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From Here to Timbuktu
The year is 1870. As the young country of Freedonia prepares to celebrate fifty years of existence, a young bounty hunter by the name of Zeke Culpepper is hired by a wealthy businessman to find a valuable book. In the kingdom of Mali on the continent of Africa, veteran warrior Famara Keita has been assigned to find that same book and bring it back to its rightful owner. And in the newly formed nation of Germany, an ambitious Prussian officer seeks the book as well for its secrets that could make Germany the most powerful nation in the world. The result is an action adventure like no other!
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 21, 2015
15 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Milton J. Davis
78 books245 followersMilton Davis is owner of MVmedia, LLC , a small publishing company specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Sword and Soul. MVmedia’s mission is to provide speculative fiction books that represent people of color in a positive manner. Milton is the author of eight novels; his most recent The Woman of the Woods and Amber and the Hidden City. He is co-editor of four anthologies; Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology and Griot: Sisters of the Spear, with Charles R. Saunders; The Ki Khanga Anthology with Balogun Ojetade and the Steamfunk! Anthology, also with Balogun Ojetade. MVmedia has also published Once Upon A Time in Afrika by Balogun Ojetade.
Milton resides in Metro Atlanta with his wife Vickie and his children Brandon and Alana.
Milton resides in Metro Atlanta with his wife Vickie and his children Brandon and Alana.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 5, 2015
What can I say, Milton Davis continues to write some masterful tales of fantasy and adventure, which are full of fascinating characters.
When advanced ancient technology is unearthed in the fabled city of Timbuktu in Mali, the Prussians who lead a newly established Germany will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Famara, a Malian agent and Zeke, a bounty hunter from the newly formed country of Freedonia team up to thwart their designs.
"From Here to Timbuktu" is set in the year 1870, but a very different world to the one we might be familiar with from history books! The North American continent hosts the Black states of Freedonia and New Haiti, both countries having gained their freedom from the slave autocracies run by the United States of America and France respectively. Airships and other incredible machines fill the skies. Steam powered engines provide the means by which citizens travel the cities and armoured devices of war are the order of the day on the battlefield.
This tale of speculative fiction (steamfunk) is, I believe, the first in a series and what a series it will be if all the stories are as good as this one.
When advanced ancient technology is unearthed in the fabled city of Timbuktu in Mali, the Prussians who lead a newly established Germany will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Famara, a Malian agent and Zeke, a bounty hunter from the newly formed country of Freedonia team up to thwart their designs.
"From Here to Timbuktu" is set in the year 1870, but a very different world to the one we might be familiar with from history books! The North American continent hosts the Black states of Freedonia and New Haiti, both countries having gained their freedom from the slave autocracies run by the United States of America and France respectively. Airships and other incredible machines fill the skies. Steam powered engines provide the means by which citizens travel the cities and armoured devices of war are the order of the day on the battlefield.
This tale of speculative fiction (steamfunk) is, I believe, the first in a series and what a series it will be if all the stories are as good as this one.
March 10, 2016
TL;DR version: Great book, buy a copy and read it.
Long version:
The first fruits of Steamfunk is here and and it's great.
My first encounter with Milton's Freedonia universe was from last year's cool "Steamfunk" anthology. Freedonia is, in short, a free nation of former slaves and their descendants. Geographically, it's territory is carved out of a huge portion of what we would call the united states. It's a world of airships, steam cars and automatons. A world where the Great Game continues, in war and subterfuge. From this incredible backdrop, emerges a great adventure story that is sometimes reminiscent of a great summer buddy action movie and at other times a humorous homage to the classic Crosby/Hope "Road to..." movies of the 1940s. I enjoyed it immensely and I eagerly await Milton and his fellow Steamfunk cohorts to release more stories like this.
Side note: I read the entire book aloud to my family a chapter or two at a time every night and they also enjoyed the story. Wheels up and thumbs up!
Long version:
The first fruits of Steamfunk is here and and it's great.
