Imaro

By Charles R. Saunders

Book Overview

Imaro is a rousing adventure... a tale of a young man's continuing struggle to gain acceptance amongst his people, and to break the cycle of alienation and violence that plagues his life.

Imaro is heroic fantasy like it's never been done before. Based on Africa, and African traditions and legends, Charles Saunders has created Nyumbani (which means "home" in Swahili), an amalgam of the real, the semi-real, and the unreal. Imaro is the name of the larger-than-life warrior, an outcast, who travels across Nyumbani, searching for a home.

Like his contemporaries, Karl Edward Wagner (Kane) and Michael Moorcock (Elric), Charles Saunders brings something new to the traditional heroic fantasy tale. A broad knowledge of, and passion for, the history and myths of Africa led to the creation of a heroic fantasy character the likes of which the world has never seen. Imaro is no Tarzan... no Conan... Imaro is a warrior out of African legend.

Saunders' novel fuses the narrative style of fantasy fiction with a pre-colonial, alternate Africa. Inspired by and directly addresses the alienation of growing up an African American fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy, which to this day remains a very ethnically homogonous genre. It addresses this both structurally (via its unique setting) and thematically (via its alienated, tribeless hero-protagonist). The tribal tensions and histories presented in this fantasy novel reflect actual African tribal histories and tensions, and provide a unique perspective to current and recent conflicts in Africa, particularly the Rwandan genocide and the ongoing conflict in The Sudan.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1597800368
• ISBN13: 9781597800365
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Night Shade Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.2" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Grand Entertainment

Imaro by Charles Saunders fills a big hole in the world of Fantasy. In Imaro Saunders brings to life a true, archetypal African hero. This could quite possibly be the first of its kind in western literature and it is long overdue. Imaro is an outcast, born to a mother cut loose from her tribe. She returns her young son to his tribe for warrior training. Though the boy is mistreated he grows to be the greatest warrior in a tribe filled with great warriors. He is treachorously cast out again from his people and Imaro faces lions, crocodiles, magic and madness in his wandering quest. The novel is basically a series of short stories (put together in true Bob Howard fashion), but Saunders does a splendid job of weaving the stories seamlessly together. Though violent, this is an important book. Modern fantasy is seriously void of archetypal black characters that are strong, moral and have real love interests. Imaro is the inner warrior that has been written about by countless authors: Tarzan, Doc Savage, Conan, etc. However, this character is African. A man that young black males can see looks like them. Averall Imaro is an entertaining read and must for anyone interested in larger-than-life fantasy.

An African Hero

I have been fascinated by Africa since a child. I watched every movie and documentary I could and read what few fictional books there were as well as the non-fiction. For the longest time I never really minded that there were no black heroes in these as I was transposing myself there anyway. However as I grew older I felt that lack finally. I had a good appreciation at this point for African culture and wanted to be inside looking out in my stories. Then Imaro appeared. Now I had my African hero to follow, and best of all it was in my favorite fictional genre! Also Mr. Saunders was will to show Africa in all her glory: with the proud Ilyassi, heroic warriors and grand landscapes. And with all her warts as well: tribal warfare, genocide, slavery. All that went on in Africa in her past and sadly going on today but it never detracts from that glory and richness. Imaro himself is a hero that can be both noble and cruel (as need calls), much like his home continent, and just as indomitable. In Imaro Saunders has also a "living" symbol of his ancestoral homeland that is also above so much that makes it a land of todays suffering: A man with no tribe, thus all of Nyumbani is home. If only... I don't know if Saunders meant such to happen. He says he simply wanted a fantasy placed in a fiction representative of his ancestoral homeland, with a uniquely African hero, but it's how its turned out for me. Beside being a great sword and sorcery tale, "Imaro" is a window into what could be if only more tried their hand at other such non-Western heroes. Franky I'd like some decent versions of such these days!

Excellent Book!

The original novel published in 1984 has been updated with two new chapters, and tons more characterization and content. The novel is set in a fantasy version of Africa called Nyumbani, and our hero the warrior Imaro struggles to come of age despite the all-seeing dark powers arrayed against him.

I loved this Book!

I read it about ten years ago , so i'm a little fuzzy on the plot , I do remeber it being a great rite of passage story as the young Imaro progressed into manhood battling dark and evil magics, and a race of African Giants. At one point he is enslaved by the giants. The best stuff to compare the Imaro books to is Robert E. Howard's Conan series. Imaro is unabashedly a Black Conan with a flavor and vitality all his own in a richly described setting. It's too bad that the books were never reprinted because they are extremely good and deserve to be available to a wider audience.