Treasonous Paragons Book Review
Treasonous Paragons is a debut thriller / action novel by Zambian Author Pauline Manze.
The novel follows Victor Kalenga a Pan African leader who has worked hard to broker the Unification of Africa summit where Africa’s 54 Heads Of State will cast a vote to decide on the formation of the United States Of Africa.
With less than 48 hours to the summit, Victor receives a phone call that gets him entangled in a treasonous plot that will not only turn him into a most wanted fugitive but cause a diplomatic storm that can jeopardise everything he has worked on….
The Good
Fantasy books may have my soul on speed dial but I still love a good thriller novel, you know the kind where each page feels like you are watching an action thriller movie…. That’s what reading Treasonous Paragons feels like.
Treasonous Paragons is set in Zambia and picturing the setting in my head was fairly easy as Zimbabwe and Zambia are somewhat similar (they were after all part of the same colonial federation).
If I found its setting familiar I can only imagine how to someone better acquainted with with Zambian, it would feel as if you could run into the characters down the block be it in the gated community of Ibex Meanwood Lusaka or at a crowded market stall in Chainda.
Off the top of my head, I cant remember the last time I read an action thriller set in an African City… Reading this book took me back to the era of Pacesetter Series of books which were titles by African Authors exploring various themes and genres, including action thrillers.
For some reading is an escape and Treasonous Paragons is the perfect escape, a book which isn’t trying to be socio-economic commentary but a fast-paced thrilling ride complete with high-speed car chases zipping through the streets of Zambia in a Toyota Spacio.
The book is set in a not-too-distant futuristic Africa where the Pan African movement is about to achieve the unification of Africa… an interesting concept with interesting repercussions, imagine having a single person as president… of course, small surprise the book is a bit of a political thriller as well.
The plot has an interesting astrological twist to it which I cant reveal without spoiling but suffice it to say it might make you reconsider the horoscope column in the newspapers and magazines…
The Bad
The pacing can be a bit of a jarring experience… some chapters end on an action packed cliff-hanger and the next chapter be a slower paced story arc which feels out of place since the plot seems to suggest urgency, as the clock ticks away to the unification summit like a time bomb.
The main protagonist’s character Victor Kalenga is underdeveloped, he seems to just exist, running around in circles without a plan, for someone who is supposed to be a power broker in the Unification Of Africa Summit. Kena Roberts the Horoscope Columnist and Manja a foot soldier got more character development than Victor Kalenga the renowned Pan African Leader.
Keeping track of some characters can get a bit complex, I kept getting lost between the dynamics of characters introduced simply as The Governor and The Commander and sometimes had to go back and re-read who was who and how it related to the plot.
For a character who is a Horoscope Specialist, I was surprised at Kena Roberts being surprised at things happening and some of her irrationally impulsive behaviour. I may have missed it but never get to learn what her star sign is and what her compatabilty to a Capricorn would be but I digress🤔
I wish the book had explored more of the African Astrology symbolism and not just left it as a crash course guide to Uranus in the house of Capricorn…
The Ugly
Treasonous Paragons might not be a social commentary but it still gives a reflection of how political dynamics play out… it is numbers game and people get manipulated to an illusory outcome which serves a few instead of the majority… could that be what the title suggests I wonder.
The book’s ending leaves unresolved threads which make it seem to glorify morally questionable behaviour without consequences….
Final Thoughts
A captivating read that had me breezing through its 300 pages in record time… If you are looking to try out an Afrocentric action thriller then definitely check this out, dont let its title faze you.
Becoming The Muse 
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