The Enchanted Castle

Shioni of Sheba #1

by Marc Secchia

A king bent on conquest.
A murderous warrior tribe.
And the slave-girl who dares to stand between them!

Shioni of Sheba: The Enchanted Castle is the first book in a unique African fantasy series set in the ancient Kingdom of Sheba and is written for middle grades/secondary school reading age.

"A cracking story which catches the imagination..." "I was enthralled, each character came alive off the page”

When Shioni, slave to the Princess of Sheba, travels to the legendary Simien Mountains of Ethiopia, she encounters adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Little does she imagine the powerful forces lurking in this jagged volcanic wilderness; forces that could tear the Kingdom of Sheba apart.

Kalcha, the Wasabi leader, has prepared a deadly trap, an evil sorcery rooted within the castle the King has chosen for his fortress. Kalcha is massing her warriors and her giant hyenas, intent on annihilating the Sheban forces.

As the Wasabi attack it is left to Shioni to show the way with courage and the conviction of her heart. Can she overcome the wrath of a lion, outwit the treacherous Captain Dabir, and defuse General Getu’s inexplicable hatred? With the help of her friends Mama Nomuula, Princess Annakiya, and the fiuri Azurelle, Shioni must uncover the hidden secrets of the Enchanted Castle before Kalcha destroys all she holds dear.

Experience the myth and magic of ancient Sheba in this truly African adventure. Includes original illustrations by the Ethiopian artist Senait.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, Action, Africa, Fiction, Ethiopia

196 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

About the author

Marc is a South African-born dragon masquerading as an author, who loves writing about dragons and Africa, preferably both at the same time. He's the author of over 40 fantasy books in 5 languages including 10 rip-roaring dragon fantasy bestsellers.

His latest releases are Khyrial and the King, an absorbing Fantasy Romance and the hilarious epic fantasy Call me Dragon which won gold in the 2021 IPPY Book Awards for best Fantasy novel.

When he's not writing about Africa or dragons Marc can be found travelling to remote locations. He thinks there's nothing better than standing on a mountaintop wondering what lies over the next horizon.

Reviews

[Kevis Hendrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I have fallen out of love with Middle Grade Fantasy Books. I’ve lost interest in the obligatory paint-by-numbers format which often involves the typical Coming-of-Age, Ancient Prophecy and The Chosen One storylines. No doubt those are the main attractions to this genre. But there’s something very wearisome about picking up a book and knowing exactly how it will turn out because you’ve read that story a thousand times already.

I was a bit apprehensive when I accepted the chance to read this book and would probably have passed on it if not for the unique African setting which is practically never used in a children’s fantasy book. Having now read this book from cover-to-cover, I am thankful that I didn’t make that mistake.

The Enchanted Castle, Book One of the Shioni of Sheba series, is a very magical and spellbinding tale. Every page is bursting with fun and excitement. The story moves quickly, but is richly narrated. I hadn’t heard of or previously encountered the legends that inspire this book. But it wasn’t hard to figure out that the story had roots in the folktales of the ancient peoples of sub-Saharan Africa. This authenticity lends not only credibility to the story, but helps to give it its richness.

I am impressed with the writing style of the author. The prose is very inviting and suitable for children and adults alike. Despite the exotic setting and ancient landscape, the characters feel very familiar. You can relate to the plight of Shioni, the young slave girl who is the central figure in this series. The supporting cast is equally delightful. You can’t help but feel for Shioni during her trials or cheer her on as she navigates her very complicated world of royal and military figures as well as fellow slaves who don’t miss an opportunity to make her life excruciatingly difficult. I especially liked that this story had a positive message for young people and believe Shioni is a character they can be proud to emulate.

This is an amazing book and one of the recent few that I know I’ll go back and read again. This book just narrowly missed a 5-star rating due to some editing issues. However, I am an instant fan of this book and will certainly seek out more books in the series. If they are half as good as this one, then I’m in for a treat. I highly recommend this book especially to older children, teachers, and adults who love a good and uplifting fantasy adventure.

4.5 Stars for an impressive and magical adventure that features a memorable cast of characters that readers will instantly fall in love with.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

[Nicolas Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personally, this book was a 4 for my tastes... But I think it's a great book for kids. I wanted a little more depth to the child leads- they felt less fleshed out and quirky, compared to the adults who surrounded them. But the events of the story were intriguing, and the cultural elements behind it were very different from the usual western fairytale tropes.

Elements to the setup reminded me a little of Wild Magic, by Tamora Pierce, one of my wife's favorites. Certainly, characters with an empathy for animals will enjoy it. I wish that the magic would have been delved into a little deeper though, or come with more of a struggle, and more solid roots.

It was well written and edited, and the illustrations definitely added something. It may not be a book you'd read on your own, but it's definitely a book you'll read with your child.

[Gerard Bianco · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Enchanted Castle (Shioni of Sheba)" is a fantasy/adventure for young adults. The story is captivating from get-go. The tale is told by a narrator. The protagonist’s name is Shioni, an eleven-year-old slave girl who is imbued with the magical power of being able to communicate with animals. But the magic doesn’t end there. The tale is laced with a witch, a fairy, black magic, a king, a princess, worriers, and a battle of good vs. evil.

The characters are well-fleshed out, although I was a bit irritated it took until Chapter 10 to find out that Shioni was only eleven years old. By then, I had formed the impression that she was around fifteen or sixteen. I had to readjust my picture of the protagonist fifty one pages into the story.

Shioni is goodness herself, and other characters the author introduces are charming as well - the princess, Mama Nomuula, and Azurelle. In good contrast are an evil witch, a mighty king, a spoiled prince, worriers, a tough general, and an evil captain.

The story itself holds enough twists and turns, and heart-pounding predicaments to make any lover of adventure stories truly happy. Mixed in are messages of good over evil, and the importance of striving to reach one’s full potential. My favorite example takes place when Shioni thinks ill of a character, then admonishes herself for doing so. “Should she not value another life as her own? Even the life of some non-human magical creature straight out of a storyteller’s story-chest? Shioni shook her head. What was she to judge? Even so. ‘What is in my power, what is given me, I’ll do,‘ she muttered quietly.”

The author’s attention to details lends realism to this tale, and he uses catchy turns-of-phrases at times to interject humor into the story. For example, “Generals clearly took lessons in snarling from lions.”

Although the story is captivating, and the author has the ability to tell a good story, the writing itself is in need of an editor.

One sources of annoyance is the ambiguity that pops up all too often. Example: “Shioni gnawed on a hunk of dense over-bread, thoughtfully. Mama, never one to be fooled, kept casting her glances even as she kneaded a mound of dough with her huge, expert hands. Finally she felt compelled to explain what she had sensed outside the lion’s cave and how it had bothered her ever since.” It’s only in the next sentence we learn it was Shioni who felt compelled, not Mama.
Another example: “Getu was stumping along up there, leading a posse of masons, engineers and warriors on a merry chase. Her lungs were on fire.” Getu is a man, a general in the army. In this instance, the author was referring to Shioni, but the reader doesn’t realize this until a sentence or two later.

There are misplaced modifiers, punctuation errors, and some sentences in need of tense correction. These writing drawbacks slow an experienced reader and move him outside of the story zone.

Yet, even with these writing glitches, "The Enchanted Castle (Shioni of Sheba)" is a fun story with interesting characters, plenty of action, and thematic significance that can be enjoyed by young and old alike.

Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.

[Eisah Eisah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review.
(This review will contain spoilers).

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this book. I'm not familiar with Ethiopia or the myths and lore from there.

I loved this story. It hit the ground running and kept going. There was never a chapter where I was wondering, "When will something happen?"

The characters are likable. I liked Shioni, Anni, Nomuula and General Getu. The characters all had their personalities and the side characters felt like people, too.

The plot was interesting and there was a lot of action. There were some parts where characters gave exposition, but by the time they did I cared enough about them to want to listen to them.

That's not to say everything was perfect.
The narrative does some things I wouldn't normally recommend, such as throwing around exclamation point, but it worked here. It might have been overused a bit, but I never felt annoyed by it.
The part where Zi wakes up felt a little abrupt as well.

But besides that I don't have much criticism to give. Even the animals were charming. I loved this image of a horse imagining herself after running away from the enemy:
"Star was not too tired to send her a boasting picture of a pony with wings swooping over the peaks and valleys."

I think it was a great adventure and fans of fantasy would love it.

[Shannon Haddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderful. I loved the characters, especially Shioni and Mama Nomuula. The only character I didn’t particularly care for was the villain who seemed a little too over-the-top. It had some of the best similes I’ve ever read, like “Fears like vultures began to encircle her courage.” and “eyes had fairly popped out of their heads, like a snail’s eyes on stalks.” And the illustrations were very nice.

It was not, however, perfect. The pacing was uneven, at times moving along at a nice clip and at others dragging, and that Shioni is mistreated and disliked by some is shown often enough that it got a bit annoying that it kept being told too. So maybe it should be more like 4.5 stars, but since that’s not possible, I’m still giving it five.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[James Cardona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! 5 stars!
The Enchanted Castle: Shioni of Sheba is the story of a young white girl named Shioni who has been sold into slavery to the king of West Sheba as an expensive play-thing and future protector for his motherless daughter. The novel takes place during West Sheba’s conquest of an adjacent kingdom and while the warriors of the kingdom are in full battle dress and clinking their swords, young Shioni attempts to keep her life simple and focused around her training, being entertaining to her princess, cleaning, doing slave-type duties and learning who she can and cannot trust. Yet she continually finds herself dragged into events of much grander scope, events that may determine the fate of the entire kingdom, events that may hold the lives of all the people around her, including her own.
One of the best aspects of this book is the concrete yet dramatic drawing of the gravity of Shioni’s situations. Here is one example. As a slave girl, Shioni’s movements and whereabouts are restricted so in order to do what she feels is vitally necessary she must continually break the rules and sneak out. This basically risks her life as she would be seen as a runaway slave if she were to be caught before she can sneak back in. I really liked that although what Shioni is doing is for the benefit of everyone she still has to pay the consequences for her disobedience. Too many middle school kid's books have main characters who flaunt the rules and everything turns out grand for them and I have always questioned that message. Here we have a character who certainly breaks rules but with dire consequences and she knows it and she has to answer for her actions.
The title might be a little misleading as one would think that “Enchanted Castle” would indicate that this is yet another one of those supernatural fantasy books -yawn.
Not so. Although the book certainly has a few magical-mystical elements, the main focus, and where the book shines, is in character interaction and development and, as I said above, the choices that the main character makes and their real-life consequences.
This book should be in every middle school library in the country. It is tight, well-written, well-edited, describes an accurate landscape and historical context and the characters are diverse and interesting. I truly enjoyed it. Bravo Zulu, Mr. Secchia.

[Safie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Enchanted Castle, by Marc Secchia (part 1 in the Shioni of Sheba series) is an exciting and original fantasy. The Enchanted Castle tells the story of Shioni, a young girl who is raised as the slave of Princess Annakiya, the young daughter of the King of West Sheba. The story begins when the king decides to move his household to Asmat Castle, a fortress in the foothills of the volcanic Simien Mountain range. Asmat means black magic, and Shioni quickly realizes that something is wrong. Using her own unique talents, she sets out to save her friends from the evil sorcery that threatens the castle. Shioni is an appealing and likeable protagonist, and she is surrounded by a cast of rich characters, most notably Mama Nomuula, the loving and protective head cook, General Getu, the gruff war veteran with the mysterious past, and Kalcha, the leader of a group of deadly mountain warriors know as the Wasabi.

The Enchanted Castle is beautifully told; Marc Secchia clearly has a talent for bringing this unfamiliar world to life on the page. The book is infused with the rich scents of its mythical setting, and it powerfully evokes its beautiful but sometimes deadly landscapes. Ethiopia's diverse wildlife is central to the plot, which features an array of creatures, both magical and real, each of which are given their own unique personality. In one enthralling chapter, Shioni has a dramatic and unexpected encounter with a lion, and a later standoff with a python is one of The Enchanted Castle's most exciting scenes.

The story also deals well with the issue of difference, a topic that can be very relevant to children in our diverse world. Shioni stands out among those around her because of her fair colouring, and in one quite moving passage, she reflects on whether her peers are being cruel when they refer to her as a “Ferengi.” I feel that I must note that for a self-published novel, this is remarkably well-edited. I am increasingly awed by the high quality of self-published works that are available, and this stands out among them. I received a review copy of The Enchanted Castle and have had the great pleasure of reading it with my two older children each evening. It will provide a very entertaining read for children of around 9 years and over.

[Scott McCloskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enchanted Castle is a 196-page work of historical fiction for younger readers. I was provided with a copy in return for an unbiased review, for which I have received no incentive. As is typical with my reviews, I have not included a synopsis (check the book's amazon/goodreads page for that information), but this review may include spoilers, so read at your own risk.

I can say that I appreciated the setting of this story. Knowing little about the historical background from which this tale draws its basis, I felt like I was being transported to an entirely fictional world, while at the same time experiencing a foundation in fact. The result was that I found myself often intrigued enough to look up facts I otherwise would have had no reason to review. I was unexpectantly surprised to find a fantasy story encouraging me to learn so many new things (the map was a nice plus, too).

