No One Will Save Us

by Julie L. Brown

Finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Fantasy • Finalist for the National Indie Excellence Book Award for African American Fiction • Winner of the Independent Press Award for African American Fiction

“In a time when many women across the world may be fearful of losing their rights and voices, Julie L. Brown provides audiences with a book as a reminder to them to never surrender.”—Reader Views

“Imagine a cross between Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece Things Fall Apart and the first Black Panther movie—that’s how good this novel is.”—JJ Amaworo Wilson, author of Nazaré

Her destiny was certain. Until it wasn’t.

Exploring her beloved forest, young Princess Chibuike “Chi” encounters a man unlike any she has seen. His skin is as pale as the moon that watches over the Queendom of Kana, a land where women rule fiercely and freely.

Ten dry seasons later, in 1619, Chi, now a seasoned warrior in the Kanaian army, and preparing for her own future as queen, faces a mystery that threatens the existence of Kana. The once-peaceful queendom is upended when nearby villagers disappear en masse, including their ruling families—and one of Chi’s closest friends. Chi vows to find her missing landspeople and bring them home, no matter where they are. She and the women warriors travel across the ocean to Jamestown, Virginia to face down the pale men who have built a trade in human beings.

To change the course of history for her people and herself requires Chi to discover a new kind of bravery and her true destiny.

Julie L. Brown’s No One Will Save Us is a sweeping novel of alternative history that explores what it means to be free and the resilience it takes to keep it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks

362 pages, Paperback

Published June 19, 2024

About the author

Julie L. Brown is the author of the historical fiction, Bend, Don't Break (finalist for the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Award), the alternative-history novel, No One Will Save Us (finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award for fantasy, winner of the Independent Press Award for African American fiction), and the creator, under the pen name J. L. Brown, of the Jade Harrington series, political thrillers which include the novels, Don’t Speak, Rule of Law, and The Divide, and the short story, Few Are Chosen. Her books have been praised by Kirkus Reviews, the Midwest Book Review, and the Seattle Book Review.

She is a member of Black Women Write Seattle, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Julie earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast program at the University of Southern Maine. She resides with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.

Sign up for my newsletter: https://bit.ly/JLBNews

You can find her on:
julielbrown.com
IG: @julielbrownwrites

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I never read any of Julie L. Brown books before. And hopefully, it won't be the last .

[J. Z. Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1619, Princess Chibuike leads a band of female warriors from the fictional West African queendom of Kana across the Atlantic Ocean on a commandeered Portuguese slaving ship. The warriors land in the British colony of Virginia, free the enslaved people in Jamestown, and ally with the Powhatan tribes to kill or drive out all of the white British men. They then establish Port Comfort as a haven for enslaved people in the colonies and return to uproot (some forms of) inequity in Kana.

There is a lot to recommend this alternate history of the Atlantic slave trade, and I knew from about page 3 that it wasn't going to work for me. Unfortunately, there's no way to access a sample chapter before requesting a book on NetGalley. I had to stick it out. Now I'm left to try to write the review this book deserves even though it was a real slog for me.

Julie L. Brown has an MFA, and on the line level, her writing is unimpeachable if not particularly pretty. Though this is an adult novel, her voice is YA breezy. She manages to depict the horrors of slavery and war in a way that neither trivializes them nor interrupts that breezy style. It's a very readable book.

Unfortunately, that readability comes at a cost. There is a lot that happens in this book, and getting through them at the pace Brown has set leaves little room for characters to develop or even face particularly challenging obstacles. The relationships are all one note. As a result, none of the events land with any resonance. Main characters died and I kind of shrugged. Our scrappy heroes defeated 60 British warships and I checked what % of the book I had left to get through.

It's so frustrating, because like I said, Brown is a good writer and that premise is incredible. If she had fleshed this out into a 3-book YA trilogy, it could have easily been a 4- or 5-star read. Let me see the characters fall on their faces and pick themselves back up. Explain to me why Kana has such incredible warriors despite not having been at war with anyone in a generation. Give me more banter! Brown's banter is so charming, but it's squeezed in around the edges of boring battles that feel less dangerous than crossing an empty street in the middle of the day.

The other thing that I really object to is the way the Powhatan characters are used in this novel. They really only exist to rescue the Kanaian warriors, teach them how to ride horses, and then get tragically massacred. Literally one character survives the massacre, but his only purpose is to serve as a love interest for one of the main characters and to summon other nameless, faceless Powhatans to join the Kanaians in their battles against the British and then benevolently bestow Point Comfort upon them. He might as well be a magic sword.

I don't think I'll be reading more by Julie L. Brown.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my free review copy.

[Alma Alfaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was great,
It was a really easy read, really nice written.

Characters where 10 out of 10

A story about strong women, friendship, family and loyalty. Great character development! I might of shred a couple of tears with some of the things going on 😢

All in all will recommend,

Thank you Julie L Brown for the giveaway given to me for my honest review. 🫶🏼

[Shradha · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be ambitious. Perhaps too ambitious.

The premise is admirable. What if the West African kingdoms had worked to actively stop the slave trade before the colonies had actively found their footing? In this situation, "no one will save us" but ourselves.

The problem with the book lay in its execution. The protagonist, Chibuike, of the queendom of Kana is obviously based on the Dahomey warriors. However, whereas the actual tribe actually played a role in continuing the slave trade, the Kanaians are portrayed as near paragons of virtue, with only some social equality issues, but otherwise very invested in supporting their women, aiding their neighboring tribes, and abstaining from slavery.

The characters (of which there are many, to the point where it becomes difficult to remember them all), are somehow all geniuses, capable of quickly overcoming language barriers and physical might, to the point where they somehow manage to emerge victorious in a battle against sixty warships from England in just a few short pages.

And that is the other issue. Because of all the events that Brown attempts to get to, the pacing is breakneck. Major important plot points are simply told over a few short sentences, because to do so otherwise would likely triple the page count of this book. However, the result is that a lot of emotional impact of the events is lost due to the speed by which it happens.

In short, I left this book with very mixed feelings. On one hand, I appreciated how it pulled no punches in describing the very real horrors of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. On the other, the way it appeared to easily resolve every major issue and source of modern trauma in such a neat bow in a way appeared to trivialize just how extensive the damage of this event was to POC.

Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this reimagined alternate history, author Julie L. Brown asks, What if, in 1619, when Portuguese slave traders arrived to kidnap and enslave more Africans, they encountered a female-led society whose warriors not only fought back but captured their ship and used it to sail across the Atlantic and rescue their kin? When slavers begin invading neighboring villages, kidnapping and murdering their people, rather than waiting for the same fate to befall them warrior princess Chibuike, whose mother is the queen of Kana, and her army commandeer a ship, shackle its crew, and sail across to the English colony of Virginia to alter the futures of generations of Africans.

The story appears to be at least partly inspired by the "Amazon" warriors of the West African kingdom of Dahomey, which flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries. I relished the idea of and appreciated this ambitious exploration of role-reversal, with respect not only to gender and society but of military power and influence. I did find that the author faltered subtly at times, occasionally allowing a 21st-century western lens to color the narrative in minor ways (neither bougainvillea nor canna lily are in Africa at this time in history, a character describing the pronunciation of a name using the names of Latin letters, "womanned"). To be fair, it would be challenging to avoid. The resolution, while uplifting and hopeful for the characters, felt to me somewhat short-sighted. Abandoning Port Comfort almost certainly doomed it, but that's my own 21st-century lens speaking. Overall, the message was exciting, imaginative and daring, but the execution was just slightly lacking for me.

I received this ARC via LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No One Will Save Us” by Julie L. Brown is a riveting tale about a young African princess who must leave her home and family behind and travel across the ocean to discover the truth behind mass disappearances taking place throughout her queendom. Princess Chibuike “Chi” was only ten dry seasons old when she first spotted a man with skin as pale as the moon while frolicking through the forest.

In 1619, the Queendom of Kana was shocked by the news of neighboring villagers vanishing without a trace. In their wake, only death and emptiness were left behind. When rumors start circulating that the same pale men Chi encountered as a child might be behind the disappearances, the Kanaians must move fast if they are to prevent the same fate from befalling their brothers and sisters. With her trusted friend, Efe, by her side, as well as her mother’s blessing and a contingent of her fellow sister warriors, Chi sets out to find these pale men and teach them that greed is no match for bravery

“No One Will Save Us” takes a new approach to historical fiction by weaving a sort of dystopian-like atmosphere into the story. The setting takes place in what modern history books would consider colonial Africa, at a time when the American slave trade was just getting underway in the New World thanks to the establishment of settlements such as Jamestown. The choice to feature a matriarchal queendom during a period where power was typically reserved for men, Julie L. Brown shows readers how certain populations, especially women, have been underestimated by history for hundreds – maybe even thousands – of years.

Chi is a narrator who is at a crossroads. At 20 years old, she is not a child, but she still has a lot to learn about the adult world. Though a seasoned warrior, she has been lucky not to have witnessed much in the way of violence in her life. Her shock at the disappearances of her friends and neighbors from the surrounding villages, and the reactions of both her and her fellow warriors, illustrate a sort of final loss of innocence as they set out to save their queendom from a dangerous outside force.

“No One Will Save Us” is a fast-paced read that fans of historical fantasy, dystopian fiction, and books about powerful female characters and societies will devour. In a time when many women across the world may be fearful of losing their rights and voices, Julie L. Brown provides audiences with a book as a reminder to them to never surrender. If we come together to fight against the forces that wish to silence us or impose different values and cultures over ours, then by vowing to leave no one behind we can build a resistance to oppression and injustice.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve received around a dozen free books this year, given to me in exchange for a review. More than half of them have come from LibraryThing, including this book. Those have ranged from downright awful to not so bad. No One Will Save Us was better than all of them put together.

This book is a work of historical fiction. It’s about a Queendom in Africa in the 17th century, and told through the eyes of the heir to the throne, Chibuike. Kana is not only ruled by all women, but their military is also entirely made up of non-men. Men support the women, but have no power. Most of the villages around Kana are ruled by women, with only one that I can remember having a king—strangely enough, that place ends up being the worst of the worst.

One day Chibuike sees a “pale face” in the woods, and the trouble begins. Suddenly entire villages are empty and no one knows why. The quickly learn that the kingdom is selling their people into slavery. A few years go by, and Chibuike ends up leading an army to not only capture the slavers, but travel to the British Colonies and rescue as many slaves as possible.

I won’t give anything away, but the next few hundred pages are non-stop excitement. A bunch of African women constantly being underestimated by arrogant white men, the revolt spreading, Native folks taking an interest and joining the fight, and a lot of joys and tragedies. Through it all, Chibuike not only learns the values of alliances with other peoples, but also begins to question why, back home, there is such wealth disparity.

The only flaw I found is that huge issues seemed to be solved with ease. This is something I’ve noticed a lot in books and movies: There are hundreds of pages or hours of TV that focus on some big issue that seems unsolvable. Then in the last few pages or the final 15 minutes of the final episode, everything is figured out and things go on happily. Honestly, this didn’t make the book less enjoyable though.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“No One Will Save Us” by Julie L. Brown

Julie L. Brown's No One Will Save Us is a thought-provoking exploration of a society ruled by women, whose lives are turned upside down when members of their community are abducted by another country to be sold into slavery. At the heart of the story is Chibuike, who must navigate her growing responsibilities and fight to save those she loves—or risk losing them forever.

This book captivated me with its exploration of themes such as gender roles, the value of family and friendship, cultural identity, religious extremism, becoming an adult and finding your place, and colonization. While the story feels rooted in Africa, its universal relevance shines through; this could easily represent how various cultures experienced colonization across the globe. The setting’s ambiguity reflects shared histories of oppression and resilience throughout all of history.
One of the standout elements of the book is its a queendom, which adds depth and complexity to the plot. It was refreshing to read a story centered on societal issues and moral dilemmas, without romance being the focus. This absence of romance amplifies the weight of the characters’ decisions and the societal challenges they face.

I think for me reading an alternative history to the slave trade with very little to no romance was a great change of pace from the other books being published lately. Plus, I think the cover looks so good and fits perfectly on my bookshelf.

It’s a solid 4 out of 5 stars, and I can’t wait for Julie L. Brown’s future books. Definitely a book I will be rereading again.

-Colonization
-Alternative History
-Race and Gender Issues
-Queendom
-Slavery
-Coming-of-age

Thank you, Julie L. Brown, for providing me with a complimentary copy of your book to read and review.

[Sav · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book set out with an incredibly ambitious goal: imagining an alternate history where West African kingdoms united to resist the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The concept alone is powerful and promises a story filled with resilience, strategy, and cultural pride. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the premise.

