There is something about an enthralling African epic fantasy that bring me great joy. On the levels of South of Midnight and Sinners with African magic and folklore woven in with the world building of The Priory of the Orange Tree and Game of Thrones, Birth of a Dynasty by Chinaza Bado is the first book within a magical trilogy that will not disappoint.

Summary

After witnessing the massacre of everyone he’s ever known and loved, M’Kuru Mukundi, the sole surviving member of the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada, vows revenge. M’kuru flees to a small village where he hides under the guise of farm boy Khalil Rausi… unaware that the real Khalil’s father is the bloodthirsty General of Zenzele army, and under the direction of the King’s scheming son, Prince Effiom, was responsible for the murder of M’kuru’s people. When an imposter claiming to be M’kuru shows up in the village, the real M’kuru—now Khalil—must bide his time amongst his enemies, pretending to be everything that he hates in order to get vengeance.

In another part of the country where giants roam free, young Zikora Nnamani, the only daughter of Lord Nnamani, knows nothing of political intrigue—she wants little more than to be a fierce Seh Llinga warrior. But a well-known prophecy places too much potential power on her small shoulders, and—as far as Prince Effiom and the King know—she is the only living threat to their dynasty ruling forever. However, when a messenger arrives to “invite” Zikora to stay at the palace, her family is not in a position to refuse. Before she is taken away, she begins The Rite of Blessing, a magical inheritance that she will need to learn how to use, but that may also bring the world one step closer to the completion of the prophecy that Prince Effiom so fears.

Between scheming ladies at court, backstabbing princes on the prowl, and paranoid kings, M’kuru and Zikora must do what they can, no matter how terrible, to save their people and claim vengeance for their families. But they are just two young people against an entire kingdom—and a prophecy destined to thwart their dreams—and the last thing they can do is trust anyone…even each other

Vengeance And Magic

We shall not forgive. We shall not forget. We will have our vengeance.

The connection between M'kuru and Zikora is written before the two even meet. They are bonded by vengeance, the death of their siblings within the first chapter of the book, and by prophecy. In the prologue, we are introduced to a world that has fractured by the destruction of magic and unified by beneath the Zenzele dynasty. Each family swearing fealty and hoping to continue this "world of peace", until one is betrayed, the Mukundi family.

We see within the first part of the narrative, M'kuru's journey to vengeance is a slow and calculated one, 3 years after his family's slaughter and him assuming the identity of Khalil. His desire to be bold and brash tests him constantly, but it is his sister's words that repeat in his head that stop him from making rash decisions.

Not yet, Six, but soon. Soon you'll fight too, but for now you need to hide.

M'kuru learns that vengeance is not one thing, done through brutality, but something that can be done through small actions, being in the right place at the right time, and remembering that hiding is sometimes the best way forward.

For Zikora, she also wants to be seen as strong as well. She wants to be the best, defeating her brothers in archery and combat, hoping to train with the Seh Llinga Amazons. She is noticeably better with a bow than with a needle, or any of the things that young ladies are usually associated with. Her way of the world is now crushed at the learning of the death of her brother. She learns that proclamations in the public do not align with secret loyalties, and it is with her journey to the palace, she learns that not all plots are boisterous and she is not helpless despite the boundaries of her gender. Some are quiet and calculating and their is power in seeming helpless.

Identity and Family

...That is who you are and that is who you will always be. They can never take that from you because it is in your blood!

As within the diaspora of blackness, remembering who you are as well as your family line is of great importance, because it ties back to slavery. Names and the family ties are rooted as a cultural anchor and a name is never just a name. It is history, it is the narrative of a culture, it all is interwoven within the DNA of the black experience. Blackness is synonymous with resilience and power, and it is done through community and bonds.

This hammering of "who are you" into M'kuru is prevalent from the beginning. From the first chapter, and it is a question that he is constantly asked from various people. Some to as a reminder, and others a test. It is a shame that he must be tested, as the fates of prophecy and the impending downfall for the oppressors play into his fate, but he adopts this personal to stay alive and in turn keep his family alive.

On another note, speaking of family, there is a prophecy that surrounds his and Zikora's family, that they will raise a new dynasty upon coming together, and a war will swallow the world. While the prophecy is not at the forefront of their minds, it also sets the stage for these two characters to come together beyond the shared death and rise up to stake claim to what has been foretold.

Final Thoughts

From the moment I turned on this audiobook, I knew I was in for something epic. I usually shy away from epic fantasies, often settling into the more niche categories because the world building can get so vast to the point of losing myself into the story.

It did not happen here.

From the beginning, we are thrown into the fray of political war, rivaling Game of Thrones levels of deception. Bado does not shy away from the cruelties of war and the wrath of its oppressors, allowing us brief moments where we are inside of their heads. The one thing I loved was the way each individual storyline converged, bringing the narrative together and presenting a beautiful stepping stone into an epic fantasy series.

I adore the weaving of African folklore and that we were able to grow with each of the characters and seeing how the world shapes them to be wise as well as strong in the wake of what is to come.