{"product_id":"9781415210635","title":"Sons of Mud","description":"\u003cp\u003eAt an army base close to Voortrekkerhoogte in Pretoria, at the height of summer and South Africa’s Border War, 18-year-old recruits endure an appalling drill sergeant bent on turning them into killing machines for the sadf. They are sleep deprived, and tension mounts in this group of disparate individuals – boys from all walks of life – expected to function as a unit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAndrew Howard-Smythe, a surfer from Durban, is the first to notice the giant Afrikaans boy Riejkardt Jurgens, whom he describes as a cross between a heavyweight wrestler and an orangutan. After a particularly gruelling training session on a shooting range, it is Riejkardt who snaps, severely injuring three officers before he is restrained.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe investigation that follows is suspicious right from the start. It turns out that, instead of being prosecuted, Riejkardt will be recruited for a sinister military outfit when his propensity for violence is recognised. Thus, this short, hard-hitting novel tracks the making of a henchman. Written in staccato, pointillist prose,  Sons of Mud  is deeply poetic and original, and a powerful anti-war manifesto.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"book-contributors\"\u003e\n  \u003cp class=\"contributor-item\"\u003e\n    \u003cspan class=\"contributor-role\"\u003eAuthor\u003c\/span\u003e\n    \u003ca href=\"\/search?q=Author+Johan+Vlok+Louw\" class=\"contributor-link\"\u003eJohan Vlok Louw\u003c\/a\u003e\n  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Johan Vlok Louw","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47380038942883,"sku":"9781415210635","price":280.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0741\/7836\/3555\/files\/img_9781415210635_b458d82b-ec5b-4695-94af-1fccd844ea84.jpg?v=1776531838","url":"https:\/\/graffitibooks.co.za\/products\/9781415210635","provider":"Graffiti Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}