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The Lords of Harambee
The hostile world of Harambee was settled by refugees seeking a better life, with a little nudge from the Transsolar Corporation. Now General Michael Sheridan commands an interstellar peacekeeping operation tasked with bringing order to a world torn apart by poverty, ethnic conflict, and foreign exploitation. His estranged daughter Claire is an idealistic human rights lawyer who adamantly opposes the mission. Njeri Omondi and Amazai Nebtomo are Harambean politicians of rival ethnicities, and secret lovers, who are trying to save their homeworld from implosion. Their worst fears are realized when a coup topples the government and unleashes a horrific campaign of genocide. These individuals must risk everything, and violate their most cherished principles, to stop the killing--especially when Sheridan’s peacekeepers are ordered not to intervene. As they strive to rouse an apathetic interstellar community, they have no idea how many great powers are manipulating the war to their advantage. Among them is a utopian moon obsessed with achieving the Singularity: a technological leap forward into a posthuman future.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2012
4 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Mark D. Jacobsen
6 books29 followersI am an entrepreneur, leader, and strategist in the U.S. Air Force who believes in a holistic approach to life: continually improving oneself, then one’s relationships, community, and work. I continually envision new possibilities and work to realize them. My life’s work is inspiring, building and leading transformational teams to renew organizations and communities.
I have an eclectic career defined by continual learning, invention, and leadership in pursuit of a better world. As an Air Force cargo pilot I criss-crossed the globe during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, learning about foreign policy and national security. Dissatisfied by what I found, I obtained an Olmsted scholarship to learn Arabic, lived in the Middle East for two years, and earned a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution at the University of Jordan. I went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Strategy. I founded a nonprofit that aimed to break sieges and end the weaponization of starvation in Syria. I earned a PhD in Political Science at Stanford, with the goal of understanding the collapse of states into anarchy. I founded and led an agile software development team at the Defense Innovation Unit aimed at stopping the use of drones for terrorism. I have written a novel, various short stories, and numerous articles to help think through the changing dynamics of warfare. I have also written numerous software applications to make my organizations more effective. I am currently a Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the Air Force’s School of Advanced Air & Space Studies.
As for my personal life, I love my wife and adore my three children. I rock climb in order to stay strong, continually expand my limits, and overcome fear. I read. I write. I develop software. I love to learn, create, and lead.
I have an eclectic career defined by continual learning, invention, and leadership in pursuit of a better world. As an Air Force cargo pilot I criss-crossed the globe during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, learning about foreign policy and national security. Dissatisfied by what I found, I obtained an Olmsted scholarship to learn Arabic, lived in the Middle East for two years, and earned a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution at the University of Jordan. I went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Strategy. I founded a nonprofit that aimed to break sieges and end the weaponization of starvation in Syria. I earned a PhD in Political Science at Stanford, with the goal of understanding the collapse of states into anarchy. I founded and led an agile software development team at the Defense Innovation Unit aimed at stopping the use of drones for terrorism. I have written a novel, various short stories, and numerous articles to help think through the changing dynamics of warfare. I have also written numerous software applications to make my organizations more effective. I am currently a Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the Air Force’s School of Advanced Air & Space Studies.
As for my personal life, I love my wife and adore my three children. I rock climb in order to stay strong, continually expand my limits, and overcome fear. I read. I write. I develop software. I love to learn, create, and lead.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 10, 2013
Due to my dubious status as a prolific reviewer on Goodreads and my interest in military science fiction, I received a message out of the blue from one Marc Jacobsen, USAF officer and author of ”The Lords of Harambee”. He asked me to review his book if I was interested. I was both excited and apprehensive. Previous forays into self-published novels have given me the probably unwarranted impression that they are either outstanding or awful. This one did nothing to change my views.
The Lords of Harambee takes place on a human colony world in an indefinite but not too far future. In a cruel irony on its Kenyan name of Harambee, signifying cooperation towards a common goal, the world is a hell-hole with a fortnight-long diurnal cycle, meaning one week of freezing cold night followed by one week of infernally hot day. To make matters worse, the atmosphere is not breathable. Inhabitants must wear breather masks fed by compressors when outside atmosphere controlled buildings. Most of the world is desert with the occasional lava plain.
Initially, Harambee seems almost a stereotypical third world backwater, with an ethnic minority controlling power and money while lording it over a poor but backwards ethnic majority. The alert reader may recognize this situation from the recent history of Iraq. Meanwhile, powerful off-word corporate interests control mining interests. The same alert reader may recognize this situation from, well, any number of places around the world.
The story centers on General Michael Sheridan, head of the peacekeeping mission on Harambee, his estranged daughter Claire, naïve activist (at least initially) and Julian Marshall, special forces operative with doubts. As things come together for bipartisan talks between the ethnic groups, perhaps even followed by democratic elections, civil war and genocide erupt, in large part due to meddling by foreign governments. In the mayhem that follows, off-word military, political and corporate interests do their best to screw things up while the “lords” of Harambee do their best to kill each other and commit atrocities.