As I'm often heard to say in my reviews, I must have believable characters. If I can't get into the cast, I can't care about their plight, and thus I can't form anything more than an obligatory interest to complete a book. Not the case here. Secchia does a commendable job of making his main characters dynamic, and drawing the reader into wanting to know what happens next. This is but the first book in a series, but certainly it's presented in such a way as to make me want to read the second. There could have perhaps been even more depth to the story and the people revolving around it, but taken in the context of a book for younger audiences, I think The Enchanted Castle does a fine job and is well worth the recommendation. I'd also like to provide a nod to the illustrator, Senait Worku, for keeping an excellent feel to the story as it progressed.

As for editing and formatting, I found the Enchanted Castle to be acceptable in comparison to any other similar work -- that is to say, frequency of erroneous or confusing tense, punctuation, etc were minimal enough to not be of notice or detriment. I may only be nitpicking here, but I found the uniform line spacing throughout somewhat difficult to follow. The existing spacing would be good for distinction between paragraphs, with perhaps a smaller spacing from normal line to normal line.

All in all, a worthwhile story!

[David Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful exotic adventure!

The Enchanted Castle is a cracking adventure for teens or young adults of any age in the exotic location of a fictional historical Ethiopia. Marc Secchia has created an outstanding heroine for this story and the series: Shioni is a young slave girl of foreign origin, a maidservant and bodyguard to Princess Annakiya.

West Sheba is a small kingdom within the land known as Abyssinia, and the historical period appears to be about the eighteenth century, perhaps earlier. The king orders a large expedition to reclaim the mountain fortress of Castle Asmat. Hostile mountain tribesmen represent a known danger, but witchcraft increasingly presents an insidious threat, the more so as so few are willing to believe in it.

Shioni is on the best of terms with her mistress the Princess, not to mention the delightful cook and house mother, Mama Nomuula, but the Prince, one of his captains and even the king's General seem to have it in for Shioni, perhaps simply because she is different. While everyone is dark skinned and has black hair, Shioni alone is pale and blonde. She looks like a witch, or a ghost, and when she begins to discover that she can hear things that others can't, that only adds to her troubles.

That this is a young adult book is reflected in the recklessly adventurous nature of Shioni, and also the Princess, and in the breath-holding way they manage to overcome dangers that one might have expected to overpower them. This is also the case in the way the actors are portrayed as 'bad' or 'good' – but let me make clear that this does not mean that the characters are flat. There is a good deal of depth to most of the characters, enough to satisfy many adult readers. Furthermore there is visible growth and development in key players, as events bring them to revise their assumptions and understanding of the world, and of one another.

The plot and pace are first-rate, and the writing is of a professional standard and easy to like. This is the first in a four-book series, but it can be read comfortably as a stand alone story. After reading this one I want to go out right away and get the next, and the next!

[Adrienne Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about the Enchanted Castle. It was amazingly written and I loved it so much. It's a fantasy for Middle Grade and think anyone out there that owns a child of 8-12 should get this. It's a story that plays off in Ethiopia. I've never been there myself and the love Marc has for his home shows in this story.

It follows a princess's slave girl called Shioni. Shioni doesn't have an easy life, but she has the gift to speak to animals. Which was done so beautiful. She has a big momma,(not really her momma, but she is in this story like her momma) called Momma Nomuula (sorry Marc if the name is spelled wrong, I seriously aren't good with fantasy names) who is also a slave, and the cook of the king's court. I love the way she talks. In the beginning I thought it was seriously bad grammar from the author but realized it's how Momma Nomuula spoke. It's to die for. Shioni has a gift to find herself in all sorts of trouble. First when she helped out the King Of Lions. Then she found herself in a grotto with a giant snake which almost cost her, her life, and had to go back to retrieve a bottle the giant snake guards, that trapped a little human butterfly. It's so cute. There is a wicked witch, who stole the human butterly's powers,that wants to take over the kingdom from the King, and that's where Shioni finds her in another big mess. Trying to help this little creature to get better. The peak of this novel is a huge battle, and it had a wonderful ending, all strings came together nicely and Marc really done a beautiful job with this. I won't be surprise if Marc is going to win some literary awards for this.

It was just an amazing read, filled with Ethiopia and all it's surroundings.
I truly recommend it to everyone that loves middle grade fantasy.

This will go on tomorrow on my blog, http://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com

[Staci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel angry because I wanted this to be awesome. So many promises

A novel for my 9-11 year old kids that involves magic, talking to animals and castles: CHECK
A novel actually set in Ethiopia with a mostly Ethiopian cast, complete with references to language, places, and cultural stuff that hits big points with my Ethiopian family: CHECK
A novel with THREE female main characters who problem solve, are brave and smart: CHECK

The writing was choppy, mediocre and I found myself working REALLY hard to read it out loud. Good books fly off my tongue. My kids were bored for several chapters and had to work hard to get into it. We all wanted this to be good. But I sometimes rephrased as I read, which is always a cumbersome reading experience. Chapters were disconnected, and the passage of time was hard to follow, the investment in the characters and the relevance of their relationships was not always believable nor explained enough to have us personally invested in them. And worst of all, the dialog for one of the servants in the castle "Mama Nomuula" in order to set her apart from all the other Ethiopians working as servants or slaves to the King of Sheba, she was given a dialect that badly mimicked the African American Vernacular English you might see in a novel set in slavery times in the US. This felt really off to me since every other servant and slave uses regular English which the reader understands to be not actually English.

I dunno, something about it felt off and I ended up changing her dialog as well, it just didn't work for me.

I am disappointed. My kiddos admitted that the story has merit, they wanted to like it, but the writing left a lot to be desired.

[Steve Justice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Enchanted Castle is the first in a series of books following the life of slave-girl Shioni in a mediaeval era setting based on the background of Ethiopian history.

Secchia's decision to build his world from the foundations of Ethiopian history is a good idea; it provides a fresh look at what ultimately is a well-trodden path.

Some of the descriptions are very good, and the writing is excellent. Secchia has a good command of creative language and some of his similes are truly original.

My reservations about this book mostly focus on plot and character. I felt the characters were a little underdeveloped, their motives confusing at times and their actions often contradictory. The plot was in no way bad, just a little unoriginal with the poor slave girl somehow saving the day.

Unexplained magic powers also feature but I have a feeling this is because while writing this book one eye was on the sequels that would follow, which I believe amount to four or five. Much may be clarified in the series but as a stand-alone book, too much just seemed to happen for the sake of advancing the plot without any exposition.

Nonetheless, despite any criticisms I have made, it is a book that held my interest to the end. The unique background and detailed descriptions are great and, while a little thin on the ground in characterisation, I'm sure there will be plenty of room for that in the sequels.

[William O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written and great concepts throughout - excellent!


The Enchanted Castle (Shioni of Sheba Book 1) by Marc Secchia

Hold on tight for a gripping journey!

A wonderful book spilling to the brim with magic and mystery, which will appeal to many readers of the genre.
Also, older readers will appreciate this super page-turning children's fantasy tale full of well developed and created characters.

To be pulled into Secchia's world is truly an enchanted pleasure to tease the senses in this spectacular novel.
Well-written and great concepts throughout - excellent!

A 5***** adventure for lovers of fantasy

[Jo-Anne Pfoh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, what an amazing read. Shioni the slave girl will tug at your heart and you will find yourself cheering for her at every turn.

The characters are vibrant and full of life, the scenery is intoxicating and the action is non-stop. A bit of magic and mayhem make every chapter jump out at you and I literally did not put the book down until it was done.

I cannot wait for book #2. If you don't like cliff hangers don't read an excerpt for book #2 at the end of #1 it is a nail biter!

[Lance Morcan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful fantasy


An enchanting read, this tale unfolds in a unique and very African setting – in the mythical Kingdom of Sheba in a bygone age. The rich and authentic narration enhances this delightful fantasy as we follow the exploits of courageous slave girl Shioni in an ancient, fantasy-filled and wondrous land.

The wonderful assortment of strange and often-endearing characters – and animals too – come alive on the page. Very well written…and guaranteed to please the young and young at heart. A worthy 5 stars!

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally do not read historical fantasy for middle schoolers but was intrigued because the story is set in Ethiopia. The plot seems far fetched (again- fantasy is not my interest) but it was interesting enough that I read the book in 2 days. It's a story of a 'ferengi' slave girl who is the body guard of the Princess of Sheba and what happens when they move into a castle covered by a witchcraft spell. There are many interesting events but it's a little to dark for me. If you enjoy action and fantasy - I think you would really enjoy this book.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastically rendered story with the weight of legend behind it! I loved the character of Shioni and empathized with her struggles and cheered her bravery. I've been fascinated with African legends for many years but now I'm eager to learn more about Ethiopia and very anxious to read the rest of Shioni's adventures! Each character in this book is living and breathing, the setting realistically drawn with all 5 senses, and the suspense and danger is enough to stop your breath and make your heart beat faster without being too scary for younger readers. Bravo, Mr. Secchia!

