The Muara. A ruined sea-side resort, shattered by the weather, buried in sand. Three children scavenge a living on the abandoned beaches and in the sand-swamped houses. This is their home and its desolation is their security…but their safety is an illusion. Under the sands of the Muara, in an underground room, is a secret that could destroy them and everything they know.“The Real” is the sequel … Real” is the sequel to “The Babylon Eye”.
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The Real is the second in the Linked Worlds series by South Africa sci-fi and fantasy writer Marsha du Toit. The Real represents the “real world” as we humans know it, which contrasts with The Strange, a world inhabited by various species of extraterrestrials. The two worlds are joined by massive portals, the most important being The Babylon Eye.
In The Real, we follow two threads which quickly converge into one story. The first follows three parentless siblings who live alone in an abandoned hotel in an area called the Muara, a former seaside resort that has been destroyed by rising sea levels and storms. The children become interested in an abandoned facility in the Muara formerly inhabited by circus performers. The new inhabitants, though, have nothing to do with a circus and are behaving suspiciously, if not dangerously.
In the other story thread, we follow Elke Veraart, a fascinating character with a past as an eco-gangster. Elke has the unique ability to relate to and work with cybernetically-enhanced dogs known as gardags. Elke and her gardag Meisje perform an official function in the Babylon Eye similar to our Border Patrol. They keep the peace and make sure that nothing from The Strange goes into The Real, and that no Real world people go into the Strange.
Elke is warned that she is being set up as a criminal. Fearing that she will be jailed, and that her gardag will be euthanized, Elke flees the Babylon Eye with Meisje. She goes to the Muara to learn how to stop the attempt to set her up for a crime she did not commit. Elke soon joins the three siblings and they are off on a suspenseful and exciting adventure. Elke discovers the crime being committed and by whom. By that time, she and the children are all in serious danger.
The strengths of this book are many. The plot is complex enough to always be compelling, but never confusing. The characters, and that includes Elke, the three siblings, a mysterious man named Crosshatch, and even the bad guys, are all believable to the point that each could have his/her own story written in detail.
The relationship of these people to the natural world around them is unforgettable. Yes, the earth is suffering from various assaults (plastic being one), but it is a real world full of stunning beauty that du Toit writes about in a lyrical manner. One phrase caught me in its grip. Du Toit wrote about a river in the Muara: “the scent of the Vaal, dry grass and dust, cloud castles stacking up in the overarching sky” transported me back to my childhood in which I often played in a glimmering stream which meandered across the great North American prairie.
And there are the dogs. The wonderful dogs. There’s Robby, the goofy family dog belonging to the children who tries his best to love and protect them but who is nothing compared to the majesty of the gardags. And this book has not only Meisje but also an older, very wise gardag named Xun, plus her two wolf-dog sons that go with her everywhere.
It is no surprise that The Real was a finalist for the 2018 Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African. The Real is a terrific read. Don’t miss it!!