The Return

In this historical novel, Yaw M. Boateng tells the harrowing story of the Atlantic slave trade and the devastating effects it had on the Ashanti Empire. ''This, then, is the story of Seku and Jakpa. But it is also the story of Malaam Fuseini, and of Africa in one of the most trying periods on human record.'' It is the early nineteenth century, slavers have incited chaos, violence, and an insatiable greed across the Gold Coast. Clan is pitted against clan and those who have gained riches from the slave trade are fearing their own downfall. As advisor to the Ashanti King, Malaam Fuseini has only one plan: to unite the warring factions. Together, they can overcome the constant infighting and stand allied against the invaders. Otherwise, they will be forced to watch as the slavers burn Ashanti''s cities to the ground... Among the Ashanti leaders is Seku, a military hero. His brother, Jakpa, is a former slave. Both are strangers to this land and consumed in a bitter feud against one another. Yet as the threat to the kingdom grows, the two must reconcile if they hope to save their allies – and themselves – from destruction. ''Boateng is a superb storyteller, with a keen sense of place and history, a lively imagination for dramatic action.'' Es''kia Mphahlele ''The Return possesses great compassion, and more importantly, a vital sense of history.'' John A. Williams ''Tense and engrossing.'' Kirkus Reviews