The bestselling epic novel of family, treachery, rivalry, religious fervor, and the turbulent fate of a royal African dynasty. It is 1797, and the African kingdom of Segu, born of blood and violence, is at the height of its power. Yet Dousika Traore, the king's most trusted advisor, feels nothing but dread. Change is coming. From the East, a new religion, Islam. From the West, the slave trade. These forces will tear his country, his village, and the lives of his beloved sons apart in Maryse Condé's glittering epic. "Rich and colorful and glorious. It sprawls over continents and centuries to find its way into the reader's heart" - Maya Angelou. "A stunning reaffirmation of Africa and its peoples... It's a starburst" - John A. Williams.