"Fantastical beasts and forgotten magic propel a story about ambition and conspiracy."—Fonda Lee"Everything I love to see in a fantasy story. Masterful."—Jenn Lyons"[A]mbition and intrigue cause surprises on nearly every page."―NPR BooksFrom city streets where secrets are bartered for gold to forests teeming with fabled beasts, asweeping epic unfolds in this richly drawn fantasy inspired by the pre-colonial empires of West Africa.In this world, there is no destiny but the one you make.In the ancient city of Bassa, Danso is a clever scholar on the cusp of achieving greatness—except he doesn’t want it. Instead, he prefers to chase forbidden stories about what lies outside the city walls. The Bassai elite claim there is nothing of interest. The city’s immigrants are sworn to secrecy.