The Boy to Beat the Gods

The title rather gives away the end of this story, but we do need to know how it happens.  The gods are the capricious Orishas from West African folklore, giants who delight in demolishing local villages and devouring the people. Their power comes from eating the fruit of particular baobab trees that each village has to nurture, but young Kayode decides he will steal one of the fruits and become more powerful himself.

A mysterious stranger, who even smells different, appears in his village, and this turns out to be Tiwa, a princess from a neighbouring village in which the important baobab tree died:  the Orishas were furious, and now she is the only survivor. She is a feisty warrior, expert with a bow and arrow, and, after initial mutual suspicion, they team up: she for revenge, and he to defeat the gods completely.  Kayode’s little sister has been captured and taken away by the gods, and he vows to rescue her. He is able to befriend the god Eko, who is unhappy with his fellow gods and willing to work against them. Eko is a shapeshifter, and changes into a goat, but they don’t tell Tiwa who he really is for too long: Kayode makes bad decisions as well as good ones, but he does eat some of the fruit of the gods, acquiring temporary incredible powers.

Reaching a seaside community, they encounter Bami, a younger boy who claims to be the greatest fisherman in the world, but has no family, and evidently feels his lack. All three young people bring different strengths to the quest, and Eko is a great asset, as he knows the weakness of each god, so, when they can work together, they gradually pick off their enemies.

This is Ashley Thorpe’s first novel, and he draws on his West African heritage, though he has changed the names of the Orishas out of respect to those who still actively worship them. He has produced an exciting tale with an unusual background, and readers will  enjoy being immersed in this story.