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Ki-Khanga: The Anthology
What is Ki Khanga? The answer lies in the pages of this amazing anthology. Balogun Ojetade and Milton Davis define this fascinating world which forms the foundation of the Ki Khanga Sword and Soul Role Playing Game. Fifteen amazing stories will take you on an exciting journey throughout is intriguing world. Prepare yourself for stories of bravery, tragedy, love and adventure. Prepare yourself for Ki Khanga.
- GenresSword and SorceryFantasy
250 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2013
About the author
Milton J. Davis
77 books253 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 20, 2018
I purchased the tabletop RPG some time ago, and while I liked the concept, I found the setting information a bit sparse. I wasn't sure what kind of stories I might tell. With this Ki-Khanga anthology, I definitely got a good sense of the world, the vibe of the setting, and what sorts of stories might be told. Milton Davis and Bologun Ojetade have written a bunch of fast paced stories about various people from various parts of the world they've created. Mercenaries, adventurers, and people just trying to get by. I enjoyed it quite a bit. And now I feel like I'd be much more ready to run a game of Ki-Khanga, which makes me very happy.
You don't need to care about the RPG to enjoy this, though. I think any fan of Fantasy fiction should give it a look. There are some technical issues (formatting glitches and misspellings), especially in the latter part, but it wasn't too distracting.
You don't need to care about the RPG to enjoy this, though. I think any fan of Fantasy fiction should give it a look. There are some technical issues (formatting glitches and misspellings), especially in the latter part, but it wasn't too distracting.
May 10, 2013
This is an interesting change of pace. As my first introduction to the "Sword and Soul" genre, I found that the setting of Ki-Khanga blends African culture with fantasy (and occasionally steampunk) elements into a new and refreshing aesthetic. Indeed, the stories seemed to divulge a new and exotic tidbit like clockwork, as befits a setting for a roleplaying game.
The anthology is not without flaws, however. As is often the case with anthologies, the quality of writing ranges from pretty good to mediocre. In this Kindle edition, there were also numerous typos. On one occasion, a character's name kept switching back and forth from one thing to another, and it did so often enough that I couldn't be sure which was correct and which was a typo. Overall, they were a minor, but noticeable distraction. They had best find a good editor before they send this thing off to print.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this anthology, and I eagerly await the release of the roleplaying game later this fall.
The anthology is not without flaws, however. As is often the case with anthologies, the quality of writing ranges from pretty good to mediocre. In this Kindle edition, there were also numerous typos. On one occasion, a character's name kept switching back and forth from one thing to another, and it did so often enough that I couldn't be sure which was correct and which was a typo. Overall, they were a minor, but noticeable distraction. They had best find a good editor before they send this thing off to print.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed this anthology, and I eagerly await the release of the roleplaying game later this fall.
January 19, 2013
Enter the world of Ki-Khanga!
"Ki-Khanga: The Anthology" transports the reader to the mythical place which forms the basis of the forthcoming role playing game. We are introduced to Ki Khanga and learn something of peoples and cultures who inhabit it.
It's been years since I’ve taken part in any fantasy gaming, but Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade have put together a great collection Sword and Soul stories which have rekindled my interest. I'm looking forward trying my hand at the role playing game!
"Ki-Khanga: The Anthology" transports the reader to the mythical place which forms the basis of the forthcoming role playing game. We are introduced to Ki Khanga and learn something of peoples and cultures who inhabit it.
It's been years since I’ve taken part in any fantasy gaming, but Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade have put together a great collection Sword and Soul stories which have rekindled my interest. I'm looking forward trying my hand at the role playing game!
June 8, 2018
When I started the book, I didnt expect to give it this rating. It has grammatical errors and the formatting of the digital book is atrocious. Hyphenated words and a lack of justification of text make it difficult to read. The writing is very uneven- good in places, but terrible in others. But the world took me in and a few stories transcend the intrinsic faults. I do wish there was a lexicon as cerain words and concepts escaped me. But the world building was incredible and detailed and engrossing, and the tales read like fables or mythos of this fantastic world.