My first encounter with Milton's Freedonia universe was from last year's cool "Steamfunk" anthology. Freedonia is, in short, a free nation of former slaves and their descendants. Geographically, it's territory is carved out of a huge portion of what we would call the united states. It's a world of airships, steam cars and automatons. A world where the Great Game continues, in war and subterfuge. From this incredible backdrop, emerges a great adventure story that is sometimes reminiscent of a great summer buddy action movie and at other times a humorous homage to the classic Crosby/Hope "Road to..." movies of the 1940s. I enjoyed it immensely and I eagerly await Milton and his fellow Steamfunk cohorts to release more stories like this.
Side note: I read the entire book aloud to my family a chapter or two at a time every night and they also enjoyed the story. Wheels up and thumbs up!
March 6, 2020
If you like the James Bond movies you will definitely enjoy this one. This is a combination of fantasy steampunk and sword and soul. There was a lot going on but the chapters are short and its overall a short read.
The premise of this is original but it wasn't explored as much as I liked, the characters are not fleshed out enough to become interesting but I saw some potential. All in all very interesting.
The premise of this is original but it wasn't explored as much as I liked, the characters are not fleshed out enough to become interesting but I saw some potential. All in all very interesting.
September 17, 2015
A lot of fun, but in serious need of a good edit because the kindle version is rife with missing punctuation and dropped words.
April 16, 2023
I love a good treasure romp - and I love steampunk - and I love high adventure in far off exotic lands. So naturally, I eagerly dove into this 'steamfunk' story.
It's a great premise. The characters are engageable, interestingly flawed, impressively courageous and genuinely interesting. The treasure hunt is of a sort I've never read about before, which gave it a fresh, exciting feel. I enjoyed the adventure from start to finish.
What's not to love? Certainly this story is fantastic, from start to finish. So again I ask, what's not to love? Unfortunately, I have to be honest. I owe this to the author and all potential readers. The editing is non-existent. Yes, I know an editor is listed in the front matter, but believe me when I say the editing never happened. There are literally hundreds of missing words. It's uncanny. Every page has a few. Plenty of punctuation is awry as well. But, mostly it comes down to the words. Lots of little words, and sometimes bigger significant words, simply aren't there. My reading flow was constantly screeching to a halt. After a while, I was able to limit my reaction to a small eyeroll because I was invested in the story, but really, I shouldn't have to be steeling myself against a raw, unfinished manuscript. I actually wonder if the wrong manuscript got uploaded at publishing time.
The story itself deserves five stars. Regretfully, I am giving it three as I consider the manuscript near-unreadable. I hope the author takes this in the spirit intended and remedies the situation.
It's a great premise. The characters are engageable, interestingly flawed, impressively courageous and genuinely interesting. The treasure hunt is of a sort I've never read about before, which gave it a fresh, exciting feel. I enjoyed the adventure from start to finish.
What's not to love? Certainly this story is fantastic, from start to finish. So again I ask, what's not to love? Unfortunately, I have to be honest. I owe this to the author and all potential readers. The editing is non-existent. Yes, I know an editor is listed in the front matter, but believe me when I say the editing never happened. There are literally hundreds of missing words. It's uncanny. Every page has a few. Plenty of punctuation is awry as well. But, mostly it comes down to the words. Lots of little words, and sometimes bigger significant words, simply aren't there. My reading flow was constantly screeching to a halt. After a while, I was able to limit my reaction to a small eyeroll because I was invested in the story, but really, I shouldn't have to be steeling myself against a raw, unfinished manuscript. I actually wonder if the wrong manuscript got uploaded at publishing time.
The story itself deserves five stars. Regretfully, I am giving it three as I consider the manuscript near-unreadable. I hope the author takes this in the spirit intended and remedies the situation.
April 20, 2018
really enjoyed this read. the beginning, the first chapter, was a problem as I think the editing made it a bit difficult to follow who was speaking or whose point of view you were listening to. Otherwise it was a great tale and the pace was perfect.
May 16, 2017
Fun story, but it seriously needed to be proofread before being published.
