4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Eze Chima: An Ancient Aro Epic was written by Chike Nwaka. It is a historical fiction book that contains a fascinating tale about Chima. This story is skillfully interwoven with that of the AroChukwu kingdom.
A baby boy is born to Igboko and his wife Nnuoma, also known as Nne-Chima. The wise man, sage, in the AroChukwu Kingdom reveals that the boy is an ancient soul cloaked in this new body. The Aro people believe that the ancient people come back as babies. Hence, Chima is named after an ancient hero, Eze Chima. Meanwhile, in the neighboring kingdom of Ebeinu, trouble is brewing. The erstwhile queen mother wants to overthrow the reigning king and secure the throne for her son. The king is helpless in this state. The king of Ebeinu, Oba Orhamenye, sends emissaries to AroChukwu Kingdom to ask for help. Oba needs someone who is versed with the secrets of the universe. This person will help him to overcome the evils and wiles that have been caused by the former rulers. A competition is organized so as to pick one person who will meet all the requirements laid down. No one qualifies. Chima is finally chosen. Will Oba agree that Chima, an eighteen-year-old boy, can help him?
The story is exhilarating. I never knew what was within the covers of this book when I selected it. It is narrated in a way that exudes a lot of expertise. It reflects the culture of the community where it is set through the use of the local dialect and other cultural practices. The most striking feature of the book is its ability to capture one’s attention from the start to the end. There is no point whereby one can say that the story gets boring. The level of imagination in the book is amazing.
The use of stories within the main story is also another technique that has made this book gripping. Furthermore, these stories have lessons that are very applicable to real life. Reading this book is easy since the plot is well developed. The authenticity and originality of this book is proved by its writing style and the strong depiction of the cultures of the people. I have to admit that there is nothing I disliked about this book.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. The primary reason for writing a historical fiction book is to bring the past to life. The author has managed to do this since the characters behaved and spoke in keeping with the era they inhabited. This story also reveals the people of the past. The book has also been edited properly. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading historical fiction. This is particularly for those who like fiction stories dealing with heroes and heroines who possess supernatural powers. It is one of the nicest books in this category.
The statement that I will have to keep in mind is that “Humanity is one common community. Only the spiritually dull would ignore that eternal factor which unites us all, to worthlessly labor, searching out those ephemeral things that tend to separate us.”
******
Eze Chima: an ancient Aro epic.
View: on Bookshelves
Like Kibetious's review? Post a comment saying so!