Marlon James

The second novel in Marlon James's revolutionary DARK STAR TRILOGY is here In this mighty follow-up to his Number 1 bestseller Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Man Booker-winner Marlon James once again draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to imagine a mythic world, a lost child, a 177-year-old witch, a deadly regal chancellor, and a mystery with many answers... Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman - the witch Sogolon - who bows to no man, this is an unforgettable exploration of power, personality, and the places where they overlap, set in a world at once ancient and startlingly modern. In the words of Neil Gaiman, James has created 'a fantasy world as well realized as anything Tolkien made, with language as powerful as Angela Carter's'.

Dark Star Trilogy 2

Moon Witch, Spider King

From Marlon James, author of the bestselling National Book Award finalist Black Leopard, Red Wolf, the second book in the Dark Star trilogy, his African Game of Thrones. In Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Sogolon the Moon Witch proved a worthy adversary to Tracker as they clashed across a mythical African landscape in search of a mysterious boy who disappeared. In Moon Witch, Spider King, Sogolon takes center stage and gives her own account of what happened to the boy, and how she plotted and fought, triumphed and failed as she looked for him. It’s also the story of a century-long feud—seen through the eyes of a 177-year-old witch—that Sogolon had with the Aesi, chancellor to the king. It is said that Aesi works so closely with the king that together they are like the eight limbs of one spider. Aesi’s power is considerable—and deadly. It takes brains and courage to challenge him, which Sogolon does for reasons of her own. Both a brilliant narrative device—seeing the story told in Black Leopard, Red Wolf from the perspective of an adversary and a woman—as well as a fascinating battle between different versions of empire, Moon Witch, Spider King delves into Sogolon’s world as she fights to tell her own story. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, it is a fascinating novel that explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap.

mic shulman

this was such a sloggggggg im so bummed because i loved the first book but this has nowhere near the like spectacle or thrill or anything

This is a good sequel to the first. I like how he’s telling the same story through different people and expanding on how these people are threaded together and torn apart by circumstances caused by each other sometimes. I will say, I think this book is a bit too long. It really dragged on for me in the first 250 pages but then I really enjoyed it. I was kind of apathetic about Sogolon as a character starting out but knowing her whole story is fascinating, and I can’t wait to read how this all ends in the third book. 

Moon Witch, Spider King Dark Star Trilogy 2

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