February 5, 2023
This is an absolutely ridiculous book, and I mean that in the best way possible. If you're a fan of pulp adventure things - the Indiana Jones movies, Clive Cussler's books, old serials - this is the book for you. (There are exploding throwing knives in the first chapter!)
Set in an alternate history and filled with dirigibles and mechanical monsters and characters who are more than capable of kicking ass, its one of the more just plain fun things I've read recently.
(Only downside - whoever edited the e-book missed a few typographical mistakes here and there.)
Set in an alternate history and filled with dirigibles and mechanical monsters and characters who are more than capable of kicking ass, its one of the more just plain fun things I've read recently.
(Only downside - whoever edited the e-book missed a few typographical mistakes here and there.)
May 1, 2017
'Lo People,
I'm gonna school ya on why this book is important.
From Here to Timbuktu had me when I turned the page to the map of an alternate US where the original 13 colonies, NY, PA,part of VA,OH,IN,IL,MI and WI are all that's left of the United States. The southern belt with the exception of Florida and Louisiana has been amassed into a territory called Freedonia bordered another large territory called New Haiti. Texas and California and Florida have all remained in Spanish hands.
I'm saying to myself what's the story here?
I'm told it's from the sub-genre Steamfunk (Afro steampunk). What the hell is that, you say? It means there's no rayguns or automatic weapons. People still ride horses. Lots of airships are spanning continents. Long story short, this book takes place after the American Civil War and probably a decade before the 1920s. There are poisonings, bullets flying, killer mechanical cats, and ancient alien technology. By the way, all the sex happens between scenes in the minds of the readers who were looking for smut on the actual pages. (Yes, Her Tangh-i-ness was gonna go there.)
When I was a teen, I read Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H. Rider Haggard in hopes of reading about characters who looked like me doing cool stuff. If I could have gotten away with shoving Milton Davis into a wayback machine and hitting the button, I would. This. This is the stuff I should have been reading as a youngster. I was starving for it. The idea that Harriet Tubman or Fredrick Douglass could have ended up a president. The idea that ancient Black people had books at all might come as a shock to some. The idea that African peoples have had alien contact doesn't seem bandied about much either.
Best of all, as a woman, I soooo enjoy seeing women being just as badass as their male counterparts. Menna needs her own book. I figure the spirited sort of man could convince her to harness that formidable will of hers into more constructive uses. Just sayin'. Hint. Hint.
*Spoiler Alert*
Her Tangh-i-ness greatly appreciates pithy plot summaries. However, for those who must have a virgin reading experience, read no further, and eyeball elsewhere.
*Spoiler Alert End*
Remember these names:
Wagadu- a lost ancient city, a site of first contact
Famara Keita- a horro, an elite warrior
Zeke Culpepper- a church deacon, gunslinger, and bounty-hunter
Annette Bijoux- a machete-wielding singer from New Haiti
Menna- female Ihaggaren assassin, sister and rival of El Tellak for the leadership of the kel
El Tellak- the leader of the Ihaggaren Tuareg
Dolph Ericksson- Prussian Field Marshall and closet academic
Claus Reuters- the Prussian General determined to prove Dolph's obsession is a waste
Pierre LaRue- New Haitian expatriate and socialite
This novel could have been subtitled the book of the double-cross. Famara Keita has to pluck two highly coveted tomes from a Tuareg warlord and transplanted New Haitian socialite. Menna wants to wrestle the leadership of the kel from her brother El Tellak. Claus Reuters wants to prove that Dolph's obsession with the books is a waste of Prussian resources. The only character who engages in relatively little two-timing is Zeke Culpepper.
As an inveterate book hoarder, I totally get why having a plot revolve about missing ancient African books ought to be a Bestseller. Gimme my good reads!
