Ben Kunz Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

(Thanks to Ben for writing this bio)

I am a happily married 78-year-old Afrikaans speaking South African author with 5 children and 13 grandchildren. After 43 years in business in the health and pharmaceutical world I retired in 2019. I always had a love for history and especially South African history from the great trek to the North from the Cape. Especially when Paul Kruger was the president of the Transvaal Republic, and the discovery of gold in 1884 in the town of Barberton and in 1886 in Johannesburg. (In America you had the great trek westward)

After my retirement I decided that I must start writing to keep myself busy and my mind sound. The first book I wrote was “Biblical Principles and Business for All”. I published this book on Amazon as an e-book.

Soon after this book I decided to write a western style book as a series with the South African history as background. I love reading American Westerns. Thus, Barberton Gold a South African “Western” was born and I self-published it as an e-book with Amazon in July 2024

Barberton Gold a South African Western

Boers trekking North settled in Natal and in the Transvaal. They farmed and fought against black tribes (In America they had the Indians) They also contractually bought land from black tribes. Barberton Gold covers, cattle rustling from the Boers and the catching and killing of the rustlers. The main character Chris de Beer must find out who is stealing gold wagon shipments from Pretoria to Delagoa Bay and transport it then to Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique today) from where it is exported by ship to Germany and Austria.

The Delagoa Bay rail line is built in that period to securely transport gold. The action happens from Potgietersrus in the Northern Transvaal bushveld to Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and then to Barberton in the Eastern Transvaal where gold was found in 1884. It ends at Crookes Corner on the northern border of South Africa. (The northern boundary of today’s Kruger National Park) Portuguese East Africa (Now Mozambique) is also crossed by wagon to Delagoa Bay. There is even a British spies involved who wants to destabilize the Transvaal Republic of the Boers, by stealing the gold shipments so the Z.A.R. have no recourses to buy arms from Germany to fight the imperialistic English.

Chris de Beer is the main character and commando leader and a successful undercover agent for President Paul Kruger. He is authorized to capture or kill the criminals and rustlers. He is a fast gun carrying two Colt .45’s. He is not just up against criminals, but also the harsh South African bush filled with wild animals like elephant, lions, hippos, hyena, Leopard and venomous snakes, and numerous savage black tribes. The malaria mosquitoes of the Lowveld also have a say and is a bigger killer of man than hippos and bullets. The saga is loosely based on South African history and historical moments and people like the Boer Commandants and the Boer sharpshooters.

A must read if you like a western with action, adventure and the African wild.

3 Responses to “Ben Kunz”

1. Este Els: 2 weeks ago

   What an interesting and spelbound read! A western in South Africa. Enjoyed it.

   I am looking forward to the next book from the hand of Ben Kunz “Johannesburg Gold” Get it published Ben!

   Reply
2. Dewald Joubert: 2 weeks ago

   I like reading westerns and the Barberton Gold gives an intriguing angle on western style stories in the history of South Africa in the 1800’s

   There is a lot of conformity and resemblance between South African history and the American history.

   The presence and involvement of the South African wildlife in his stories makes it interesting reading.

   Dewald Joubert

   Reply
3. Wilna Kunz: 2 weeks ago

   I help Ben with editing of his books and enjoyed every corner of the action and stories.

   I am busy editing his next two books in the series, “Johannesburg Gold” and “From Farm Boy to Ambassodor.” Chris and Johannes help to stop the Jameson raid when the English tried to take control of the goldfields.

   He is also busy with a modern spy story involving current political figures and corruption in South Africa.

   Read them all you will enjoy them!

   Regards
   Wilna

   Reply