The Bandit King

“And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon, son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer, king of Zobah.”1 Kings 11:23

Despite a tumultuous childhood, Rezon was a happy boy. In a time when David was king of an expanding Israel and the lands of Zobah were ruled by the ruthless King Hadadezer, he grew up in a loving, caring family. In the Mountains of Fire, his family found safety and security, and he found love. It seemed as though the family would live peacefully in the mountains forever – but the insecurities of Hadadezer would not let them have peace.

When his family and the love of his life are destroyed, Rezon descends into a life of hatred, fury and vengeance. But revenge is a two-sided sword, a destructive force which inhabits the entire being of its host...

Will Rezon prevail against his foe? Or will his hunger for vengeance end up destroying him? Follow his story as he endeavours to survive in a world filled with biblical characters and real events. This story never happened... but it could have.

The Bandit King, an epic tale of love, loss and revenge, will appeal to those with an interest in biblical history and skilful re-imaginings of historical events.

Casper Coetzee was born in South Africa and grew up on a farm in northern Gauteng. After graduating from the University of South Africa with a BComm in business management and a BA in psychology, he worked in both the financial sector and the food and beverage industry. His main interests, however, lie in history. In July 2015, Casper won the Afrifiksie short story competition in the adult science fiction genre for his story, ‘Ligte!’ (which translates as (Lights!’).