Famara Keita strides onto the page deep in the Sahara to knife El Tellak and steal the book that El Tellak meant to turn over to Dolph Ericksson. The scene ends with Keita single-handedly taking down a Prussian airship with only a bullet to the shoulder to slow him. Calling all auteurs. Calling all auteurs. Can someone please shoot that opening action sequence like yesterday? I need t see it on a big screen. Zeke Culpepper enters next moving from passing the collection plate, to being enlisted by a Sheriff and Deputy to take down a wanted gang. Apparently, Keita and Culpepper's paths are meant to cross.
Field Marshall Dolph Ericksson fumes at the loss of the first book that the horro, Famara Keita, has stolen and plots to take the second book which had ended up in Zeke Culpepper's Freedonia. El Tellak recovers from his near death experience at Famara Keita's hands. These two men, and Menna, form the triumvirate of problems facing Famara Keita and Zeke Culpepper. Dolph Ericksson had already put the arcane knowledge found in the stolen books to work and he longs to complete the technological advantage their secrets have given. Already a scientist under his direction used the information to create clockwork cat sentries that hold a town in terror.
The second book in Freedonia brings Famara Keita in search of it. His mission is to bring it back to Timbuktu and to the oversight of the elders. Zeke Culpepper takes down his latest bounty unaware how much his own life will be changing. Menna travels Famara Keita's homeland in search of him and kiling as she goes. El Tellak concentrates on saving face amongst his own people and managing his murderous sister. Pierre LaRue hosts the bonne soirée that intended to celebrate his ownership of the Fredonian tome but nearly ends his wife's life and his own when Famara makes off with the book with Dolph and his Prussian agents hot on his heels. Zeke Culpepper answers an urgent summons from LaRue. Culpepper finds himself hired to go after the book. He's been promised a substantial for his efforts. So Zeke Culpepper joins the chase that will lead Famara Keita, Menna, Dolph Ericksson to Lorraine, France and Annette Bijoux, and then to Bavaria, and finally to Timbutku in Africa itself. Thirty gold pieces exchanged between Famara Keita and Zeke Culpepper outstrips the bounty Pierre LaRue offered. After all, LaRue made promises while Keita actually delivers solid evidence of Culpepper's best financial interest. In retrieving the Freedonian book and returning it to the African Elders, Zeke Culpepper faces a deeper calling. Somehow, I suppose we haven't seen the last of the gun-slinging church deacon.
Note: This copy of From Here to Timbuktu was an Amazon ebook purchased by the reviewer. Her Tangh-i-ness usually reviews on a for-the-love basis. No lucre has been involved.
I'm gonna school ya on why this book is important.
From Here to Timbuktu had me when I turned the page to the map of an alternate US where the original 13 colonies, NY, PA,part of VA,OH,IN,IL,MI and WI are all that's left of the United States. The southern belt with the exception of Florida and Louisiana has been amassed into a territory called Freedonia bordered another large territory called New Haiti. Texas and California and Florida have all remained in Spanish hands.
I'm saying to myself what's the story here?
I'm told it's from the sub-genre Steamfunk (Afro steampunk). What the hell is that, you say? It means there's no rayguns or automatic weapons. People still ride horses. Lots of airships are spanning continents. Long story short, this book takes place after the American Civil War and probably a decade before the 1920s. There are poisonings, bullets flying, killer mechanical cats, and ancient alien technology. By the way, all the sex happens between scenes in the minds of the readers who were looking for smut on the actual pages. (Yes, Her Tangh-i-ness was gonna go there.)
When I was a teen, I read Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H. Rider Haggard in hopes of reading about characters who looked like me doing cool stuff. If I could have gotten away with shoving Milton Davis into a wayback machine and hitting the button, I would. This. This is the stuff I should have been reading as a youngster. I was starving for it. The idea that Harriet Tubman or Fredrick Douglass could have ended up a president. The idea that ancient Black people had books at all might come as a shock to some. The idea that African peoples have had alien contact doesn't seem bandied about much either.
Best of all, as a woman, I soooo enjoy seeing women being just as badass as their male counterparts. Menna needs her own book. I figure the spirited sort of man could convince her to harness that formidable will of hers into more constructive uses. Just sayin'. Hint. Hint.
