King Tsongor is the all-powerful ruler of a vast African empire, the result of twenty years of successful campaigning and conquest. Now in his old age, living in his palace in the capital city of Massaba, he looks forward to his final years of peaceful and prosperous rule. The final preparations are being made for the marriage of his daughter to Kouame, the prince of the salt lands, yet on the day of the wedding, in the midst of all the rejoicing and lavish displays of presents and decorations, a lone, mysterious rider appears to claim the hand of Tsongor's daughter. The unexpected rivalry between Kouame and Sango Kerim lead to ferocious battles between the suitors and their armies that threaten the entire kingdom.
This unique, epic novel, winner of the Prix Goncourt des lyceens, introduces us to an Africa of mythically tragic dimensions and to a writer of great evocative power and profound psychological insight.
Originally published as La Mort du Roi Tsongor
Translated by David Herman
About the Author
 A French novelist and playwright born in 1972, Laurent Gaudé has written five plays and two novels, achieving great success and acclaim throughout Europe. The Death of King Tsongor, which was awarded the prestigious Prix Goncourt des lyceens, is his first work to be published in English.
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The Critics Praise:
"Like a magician, Gaude boils down to a magic potion the raw emotion of our most deeply-rooted fears and desires." - Le Monde
"In The Death of King Tsongor, as in the works of Homer, passion ignites a war without end. This tour de force gives vital new life to an ancient literary form: the tragic epic." - Le Nouvel Observateur
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