January 26, 2022
One of my all time favorites!
This is the book that inspired me to become a writer. The breathtaking worldbuilding, unforgettable characters, and intricate storytelling make this a must read!
This is the book that inspired me to become a writer. The breathtaking worldbuilding, unforgettable characters, and intricate storytelling make this a must read!
October 17, 2017
I love the stories
December 5, 2014
I discovered Dungeons and Dragons when I was 11 years old. It took me another year to convince my mother to allow me to play. She heard the stories of devil worshiping and that terrible movie with Tom Hanks as young man who went crazy after playing Mazes and Monsters didn't help. I showed her how it would help me with math with having to add all those numbers to create characters and would improve my reading skills as well. She relented and I was hooked. I received for my birthday the Red Box edition and began rolling up characters and trying to convince my friends to play( which itself was an adventure in a predominately black area.) Soon we explored the Keep on the Borderlands, the Tomb of Horrors, and White Plume Mountains. I lost myself in those adventures and wrote I guess what would be fan fiction now based on those adventures. I did a have an issue as I grew older. Why did heroes all look the same( blonde, white square jawed? Where were the heroes that looked like me? I began looking for archetypes beyond the Eurocentric. I read up on Medieval Africa and discovered Mali, Oyo, Benin and Ethiopia. I sought to create warriors and mystics based on those concepts. I soon grew disillusioned that there were no products to reflect this and became disinterested in fantasy because to me it seemed fantasy was not interested in me.
I never stopped loving Fantasy. I would read stories here from time to time but it wasn't until I discovered Charles Saunders and his Imaro series that I truly revived my passion for fantasy. Saunders provided me the inspiration I looked for as 14 year old boy, a hero that looked like me. Charles Saunders created Nyumbani, Swahili for home,a world based on the traditions, legends and lands of Africa. Fantasy again found a place in my heart.
Recently, there has been a movement in fantasy inspired by Mr. Saunders, Sword and Soul. Sword and Soul is simply an African inspired or based Sword and Sorcery fantasy. Milton Davis ad Balogun Ojentade have conceived such a world, Ki Khanga. Ki Khanga, like it's Eurocentric counterpart, has heroes facing horrors of physical and spiritual nature. Conflicts are internal and external as the story progresses. Davis and Ojentade have combined their talents to create an anthology based on an upcoming RPG of the same name. I have played the beta form of the game and I eagerly await the final version of this unique RPG system. In the interim, I have the Ki Khanga anthology to wet my appetite. There are some issues with the editing(typos etc.) but it doesn't interfere with the overall enjoyment of these stories. We met a woman warrior seeking revenge, Twins involved in a mystical battle for their fathers throne, a humble fisherman who is more than meets the eye, a hunter who protects his homeland form arcane forces. and a mercenary with a penchant for trouble. These tales and more encompass all that is right about Sword and Soul. I look forward to future installments as well as the game. Fans of the Forgotten Realms will enjoy this book and should tide them over while they await the next installment of the Dritz series. They can thrill to the adventures of Omari Ket, mercenary adapt with his wit or weapons because he keeps them both sharp. I recommend this book to anyone who like to explore another side of Sword& Sorcery, a side with Soul.
I never stopped loving Fantasy. I would read stories here from time to time but it wasn't until I discovered Charles Saunders and his Imaro series that I truly revived my passion for fantasy. Saunders provided me the inspiration I looked for as 14 year old boy, a hero that looked like me. Charles Saunders created Nyumbani, Swahili for home,a world based on the traditions, legends and lands of Africa. Fantasy again found a place in my heart.
