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FOREVER DESERT #1


THE LIES OF THE AJUNGO


MOSES OSE UTOMI

4.34
119 ratings70 reviews
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Moses Ose Utomi's debut novella, The Lies of the Ajungo, follows one boy’s epic
quest to bring water back to his city and save his mother’s life. Prepare to
enter the Forever Desert.

A Library Journal Best Book of the Month!

They say there is no water in the City of Lies. They say there are no heroes in
the City of Lies. They say there are no friends beyond the City of Lies. But
would you believe what they say in the City of Lies?

In the City of Lies, they cut out your tongue when you turn thirteen, to appease
the terrifying Ajungo Empire and make sure it continues sending water. Tutu will
be thirteen in three days, but his parched mother won’t last that long. So Tutu
goes to his oba and makes a deal: she provides water for his mother, and in
exchange he will travel out into the desert and bring back water for the city.
Thus begins Tutu’s quest for the salvation of his mother, his city, and himself.

The Lies of the Ajungo opens the curtains on a tremendous world, and begins the
epic fable of the Forever Desert. With every word, Moses Ose Utomi weaves magic.
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GenresFantasyNovellaAdultFictionScience FictionHigh FantasyScience Fiction
Fantasy

...more

96 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 21, 2023

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MOSES OSE UTOMI

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4.34
119 ratings70 reviews
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CC
66 reviews32 followers
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November 23, 2022
This is not the type of story I usually enjoy, and I was surprised by how much I
liked it.

To borrow the author’s own words, The Lies of the Ajungo is an “intersection
between fable and fantasy”, and I agree with that statement a hundred percent.
Don’t let the blurb fool you—this is not an epic action-adventure of a boy going
on a journey, learning to wield magic and tame dragons in order to defeat
ultimate evil. Sure, there is plenty of action and adventure, but at the heart
of this story lies a very different message: what is it like to look at the
world you grew up to know and realize nothing is what it seems? How do you tell
truths from lies, friends from foes? And what price would you pay for that
revelation?

I don’t usually like books that are too heavy-handed with symbolism, as I loathe
having profound epiphanies shoved in my face. But this book didn’t come off that
way to me, possibly thanks to the fable style and short length. It felt more
like reading a classic Grimm’s fairytale, where each character is clearly
supposed to represent certain facets of humanity, and the reframes of events
make the main conflict and theme quite obvious from early on. It was easy to
suspend my disbelief and judgment of this world and just go with the flow,
letting the simple tale bring out its point. But that’s not to say that the
characters and plot were lacking either. The main protagonist Tutu, for example,
is brave but not headstrong, inexperienced yet smart and openminded, a rare
charm that made it easy to root for him throughout the story.

So if you’re in for something different, something that combines an
old-fashioned narrative with a modern take on character development and cultural
depth, give this book a try. You might just be as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Many thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for providing me with an arc
giveaway.
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arc fantasy giveaways

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Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)
1,997 reviews2,743 followers
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February 16, 2023
3.0 Stars
This is a very short fantasy novella that would have been a touch longer. I
liked the premise, but felt that it was not fully fleshed out in such a short
number of pages. I wanted more time to flesh out the worldbuilding.

This story read more like a fable than a traditional epic fantasy. The
characters felt more like archetypes than actual people. I think this was done
on purpose. This was a story with a lot of potential, but overall this was an
unsatisfyingly reading experience.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
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2023-books fantasy


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Lukasz
1,245 reviews198 followers
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November 13, 2022
4.5/5

The Lies of Ayungo opens with an excellent, memorable line: "There is no water
in the City of Lies". I expect most reviews of the novella will start with it,
and that’s ok. It’s that good :) I devoured the story in one sitting, and I’m
impressed. Before I go into detail, a warning: not everyone will like it. It’s a
bleak, disturbing story that comes with multiple content warnings. Even though
most violence appears off-screen, the mentions of child mutilation might make
readers uncomfortable.

The City of Lies has no water, so it’s made a deal with the Ayungo Empire, which
sends water in exchange for the tongues of boys. The protagonist of the story,
Tutu, will soon have his tongue cut off. Sadly, his parched mother may not live
long enough. Tutu makes a deal with his Oba: the city saves his mother, and he
will go to the desert and bring back water for the city.

The desert challenges Tutu’s ingrained beliefs and worldview. It teaches him
that life is full of lies, both superficial and profound. Along the way, he
encounters other characters destroyed by Ayungo, who took advantage of people’s
desperation, offered them a broken deal, and then called them liars. Each
encounter reveals a different facet of the cruel world and its atrocities. I
won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil everything for you.

The story's pacing is excellent, almost feverish, which leads to my only
criticism. Tutu’s mental and physical development feels rushed (to say the
least), especially considering how young he actually is. Some readers may find
this problematic, but hey, it’s a fantasy world. The tone is bleak and gutting -
the more we learn about the various lies, the more horrific the reality seems.

The Lies of Ayungo reads like a mix of gritty fable and dark fantasy, interested
in power struggles and the way powerful people deceive the unprivileged and keep
them obedient.

I loved the story and the world. Brutally destructive magic thrilled me. The
Lies of Ayungo is an excellent novella that packs a lot in just 96 pages. Highly
recommended.

ARC through NetGalley

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2022 african netgalley


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abooknomad
207 reviews46 followers
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February 22, 2023
The Lies of the Ajungo is a hell of a debut novella.

With a folk tale feel and brilliant storytelling and thematic approach, this
under-100-page novella delivers a powerful and lasting message in a way that
only fairy tales can: in the most enchanting of ways. I'm using the term "fairy
tale" loosely here as this story veered away from the optimism and cosy vibes
that are often associated with those and it got dark.

The Lies of the Ajungo is a story about a boy whose city is doomed to never have
water again and whose people are forever destined to cut out their tongues in
exchange for the slightest amount of water sent by a neighbouring empire, the
Ajungo. It's a fantastical tale that explores many themes, from family and
friendship to the abuse of power and oppression.

The magic could have been explored more in-depth, but in just under 100 pages
this novella packs an emotional punch and takes the reader on a journey through
the desert and the highs and lows of survival.

Cannot recommend it more if you need something short, but with strong
worldbuilding.


ARC provided by Tordotcom, and the NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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arc-netgalley fantasy short-fiction


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Jennybeast
3,386 reviews12 followers
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August 4, 2022
It's a cross between a fable and a post-apocalyptic wasteland, with a
significant African point of view, and that makes for a strong story that's hard
to put down. It's short. There are things about it that I found predictable (as
fables often are) and there was much that was fresh and new and harsh and
beautiful. I liked the strong message to oppressors. I think it's a huge story
in a small package and Moses Utomi is an author to watch.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss
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adult-book-teen-interest dystopian scifan

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Amanda at Bookish Brews
266 reviews158 followers
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February 25, 2023
The Lies of the Ajungo is a stunning story about the damage that can be done
when we pit people against each other. It's a brilliant exploration of how much
stronger we are together and how it benefits the privileged for us to be
eternally separate all wrapped up in not quite a fable, not quite a fantasy.

This story packs a huge punch in the small length and is sure to stick with you
for a long time. It's a story of survival, strength, and finding each other
again.

Never forget how much stronger we are when we don't let them turn us against
each other.

Bookish Brews | Ko-Fi | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
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rina
196 reviews24 followers
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February 4, 2023
I wasn’t aware this was a planned series before starting. This was a quick read
with a good cast of characters, though I was left with a lot of questions still.
It could have been a little bit longer to provide more details to the story but
maybe it’ll be expanded further in future books.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the arc!

arcs reviewed


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Dasha | The Mad Bird Diaries
51 reviews4 followers
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December 11, 2022
I'm really grateful to Netgalley, the author of the story - Moses Ose Utomi, and
the publisher for providing me with this free advanced reading copy in exchange
for the honest review.

It was an unusual and interesting experience for me. The Lies of Ajungo by Moses
Ose Utomi is more a fable than a fantasy adventure. It follows our main
character Tutu on his quest of finding water for his city and saving his mother.
But it's not a fun adventurous story though we had some adventures and a lot of
action in it. But it has more symbolism and metaphoric moments than anything
else. Nothing as it seems. This novella has an interesting contrast between its
rather naive tone(because of a young and inexperienced main character) and a
rather brutal story. I was really surprised by it, by for me it works great.
This is a story about growing up and understanding the world as it is without
childish delusions and belief in right and good, and ultimate justice and
truthfulness of the world. It's interesting that the writing felt for me both
fresh and traditional. Fresh because I haven't read such stories for ages and
traditional because it reminded me about the times I read fables and legends.
The character work was appropriate for the genre. Nothing too deep, but with the
right depth to play the role and to show the meanings of the story - it reminded
me of old myths as well.

I'm a little bit afraid for the marketing of this novella - it's really
important to show what it is to readers before they start this book. The ones
who expect an epic and light adventure could be left disappointed even though it
isn't the book's fault.

I hope it will work out well because I'm always here for something new and
unusual in the genre, the mix of genres, and using absolutely different settings
and storytelling techniques. It really helps to develop the fantasy genre and
make it bigger and more apealing to more and more readers every year.
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Christine Reads
280 reviews18 followers
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December 14, 2022
This was a short story written to show was those who never question what’s
around them are doomed to suffer the same. A play on the Hear no evil, see no
evil, speak no evil, this tale follow a young boy named Tutu who travels out
into the desert to save his mama and home.

Adding to this, that scene with the spear and hand was so good I’m still
thinking about it the next day!


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Caitlin Theroux
Author 2 books22 followers
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September 23, 2022
brb picking my broken heart up off the floor

RTC

***

Pretty sure I had dreams about this last night. Thank you a million to Edelweiss
for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How do you even start to review something that catches you 100% off guard? I'm
well acquainted with fantasy as it is, but every so often you get something
that's so original that the entire floor is swept out from under you. THE LIES
OF THE AJUNGO isn't even 100 pages for Pete's sake, doesn't come out until next
spring, and I'm over here wondering when I can squeeze another pre-order into my
budget.

I'm not even sure how much to say because I want people to go in as blind as I
did! Fantasy? Check. Desert? Check. Promise of future adventures and more world
to see? Absolutely check. I guess I'll fall back on the old tried-and-true
four-point system.

Worlbuilding
So fascinating. Deserts and desolate landscapes have always been dear to my
seaside East-coast heart. The ecology and worldbuilding is what made me fall in
love with DUNE, and it's something that stands out just as much in AJUNGO. I
think people unfamiliar with deserts often equate the word "desolate" with
"barren," and that's just not true. Moses Ose Utomi throws in fauna and flora
that make real-world deserts as vibrant as they actually are. But the scope of
the desert--and the isolation of our MC Tutu's people--serve to make the desert
feel like it's the whole world. We got to experience alongside Tutu the feeling
of having the entire globe roll out before you, having a map broken open inside
your brain and the world just expand into an entire place that has potential.
That was an incredible sensation.

The Characters
Say it with me: quality over quantity. Every character we got to meet was
distinct and unique. They had their own voices, mannerisms, and personalities. I
know we're getting a second installment with the Forever Desert, but I wanted
this book to go on and on and on. It was only 96 pages, but it felt like an
entire saga had played out. My little heart ached to see the acknowledgements
come around.

The Plot
Simple, but effective. We leave the book feeling as though an arc has wrapped
up, but that there's definitely more going on that we can't see or understand
yet. I'm cool with that. I don't care if I don't get everything the first time
around. I'll keep reading to find out. Utomi absolutely does not spoon-feed the
reader, and I loved that. He's like a black Brandon Sanderson. I've bought my
ticket to the Utomi train, and I'll fight anyone who tries to scalp it from me.

The Prose
Again, simple but effective. It's not so sparse as to be obnoxious, and it's not
so flowery that I feel like I'm being talked down to. There's utility when we
need to see what's going on, and there's poetry when reflection is the name of
the game. I have a hard time believing that this is a debut, but it's the truth.

Listen, if you've made it this far, cool. But what are you even doing? Go
pre-order THE LIES OF THE AJUNGO and do yourself a massive favor.
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2022-reads arc black-voices

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Wafflepirates
223 reviews5 followers
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November 4, 2022
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in
exchange for an honest review*

This one is an easy five stars. An engaging, perfectly paced novella that's part
dystopia, part legend in the making, this book was on I couldn't put down and
find myself still thinking about, long after I finished it. Tutu lives in the
City of Lies, a town that has no water. They have a deal with the shadowy Ajungo
Empire, who provides a meager amount of water as long as all people living in
the city agree to cutting out their tongues when they turn thirteen. Tutu is
days from turning 13 when he realizes his mother won't last long, and decides to
go on a dangerous quest outside the city to find water. Out in the world, Tutu
learns that things are not as they seem as he finds allies from other cities
that have similar stories. The reveal is heartbreakingly simple in its
revelation, and the characters' fight for change to save their cities is a
struggle that at times seems impossible. I wouldn't say there was a happy
ending, but it is one with a spark of hope. The final scenes are strong and
impactful, and how things end for the characters is surprising, but also not
something that comes out of nowhere. I sincerely hope we get more of this
series, i'll read anything the author is willing to share about this world they
have created.
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Nicole
283 reviews43 followers
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December 18, 2022
This slim novella reads like a classic fairy tale, but the content is all new.
As harsh as its desert setting, and just as beautiful, I wanted this book to
keep going for several hundred more pages even though I know it is absolutely
perfect at the length it is.

arcs blurbs-and-opinions grownup-swords-and-lasers

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Kat
113 reviews6 followers
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August 12, 2022
Thanks to Eidelweiss+ for the e-arc of this compelling debut novella!

I could not put this novella down, and read it in one sitting, which is saying a
lot given how little I have been able to focus on reading lately.

The world was so vivid I could taste it, feel the same heat and thirst as our
protagonist. The writing style evoked a fable-like quality that perfectly suited
the overall plot.

While I doubt Utomi will return to this exact setting, I am eager to see
whatever he puts out next, and will be recommending this title to the selectors
in the adult fiction collections team.
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fantasy


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Jason Kane
6 reviews
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October 19, 2022
I was lucky enough to pick this novella up at New York comic con. At first when
it was handed to me I had to double check it wasn’t just a sampler, when I saw
it was a novella I was pleasantly surprised, thinking I can read this in one
sitting.
So tonight instead of watching another episode of Bad Sisters I turned the tv
off and picked up this beautiful novella with the most amazing cover art. The
opening sentence THERE IS NO WATER in the City of Lies, draws you in and from
then on you will not put this book down until you follow Tutu to his journeys
end. Can’t wait to read the authors next novel.
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Saba
143 reviews49 followers
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January 7, 2023
From the perspective of a third culture kid, this story is one that feels
personal and relatable. All children of immigrants from formerly colonized lands
will tell you stories of displacement and deception. So this story and other
like it are small triumphs.
Overall, though, I feel the story could’ve been told better. There is a lot of
exposition which isn’t really my taste. 3-stars for me - because I loved the
overall concept of the story and the originality.


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Leah (Jane Speare)
1,330 reviews420 followers
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August 2, 2022
What an amazing new voice to sci-fi-fantasy. This story is about childhood lies,
growing up, and realizing knowledge is a necessary strength in any world you
inhabit. The almost cautionary tale is timeless, and left me parched for more.
The pacing is perfect and tight, and packs in a lot for such a small volume - as
if every word is rationed. Perfect for fans of Binti, and a great YA crossover.

next-in-current-series


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Imogene
815 reviews18 followers
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August 31, 2022
A stunning brutal and haunting fable of a debut by a Nigerian-American author
coming soon from TorDotCom

Power, truth, lies, and what it really means to See.

If Utomi can do this in such a compact novella, watch out for when they let all
the way loose!

bittersweet conspiracy-theories dark

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bookme4life
507 reviews
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July 26, 2022
This was very well executed and a satisfying novella! It would also make a cool
movie. Looking forward to sharing this book when it's released.

#ARC

2020-2022 fantasy novella

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Hannah Cruz
1 review2 followers
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August 11, 2022
A captivating adventure that unfolds in the most captivating way. I devoured it
and can’t wait to read more.


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Marmar
89 reviews6 followers
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January 11, 2023
The Lies of the Ajungo is a short but devastating story about a boy and his
quest for water. I was originally drawn to it by the cover (which is gorgeous
wow) but it was the synopsis that fully ensnared me. I saw the author said he
pitched his story to someone by saying it’s “Attack on Titan in North Africa
vibez” and I can’t believe I didn’t see it! But as someone who has read Attack
on Titan, despite the inspiration being clear (in hindsight) this story sits
apart. The theme’s are similar but this story goes another way, and dare I say
it, I loved this more than AoT.

The story is short. Less than 100 pages. The time in the story lasts half a year
but it doesn’t feel like it to the reader of course but it never becomes an
issue. The pacing never fails. There’s action, there’s character building and
connection, there’s a mystery, and there’s poetry. Not actual poetry but the
story’s themes felt like poetry to me; gutting, satisfying, and bittersweet.

It’s a big challenge to set up an entire world in less than 100 pages and still
have space for plot and character but Moses Ose Utomi juggles it all expertly. I
never felt lost, never felt like I didn’t feel or connect with the characters,
and it never felt bogged down. When you don’t have enough space, it might feel
tempting to infodump but the way the exposition was handled in this story
seamlessly fit into the tone and style of the writing. Utomi mentions that his
story sits at an “intersection between fable and fantasy” and yes it does and
it’s why his exposition works so well. It reads like a fable and so when you are
getting information about the world, it works itself into the style of the
story.

The pov character, Tutu (who I loved) comes from a small and distant part of a
city and is a child. He is yet ignorant of the world and so is the perfect
character to have things be explained to (and by extension, us). Because he’s a
child with a limited understanding and view, it makes sense that the world most
of the time feels limited. We only truly see 3 places: his home, the palace, and
the desert. So it does feel like the world is small but it makes sense? One
place in a desert is not so different from another place in a desert. I could
say that as a child, the world beyond his home should feel vast and scary but
that feels nitpicky because it’s not really that important.

What’s important is the characters themselves. I felt for Tutu. I cried when he
cried. I felt his fear and hopelessness. It’s a testament of skill that Utomi
was able to connect us to the characters in such a short amount of time. I cried
like twice while reading this book! The atmosphere and tone were so engrossing,
I was absolutely absorbed into the story.

Speaking of atmosphere, the antagonists of the story were amazing (I’m running
out of synonyms for amazing and incredible but if you can think of anymore just
know that it would apply to this book). We are given just enough information
(little, as little as Tutu and basically everyone else knows) to let our
imaginations fill in the rest, and the little we are given is that the Ajungo
are cruel, ruthless, powerful, and greedy. Our imaginations will always fill in
with morbid ideas of why and what and how. It made it so that every time we came
across someone there’s the immense feeling of fear and dread that it’s the
Ajungo.

There’s an entire world carefully laid out in less than 100 pages and I will not
go into detail about any of it other than the praises for the incredible job
Moses Ose Utomi has done and thank him for sharing his story with the world. I
think everyone should go into it blind, don’t do anything but go straight into
reading. You will be transported into a new world for a few hours and you will
come back changed. Some of us will see the themes of the story and the answers
coming and it’s a bitter feeling being proven right. But it’s an important story
because of what it stands for and what it is saying. I wish I could say more but
it would spoil everything and everyone needs to experience it fresh like I did.

thank you netgalley and tor for the arc.
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Jennifer
339 reviews10 followers
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October 24, 2022
There is no water in the City of Lies.

Many, many years of drought have plagued the city, and the people have been
beholden to the Ajungo Empire for the meager reserves of water they do receive
-- for a very steep price. After many attempts over the years by other children
to leave the city and seek out water, never to return, 13-year-oldTutu has a
heartbreaking decision to make: stay in the city, make his sacrifice, and watch
his mother die of blood drought -- or leave the city to find water that might
save her.

This powerful new myth, wrapped in a deceptively simple novella, offers a tale
of one young man's determination to help his people, uncover the truth, and
stand up to the oppressors. Tutu believes in his mother's advice that only
learning will free them, and he embarks on his quest like a hero of old, facing
multiple challenges and learning to treat kindly with strangers. Only by
listening to others and helping them meet their needs does Tutu find the way
forward for his own people.

And while the novella reads like a story told by a griot around a campfire, or a
cautionary fairy tale, it also holds a deeper message for the reader. The
dystopian world of the story offers a glimpse of our own future, marred by
catastrophic climate change and the polarization of society, and it shows that
we need to look beneath the lies we are told in order to save our communities --
and that we need the clear-sightedness of our youth to show us the way.

Absolutely unputdownable. 5 stars, and I look forward to what Moses Ose Utomi
writes next.

Read this if you love: an unlikely and unassuming hero, quests to save the
community, exploring fantasy worlds with a North African vibe, political
intrigue, power to the people

Thank you, Tor.com and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions
expressed here are solely my own.
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environment fantasy mythology

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Jamilla
329 reviews28 followers
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December 25, 2022
The Lies of the Ajungo
By Moses Ose Utomi
A Review by Jamilla (@LandsAwayBooks)

There’s no water in the City of Lies.
There are no heroes in the City of Lies.
There are no friends beyond the City of Lies.

But who would believe in anything they say in a city named such?

Tutu, our protagonist believes.

These are things he can see with his own two eyes.

In the City of Lies, where it never rains, and nothing, not even cacti grow. Of
course, there’s no water, bodies collapse in the streets as people die of blood
drought.

What leader could watch on as this horror unfolds and do nothing?

In the City of Lies, children who reach the age of thirteen have their tongues
“cut away by hot blades”. But before that age, a few brave and hopeless or
hopeful children can take up the noble quest put forth by their leader,
centuries past: enter the forever forest, search for allies or water— which ever
you find first.

None of these children have returned.

As desperate circumstances forces Tutu to seek death or glory in the search for
water, he finds so much more in the stark expanse of the forever desert.

Friends. Foes. And the truth behind the lies of the Ajungo.

This is a stunningly written story set in an intriguing world I’m eager to see
explored in the other books in this series!

Utomi crafts a compelling protagonist, you’re rooting for him to succeed, and
praying that he can save his mother, all the whole captivated by his growth and
strength !

