Anthills of the Savannah

February 3, 1997
``This bitterly ironic novel by the Nigerian author of Things Fall Apart is at times more of a polemic than dramatic narrative, but it presents a candid, trenchantly insightful view of contemporary Africa,'' wrote PW of the portrait of a West African military coup leader, and his moral deterioration.

An experienced narrator like Peter Jay Fernandez is an excellent choice for a classic title by the late African literary giant Chinua Achebe. Fernandez's tenor pitch laces this parable set in an imagined West African country with a degree of humor and irony. Combining the two is an excellent way to characterize protagonist Chris Oriko, who is forced to choose between loyalty to an old friend, now president for life, or aligning with his other childhood friend, now chief critic of the president. Alternating between the proud tones of the president and the groveling of his followers, Fernandez captures the political satire at the heart of this fictional take on life after British colonial rule. M.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine