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THE LIES OF THE AJUNGO

Moses Utomi

A Novella

Set in a secondary world reminiscent of Saharan Africa, Moses Ose Utomi's debut novella THE LIES OF THE AJUNGO follows one boy's epic quest to bring water back to his city and save his mother's life. Along the way he discovers the lies at the very core of his world, and it may cost himeverything he was before.
They say there is no water in the City of Lies. They say there are no heroes in the City of Lies. They say there are no friends beyond the City of Lies. But would you believe what is said about the City of Lies?

In the City of Lies, they cut out your tongue when you turn thirteen, to appease the terrifying Ajungo Empire and make sure it continues sending water. Tutu will be thirteen in three days. But his parched mother won't last that long. So Tutu goes to the city's oba and makes a deal: she provides water for his mother, and in exchange he will travel out into the desert and bring back water for the city. Thus begins Tutu's quest for the salvation of his mother, his city, and himself.

Moses Ose Utomi (he/him) is a Nigerian-American fantasy writer and nomad currently based out of Honolulu, Hawaii. He has an MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and short fiction publications in Fireside Fiction and Purple Wall Stories. When he's not writing, he's traveling, training martial arts, or doing karaoke - with or without a backing track.
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Published 2023-01-01 by Toredotcom

Comments

Gripping and full of heart, the tale bubbles with a love of story itself. Utomi's star is on the rise and I can't wait to see what his imagination brings us next.

The Lies of the Ajungo is a tightly-packed, devastating punch, a masterful use of the novella as form and a heartbreaking tale of the lies we hold on tothe lies that help us live and the lies that hold us back.

Utomi perfectly blends fantasy and fable in his mesmerizing debut novella. .[He] draws readers into a harsh and beautiful world where nothing is as it seems. Fantasy fans will want to keep an eye on this up-and-coming author.

Utomi writes a legendary tale that is certain to inspire many more.

Exquisitely crafted and original. Fiction at its best shows us the truth by telling us lies.

A captivating and violent fable, The Lies of the Ajungo plumbs the depths of deception yet bursts with hope. Taut and unexpected. I devoured it.

This short but deeply affecting parable will unveil new perspectives to readers long after it's done. Highly recommended.

Utomi's writing is both elegant and efficient, and the story is so eminently devourable that I finished it in a couple of hours. In keeping with the contradictions at the book's heart, it left me perfectly sated and hungry for more.

This novella is the first of a gripping three-book series, but it packs a punch all on its own. As Tutu's universe expands, his (and the reader's) understanding of the world is upended by one painful truth after another.