The Master of the Forge: A West African Odyssey - Softcover

Courlaner

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1569247897 ISBN 13: 9781569247891

Publisher: Da Capo Press, 1996

Synopsis

The Master of the Forge tells the tale of Numukeba, a blacksmith from the village of Naradugu, who abandons his forge to seek honor and nobility as a soldier of fortune. Numukeba arms himself with the weapons of his forge and talismans of magical power and sets out on an eleven-year journey through the land. He undergoes frequent trial by combat, outwits kings, heroes and beasts, descends into the land of the dead, is turned into a dog, and is sold into slavery. Throughout his travels he is harassed by the sorcerer Etchuba, the personification of chance, against whom Numukeba struggles to prove that man's destiny is not a series of accidents, but is written in steel as unbending as the weapons born in his forge.

About this title

From Library Journal:

This is a highly unusual novel: written by an American, it is set in the Sudan of several hundred years ago, interspersed with numerous verses sung by djeli (bard-historians), but unified by a central theme of the eternal struggle between providential fate and random chance. The hero, Numekeba, a blacksmith turned quester, undergoes varied adventures, including a descent into the land of the dead and metamorphosis into a dog. The book should be appreciated by younger readers, who will enjoy Numekeba's valiant exploits and the repeated appearances of the wizard Etchuba, Owner of the Red Powder, but it will also appeal to adults. Courlander's vivid imagination and careful control of his exotic material make this ``created epic'' a rich and intriguing work. Peter Sabor, English Dept., Queen's Univ., Kingston, Ont.
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 1569247897
• ISBN 13: 9781569247891
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 210