Shadow of Things to Come

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In an unnamed African nation, the populace endures perpetual warfare and an Orwellian manipulation of language that strips meaning from life. In a dimly lit room, a young man waits for the enigmatic crocodile-men to aid his escape from the state's violent tyranny, sharing his story in the meantime. This narrative unfolds in a catastrophic and carnivalesque dreamscape where individuals are taken at night, whisked away to plantation penal colonies, and returned as hollow shells, their lost time known as the “Time of Annexation.” The protagonist, whose parents were taken, survives first under the care of a quirky benefactress, Mama Maize, and later as a student in an elite state school. His life changes when he meets Axis Kemal, a bookseller who becomes a surrogate father, guiding him through the chaos and revealing the truth about his society. Through his characters, the author critiques atrocity and the abuse of power, while also addressing the political rhetoric that erodes meaning. This novel serves as a love letter to language, and in Chris Turner’s brilliant translation, it introduces English-language readers to an exciting new literary voice.