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Dossouye (Dossouye, #1)

Charles R. Saunders

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Jul 06, 2019 Richard rated it really liked it

Shelves: anthologies, sword-and-sorcery

I ended up here because I had finished the Imaro series and still hungered for more. This particular book and it's sequel are only available through Lulu.com. Lulu makes a quality paperback, but I only wish that they would package them better when shipping them. My copy has some minor damage on the spine from those gentle hands at the USPS.

The stories within this book were published elsewhere in various anthologies. I know they have been revised, but I wondered if the overall story arc was prese I ended up here because I had finished the Imaro series and still hungered for more. This particular book and it's sequel are only available through Lulu.com. Lulu makes a quality paperback, but I only wish that they would package them better when shipping them. My copy has some minor damage on the spine from those gentle hands at the USPS.

The stories within this book were published elsewhere in various anthologies. I know they have been revised, but I wondered if the overall story arc was present in the originals; or did Saunders add that in his revisions for this printing.

Agbewe's Sword was the first tale and it begins Dossouye's trials and tribulations. An unstoppable enemy from far away is on the cusp of victory, until a young girl takes up a fabled blade to save her home. Magic, betrayal, and strong bonds round out this tale. Reminded me of Robin Wayne Bailey's Night's Angel. 3/5

Gimmile's Songs comes next. Dossouye is just starting out her self-imposed exile when she is accosted by two men. After her fight with the men she encounters a mysterious stranger who is not quite what he seems. I've read this tale somewhere before, but cannot remember where. 5/5

Shiminege's Mask is third. Dossouye encounters a people plagued by a monster that demands a new bride as appeasement every so often. The bride is chosen at random, until the arrival of Dossouye. 4/5

Yahimba's Choice is fourth. Dossouye encounters a people who mutilate their young women at their first blood to appease the strange otherworldly Tarusi. 4/5

Marwe's Forest is fifth. Dossouye wanders into a strange forest and finds a sort of peace. All good things come to an end though. 3/5

Obenga's Drum is the final story. Dossouye encounters the fabled Embiti, a diminutive tribe of people, attacking a mokele-mbembe. Things go awry and Dossouye's soul is thrown into limbo where she encounters the Tarusi again. The interesting thing about this story to me was the similarity of it to a certain Frank Frazetta painting. I broached this subject on FB with the pulp sword and sorcery group there and learned that the mokele-mbembe is a fabled monster of Africa and that in the '80's it seemed to gain attention. Dubbed the Lock Ness of the Congo. 4/5

Recommended! ...more

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