*Spoiler Alert*
Her Tangh-i-ness greatly appreciates pithy plot summaries. However, for those who must have a virgin reading experience, read no further, and eyeball elsewhere.
*Spoiler Alert End*
Remember these names:
Wagadu- a lost ancient city, a site of first contact
Famara Keita- a horro, an elite warrior
Zeke Culpepper- a church deacon, gunslinger, and bounty-hunter
Annette Bijoux- a machete-wielding singer from New Haiti
Menna- female Ihaggaren assassin, sister and rival of El Tellak for the leadership of the kel
El Tellak- the leader of the Ihaggaren Tuareg
Dolph Ericksson- Prussian Field Marshall and closet academic
Claus Reuters- the Prussian General determined to prove Dolph's obsession is a waste
Pierre LaRue- New Haitian expatriate and socialite
This novel could have been subtitled the book of the double-cross. Famara Keita has to pluck two highly coveted tomes from a Tuareg warlord and transplanted New Haitian socialite. Menna wants to wrestle the leadership of the kel from her brother El Tellak. Claus Reuters wants to prove that Dolph's obsession with the books is a waste of Prussian resources. The only character who engages in relatively little two-timing is Zeke Culpepper.
As an inveterate book hoarder, I totally get why having a plot revolve about missing ancient African books ought to be a Bestseller. Gimme my good reads!
Famara Keita strides onto the page deep in the Sahara to knife El Tellak and steal the book that El Tellak meant to turn over to Dolph Ericksson. The scene ends with Keita single-handedly taking down a Prussian airship with only a bullet to the shoulder to slow him. Calling all auteurs. Calling all auteurs. Can someone please shoot that opening action sequence like yesterday? I need t see it on a big screen. Zeke Culpepper enters next moving from passing the collection plate, to being enlisted by a Sheriff and Deputy to take down a wanted gang. Apparently, Keita and Culpepper's paths are meant to cross.
Field Marshall Dolph Ericksson fumes at the loss of the first book that the horro, Famara Keita, has stolen and plots to take the second book which had ended up in Zeke Culpepper's Freedonia. El Tellak recovers from his near death experience at Famara Keita's hands. These two men, and Menna, form the triumvirate of problems facing Famara Keita and Zeke Culpepper. Dolph Ericksson had already put the arcane knowledge found in the stolen books to work and he longs to complete the technological advantage their secrets have given. Already a scientist under his direction used the information to create clockwork cat sentries that hold a town in terror.
The second book in Freedonia brings Famara Keita in search of it. His mission is to bring it back to Timbuktu and to the oversight of the elders. Zeke Culpepper takes down his latest bounty unaware how much his own life will be changing. Menna travels Famara Keita's homeland in search of him and kiling as she goes. El Tellak concentrates on saving face amongst his own people and managing his murderous sister. Pierre LaRue hosts the bonne soirée that intended to celebrate his ownership of the Fredonian tome but nearly ends his wife's life and his own when Famara makes off with the book with Dolph and his Prussian agents hot on his heels. Zeke Culpepper answers an urgent summons from LaRue. Culpepper finds himself hired to go after the book. He's been promised a substantial for his efforts. So Zeke Culpepper joins the chase that will lead Famara Keita, Menna, Dolph Ericksson to Lorraine, France and Annette Bijoux, and then to Bavaria, and finally to Timbutku in Africa itself. Thirty gold pieces exchanged between Famara Keita and Zeke Culpepper outstrips the bounty Pierre LaRue offered. After all, LaRue made promises while Keita actually delivers solid evidence of Culpepper's best financial interest. In retrieving the Freedonian book and returning it to the African Elders, Zeke Culpepper faces a deeper calling. Somehow, I suppose we haven't seen the last of the gun-slinging church deacon.
Note: This copy of From Here to Timbuktu was an Amazon ebook purchased by the reviewer. Her Tangh-i-ness usually reviews on a for-the-love basis. No lucre has been involved.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews