Against the backdrop of the Portuguese entry into the Congo, the friendship between a Portuguese cabin boy and Prince Mbemba, a Kongo prince who becomes the ruler of a puppet kingdom, turns tragic. 25,000 first printing.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Set in 16th-century Africa, Peter Forbath's Lord of the Kongo follows the fortunes of young Gil Eanes, a 15-year old Portuguese cabin boy who finds himself alone and on his own for several years in an uncharted land. The novel encompasses a period of 20 years that saw the first European attempts to find a water route around Africa and the discovery, colonization, and eventual despoiling of the land called "Kongo." Young Gil's experiences as he struggles to survive in this world add to the adventure.
The late Peter Forbath was once a Time magazine correspondent in Africa, and his knowledge of the continent and its history is evident. Using original records from a variety of sources, he has artfully blended fact and fiction into an unforgettable epic tale.
From Publishers Weekly
Forbath's earlier novel, The Last Hero (1990), took readers on an exhilaratingly treacherous trek through the Congo of 150 years ago. Here, working with real-life events and characters, Forbath dramatizes the "Kongo" of 400 years ago, and the discoveries and depredations of the Portuguese explorers who claimed it as their own. When, in 1482, the Portuguese ship Leonor first navigates the river Zaire, 15-year-old Gil Eames is serving as the captain's page. Soon, Gil is on his way inland with the Kongo prince Mbemba to meet the king, while the Leonor sails on in search of a route to the Indies. Though the mysteries and "magic" of the Portuguese capture the imagination of young Mbemba, the Kongo religious leaders and their monarch fear and mistrust the Europeans. Gil, caught among these interests, becomes enmeshed in dangerous court politics and is stranded when he misses his rendezvous with the Leonor. It will be 10 years before the Portuguese return. During that time, Mbemba is baptized and becomes King Alfonso I. His open-door policy toward the Portuguese eventually attracts the plague, the horrors of the Inquisition and, with the discovery of the New World, slave ships filling their holds with his people. Gil's attempt to balance his conflicting loyalties to Mbemba, his adopted homeland and the Portuguese generates riveting drama. Passionate, vigorous, morally astute, this novel serves as a fine testament to the writing abilities of Forbath, who died earlier this year at age 65.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet.
|
|||
|
Video reviews
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
