Moon Witch, Spider King

Book excerpt: THE SECOND NOVEL IN THE REVOLUTIONARY DARK STAR TRILOGY 'Even more gripping and inventive than its predecessor . . . like Tolkien on ayahuasca' Observer *Perfect for fans of Pratchett, George R. R. Martin and Octavia Butler* In this mighty follow-up to his number one bestseller Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Booker-winner Marlon James once again draws on a rich tradition of African mythology, fantasy and history to tell the story of Sogolon the Moon Witch. Part adventure story, part tale of an indomitable woman, Moon Witch, Spider King chronicles the antagonist-turned-antihero's journey from an ostracised no-name girl, hated by her brothers and made to live in a termite hill, to a woman with fully developed powers engaged in a long-standing feud with the Aesi, chancellor to the king. Offering Sogolon's version of the events of Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Moon Witch, Spider King is an unforgettable exploration of power, resistance and revenge set in a world at once ancient and startlingly modern. 'A fantasy world as well-realized as anything Tolkien made, with language as powerful as Angela Carter's' Neil Gaiman 'James masterfully flips the first instalment on its head . . . [A] titanic story of empire, adventure and power' Esquire 'Told with James' inimitable linguistic verve . . . Riotous, ultraviolent, dazzlingly inventive' Literary Hub