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segu
the year is 1797 and the kingdom of segu is flourishing fed by the wealth of its noblemen and the power of its warriors . the people of segu the bambara are guided by their griots and priests ; their lives are ruled by the elements . but even their soothsayers can only hint at the changes to come for the battle of the soul of africa has begun . from the east comes a new religion islam and from the west the slave trade . p segu follows the life of dousika traore the kings most trusted advisor and his four sons whose fates embody the forces tearing at the fabric of the nation . there is tiekoro who renounces his peoples religion and embraces islam ; siga who defends tradition but becomes a merchant ; naba who is kidnapped by slave traders ; and malobali who becomes a mercenary and halfhearted christian . p based on actual events segu transports the reader to a fascinating time in history capturing the earthy spirituality religious fervor and violent nature of a people and a growing nation trying to cope with jihads national rivalries racism amid the vagaries of commerce .