In this sophisticated age of space exploration, Yismake Worku presented with a prime novel, adequately capable of deserving the eyes of all readers. Written with a flawless literature coupled with a magnanimous storytelling, it has a particular style that is unique only to the author. Chapter after chapter Dertogada takes you on a voyage overflowing with suspense. It does not stick to a single theme; rather it is a sum of many complicated stories. Action and breathtaking speed follows along, as we turn each page. It manifests all the characteristics of a science fiction, a romantic, an underground action, and a historical novel. In this sense, the novel has shown us intricate events with such interconnectedness as we have never realized before. It is a magnificent novel, which successfully bonded the past with the future. Aha! About this last point, here lies only one of the ideas, the book included. It is about the battle between achieving material or intellectual wealth. Moreover, it is a book about nationalism... about who will give away... what or who, for the sake of one's own advantages? And who shall fight, 'Until the last drop of blood,' for the sake of his/her identity? And etc... The rest is left for the reader to contemplate...
Although it seems to be most famous Ethiopian novel of modern times I must be very far from Ethiopia in every sense to dance on this party. Engineer, the main character, who has several higher degrees, has developed and built submarine with his bare hands which can also fly from Ethiopia to America with a moment, who is the author of GPS system and is haunted by CIA, Mossad, Ethiopian intelligence and MI6 at once, is really a story one of a kind. Tesfaye Gessese, ass. professor of Addis Ababa University says on the back cover of the book that Yismake Worku has a very wide imagination. And I really have join this idea. But who is into adventurous stories about people with superpowers, this is the one to hit.
I have liked this book in a way differnt from others would. May be it`s because I`m Ethiopian and I kind of felt patriotic or because it`s the only novel of it`s kind in Ehtiopia, either way it`s a great book that tells about Ethiopia`s past history and creat`s a sci-fi fantasy at the same time. It also have a sequel (Ramatohara, which hasn`t been translated to English yet)
I READ THE FIRST AND THE FIFTH OF THE DERTOGADA SERIES -- BIZU MEGDEL INA MEGEDADEL. DO WE REALLY NEED ANY MORE 'JAMES BOND'-LIKE STUFF? I did enjoy the parts about Lake Tana and the Semein Mountains, though. When (IF) I return to Ethiopia I would like to wander about those heights (IF they still permit romantic ferenjes who are still living in the Tewodros era to wander around the countryside without expensive guides).