The kingdom of Kana, led by Chibuike, is clearly inspired by the Dahomey warriors. However, instead of presenting a nuanced portrayal, the story paints Kana as an idealized society—progressive and nearly flawless. There’s little acknowledgment of the complexities or moral gray areas of the time, and this simplification made the world feel less authentic.

The pacing of the story was another struggle. Events that could have carried enormous emotional weight—such as battles, betrayals, or personal triumphs—were rushed through at breakneck speed. Rather than feeling immersed in the characters’ struggles, I often felt like I was reading a summary of what happened.

The characters themselves also felt overly polished. Nearly everyone was exceptionally skilled, wise, or brave, which left little room for growth or relatability. For example, the Kanaians manage to overcome seemingly impossible odds with ease, including defeating an armada of sixty English warships in a battle that was resolved in just a few pages. It felt more like wish fulfillment than a believable narrative.

That said, the book does have its merits. It doesn’t shy away from depicting the brutal realities of the slave trade, which serves as an important reminder of history’s darkest chapters. However, the way the story wraps up so neatly—with all major conflicts resolved and historical wounds seemingly healed—felt unrealistic and diminished the enormity of the subject matter.

In the end, while I respect the author’s ambition and message, the execution left much to be desired. The rushed pacing, idealized characters, and oversimplified resolutions kept me from connecting to the story as deeply as I’d hoped. Therefore I'm giving this book 2 ⭐.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy!

[Juanita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: No One Will Save us by Julie L. Brown 4* 02/07/2025


This is an Early Review Book. The book is Historic Fiction, and the setting is 1619 in Virgina. I don't usually read this type of book, but it caught me right at the beginning. The story is about capturing strong women from different areas and taking them by large ships across the ocean to places where they were sold to the highest bidder. The story was well written, characters were well developed, and the story was well organized. They chose one place that women of society were ruled by women. Plus, most of the women were trained to be warriors for battles against other settlements.
I thought it got interesting when the women of Kana ruled by a Queen and when the pale face man entered into the story abducting women from different settlements and taken to across the ocean to Jamestown and Spain to be sold as slaves. A lot of the historic events, way of life, making tools, and realize your altogether in another scene and it draws the reader right into the story and moving along with the different battles between the pale men and the captured people. Princess Chilbulke, (Chi), the daughter of the Kana Queen was chosen leader to the Kana warriors. Each of the character's had their own special duties within the story. When the Queen sent her warrior's out to look for the people who were missing. Princess Chi throughout the book held her own character and didn't know what was going to happen and that made me read on to see what was next. Very interesting story always, a scene in history and reading more of that era.

[Kiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating: ⭐️⭐️.75

Romance level: 0 / 5

The premise of this book has a lot of aspects I typically love - diverse representation; resistance to misogyny, racism, slavery, and colonialism; strong female characters; matriarchal society - which is why I’m so bummed to give it this rating.

It took me nearly a month to finish this 358-page book. My main issue was it just lacked any sort of author voice/style, and the writing felt devoid of emotion, insight, or impact; It was technically correct in terms of grammar and steady pacing and plot progression, but it did not make me feel anything or visualize anything rich or immersive. This was a really strange experience, since so much of what happens in this book and the cultures and themes it explores should be inherently interesting, emotional, and impactful.

Despite the solid pacing, I found the plot and characters to be quite predictable and over-simplified. I really craved more complexity and depth but never got it. I saw the main plot twist coming from nearly the beginning.

I would really love to see this concept/story and its characters done more justice, maybe after this author has developed their writing more!

[Thank you to the author for sending me a physical copy. All opinions are my own.]

[Valerie Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books I knew I would be glad that I read. And it was true! While it took a little while for me to get sucked it, in the end I totally stayed up late to finish! The beginning was a slow start for me as we were introduced to characters and the scene was set up. I always have a hard time with pure description and while this wasn't exactly that, there was a lot. But it was necessary so that we as a reader could have a clear picture of the characters, the landscape, the queendom, etc. Once the tapestry was created, the true adventure began.

I love this alternative-history as it's the history we all wish would have happened. The courage and strength portrayed by these warriors was beautiful to witness, the female empowerment was inspiring, and goodness left you hopeful. I was left wanting to hear more. Again, it was a slow start for me, but as I predicted based on the description and the previous reviews, this was a delight to have read and I'm better for it.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. This review is my own.

