Nubian Sistas Book Club, Reviewer

Joy Farrington is the founder and President of Nubian Sistas Book Club, Inc. She proclaims herself an avid-reader is always looking for ways to support new and upcoming authors. You may contact Joy at joyf@nubiansistas.org or visit the book club’s website at www.nubiansistas.org.

Book Title: The Tribe

Author: Gregory Townes

ISBN: 0-9748051-3-0

Review Rating: 5 stars

Remember that feeling you get after you read a great book? Content; Satisfied. Well, I just experienced those same feelings after I finished reading The Tribe by Gregory Townes.

The book begins with the birth of Malik, the destined King of The Death Tribe. The Death Tribe consists of 12 children ranging in age from thirteen to sixteen who live in the jungles of Africa. Each child was born with god-like powers, silver eyes, and a mark in the shape of the infinity sign. Once someone lays eyes on them, they instantly know how special and unique they are. But, when their respective tribes shunned them after they unknowingly cause havoc in their villages, they are sent to the jungle where they soon unite and become a family. When a slave trader, Captain Pearson, becomes obsessed with capturing the “darkies” with strange powers, everything they know and love is ripped from them. Once they are captured, they are placed in three separate ships and sent to different parts of the world.

In present-day New York, a young girl named Star holds the key to bringing The Tribe back together. However, if they are reunited, it could ultimately bring destruction to the world. A group of fanatical people are obsessed with gaining the power of The Death Tribe and will do anything to get it. The only person who can stop them from using Star for their evil agenda is her father, David, and nobody messes with Daddy’s little girl.

The Tribe is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. Excellently executed, Townes carves a huge chunk out of the literary world and claims it as his own. Throughout the book, Townes intertwines the history of Slavery and The Middle Passage and helps the reader visualize the torment many Africans went through during that time. He also connects the behavior of people in the past with present day society and shows the reader that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

It doesn’t matter which genre you prefer, The Tribe can and should be read by everyone. The only thing about the book I didn’t like was that it ended. Keep on writing Mr. Townes, I look forward to your next novel.