TITLE: DEVIL’S PAWN
AUTHOR: KUKOGHO IRUESIRI SAMSON
GENRE: PROSE FICTION
NO. OF PAGES: 358
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2020
ISBN: 978-978-55597-8-1
PUBLISHER: FARAFINA KACHIFO
REVIEWER: EMMANUEL FAITH
What do you do when you are caught in the middle of a crossfire? Do you take coverage, find a neutral ground or fight against all odds?
In Devil’s Pawn, Kukogho Iruesiri Samson sets us on an exciting thriller filled with terse suspense and unfolding curiosity. A master of words and lover of simplicity, Samson opens the first few chapters with familiar scenarios; a campus environment with power-tussle, a lady turning down a guy’s advances, ruthless politicians masked in charming charade and the police force’ hullabaloo.
The characters are exciting; from Ese the lady from the water world who was gang-raped to Simon, the wannabe saviour, and Sylvan the cynical politician who mirrors the title perfectly. The author takes us through a tour of how different strata of the society reinforces its corrupt culture.
The themes of the novel are lucid- Corruption, a continuous bane that keeps wrecking this society; Power tussle and strong patriarchy that makes guys feel they have rights to females, their bodies; Depleting systems structures and lots more.
In this Hollywood-like thriller, the author delivers a classic using vivid descriptions and exciting narration to grab the readers’ attention while landing them gently with his simple diction.
What would happen when a spirit chases a man mandated to kill his friends in a horrendous manner or relinquish his breath? Does he play the hero or surrender to the fiery pangs of death? Grab a copy of Devil’s Pawn to find out.
Emmanuel Faith is a Lagos-based award-winning Nigerian writer and author of the self-instruct book Chronicles of an Intern. His literary awards include the Brigitte Poirson Poetry Contest (BPPC) and the Albert Jungers Poetry Prize (AJPP) 2019.
