I've read "The Power of One", "The Potato Factory" and "Tommo and Hawk". Correction-- I have "listened" to each of these books, because I'm a fan of Humphrey Bower. Mr. Bower is one of my favorite audible narrators of all time, and I thoroughly enjoyed each of these books. I love Humphrey Bower's voice, and how he makes so many of the characters come alive.
This book is, so far, one my favorite of Bryce Courtenay's. (I have yet to read the rest of his books.)
It's sad to read that Mr. Courtenay has recently passed away. He is a master storyteller, who weaves in a lot of history about South Africa.
A South African friend of mine winced, when I told her I was reading this book. She said she couldn't handle it, because it was just over-the-top with violence. I get that, but how can avoid the cruely and mistreatment about an orphan, Tom Fitzsaxby, who is so poorly treated at an orphanage? Shades of Oliver Twist, you will definitely feel angry, sad and even shocked at what this young boy endures at the hands of the cruel adults who run the orphanage. Yet, Tom finds a few adults who change the twists and turns of his adult life. Tom's childhood is the foundation that builds his determination and character.
I found a tugging at my girlie-girl heartstrings, as I read about his dog, Tinker and a few people that Tom learned to both love and trust. There were plenty of tearful moments, for me as well. This story line took me on plenty of emotional twists and turns.
To me, this story is about Tom, who has a dedication to making many injustices right. I found him to be a totally believable character.
As the story comes to it's climax, I dreaded listening to a court trial-- these aren't usually my favorite story lines to read. In this case, I couldn't stop listening to the book. I had to know the outcome.
The ending left me feeling deeply touched, and opened my eyes to some of the historical events of South Africa-- the bigotry and injustices from the British. Historical fiction, like this, makes me want to do more research in learning about this very sad chapter in that country's history. Great read, fantastic narrator.

Despite this book being very long and very wordy, which is typical of Bryce Courtenay, and being a bit of a rehash of Power of One, I did enjoy reading it even though it took me a few weeks

Mr. Courtenay is up there with the best of the epic-sweep writers. His novels are usually more satisfying than Leon Uris' (except Exodus), and usually takes more care with individual characters than James Michener. "
Mr. Courtenay's "Whitehorn" is a wonderful novel, and for readers gentle-of-heart, yes, there's lots of abject cruelty and hatred to be found among the obvious-villain characters, but not to an utterly dehumanizing degree.
Prior to reading this novel, I knew little about the Boor War(s) era, and although this novel is set pre-and-during WWII, it prompted me to do a bit of reading about the Boor War period, which helped understand the story better.

Just Amazing .

For me Bryce Courtenay is the best author ever!!! I have read all his books and was never disappointed.

Bryce Courtney is a wonderful writer. I read The Power of One many years ago and was struck by his characters and sense of place and time. White thorn did not disappoint. Tom Fitzsaxby is an orphan in South Africa growing up in the shadow of tensions between Afrikaans and the English. Tom resists the hatred
And unfairness of apartheid.

I found "The Power of One" by Courtney an excellent novel -- about Africa and about a young man's coming of age. After a break of many years writing about Australia, "Whitethorn" returns Courtney to South Africa in 2006, after huge political events have transformed the country. So I expected a very different (but very good) novel. But to my surprise, there is a great deal of this book that covers virtually the same ground as the "Power of One," though using somewhat different characters and some variation of setting. Upbringing in an Afrikaans' setting (an orphanage,) a boxing theme, becoming a student at an elite English private school via scholarship, on to law school, working in the copper mines -- all these similarities are there. Yet Coutney is a grand story-teller, and this novel is wonderful reading despite treading familiar ground. The plot works well, too, though it reflects nothing of post-apartheid changes in South Africa. So you may end up feeling frustrated by what seems too much of a rewrite (I did,) but nevertheless moved by another fine piece of writing.ttt

Of course it gets 5 ⭐!

Fist read of author Bryce Courtenay

Excellent read will definitely follow the author, recommended book didn't want it to end,looking to read more from Bryce Courtenay .

This book is an epic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bryce Courtenay has a wonderfully descriptive writing style, and the pace of the book keeps you gripped to the story and wanting to read more. The various characters are well depicted, especially the main character Tom Fitzsaxby. The writer also gives you an insight into the racial prejudices, hatred and injustice at that time, and you get a real sense of what things were like in South Africa.

My only negative is that I thought the book was a bit long.

I really enjoyed this story of a young English orphan growing up in Afrikaner South Africa. The story is beautifully told.

No one does character development better than Bryce Courtenay. The voice of young Tom was perfect. While the entire saga is engaging, I think it would have been an even better story if it had ended when Tom left for boarding school. Finish and klaar.