Gondar by Nicholas Luard

 

This book is about war and struggles in the African area known as the Mountains Of The Moon, also as the Abyssinian government.  It follows four people through a decade or so of their lives.

Toomi and Mankinga are twins and the children of the ruler of Malinda, an area next to that of Gondar.  While out exploring one day they are captured and taken by slavers.  They spend the remainder of their childhood and teenage years separated, each as slaves to various people.  Rachel is the princess of Gondar, in a direct line from the Queen Of Sheba.  Her family is overthrown by the head of a religion in the country and she barely escapes with her life.  She is determined to go back and recapture her heritage and destiny.  Jamie is a Scotsman.  When his family is killed in an undeclared war with the landowners there, he is the sole survivor.  He makes a promise that he will honor his family and later becomes committed to finding the source of the Nile River and ends up in Africa as well.

As these four individuals form a partnership to take back Gondar, other characters are also in their joint effort.  There is a tribe of pygmies who are ready to do whatever it takes to help.  Jamie has brought along with him a Scottish laird and a Socialist friend of Karl Marxx and both are committed.  A Muslim bandit with military experience is their general and as the team moves into the land of Gondar, the population stands up and declares their loyalty to Rachel and to Mankinga and Toomi.  The army is outnumbered and it is unlikely they can win but perhaps?

This epic novel is an older one, released in 1988 but a book well worth reading if it is available.  Readers will learn much about Africa, about the ancient cultures there, about slavery and its horrors, about fighting for a goal.  There is hardship, romance, friendships that can stand anything and the desolation of war.  This book is recommended for historical fiction readers.