Book
The Wizard
First published 1896
The Reverend Thomas Owen leaves England to preach among the Amasuka, a south-central African people divided by religion and succession. King Nodwengo protects the missionary, while the feared diviner Hokosa initially resists a faith that threatens both his authority and the sacred customs on which it rests.
When a rival claimant moves against Nodwengo, spiritual conflict becomes civil war. The novel presents conversion through miracles, martyrdom and political upheaval, contrasting Owen’s self-sacrifice with the uses of supernatural reputation, royal power and military force.
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