“Every traveller begins his journey in the Valley of Souls; the very first gift of new life. It is only this once that he is Immaculate.”
When twins Afya and Aftab, along with their adopted brother Khaled, leave the shelter of a hidden valley, they are astonished by the bustle and noise of the outside world. But beneath this chaos is an order more threatening than bedlam.
An army of shadows gathers, looking to break free from the navel of the world, where they have been subdued for hundreds of years. The Keepers of Truth are scattered; the once-powerful Empire is fragmented, its twelve territories now controlled by seven warlords, one of whom has taken control of the region once protected by the Keepers.
Surrounded by bright, new discoveries, our innocents are lost in fascination, unprepared for the trials they will encounter, trials that will redefine who they are and what they believe..
Blessing Musariri creates a stunning universe, rooted in African landscapes, that recasts the realism of our world in an uncannily resonant new light.
“A dexterous, richly absorbing read. Replete with dynamic adventures and characters. Highly recommended.”
-Irenosen Okojie
“This is science fiction at its best, and, most rich of all, is that it is organically and fluidly African. How do you create a dystopian world where the canvas is already dystopic? Blessing Musariri refracts the story through multiple interweaving voices, each one giving us a look into what is possible. Blessing has dreamt a world in which love can flow like the water that is all around us – ‘what are we willing to build around it’ the novel is asking?”
-Mukoma wa Ngugi
An epic feat of imagination. What stands out is Musariri’s inventive amalgamation of mythology and history to step over hurdles that would stall lesser talent.”
-Brian Chikwava
“Bold, lyrical, compellingly written. Brilliant”
-Panashe Chigumadzi
