For the first time ever, I am on tour for Tor! This tour is organized by B2Weird, a reading community and monthly bookclub centred on SFF books by authors of color. The Lies of the Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi is my first read amongst the three that I am on tour for and I am convinced that there is going to be a lot more Tor and SFF in my future. The Lies of the Ajungo is a great place to start.
The Lies of the Ajungo
By Moses Ose Utomi | Goodreads | Forever Desert #1
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. Prepare to enter the Forever Desert.
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 they say in 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 his 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.
The Lies of the Ajungo opens the curtains on a tremendous world, and begins the epic fable of the Forever Desert. With every word, Moses Ose Utomi weaves magic.
Content notes include death, graphic violence, animal death and injury, injury detail, grief, dehydration, starvation, mutilation of 13 year Olds, cutting out of various body parts, intense subjugation.
The Lies of the Ajungo – Review
The Lies of the Ajungo reads like a fairy tale. I am reminded of stories that Amma used to tell me. The writing is immersive and from the very first sentence, I am taken to the City of Lies. I am curious about Tutu, the twelve year old protagonist, and the world that he lives in. I could not help reading out loud and it is always a pleasure to find a story I want to tell to myself in my own voice.
The world has an old feel to it. The way of life has been unchanged for centuries. The Obas of the city preserve the history, reminding the common people of the laws that exist: the city is not self-sufficient. It does not have enough water for its citizens and to get water, it has made a deal with the Ajungo Empire. In exchange for their tongues, the people may have water. It is horrifying to think of a place where years of speech are numbered. At the age of thirteen either the kids lose their tongue or they venture into the desert, in the hopes of finding salvation – water. The society does not have much faith in them: There are no friends beyond 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. To have grown up with a bleak view of the world and a cycle of desperation, what does that do to someone?
Tutu’s mom is not doing well. She has become seriously ill in the months leading up to Tutu’s thirteenth birthday. Seeing her in such a painful state, Tutu takes it upon himself to find water. His love for her is deep and he will do anything he can to save her. So, with the blessing of the Oba, he sets out on a journey.
At the beginning of the journey, Tutu is young. His camel, Shokolokobangoshe – Bango for short represents the child in him. Like a young child whose worldview has been limited to one place, Tutu doesn’t even know what water in the desert looks like. But he is sharp, optimistic and generally attentive to the dangers of the environment. His journey through the desert in search of water is life-changing. He meets new people, learns about other cities that exist and are similarly oppressed. He finds friends and teachers amongst Funme, Asilah and Lami who come from a city where instead of tongues, ears are what the Ajungo Empire takes as payment from the people. He experiences anger at the state of the world and he realizes he can’t be a bystander. He experiences magic and learns how to fight and defend himself. He is confronted by grief and loss.
I loved how Tutu grows up through this story. The road has its moments of wonder, love, awe and laughter. Tutu learns to travel with strangers and make friends. There are mundane moments of rejoicing in the oasis, eating together and telling stories around the fire. But then there are also hard times when Tutu’s beliefs are questioned. The people he encountered on his journey are few but sufficient to show him the many faces of humans. He adapts with time and gains a good understanding of who he is. I was with him, every second, feeling the turmoil that reality was causing inside him and appreciating his growth. He is an unforgettable protagonist.
When this book finished, I told Clinton the key plot points of the story. I loved it so much and I am excited to read more of this series. The desert setting and lyrical storytelling reminds of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Reading this book was a true escape as the people and the setting are so different from my everyday life. The characters are multidimensional and the relationships between them are beautifully depicted. Through evocative storytelling, The Lies of the Ajungo made me ponder social class, institutional oppression and ‘truths’ on which societies are built. There is much to think about and I bet the next time I read this book, I will love it even more.
Have you read this book or plan to? Add it to your Goodreads shelf if you would like to read it!
Many thanks to Tor, the author and B2W for having me on this tour and for providing a complimentary review copy in exchange for an honest review. Follow the tour for The Lies of the Ajungo on Instagram through the B2Weird account.
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