The Covenant

A Novel

By: James A. Michener

Narrated by: Larry McKeever

James A. Michener's masterly chronicle of South Africa is an epic tale of adventurers, scoundrels, and ministers, the best and worst of two continents, who carve an empire out of a vast wilderness.

From the Java-born Van Doorn family tree springs two great branches: one nurtures lush vineyards, the other settles the interior to become the first Trekboers and Afrikaners. The Nxumalos, inhabitants of a peaceful village unchanged for centuries, unite warrior tribes into the powerful Zulu nation. And the wealthy Saltwoods are missionaries and settlers who join the masses to influence the wars and politics that ravage a nation.

Rivalries and passions spill across the land of The Covenant, a story of courage and heroism, love and loyalty, and cruelty and betrayal, as generations fight to forge a new world.

©1980 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A prodigious endeavor.... Nowhere else could an American reader unfamiliar with South Africa get so full an understanding of its problems in so engaging a form." ( The New York Times Book Review)

I love James Michener!

Great story! Larry McKeever is the best narrator of any Michener book!! I look forward to listening to him.

Another great epic by Michener!

Michener is a great story teller as he weaves a compelling story around historical facts! The Covenant does not disappoint!

Great to learn some History via a good story

I didn't know Anything about South African History prior to listening to this. I'm sure there are people who would disagree with the authors characters and what they did or did not do, but I would like to think there were people just like that all over SA.

Towards the end I started getting a little dejavu in a more abstract sense to the current state of US politics (the increased temperature of things around an election period) ...which is funny because at the time this was written the author refers to Jimmy Carter a few times...not exactly current.

A great explanation of the roots of aparthied

great story that covers a key part of Africa's history but explains the roots of apartheid

Worth the read

I’ve read several of Michener’s books, and this has been one of the best. A thrilling start, and a moving conclusion that weaves all the stories into a concise, powerful theme.

Riveting

Being a South African now living in Texas, of both Dutch (Arikaans) and British heritage, having heard so many family stories from my older family members, I was absolutely riveted by this book. It all tied in with all I had heard and experienced. I’m not young but left the country due to crime and the problems in South Africa. I did not mind the narrator but was so confused at the pronunciation of so many names and words! Could someone not have at least coached on the real way to say South Africa’s place names and more? Brilliant brilliant book.

great!

I thought this book was wonderful. And, believe it or not, I really like the narration. I just really like that reader. I don't like a lot of fancy stuff with narration. This guy is great. And so is the story.

Michener never disappoints.

I was disappointed when the book was over. The book is excellent. The narrator is superb. Can’t wait to start another Michener book.

Great book.

This book is outstanding historical fiction that I truly enjoyed. I recommend it highly. I wish an update could be written to bring us past 1980.

The Covenant is great, but the narrator adds an errant syllable(uh)

McKeever enunciates well(luh). He makes sure that he gets that last consonant of each sentence in(nuh).

Michener’s the Covenant is amazing, and you get used to the occasional over kill enunciation of the otherwise awesome narrator(ruh).