There’s also kick ass fight scenes, gore and strange creatures in the sand.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this eARC in
exchange for a fair review.
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2022-reads atmospheric fable


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Lucia Guaraglia
106 reviews5 followers
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January 11, 2023
3.5
Me gusto todo lo relacionado a la ciudad de las mentiras. El plot twist no lo
habia esperado, eso me gusto bastante.
No logre encariñarme con las 3 primas pero fuera de eso es una linda historia.
Probablemente cuando lea el segundo libro lo lea tambien y ahi creo q voy a
tener una opinión más armada porque no se q más decir porque lo lei muy rapido
al ser corto


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Nkechi (City Girl Writer)
37 reviews
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February 21, 2023
4.25 stars

This was pretty good for a debut novella. It is the shortest novella I have ever
read and wanted to say a lot in so little time. The world was fascinating and
unique. The overall message is somehow subtle and on-the-nose at the same time.
I am not sure how to explain it. Glad to see that this is a series, so I shall
be following along.

CWs: death, murder, violence, gore, death of parent (off-page and briefly
mentioned)

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC from a sweepstakes! Out March 21st, 2023!
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Amber Herbert
Author 2 books12 followers
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December 5, 2022
The Lies of the Ajungo is a heart-wrenching tale of survival, truth, and
politics. While short, it packs a punch with its vivid imagery, tight plot, and
intriguing character arcs.

If you enjoy stories set in the African desert, magical realism, or survival
plot lines, I recommend giving this a read when it comes out in March 2023.

*Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC.*
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advancedreadercopies authors-of-color fantasy

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Librariann
1,428 reviews44 followers
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December 15, 2022
**I received an DRC from the publisher because I am a librarian and librarians
are awesome**

I think I love novellas. They are just perfect for my attention span right now,
and a good one - a really good one - in the sci fi genre is better in some ways
than a novel for me.

This was spare and interesting Afrofuturism that ALMOST felt like it should have
been a novel. The scope was grand enough, and there were characters that we
didn't really get to spend enough time with (the Blind Man, in particular). The
concept of Seers was well done but also felt magically rushed when it came to
Tutu's evolution. It's not that I wanted a full novel so much as maybe an extra
10k words.

But as a fable on the hidden power of the ruling class and how they wield that
power for deception and oppression? Ooof.
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2022 adult arc

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Daniel Holland
110 reviews
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December 30, 2022
"There is no water in the City of Lies.
There are no heroes in the City of Lies.
There are no friends beyond the city of lies."

That's just so damn good for an introduction. I saw the blurb for "The Lies of
the Ajungo" and had to read it. Looking forward to more stories by Moses Ose
Utomi.

In the City of Lies there is no water, except what they are given by the Ajungo
Empire. But in exchange they cut the tongues from everyone at the age of 13.
Tutu is nearly 13, but his mother is dying of thirst, so he makes a deal with
the Oba to go find water. Many have tried, none have returned.

Thank you Macmillan/Tor and Netgalley for the ARC. It is out March 21, 2023!

Reasons to read:
-THAT moment
-The pacing of the story and when we get context for some of the concepts or
backgrounds is spot on
-Seeing, it just makes sense
-People met along the way
-Leaving home gives you clarity about where you were
-Justified actions

Cons:
-Wouldn't have minded more pages, but I'm greedy, and I understand that would
have messed with the flow.
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Kate Hyde
132 reviews1 follower
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October 18, 2022
3.5
A tasty fable that packs a punch at the end.
I wasn't quite sure where the author was going with the story to begin with, it
felt like a YA hero going to seek his destiny, but it ripened into so much more,
and the dénouement was insightful and very affecting.
I'm physically allergic to lies (makes life pretty difficult), even though most
people in society seem happy to either ignore or believe them, so I was thrilled
with the end of this novella. I'm looking forward to reading more from this
author.
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Audrey
1,539 reviews51 followers
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October 18, 2022
"There is no water in the City of Lies." This opening line is fantastic and just
sets the scene and tone for the rest of the novella. Tutu volunteers to leave
his dry city to search for water, to save his mother. Thus begins an epic quest
and adventure where he meets friends and foes and learns that things he knew,
are not what they seem to be. Can't wait to read the next installment of this
trilogy.

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
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first-reads


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Ri (colourmeread)
292 reviews52 followers
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November 21, 2022
RTC!

fantasy read-in-2022


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