In 1300, the Mansa Sakoura of Mali and his family are murdered by the treacherous Keitas, leaving only his daughter and infant grandson alive. She vows that their line will not die out until they are avenged, and in 1418 her descendant Diata gets his chance when a tournament is announced: the winner will be one of the two commanders of the armies of Mali, the Sankar Zouma. Even commoners are allowed to compete—but can Diata seize the opportunity to prove his strength and courage, or will his youthful recklessness be his downfall?
Although the tournament does not begin in this book, there is still more than enough to keep the reader’s interest. Before Diata can even try to avenge his ancestors in the tournament, he needs to be chosen by his tribe to enter it first. This is not so simple, nor is the journey to the tournament’s location, during which the protagonist has to deal with thieves and authorities alike—and not always peacefully. Along with a potential love-interest and political intrigue, the story wisely builds in complexity as the tournament approaches—coming across as much more than an introduction to violent spectacle.
Written by Kevin W. Brown and illustrated by Mạc Thy, LION’S GAME (VOLUME 1): MASTERS OF MALI features beautifully-illustrated panels that are vivid even in simple dialogue-scenes. The characters are deftly drawn, both their images on the page and the personalities they reveal through conversation and action. A rich variety of characters—respected leaders, vicious pirates, scheming politicians, hot-headed warriors, and daring thieves—brighten the pages and make the reader want to know more about them. This includes the female characters, who are portrayed with as much agency and intelligence as the men. Though this is merely an introductory volume, there is no lack of action to keep the reader intrigued.
The story takes place in one of the least-recorded periods of Mali’s great imperial history, and does not appear to be strictly historical—although there was, in fact, a Mansa Sakoura from around the stated time who was murdered on the way back from his pilgrimage to Mecca. According to some historians (medieval and modern), Sakoura might have fit the description of a king who restored a troubled empire to better days and had a daughter (according to oral tradition). But whether the actual events occurred exactly as described or not, the graphic novel does an excellent job of putting the reader in the world of a wealthy, powerful African empire with multiple factions and characters vying for their own interests. It feels real, and it’s based on a real historical setting. So this is at least a vivid and engaging gateway into African history, accessible to a wide range of ages (preteen to adult)—aimed at people of African descent who want to learn about their powerful ancestors, as well as people whose educations may have (far too often) neglected the great empires and rich civilizations of Africa. A few reference pages define terms and give brief character summaries, providing a useful guide without unduly intruding upon the story.
Written by Kevin W. Brown, LION’S GAME (VOLUME 1): MASTERS OF MALI is an action-packed, beautifully-drawn graphic novel that provides a history lesson in the guise of an adventure, along with well-crafted characters and stunning art by Mạc Thy.
~Catherine Langrehr for IndieReader