The Trial of the Gods

The Trial of the Gods is the story of a man and his people who live in the Kalahari Desert. They believe that the land they occupy belongs to the Gods hence cannot be owned by anyone else, least of all Government. The book takes the reader through human rights Bushman activism in an environment they are considered uncivilized and stigmatized as scavengers; the wretched of earth, in the words of Franz Fanon.

As the government plans relocation and integration of Bushmen into "mainstream society" one man, Jay, and his people vehemently resist. It becomes a quest for justice, truth and conservation. They cannot listen to anyone, or get instructions from the Government, lawyers or judges. Only instructions from the Gods will do as to whether they should embrace the "dangerous" world of development and civilization. It becomes a matter of life and death as the man and his people realize that the Gods alone cannot help fight one of the richest governments in Africa. In the process their claims and demands reverberate across the land and the world, touching many human rights organizations and supporters.

Will they manage to fight a government financed by the most precious diamonds in the world?

Here is what others say:

"The Trial of the Gods is a gripping tale of conflict between modernity and tradition, old and new conventions, conservation and human rights." - Anonymous

"The Trial of the Gods is more than just a story. It's a commentary about how determination, courage and love will ultimately defeat greed. It is definitely a must-read." - Olopeng Rabasimane, Columnist, The Botswana Gazette

"Though a fictitious work, this novel by Mr. Ontebetse is a good read as it gives an insight into the world 's most secret and heartfelt lives of the Bushmen; therefore it is highly recommended" - The Weekly Independent

"When a man from the considered low of the low tribe in the world emerges from the desert and starts querying decisions made by the leaders, no one is prepared for that. One of the questions that everyone is asking is; who is Jay, is he a foreigner from overseas or a man from the heart of Kalahari Desert in Botswana? Does Jay not fear that he might have his life cut short for putting the image of Botswana which is regarded a shining example of democracy in Africa into spotlight?" - Anonymous

About the Author

Khonani Ontebetse was born in Zoroga, Botswana in 1978. He was educated at Masunga Senior Secondary School and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Communication and Culture at NMMU in 2005, Khonani worked as a journalist for The Ngami Times newspaper and later The Mirror newspaper . He is currently a journalist for The Botswana Gazette.

In 2004, when the then Port Elizabeth University and Port Elizabeth Technikon merged to form the NMMU, Khonani was among the four students from the two institutions to win a literary competition with his essay entitled- How I will remember The University of Port Elizabeth. That was the turning point in his career as an ambitious writer.

In 2008, he won the first Bessie Head Literature Awards>, a locally-run literary competition in Botswana for his novel Born with a Husband (Pentagon Publishers). Born with a Husband discusses arranged marriages in relation to HIV/AIDS. Khonani's other works are short stories and plays which are yet to be published.