Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince(African Graphic Novel)

A 2019 Children's Africana Book Awards Honor Book for Older Readers Shortlisted for the Nommo Awards for African Speculative Fiction--Graphic Novel A time of bloody conflict and great turmoil. The slave trade expands from the east African coast. Europeans spread inland from the south. And one young boy is destined to change the future of southern Africa. This retelling of the Shaka legend explores the rise to power of a shrewd young prince who must consolidate a new kingdom through warfare, mediation, and political alliances to defend his people against the expanding slave trade. "A worthy introduction that offers a young Anglophone audience entry into a legend of Africa without the annoyance of overtranslation and with refreshingly three-dimensional characters." --Kirkus "Deftly written and superbly illustrated by Luke Molver, "Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince" is a truly extraordinary and entertaining graphic novel that will decidedly prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library graphic novel collections for readers ages 16 to 86." Midwest Book Review Luke Molver is a graphic novelist whose world is fueled by the art of storytelling. He lives in Cape Town, where reality continues to interfere with his daily life.

About the Author :
Mbongeni Malaba, Ph.D., writer of the book's Foreword, completed his doctoral degree on Shaka as a Literary Theme in 1986, at the University of York, where he studied at the Centre for Southern African Studies. He is currently a Professor of English Studies at the Pietermaritzburg Campus of University of KwaZulu Natal.

Review :
"Shaka Rising is a groundbreaking graphic novel. It belongs on school and home shelves. And the hope is that the series to follow will be equally professional, educational, and entertaining." New York Journal of Books "Shaka Rising is an innovative effort to use the comics medium to bridge the gap between academic history and folklore. In the hands of South African creator Luke Molver, this graphic novel converges the work of historians with oral tradition to propose an interpretation of Shaka's story that is both intellectual and accessible, at once an epic legend and a work of historical fiction. Additionally, the reading guide gives readers insight into the production of this kind of history. Shaka Rising would work well in the classroom in combination with other, academic histories of this event of global and African significance, but is also immensely enjoyable read on its own."- Trevor R. Getz, author of Abina and the Important Men "[T]he intrigue of the story and the intensity of the character are well fleshed-out. This is a tale comics has heretofore not done justice to, and it's handsomely presented here." --Booklist "Sharing stories are an important part of what makes us human. It shows our humanity and helps us build empathy for one another. What Molver has done in sharing the incredible story Shaka Rising is add to the well of empathy from which we all must drink in order to build a better society."- Joel Christian Gill cartoonist, historian, activist. Author Strange Fruit Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History and Tales of the Talented Tenth. "The art by Molver is simply breathtaking. Altogether, this book elevates the narrative surrounding this legend, as we not only get to see a boy become a man but one who draws power from his people." "The graphic novels - Shaka Rising and the sequel, King Shaka - are imaginative, engaging, and innovative ways of narrating the legend of Shaka [...] Characterization of the people in these comic books is very appealing. The illustrations are superbly designed, colorful, and support the storyline concisely. Molver shows deep understanding of Zulu history and culture. [...] Highly Recommended."-- Africa Access Review "The men and women in this story are shown with admirable nuance, as the principal actors in their own lives and era rather than as moving parts in a modern-day morality play. A sequel is planned for this first installment of Shaka's story, which itself marks the launch of a welcome historical graphic-novel series set in Africa." Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal "The story moves briskly, and the language is vivid and dramatic. [...] [Shaka Rising] is worth adding to collections" -- School Library Journal Shaka Zulu rises to power amid great regional turmoil to defend his people against the tide of the expanding European-backed slave trade. Gogo, an elder, opens by announcing that the story of Shaka is the "story that is part of all of our stories...it is in the clay of our homes...in our blood and our bones." In this series opener, Shaka, the son of Zulu chief Senzanghakona, struggles with his brother Sigujana over the succession and is eventually forced into exile. Shaka recovers under the leadership of northern neighbor King Dingiswayo, and his skills in battle earn him the reputation of a wise and accomplished warrior. Yet as tribes vie to control new territories and imprison soldiers for eventual European trade, he recognizes that he must return home and assume his responsibility to lead the Zulu. This graphic novel admirably allows its hero to retain flaws and scars that keep him squarely in the realm of the human. Molver's clean panels also emphasize this, advancing the story in well-paced sequences that balance action with calm. In an era when the stories of colonial exploitation and European enslavement overdetermine how global audiences encounter African stories, Molver and O'Connor forthrightly center this tale on the struggles among the indigenous tribes and nations as they seek to maintain their lands and lifeways while still acknowledging that they, too, have a confluence with the "dark days." Several pages of backmatter offer historical and cultural context, a glossary, discussion questions, and a pronunciation guide. A worthy introduction that offers a young Anglophone audience entry into a legend of Africa without the annoyance of overtranslation and with refreshingly three-dimensional characters. --Kirkus .