The Dance of Shadows

High fantasy inspired by West African spirituality that follows a young musician drawn into a battle between gods. Perfect for fans of S. A. Chakraborty, Joe Abercrombie and Marlon James's Black Leopard, Red Wolf.

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Rumi and his family are Odu, stricken with poverty and disparaged by the other tribes. When ruthless agents of the Palmaine - the colonising nation that dominates the continent of Basmine - threaten to destroy the village market, Rumi takes it upon himself to liberate his family. Taking a place in the prestigious Golden Room, where earnings from his music offer a chance at freedom, he shoulders his pride and resentment in a bid to make it to the top.

On what should be Rumi's greatest night at the Golden Room, his life is turned upside down. A terrifying individual known as the Priest of Vultures attacks Rumi and his family. Before her death, Rumi's mother, Adunola, solicits the help of a dying god and saves Rumi, setting him on the path to become a Shadowwielder: warriors with the ability to use their shadow as a weapon. But Rumi's need for vengeance may be more important to him than the future of his people...