If you were hoping to read a book that tells you about the life of a karate-ka in South Africa, then give My Karate Odyssey a miss.

Hoosain Narker, a karate athlete who was born in Cape Town, has lost a rare chance, at least with this book, of telling us how things were under apartheid.

The rest of the book is sadly dedicated to sensei Narker's trip in America, something which seems far above the aspirations of ordinary karate-ka in the townships.

Publisher Mahmood Sanglay is spot-on when he says: "An inspiring, motivational travelogue in which the author shares the many experiences of the trip and includes profiles of the many instructors he met."

However, we need to know how karate-ka like Narker made a name for themselves, their feats on the tatami and their battle to get senior belts, something that white karate-ka never sweated for.

That is why I feel the first chapter "Training Under Apartheid" is a title-in-waiting for another book by Narker who still stands a good chance of making amends. Oes!