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I won this book through Goodreads Giweaways ~ thank you! ***

First of all I must say that I was very impressed by how beautifully packed the book arrived, it really looked like a present! ;)

The story itself is original and with nice plot twists. I really liked the main characters and found it easy to immerse myself in their world. Overall an enchanting read, and not only for children! :)

[H.L. Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling and Exotic

I really appreciated having a fantasy set in an authentic and different world. The book has s young, capable heroine and begs you to keep reading. Some violence and peril, while handled tactfully, probably make this a 12+ read, also because of some hard to stomach bullying scenes that while compelling might be difficult for younger, sensitive readers.

[S.M. Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely, positively loved this story. I don't think there is even one negative comment I could make. If you loved Narnia, and The Shire, and Hogwarts, and King Arthur (as I did) then I believe you will enjoy this book. Secchia's writing was flawless, and the characters nearly jumped off the page and into my lap. Five stars seems hardly enough.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really interesting, intelligent book. My daughter very much enjoyed it. I recommend it for kids aged 10 or over.

[Nora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor writing. Did not finish. Not sure if it is fair but really not readable for me.

[Celesta Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Excellent middle grade fantasy. Believable, likeable characters and an interesting, original plot.

[Marc Secchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a great deal of fun writing The Enchanted Castle and bringing the characters to life. As an African myself (I grew up in South Africa) it gives me great pleasure to be writing about Africa. There is certainly too little known about African history, too little African fiction, especially about Ethiopia, and even less African fantasy.

The Shioni of Sheba series is historical fiction, set around the 2nd century BC in ancient Ethiopia. In a minor twist to real history I have defeated the Kingdom of Axum and replaced it with a Kingdom of West Sheba, set further to the south of Axum in the amazing Simien Mountains of Ethiopia. There are fantasy elements consistent with local traditions, for example, the possibility of dragons living in the mountains is sourced from Ethiopian legends of St George and the Dragon, while black magic (asmat) is an Amharic word.

Ethiopian legend (the Kebre Negast) holds that the Queen of Sheba who famously visited King Solomon (see 2 Chronicles 9) had a son by him, the first of the Ethiopian Emperors. See Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheba) for more details. Most archaeological evidence appears to support the Kingdom of Sheba being located in southern Arabia. Princess Annakiya in our story traces her royal lineage from the House of Solomon.

Shioni, a foreign slave to originally purchased as an amusement or toy for Princess Annakiya, is an import to deliberately setup the ferengi/habesha (foreigner/local) cultural differentiation which is experienced in Ethiopia even today. Few Westerners will walk the streets of Ethiopia without hearing 'ferengi! ferengi' being called at them - sometimes out of curiosity, sometimes maliciously. As an Amharic speaker I sometimes choose to respond, and that's an opportunity for both amusement and embarrassment. I wanted to highlight this as a very real, and modern, issue which impacts foreigners working in Ethiopia today, Ethiopians living abroad (the diaspora) and particularly, adoptive families who may wonder where, if at all, their adopted children will be accepted - neither in their original culture where they're expected to act as habesha (local) children do, or abroad, where they are often also treated as different.

I hope that you, the reader, will enjoy both the story and the backdrop of Ethiopia itself, with its unique history, rich plant and animal life, great natural beauty, and diverse cultural heritage.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recieved this book for free from the author through Goodreads First reads.


This book was pretty good. It was a page turner yet not so complicated that I couldn't read it while on holiday. It seemed to me like there were missing chunks of time between chapters with no real explanation as to what happened to the main character during that time. I would recommend this to the teenage reader as its written more for that age group.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical fantasy for middle grade readers set in Ethiopia. That's enough to get my interest, though the fantasy angle isn't my favorite. The story of a 'ferengi' slave girl who makes friends with the Princess of Sheba is engaging, and then she starts talking to animals while an invading horde lies in wait. Lots of interesting elements are introduced here, though it's the first in a series so many of them don't get played out just yet.

[Ruby McDemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved listening to this. Nik Magill did a wonderful job especially with his different voices. I loved and envied Shioni getting to talk with animals (I mean who doesn't wish at some point in their life to talk to animals). I loved the adventure and everything else about this story. There were some surprises that I wasn't expecting, but that's what makes this a great story.