Half a Lion did not work for me on any level. I'm not going to rate this book, though the fact that I DNF it should make plain that I can't recommend it. I decided to keep my promise as I type several reviews on this uncharacteristically damp Southern California morning:

This one kept me engaged till the end.ĭNF - Review to come. But overall, it’s an engaging read and I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in life of warriors and to someone who carries a notion that they are only partially engaging, and that too during just the climax. However, I felt in certain places the continuity was broken and a new scene was introduced, causing confusion, especially due to the unconventional character names (Bekele, Soneh, Turae). There were numerous instances while reading the book when my mind drew some parallels with the movies Avatar (2009) and Apocalypto (2006), especially at the mentions of blue warriors. One of my favorite lines is: ''If you want to kill a man, stab his heart, the wisemen claim, and if you want to stab his spirit, kill his pride.'' And another one was -''Some men are bred to be careful others are born to be sung of”. The use of vivid verbs while describing the setting and simple vocabulary while the battle scenes were in play made me feel as if the writer was taking me through the book, page by page, holding my hand. The narration was successful in keeping me engaged throughout the story by effectively explaining the relationships, nature, and history of the characters in the story. It’s not a half-cooked plot of battles and fights for the throne.

A tale of disguised identities, fresh bonds, and revelations begin, as Sakhan fights for his mother’s and his life, weeding out traitors on the way. With the eldest brother injured in battle and the unruly exile of Sakhan with his mother, Neneh’s claim to the throne went unchallenged. His half-brother Neneh, an arrogant but seasoned warrior, detests Sakhan, and never truly considered him to be one of them. Sakhan, a 15-year-old prince of The Lion tribe who’s yet to hear all of his tribe's war stories, is suddenly faced with the brutality of the jungle when his friend Adah is killed under suspicious circumstances. The book takes you into the world of the tribals and their battles to safeguard their land, their lineage, and their honor.

Half a Lion by Palle E.K. Oswald