One of the giants of francophone writing of our time, Algerian author Yasmina Khadra explores opposing views of Africa and the West to deliver a powerful message of friendship, resilience and redemption. Kurt Krausmann, a recently bereaved Frankfurt doctor, is persuaded to join his friend, wealthy benefactor Hans Makkenroth, on a humanitarian mission to the Comoros. The journey helps him begin to confront his loss, but soon misfortune strikes again: the boat he and Hans are travelling in is hijacked in the Gulf of Aden and the men are taken hostage. Held in a remote hideout, the prisoners suffer harsh conditions and the brutality of their guards, who are self-styled warriors, ex-army captains and even poets drawn to banditry through poverty or opportunism. When the group decamps to a lawless desert region and Hans is taken away, Kurt sinks deeper into despair. But fellow inmate Bruno, a French ethnologist who has been travelling Africa for 40 years, attempts to show Kurt another side to the wounded yet defiant continent he has taken to his heart. AUTHOR: Yasmina Khadra is the pen name of award-winning Algerian author Mohammed Moulessehoul. He became director of the Algerian Cultural Centre in Paris in November 2007 and in November 2013 announced his candidacy for the presidency of Algeria. SELLING POINTS: ? Bestselling author - sales of 3 million in 42 countries ? As a Former Algerian army officer living in France, Khadra brings a unique perspective to global issues REVIEWS: 'Khadra brings us deep into the hearts and minds of people living in unspeakable mental anguish.' - L A Times 'A skilled storyteller working at the height of his powers.' - TLS 'Like all the great storytellers of history, [Khadra] espouses the contradictions of his characters, who carry in themselves the entirety of the human condition.' - Le Point
