The Dark Tower

A young woman learns that the man she loves has been killed fighting in a foreign war. She decides to visit his grave – or the place where his grave would be if he had one… For this is South Africa in 1879, and the British army has just suffered the worst defeat in its history.

Laura’s journey alternates with an account of events leading up to the battle – seen from the point of view of Theo, her lost love. Other perspectives are those of Septimus, an American journalist, and Rejoice, Laura’s African maid. These four offer their separate, but inter-related, views of the world – views at once all too familiar, and strange. Some things don’t change. Love and friendship; death and betrayal. History is just the accumulation of people’s lives, after all.

Reviews of The Dark Tower

‘I absolutely loved it.’ Elizabeth Buchan

‘I thought the period detail was terrific… A really gripping narrative.’ Ian Hislop

‘Beautifully written and constantly surprising.’ Kate Saunders, The Times

‘Koning handles the historical material so well, folding it into the narrative so lightly that there is never a sense of strain…’ Helen Dunmore

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The Dark Tower is available for the iPad from the Apple iBookstore.

The Dark Tower is also available for the Kindle here.