Kiwi soldier's Boer War adventures

Penguin South Africa recently published a historical novel by New Zealand based author Zirk van den Berg. Half of One Thing tells the story of a Kiwi soldier in the Boer War. Sent as a spy among the Boers, his loyalties become entangled, leading to a desperate act when he has to choose between love and duty.

"As a migrant, the issue of divided loyalties has special resonance for me," says Van den Berg. "With this book, I inverted my own situation by putting a New Zealander into a South African situation. The Boer War is a fascinating confluence of the histories of my two nations. Hopefully the background adds appealing drama to the book."

Van den Berg migrated to New Zealand after publishing his first books in South Africa. He first gained attention in New Zealand in 2004 when Random House published his crime novel Nobody Dies. This book was published in Afrikaans translation in South Africa last year.

New Zealand publication of his latest novel has not been secured yet. Meanwhile, the printed book is available online at a South African online bookstore: http://www.kalahari.com/Books/Half-of-one-thing_p_48296855.