If I had to describe this novel in one word, it would be powerful. It starts almost innocently, with a tired General Sheridan, stuck in a backwater assignment with chronically insufficient resources, starting to see glimmers of hope on the horizon. And then all hell breaks loose, and continues breaking loose. Mr. Jacobsen very skillfully navigates the reader through a rather intricate plot while keeping the human experience at the center. And what an experience it is. The descriptions of brutal killing, rape and suffering are gripping. I kept thinking that things could not get any worse, and then they did. And yet, strong but flawed characters kept fighting in an obvious but heartfelt metaphor for humanity. The desert and desolation of Harambee as illustration of the humanity and its suffering was especially apt. The fact that the action scenes are excellently written, the characters are interesting and the occasional humor is very dry doesn’t hurt.
Even if The Lords of Harambee is science fiction, it should interest anyone who wants to learn about the effects of foreign policy in “third world” countries. It does send a powerful message, mostly about things not being as simple from thousands of miles away as they are to those “on the ground”.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1652
The Lords of Harambee takes place on a human colony world in an indefinite but not too far future. In a cruel irony on its Kenyan name of Harambee, signifying cooperation towards a common goal, the world is a hell-hole with a fortnight-long diurnal cycle, meaning one week of freezing cold night followed by one week of infernally hot day. To make matters worse, the atmosphere is not breathable. Inhabitants must wear breather masks fed by compressors when outside atmosphere controlled buildings. Most of the world is desert with the occasional lava plain.
Initially, Harambee seems almost a stereotypical third world backwater, with an ethnic minority controlling power and money while lording it over a poor but backwards ethnic majority. The alert reader may recognize this situation from the recent history of Iraq. Meanwhile, powerful off-word corporate interests control mining interests. The same alert reader may recognize this situation from, well, any number of places around the world.
The story centers on General Michael Sheridan, head of the peacekeeping mission on Harambee, his estranged daughter Claire, naïve activist (at least initially) and Julian Marshall, special forces operative with doubts. As things come together for bipartisan talks between the ethnic groups, perhaps even followed by democratic elections, civil war and genocide erupt, in large part due to meddling by foreign governments. In the mayhem that follows, off-word military, political and corporate interests do their best to screw things up while the “lords” of Harambee do their best to kill each other and commit atrocities.
If I had to describe this novel in one word, it would be powerful. It starts almost innocently, with a tired General Sheridan, stuck in a backwater assignment with chronically insufficient resources, starting to see glimmers of hope on the horizon. And then all hell breaks loose, and continues breaking loose. Mr. Jacobsen very skillfully navigates the reader through a rather intricate plot while keeping the human experience at the center. And what an experience it is. The descriptions of brutal killing, rape and suffering are gripping. I kept thinking that things could not get any worse, and then they did. And yet, strong but flawed characters kept fighting in an obvious but heartfelt metaphor for humanity. The desert and desolation of Harambee as illustration of the humanity and its suffering was especially apt. The fact that the action scenes are excellently written, the characters are interesting and the occasional humor is very dry doesn’t hurt.
Even if The Lords of Harambee is science fiction, it should interest anyone who wants to learn about the effects of foreign policy in “third world” countries. It does send a powerful message, mostly about things not being as simple from thousands of miles away as they are to those “on the ground”.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1652
July 28, 2021
Finished Lords of Harambee last night. For on, I appreciate a real ending. While we don’t know exactly what transpires in the future with the characters we know enough to see it’s going to pan out. That doesn’t happen in a lot of novels. Too many questions after most, or they carry-on to the point you just need the book to end.
The story captivated me in a sense I could feels emotions, weather and the constant strain of the circumstance. Interlaced with a incredible plot that spurred thoughts of our own struggles here on earth. So it was relatable.
It’s still open enough though another book could be written and it won’t be a struggle to keep the story going. Just a thought.
Very good read!!
The story captivated me in a sense I could feels emotions, weather and the constant strain of the circumstance. Interlaced with a incredible plot that spurred thoughts of our own struggles here on earth. So it was relatable.
It’s still open enough though another book could be written and it won’t be a struggle to keep the story going. Just a thought.
Very good read!!
February 26, 2013
Idealists. So often absolutely convinced that only they are right and correct. Everyone else is wrong if not evil. But so often they have no alternatives to propose.
Warriors. What is their purpose? To fight? To defend? In that long ago film "The Karate Kid" Mr Miyaki asks Daniel why he studies karate. "So I don't have to fight." A Warriors purpose is to protect. So few who have not been one understand this.
A hellish planet that a megacorporation colonized only to exploit the place and the people for it's own ends. When the resources start to dry up they shift it to the write-off column. People be damned.
And when all of these come together? "No plan survives contact with the enemy" as the saying goes. In this case it makes a wonderful story written by a person who has walked the walk.
"To our friends who are still in the desert."
(old Foreign Legion toast)
Buy it. Read it!
Warriors. What is their purpose? To fight? To defend? In that long ago film "The Karate Kid" Mr Miyaki asks Daniel why he studies karate. "So I don't have to fight." A Warriors purpose is to protect. So few who have not been one understand this.
A hellish planet that a megacorporation colonized only to exploit the place and the people for it's own ends. When the resources start to dry up they shift it to the write-off column. People be damned.
And when all of these come together? "No plan survives contact with the enemy" as the saying goes. In this case it makes a wonderful story written by a person who has walked the walk.
"To our friends who are still in the desert."
(old Foreign Legion toast)
Buy it. Read it!
September 7, 2015
This novel has earned its place on my digital shelf next to some of my favorite military sci-fi classics. Definite must-read for anyone who fancies this "genre" or the politics of war.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews