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Bezig met laden... The Breaker (1973)door Kit Denton
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There was a Breaker Morant - he was executed at Pietersburg on 27 February 1902. His crime? Wilful murder of civilians. Yet to this day his guilt remains in doubt. Kit Denton's novel, The Breaker, does more than recount the facts and mystery surrounding Morant's death sentence. Full of action and set in three continents, it covers the entire range of the Breaker's activities. We see him as a champion horseman, a likeable larrikin, a popular balladist. We see him in love and in war. Then we see him face the firing squad that will end his life. Was he a cold-blooded killer or a scapegoat? Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)823Literature English & Old English literatures English fictionLC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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The real Breaker Morant served in South Africa during the Boer War. In Denton's book, Morant and some of his unit from Australia realized that the English were never going to win using conventional methods against what amounted to guerilla tactics by the Boers and used their own methods contrary to orders. Evidently, others realized the same thing; while Morant was on leave in England, he learned that a more guerilla-like unit was being formed called The Bush Veldt Carbineers, and he rushed off to join with his best friend, Geoffrey Hunt. So off he went, back to South Africa. Hunt was put in charge of the unit; he received his orders, part of which noted "take no prisoners." As part of an operation, the BVC was ambushed; Hunt died & was savagely mutilated. Later, a Boer soldier turns up wearing Hunt's clothes and was killed by Morant. Still later, a German minister was crossing the lines to go into Boer territory; according the book, Morant & his unit tried to stop him due to the dangers. The next thing they knew, the minister had been killed. Some time later they went back to the main camp to join up with the British soldiers, and discovered that several of the officers, including Morant, were under arrest -- but no charges were ever given. They found out during a court martial that they were under arrest for murdering the Boer Soldier, murdering a young boy who had been part of an earlier ambush, and for murdering the minister.
I have always thought that this was a fascinating story. If you have not yet seen the film that was inspired by this book, please do so immediately...it is phenomenal.
The book is very well done, but kind of surface level -- it would have been nice, since this is a fictional novel, to get more in depth with the story. Otherwise, it is a fine book on a topic that is incredibly interesting. ( )