Turaeg

I am not sure if the books counts as trivial literature between critics. The yearly output of the author suggest it. But I have to admit that I was really in the story. I could not stop reading. Since I was on a trip to Chile the had to be in Spanish.
A very “simple” event at the beginning of the book causes huge consequences. A Tuareg, which lives with his family lonely in the Saharan desert, saves two man from dying of thirst. He gives them the almost ritual hospitality of a Saharan tribesman. His peace is suddenly interrupted by a group of intruders. which shoot one and take the other guest with them. This act against the Tuareg’s pride and duty as host triggers alter on a series of murders, man hunts and epic survivals in the desert.
For the tuareg his guests must be safe in his tent even he could not do anything against the intruders. But he starts is quest for revenge and getting his guest back, so that his guest can leave safely from his soil. During this quest to get his guest back the reader learns a lot about his thinking, motivation and about the survival in the desert. It is actually a journey from adventure to adventure. How he survives is almost fantasy but at the same time it is totally believable. These were the moments which I enjoyed most. I am not sure how much projection of the author himself is involved when he writes about the inner feelings of a tuareg. It definitely makes you think about values and opens a pretty unknown world to you.
After reading the book I even started to research if these persons actually lived. You can definitely recognize that it deals with the Algerian situation after their independence. And the former president (the second guest) is loosely build after the first Algerian president.