Recently, there has been a movement in fantasy inspired by Mr. Saunders, Sword and Soul. Sword and Soul is simply an African inspired or based Sword and Sorcery fantasy. Milton Davis ad Balogun Ojentade have conceived such a world, Ki Khanga. Ki Khanga, like it's Eurocentric counterpart, has heroes facing horrors of physical and spiritual nature. Conflicts are internal and external as the story progresses. Davis and Ojentade have combined their talents to create an anthology based on an upcoming RPG of the same name. I have played the beta form of the game and I eagerly await the final version of this unique RPG system. In the interim, I have the Ki Khanga anthology to wet my appetite. There are some issues with the editing(typos etc.) but it doesn't interfere with the overall enjoyment of these stories. We met a woman warrior seeking revenge, Twins involved in a mystical battle for their fathers throne, a humble fisherman who is more than meets the eye, a hunter who protects his homeland form arcane forces. and a mercenary with a penchant for trouble. These tales and more encompass all that is right about Sword and Soul. I look forward to future installments as well as the game. Fans of the Forgotten Realms will enjoy this book and should tide them over while they await the next installment of the Dritz series. They can thrill to the adventures of Omari Ket, mercenary adapt with his wit or weapons because he keeps them both sharp. I recommend this book to anyone who like to explore another side of Sword& Sorcery, a side with Soul.
August 31, 2013
Had this on my shelves for a while, but didn't get around to reading it until recently. I've enjoyed Balogun Ojetade's work for a while, but this anthology was my introduction to Milton Davis.
Overall, I'm impressed. While there were (as always) some stories I enjoyed more than others, I didn't find any I flat out disliked. Davis and Ojetade skillfully wove their stories together so that while each story has a unique cast and can stand alone, when read together they told a story of an invasion of what in a European-style setting might be called demon-spawn and the way people across Ki-Khanga were fighting back.
I do wish the authors had used a bit more creativity in some of place names. While I don't know much about African history, I know enough that running into a reference to the kingdom of Axum through me out the world, similar to if a DragonLance book had a Holy Roman Empire in the middle of it. I'm sure they had their reasons for doing it this way, but each time I ran into the name of a place or people from real world Africa in Ki-Khanga it shook my suspension of disbelief.
One thing I liked was that the authors weren't afraid to have stories where the protagonist doesn't succeed. There is tragedy as well as victory in Ki-Khanga, and sometimes they come together. While I prefer a happy ending myself, this gave the world a gritty and realistic feel that made it much more immersive.
I'll definitely be looking to pick up the RPG when I get the chance, and hope to see more stories set in the world, as well as more from these authors.
Overall, I'm impressed. While there were (as always) some stories I enjoyed more than others, I didn't find any I flat out disliked. Davis and Ojetade skillfully wove their stories together so that while each story has a unique cast and can stand alone, when read together they told a story of an invasion of what in a European-style setting might be called demon-spawn and the way people across Ki-Khanga were fighting back.
I do wish the authors had used a bit more creativity in some of place names. While I don't know much about African history, I know enough that running into a reference to the kingdom of Axum through me out the world, similar to if a DragonLance book had a Holy Roman Empire in the middle of it. I'm sure they had their reasons for doing it this way, but each time I ran into the name of a place or people from real world Africa in Ki-Khanga it shook my suspension of disbelief.
One thing I liked was that the authors weren't afraid to have stories where the protagonist doesn't succeed. There is tragedy as well as victory in Ki-Khanga, and sometimes they come together. While I prefer a happy ending myself, this gave the world a gritty and realistic feel that made it much more immersive.
I'll definitely be looking to pick up the RPG when I get the chance, and hope to see more stories set in the world, as well as more from these authors.
May 30, 2016
Promoting and raising money for the Ki Khanga roleplaying game, Ki Khanga: The Anthology is an great collection of stories all set in Ki Khanga, a fantasy Africa just like I want to write about someday. The stories cover a wide variety of tones from serious to humorous, some hopeful and others quite downbeat. What really struck me was Fearless with its extremely clear and ironic ending. Everything here is enjoyable, and I look forward to the release of the game.
One issue I have though is that I think Watu-Joka is more correct than Joka-Watu if you want to say "dragon people" in Swahili. I'm not an expect, but from what I've read Watu-Joka is better. There are also no LGBT characters despite the large and varied cast of characters.
One issue I have though is that I think Watu-Joka is more correct than Joka-Watu if you want to say "dragon people" in Swahili. I'm not an expect, but from what I've read Watu-Joka is better. There are also no LGBT characters despite the large and varied cast of characters.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews