Review by Sararob06 -- Followers of Lightning

[Sararob06]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Followers of Lightning" by Charles Bentley.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Followers of Lightning by Charles Bentley is set in South Africa and follows the journey of a struggling botanist who is trying his hand at working for a company interested in indigenous medicinal remedies. The leader character touches on personal issues preventing him from returning to his country of origin, Zimbabwe, and fueling his need for employment, a deteriorating romantic relationship. The impacts of these two issues are touched on throughout the book.

The botanist struggles with guilt associated with his opposition to cultural exploitation which is an integral part of the job. He desires professional success and is driven by feelings of insecurity and doubt, but he cannot move past his personal conflict about monetizing indigenous culture.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the surroundings. The scenery was described in rich detail. The author has a unique writing style with short, clipped sentences and uses a lot of botanical references. I did not feel that my lack of botanical knowledge prevented me from following the story and this should not be an issue for other readers. The main character has depth, and all the characters help to move the story along, each playing a unique role. The only grievance I have is that the female characters are peripheral with the focus on them being romantic even though they do provide important contributions to the story.

There are no erotic scenes and no profanity. The author uses a moderate amount of scientific language and local dialect for description. Neither of these provides for difficulty in reading, but I did find myself having to stop and look up what was being referenced at times. It would be possible to continue the story without taking this extra step, but I found this to be helpful with the descriptions of the scenery. The story is written in first person and the sentence structuring may not be due to the author’s preferred style but an attribute of the character.

I did encounter some punctuation and spelling errors throughout the entirety of the story but nothing too severe to disrupt comprehension. While I did enjoy this story there were certain aspects that were contradictory. The main character is concerned about “ethnopiracy” but has no qualms expressing his ethnocentric views even going so far as to describe the Bushmen as lowly. These beliefs seem at odds with one another as it appears he respects indigenous knowledge but not indigenous people. I give this story 2 out of 4 stars.

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Followers of Lightning
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[Eutoc]

A lot of author's would have made it difficult to read for people without botanical knowledge. That's a big plus. Unfortunately, the book didn't reach your expectations.

[Dominik_G]

I don't think Followers of Lightning is for me, but I enjoyed reading your thorough and honest review nonetheless. Thank you!

[Sararob06]

I don't think Followers of Lightning is for me, but I enjoyed reading your thorough and honest review nonetheless. Thank you!

Thank you Dominik. I can see how it may not be for everyone but I'm still glad I read it. It definitely has a unique plot.

[Sararob06]

A lot of author's would have made it difficult to read for people without botanical knowledge. That's a big plus. Unfortunately, the book didn't reach your expectations.

I think the author did a decent job incorporating that kind of knowledge without making it an educational book. I wouldn't say it didn't live up to my expectations, just that it left more to be desired.

[Teele]

A lovely piece. Botany is a subject close to my heart. It's good that the text is free of profanities. Good job.

[Sararob06]

A lovely piece. Botany is a subject close to my heart. It's good that the text is free of profanities. Good job.

Thank you for your kind words. Botany is quite interesting, it’s a shame it’s not a subject that is often incorporated into fiction.

[Chigo Nwagboso]

I love your review. Thanks for your recommendations and honesty in this review.

[Tarilan]

I enjoyed reading your informative and honest review although I'll pass Followers of Lightning . Thanks for the great review.

[Sararob06]

I love your review. Thanks for your recommendations and honesty in this review.

Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad you appreciated it.

[Sararob06]

I enjoyed reading your informative and honest review although I'll pass Followers of Lightning . Thanks for the great review.

Thank you for your kind words. Honestly, I did enjoy the book and it has an interesting plot. I felt it was worth the read but I can see how it may not be for everyone.

[Saint Bruno]

I also like it in books when the author describes the surroundings excellently. Thanks a lot for the honest review.

[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

Job requirements conflicting with the botanist's ethical standards? Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the review.

[Sararob06]

I also like it in books when the author describes the surroundings excellently. Thanks a lot for the honest review.

You'll enjoy this book then. It's by no means perfect but it is a fun read. I've never been to South Africa but the author made me feel like I had been.

[Sararob06]

Job requirements conflicting with the botanist's ethical standards? Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the review.

It is a very interesting read. I appreciated the unique plot and think others will too. Thank you!