Seeds of Hope for Zimbabwe’s Future

Paul Beet’s novel, Solitude, set in today’s bankrupt Zimbabwe, does not shy away from the many acts of barbarity taking place in the country under a corrupt regime. It does, however, hint that there may be a way out in the future, when this nation can once again take its place as one of the jewels of Africa.

When Mike Wilson’s white Zimbabwean parents are attacked at their farm, this seems like simply one more atrocity committed by the lawless, brutal militia working under the orders of President Mugabe. At one level it is, and it demands an equally brutal response: one of pure and simple vengeance in the lex talionis tradition of the Old Testament. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that behind the attack, there may be those for whom such acts are a deliberate strategy to secure a more positive future for Zimbabwe, even if this means them committing crimes of the most heinous kind to achieve their ambition.

On learning of the attack on his parents, Mike Wilson, an ex special forces soldier, returns to Zimbabwe looking for answers and seeking revenge. On arrival, it does not takes him long to equip himself with some serious military hardware and set off in search of his prey. Soon he is joined by his brother, Sean, a New York based lawyer who has discovered that the land upon which their parents farm stood is attracting considerable attention from a prospective buyer, whose motives are uncertain. Events force them to agree to sell the land, albeit unwillingly. And who should be the go-between overseeing the signing of the legal documentation? None other than the psychotic commander in charge of the militia who attacked their parents. The opportunity to wreak revenge is there, but how are they to overcome a band of sadistic killers programmed to hate all white people and armed to the teeth?

Mike and Sean may be outnumbered, but there are other parties from both the white and black rural communities who have an interest in seeing the back of the militia. Despite years of colonial history, is it possible for these groups to come together to help achieve local peace and harmony?

Behind the scenes of this local conflict, those powers that are using the apparent lawlessness of African politics for their own ends are at work manipulating the situation. While they are happy to present to the world a façade of irrational brutality, their real agenda is far from irrational and if they succeed they may well fulfil the true potential of a prosperous and peaceful Zimbabwe. It is a noble aim, but do the means justify the ends, and will Mike and Sean upset their carefully laid plans?

Solitude is not only a gripping action adventure, it also provides an intriguing and thought-provoking insight into the world of African politics that we in the developed western world are all too quick to dismiss as being beyond comprehension. It gives hope for the future, albeit at a price.