in fact a clever device to illustrate the complexities of our own mortality; of love, loss, and longing. Blake essentially reminds us that virtue and vice don’t need wings or horns to exist. And yet, with a good sprinkling of humour, romance, and some well-choses cusses, Blake does not allow the narrative to become too heavy or depressing.  

Masters Of Death is as inventive as it is enjoyable, reminding us to embrace our humanity and we yearn for more. And all that leads us to the ultimate question: what would you give up to master Death?

Masters Of Death by Olivie Blake is published by Tor, an imprint of Pan MacMillan,

Review: Field Guide To The Spiders Of South Africa by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman

Rating: Buy it ASAP – a bookshelf essential

What is it? Reference (field guide)

Ideal for fans of: A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa, by Johan Marais

What makes it special? It demystifies and de-scarifies spiders 

Get it in South Africa from: Struik Nature (Penguin Random House South Africa)

We all know someone who will scream, cry or exclaim loudly when faced with spiders. Often, it's followed by the "ewwwwww, spiders!" dance, complete with nose crinkling and head shaking. 

But not any more.

Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and Struik Nature are changing all that. Field Guide To The Spiders Of South Africa will actually make you fall in love with spiders. 

First, you'll start with identification. This guide features a mind-boggling 780 different species of spiders which are all home to the south of sunny South Africa. Once you've identified your new eight-legged friend, you can learn everything about it. And I mean everything. 

• Spider morphology, habitats, mating, common geographic locations, and whether or not they're endangered
• Info on webs - their shapes, how they're built, and why spider silk is freaking amazing 
• How to capture them safely 
• As a bonus, there's also an entire section dedicated to venom (and most importantly, how to treat any bites you might get). 

Of course, all of this information is accompanied by stunning photographs and illustrations that allow you to see all distinguishing features. Moreover, it's vital to add this; the spiders have been styled to look kinda cute. I mean it - this isn't a book of horrors featuring fangs and legs and things being killed in webs. Instead, it's an attempt to make these many-legged friends less intimidating. 

And that's so important, because spiders have several really important roles in nature, too. And you'll discover what those are when you read through this guide (no spoilers here!).

So even if you think you're afraid of spiders, this is a book to consider getting. Not least because you could learn how to avoid them, but because it opens up a whole new world for nature lovers. 

So go on, go on a walk and discover some spiders. Just take your Field Guide To The Spiders Of South Africa with you. 

Field Guide To The Spiders Of South Africa by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman is published by Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa.