Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I read the first in the Forever Desert series and loved it. This one was was again great. I loved our new protagonist and how the idea of what is truth is used.

Rating 4.5/5

I've really come to adore Utomi's Forever Desert series. Just like The Lies of the Ajungo, The Truth of the Aleke packs quite a bunch in little more than 100 pages. Utomi delivers more character development than I've seen in some 400-page novels, and is able to explore complex issues so concisely yet with such nuance.

Immediately Osi uncovered a sweet spot in my heart. To see something happening and know we have to say something, even more so if it's at our risk. Someone who is so passionate, who demands to see, resonated something bittersweet. And for Osi his whole life changes in an instant. The Truth of the Aleke is about the mutability of truth. The relativity of belief. How we have to have conviction in our power, in our self, in our purpose, but how quickly this belief can be turned against us.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for the e-ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up

Rep: Black boy protagonist, Black characters, desert setting, disabled characters

TW: classim, violence (resulting in loss of limbs), war, death, brutalization of children, child soldiers, corruption

Although this review will not contain any spoilers for The Truth of the Aleke, I would advise not reading this, if you do not wish to be spoiled for any of the events of book one, The Lies of the Ajungo.

My sincere apologies for not posting my written review sooner. I excitedly gobbled this book up, posted some video reviews and then procrastinated writing this one. I hope you can forgive me. /j

This review is actually a bit difficult to write, The Truth of the Aleke is the sequel to The Lies of the Ajungo. There is not a ton I can say that will not spoil the book, because yet again, Utomi has shown us that he has a crafty mind. I’ll backtrack for a bit and say that I read The Lies of the Ajungo in either August or September of 2023 and I truly loved it. For such a small book, it packed an immense punch, the sequel is still rather short, but does slightly exceed one hundred pages. Initially, I was not as enamored with our protagonist, Osi, the same way I was with Tutu. It’s not that he was unlikeable, he was simply a different character, more stubborn, a bit arrogant, very steadfast, which contrasted with Tutu’s resilience, innocence, and sheer determination to help his Ma, his people. They did serve as parallels, sometimes even mirrors, during this story which was imperative.

The book picks up 500 years after the events of The Lies of the Ajungo, but everything we read previously holds relevance. I did have some separation between reading the books as I read my e-ARC in late January of this year. That did provide a reading experience that was conducive to this story, because much like the people of the land I was navigating truths from lies, truths from half-truths and crafty omissions. I definitely do not recommend reading this if you remember nothing from the first book, but some time between is fine and also you can always read them back to back for the most refreshed reading experience. Honestly, I do not want to say much more except pay attention and enjoy the story.

The last piece I will leave you with is to ensure you do not skip the acknowledgements when you read this one. The first page or so really serves as more of an Author’s Note, a very rewarding one to boot, once you have finished. I’m very excited and mildly anxious to read the third and final installment, hopefully in 2025 (I have no idea about the pub date).

This was a fascinating and poignant installment in the Forever Desert series. I thought the relationship between Osi and the Truth seekers was really interesting and I loved being back in the world. This can be read as a standalone but I think people should read them in order as they'll definitely appreciate the connections between the two stories.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A great follow-up to the Lies of Ajungo! Moses Ose Utomi has a wonderful series on his hands that does the folktale approach very well. Simple, yet powerful, and incredible at evoking empathy and understanding.

Lies of the Ajungo was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and read this second novella in the Forever Desert with high anticipation. It was unexpected but an equally excellent read. The story is darker, morally grey and ponders questions on power, war, the right of performing evil deeds for a greater good and betrayal. Set 500 years after the events of the previous novella we find a world of have and have nots, incipient war and the enemy - the Aleke are cunning, clever, cruel and are coming!
Osi lives in the City of Truth and is proud of his position of Junior Peacekeeper, which follows in his father's footsteps. However he is a flawed character, self absorbed, shallow with a naïve view on right and wrong. Even when banned from the pivotal city ceremony of the Ascendance he is unable to resist the opportunity to sneak in and see his hero's Izen the Wise, Dikende the Mighty, Clever Hixojie and the Legendary Lumhen. At this ceremony the Aleke attack, Osi finds him in possession of a mystical Gods eye and with that defends his home. Osi survives but loses his arm, but due to his bravery he is elevated to an Ascendant to begin a year long training with Izen, Dikende and Lumhen with the clear brief of bringing back the stolen God's eyes and bring down the Aleke.
To say more would include far too many spoilers and this is a book that merits a reread. I would recommend reading Lies of the Ajungo first as it sets the scene for the Forever Desert and directly affects the future of the peoples who live there.
I recommend this novella and my thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC. All views are my own.

I absolutely loved the first volume of the series, the writing and themes were brilliant. But too much time had passed between the two and I would definitely recommend reading them back to back to fully enjoy the themes weaved between the two.

I loved Lies of the Ajungo form, inspired more by oral african tales than western prose and I felt that Truth of the Aleke was more conventional in that regard and got confused by the change. But I felt more connected, and I think it gave more consistency to the characters.

Really loved the theme of power, truth and how to distort one to keep or gain the other. Brilliant worldbuilding as usual and an even more evocative style that I loved. I will probably read them back again for the release of the third one to enjoy it more.

I really think that the thanks section helped me connect with the book and clarified the point, might be a great idea to have an author note at the beginning.

"Do you know why I will never trust your Truthseekers, young Osi?" he asked. "Because they are powerful. Many people liken power to a spear. Or an oba. But is it neither. Power is like water." He rolled the die. One. "It is not loyal. It is not honest. It has no desire but to grow." He rolled again. One. "Even when defeated, it simply changes shape or place, filling any vacuum it finds, persisting until the day it can resume its growth."

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, for the chance to read and review this book.

I was a big fan of the first book, The Lies of the Ajungo, and was really excited to read this one! Moses Ose Utomi has a distinctive style of writing that carries through both books. Both books unpack power and what people will do to maintain it. Both leave you feeling unsettled, and this one doesn't have the happiest of endings either. I also really appreciate how this book told the story of another city where Tutu is considered something else entirely.

That being said, the characters of this book, while realistic, fell flat. We don't need to have a clear good or bad thing happening, but some more details could have helped them become more distinctive and allowed some personality to make them more discernible; Hizo is the one who gives us the most in that regard.

"You numb yourself," Hizojie said. He was away from them, sitting with his head leaned back against the lunch table bench, staring at the sky. His voice lacked its usual bite. It was soft and calm, as sincere as Osi had ever heard it. "A Seer does not suffer when he steps on the sand. Because he feels nothing for the sand. That is all people are, Osi. Grains of sand. Burn them, crush them, step on them. You will learn to feel nothing."

Reading the author's note in the acknowledgement at the end helped raise my appreciation for this short story. Before that, I think it was sitting at a 3 star rating due to getting lost a couple of times.

There are definitive themes of power, truth, deception, greed, and seeking glory. However, the full exploration of these themes was either lost on me, or has been saved for the third novella in this trilogy. (I hope it's the latter!)

While not as straightforward in fable as The Lies of the Ajungo, I was nevertheless captivated by the world and characters of hundreds of years post-Tutu. Excited to read the last installment when it publishes!

I really enjoy this series of novellas where Utomi is using storytelling to reveal a bit about power and what is done to keep it. How the ones who wield it set the stage for their people to become actors in a play they know nothing about.

The first novella shows how young Tutu uncovers the lies that keep his people oppressed and thirsty and now Osi must choose to either believe the truth of what he is shown or remain loyal to the lie that has seen him rise to a certain status in his people's story.

The use of story and history to show how the truth is perceived by a people, making the reader continue to question where the villain lies and whose story is true, is well done and I cannot wait to see where we go from here.

Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

What do you do when your most anticipated read of the year lives up to your expectations???? @profseaquill is 2/2 with me, earning him a spot on the auto-buy authors list!!

The Truth of Aleke takes place 500 years after The Lies of the Ajungo (which everyone should read), and we see what happens when heroes don't write what's in the history books. This book is so timely with the events of the world, and it's written brilliantly. I will confess Osi got in my nerve with his naive recklessness, but that's most men 💁🏾‍♀️. Oh and the ending, I need book 3 now!!!

If you haven't read Forever Desert series what are you waiting for hmmm??? Thank you @netgalley and @tordotcompub for the ARC.

4.5 Stars

absolutely loved this again (altho slightly less than the first one bc for me personally the emotional impact wasn't quite as strong.
This once again had al the elements that made the lies of the ajungo so amazing.

Another fabulous installment in the Forever Desert series! Man, the author has a way of pulling you into the world and characters in so few pages! Just like its predecessor, we are treated to a glimpse of the world, though much time has passed since the first book. Still, the characters and plot are incredibly compelling, and I felt so very emotionally connected to the characters. There are moments of humor mixed in with the more serious matters at hand, and I just found this an equally strong installment. If you have not yet started this series… well, what the heck are you waiting for?

Bottom Line: Great commentary, amazing characters, and a very intriguing world, I cannot wait for book 3!

I always say that short stories really show the talent of an author and this book was no exception. There is almost an addictive quality to Utomi’s writing style. You can’t help but want to read more and delve deeper into his world. Fascinating novel with great characters Excellent world-building, and thoughtful/insightful look at power and evil. All contained in a single novella! Bravo! Can’t wait to read the next installment.

The Truth of the Aleke is the second book in The Forever Desert series, which is made of novellas set in North Africa long past. The first novella, The Lies of the Ajungo, was released last year and was just 90 pages. It served to mostly just set the stage for the world of the Forever Desert and the larger story that starts here in The Truth of the Aleke. While you don’t necessarily need to read it to enjoy this book I highly recommend it because it’s an outstanding and entertaining read.

The Truth of the Aleke is only about 12 pages longer than The Lies of the Ajungo but takes place 500 years after the events of that book.

Utomi uses fantasy to continue to tell the fable of a war over land and resources in The Forever Desert, with the moral of the story being that both sides are liars. The truth is a murky and nebulous thing that’s shaped by whoever is currently on the winning side. Ultimately, no one cares what the truth truly is–they only care about who holds the power. There’s no room to care for anything else.

These books aren’t lighthearted. I almost feel like their covers do these books a disservice, because they’re so much prettier than the stories inside. The stories are bleak, violent, messy, and distinctly unhappy. These books don’t end happily. But they’re written so well and with great imagination. I highly recommend them.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Book Series/Fantasy/Fantasy Series/Historical Fantasy/Novella/OwnVoices

My thanks go out to the publisher and netgalley for offering me access to an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
While I initially thought I was gonna end up loving this one less than I did the Lies of the Ajungo, the final 10% made me reconsider. I thought I had the story figured out, turns out I was still in for a surprise.
I like the insights the author shares about this in his afterword and it is the sentiments he shares there that explain why I ultimately think this one is gonna take the cake.but mind you, I thoroughly enjoyed both and I thought both were really impressive. Very eager to see what the author will do in book 3.

This felt less fable-like and more grounded than Ajungo, in a way that I enjoyed. Osi and the other Truthseekers felt realistically flawed, if less likeable at first.

Despite feeling three-dimensional, I did feel like they were somewhat static. I understand that was the point of Osi’s character, but after the betrayal and capture, I would have loved to see him learn from that experience and instead feel like the cycle repeated itself. His cyclical nature did tie back in with the fable-esque qualities of the first book.

The author’s note about people who are so convinced of their own righteousness that they can easily be manipulated really resonated, and I wished it had been said so explicitly in the story. But maybe that’s a me problem that it went over my head until it was laid out so directly!

Overall, I think this series would have worked better for me if I could have read all three back to back.

As a disclaimer, I have not read The Lies of Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi, book 1 of Forever Desert. However, I will now need to get my hands on it.

This novella was a fast paced adventure. When they say "The Aleke is clever," the author was not lying. The main character seems destined for greatness, but in truth he has nothing but hardship, pain and death in his future. Everyone sees him and uses him as a pawn in the grander scheme for power and politics. I may be reading too deep into things (though I have very little knowledge of the author's background), but this novella is very political. It speaks on how every story and situation has two sides, and it is up to the people to figure out the truth despite how each party has it's own truth it wants to portray.

The Truth of the Aleke is not a light book. It is very much an adult fantasy novella. I disliked and wanted to slap the main character at times, but it was out of their own ignorance and lack of maturity.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for allowing me to read this excellent novella. Looking forward to reading Book 1 by Moses Ose Utomi.

The Truth of the Aleke is Moses Utomi’s sequel to his fantastic The Lies of the Ajungo, which I said in my review was “as close to perfect a modern parable as I’ve read in some time.” I’m happy to report that if the follow-up isn’t quite as “perfect,” it’s nonetheless a fantastic read, and one that makes me oh so eager to see how Utomi wraps up this loosely connected trilogy set in the Forever Desert.

The story opens with a brief history that tells of the rise of the fearsome Aleke and his Cult of Tutu that conquered all in the Forever Desert save for the one last free city, The City of Truth, which stood for three centuries against the Aleke. Young Osi hopes to one day join the ranks of the city’s elite soldiers, the Truthseekers, and protect his city against the Aleke. But an Aleke attack/massacre leaves the city reeling and Osi missing an arm. Now, he heads out with a small band of Truthseekers on a mission to kill the Aleke and retrieve the God’s Eyes — the magical artifacts stolen in the attack. The mission will take him across the desert, where he will learn more about the Aleke and his own people than he ever could have imagined.

I called The Truth of the Aleke a “sequel,” but in some ways that’s probably overstating things a bit. It certainly follows its predecessor in time, but rather than pick up immediately or shortly after the events of The Lies of the Ajungo, Utomi has chosen to leap ahead five hundred years, leaving not only book one’s characters behind but much of its social and cultural underpinnings as well, even though it is set in the same basic location, as noted above. Instead of considering it as following the first book, therefore, I like to think of it instead as being in conversation with it.

One way this occurs is via an echoing of plot. In both books a young boy, Tutu in The Lies of the Ajungo and Osi here, set out on a quest to save their respective city. In both books that quest quickly goes awry. Both boys learn to fight, both end up captured, both find a mentor. And in both books the world they thought they knew and understood turns out not to be that world at all. The similarities are clear and obviously intentional. I’d love to say more about these echoes, but honestly, this is an incredibly difficult book to review without ruining the reading experience, not simply by revealing basic plot points of either book, but by also ruining the reader’s movement through those points that is so integral to the themes.

So best I can do is say the plot is compelling, tense, twisty and turny, and both well sign-posted and pleasingly surprising. And to note as well that while one needn’t have read The Lies of the Ajungo to enjoy The Truth of the Aleke, which works fine as a stand-alone tale, but to read it out of the larger context is to rob it of much of its richness, its layered exploration of truth and lies, of the power of history and story-telling and how that power can be warped, of power itself and its corrupting nature, of deception and willful blindness.

So I’d recommend reading Lies first, and rereading it (or at the least skimming it but really it’s so short and so good why deny yourself the pleasure of a reread?) to wade more deeply into the book’s waters. For instance, knowing exactly what happens with Tutu in Lies will enhance one’s pleasure in how Utomi shows us the way in which history gets distorted as it is passed down, and how it can also become both a weapon and a weakness, especially when it moves from history to myth.

It's also a good idea to have a better idea of not just the similarities in the two boys’ stories but also in the differences. For example, Tutu is motivated for love of his mother to go out in search of water, while Osi’s early motivation is a desire to be a hero. As he thinks, “Most people believe history was the story of other people … History was the story of those worth writing about.” He plans to be one of those people. Osi is not as easy to relate to, is not as “likable” a character, nor as “simple” a one, both in himself and his viewpoint. This second novel on the whole is filled with more grey, is overall a darker novel (and Lies was pretty dark). Some of this greatly complexity is mirrored in the style as well, with Lies reading much more as a stylized fable or parable and The Truth of the Aleke written more as gritty realism.

A good author changes his voice and mode to fit their aim, and with these two novellas, Utomi leaves no doubt he is a very good author indeed. On a sentence level, on a structural level, and particularly on a thematic level. The thought-provoking nature of the story is all the more impressive given its relatively scant length. I look forward to rereading the first two in advance of the third and final story, which can’t get here soon enough