Lion's Game, volume 1: Masters of Mali
By (Author) Kevin Brown
Illustrated by Mac Thy
Black Sands Entertainment Inc
Black Sands Entertainment Inc
5th March 2025
United States
Young Adult
Fiction
Childrens / Teenage fiction: Fantasy
Manga and East Asian style / tradition comic books
Childrens / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction
Paperback
148
Width 187mm, Height 273mm
After the assassination of one of Malis greatest kings, the traitors behind the coup set out to erase his legacy from Malis history.
Their efforts fail when the youngest princess of Mali escapes with her newborn child to the Tuareg tribes in the Sahara. When her grief turns into hatred. The exiled princess swears an oath of vengeance against the family that unjustly stole Malis throne. That oath becomes her legacy and is passed down through the generations to her descendants.
Over a century after the Keita took the throne. The Mali Empire has experienced great prosperity as well as turmoil. Coming off a tumultuous period wracked with plague, civil war, and political instability. Musa III begins the process of restoring the empire to its former glory. This restoration takes the form of an unprecedented tournament designed to find the most capable warrior to assume the role of Malis imperial general.
Diata is the heir who carries his familys vendetta against the Keita. When word of the tournament reaches his clan. Diata sees his opportunity to get close to the enemy. To become the next general, he needs to make his way through several mercenaries, a pirate king, and dozens of other warriors bred for war on the battlefield.
Kirkus Reviews
"An intriguing, confident first entry in what promises to be a riveting historical series."
Indie Reader 5 Star Review
"Written by Kevin W. Brown, Lion's Game (Volume 1) Masters of Mali is an action-packed, beautifully-drawn graphic novel that provides a history lesson in the guise of and adventure, along with well-crafted characters and stunning art by Mac Thy."
Kevin Brown is the author of Lion's Game. He is a lifelong martial artist, and nerd who loves all things anime. As a kid in upstate New York, when he wasn't watching Dragon Ball Z with his dad, they were in the dojo training to be like Goku. Now with a couple decades of experience under his belt. Kevin writes stories about dramatic, physics-defying fighters. His debut comics series, Lion's Game- Masters of Mali features combat inspired by traditional African martial arts and combat sports set in the 16th century Mali, Africa.