Disciples of Fortune — Janvier Chouteu-Chando

When the variously-gifted Josef Nana Njike tells his sons that “…a successful man in life owes a lot to society…” he does not imagine the impact those words would have on his legacy after his death. However, his life story as an orphaned whiz-kid who overcame challenges to become a college graduate, then matured into a man who embracing overwhelming responsibilities and presided over a renowned family and business empire, makes him a humble man with an advanced vision.



As the ideas of the legend unfold, the reactionary forces out to destroy his vision become more vicious until they finally find his Achilles Heel in his family. Nevertheless, just like him, his family survives in their audacious mission to sustain his legacy in the chaos that engulfs their world.



Disciples of Fortune creates a willing suspension of disbelief through down-to-earth characters, credible scenarios and an interplay of worldly forces that brings the story to life with alacrity and permanence in the mind of the reader.



The characters in the saga are exquisite as they navigate both worlds of good and evil with clear or hazy intentions. Even in their triumphs and failures, the quasi conventional lifestyles of the characters portray the futility of their situations in an environment where life has absolutely no permanence or guarantees.



In this novel where noblesse, love, rancor, dignity, honor and hope are considered requisites for the advancement of humanity, sources of inspiration abound that are the hallmark of any great epic.