Whispers of a Secret God chronicles a clash of three sub-Saharan cultures battling for dominance in a tangle of drought, famine, and land rights. Slavery and dislocation have exacted a heavy toll, reshuffling ancient social boundaries and challenging long-held religious practices. Whereas stereotypical African villages evoke images of savagery, brutality, and superstition, the Fula tribes developed a more peaceful and rule-governed Muslim society. Honor and courage throbbed in their hearts. The saga derives its title from the muddled vestiges of Christianity surviving from somewhere in the tribe's distant identity. Although it is not allowed to surface openly, this secret knowledge is communicated by the women of the village from generation to generation. A chief Muslim cleric, who used religion as a tool of power, sought to replace the aging king's rule with strict Islamic law.
The story pulsates with intrigue, romance, and fierce battles, but ends in a time of renewed yet short-lived tranquility. This saga provides the reader brief glimpses into the world beyond, contrasting temporal and spiritual reality.
