Comparisons
Readers who loved All the Sinners Bleed, Glory & The Dark Flood, will be consumed by The Hand of Menes.
Background to the story
I conceptualised The Hand of Menes (THOM), because I grew wary of seeing Africans treated with the contempt below even that directed at animals. Why do we, as past masters of this world, now content with being the joke of it?
Why on the big screen are we portrayed as either: entertainers, athletes, prostitutes or drug pushers?
And why, to this very day, when I hear the word ‘gang’, I see my face?
The spirit within me rages like a wildfire. It demanded its freedom. It thirsts for the truth of who I am. It screamed for a new narrative and its deafening call to action urged me to assemble the building blocks for a different reality. A reality where I am the master of my fate, unencumbered by racism and socioeconomic subterfuge; and as my wife Tanecia says: “if you want to see it, you create it.”
And so, begins my journey lead by The Hand of Menes, where while I look back a thousand years at our past greatness & innovation, I remain focused on the present and the urgent need to marshal our collective power with purpose and conviction.
Author's Note
This story does not celebrate violence so much as examine its inevitability when every legitimate channel is corrupted or weaponized against the oppressed.
The revolution succeeds not through moral purity but through tactical ruthlessness, and the book refuses to let readers feel entirely comfortable with that fact.
Reviews
I wasn’t excited to read this book, at first. I was unsure of where the author was going. However, Appleton’s storyline is a good one. When I put it up against other thrillers/action stories that I love to read, I admit this tale is the genre I read. Most action/thriller authors tend to have a deranged guy wanting to corrupt the world, make it one race or blow everything up. Appleton’s heroes and purpose may be different than those authors, but it comes across as a very readable and plausible.
“The Hand of Menes” is truly unlike any other book I’ve read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to preserve it for my children when they are of age it’s that meaningful. As a Ghanaian, my only disappointment was with the character Kwesi Owusu; I had hoped for more from him. I look forward to Book II and hope Jelani partners with the current Burkinabè leader to help unite the motherland. This story would make a powerful movie. I highly recommend it to everyone, especially African leaders it’s both
Engaging, entertaining, thrilling, exciting, an absolute page turner are just a few thoughts that come to mind having read ‘The Hand of Menes’. The story captivates the reader with a dramatic start and fuels the curiosity of the reader throughout each paragraph to the end of the book. It’s an amazing story that enlightens the imagination and provokes our thoughts in how we think about the people, the continent and the culture.
What an amazing book, would love to see a film can imagine the sound track would have to include the “the United States of Africa” by Luciano! Characters are great and the book has a real global appeal with the character mix and locations - definitely 10 out of 10 would highly recommend a read! Can’t wait for Book 2!
I've literally just finished this book and I can't recommend it highly enough. The story is absolutely fantastic, heart wrenching, rousing, and a call to action for all of us. I'm so excited to read the next book. This is a triumph!