[Zanyar · Rating 2 out of 5]

No One Will Save Us by Julie L. Brown offers an intriguing alternate history where the kingdom of Kana resists the transatlantic slave trade. The world-building, featuring strong female warriors and a rich culture, is engaging, and the themes of bravery and resistance hold promise.

However, the execution didn’t quite deliver. The pacing feels uneven, with key events rushed and lacking emotional depth. Many of the characters feel overly idealized, and some actions and dialogue felt unrealistic within the world Brown created, which weakened the story’s believability. While the book touches on the brutal realities of the era, the resolution feels too neat and diminishes its impact.

Though fans of historical fiction might find something to enjoy here, it wasn’t the right fit for me. Despite its interesting premise, No One Will Save Us didn't leave a lasting impression.

[J.J. Amaworo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This excellent novel depicts nothing less than an alternative history of Africa. The arrival of the white man sets off a disastrous chain of events that threatens the peaceful queendom of Kana. The young Princess Chi, so sure of her destiny, is then forced to embark on an epic adventure that will see her cross an ocean and contend with an unthinkably powerful enemy.

This novel rattles along at a tremendous pace, with flawless dialogue and gorgeous world-building. The matriarchal society of Kana is brilliantly drawn and Chi, the heroine, is a character that will haunt your dreams. Imagine a cross between Chinua Achebe's masterpiece "Things Fall Apart" and the first Black Panther movie - that's how good this novel is.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page until the last, Julie L. Brown has delivered a magical story that engages, teaches, and inspires. While at times difficult to read the description of the actual historical facts, the character development, heroic actions, and ultimate narrative in Ms. Brown's "alternative history" leave the reader inspired and empowered.

The detail in and depth of the overall story is incredible. As I read, I could easily picture the scenes in my mind, and I looked forward to getting back into the scene each time I put the book down.

Even now, months after completing the book, I cannot quite figure out how Ms. Brown so convincingly developed certain portions of the book -- including languages and clothing and styles -- but she did! I highly recommend this important book!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.)
I really enjoyed this book! It took me a few pages to catch on to the place and time and the narrator's perspective, but it was quite engaging and captivating. I enjoyed the idea of a completely female-led community and how it would be similar and different from a male-led one. At times the book was overly focused on that aspect of their community, but mostly it was just part of the background to the main story. The interactions between members of the main communities and the pale-faced world were fascinating - and disturbing. I recommend this book!

[Space Station Mir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold and Triumphant Reincarnation of History

Princess Chibuike and the warrior women of Kana are the heroes that very well could have been. I loved learning more about the Kanaian , Alkebulan, and other cultures that Brown confidently recreates, and their adventures boldly confront historical events, reimagining an earlier reckoning for the Atlantic slave trade.

Received for review from LibraryThing; all opinions are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

**This book was a free copy from a Goodreads giveaway.

The author weaves a compelling tale of Princess Chi, the people of Kana, and what would have happened if the families of enslaved people had fought to bring them back? The themes of the book can be summed up in love, loss, loyalty, and female empowerment. I found the story riveting and hard to put down.

[Aslan Bennefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a Goodreads giveaway

Beautifully written alternative history of a princess driven to save her people and the people of nearby villages sold into slavery. A society run by women and protected by them as warriors. An epic journey filled with adventure, friendship, success and loss.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We proudly announce that NO ONE WILL SAVE US by Julie L. Brown has been honored with the prestigious B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers' Appreciation Group). This honor places it among a distinguished group of award-winning, reader-recommended works at indieBRAG. This award is a testament to this book's quality and its impact on readers.

[Nancy Mcclenathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Goodreads giveaway.
This alternate history novel was a fascinating read. Imagine women warriors in Africa in the early 1600s responding as a united front when villagers from neighboring areas are disappearing and taken to America to be sold as slaves.
Great read!

[Denisele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and really enjoyed it! A beautiful story of friendship and bravery.

"...but as I saw it, these were women - resourceful."

It had a good balance of emotions and action.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fast-paced, hard to put down, adventure filled novel. I laughed, I cried, and I couldn’t put it down. Deeply satisfying in all the best ways. Loved the alt-fiction aspect and reading an adventure novel with women in the hero role! Highly recommend.

[Crystal DeBoard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really well-written and easy to read. The pacing was on point, and I loved the character development. This was my first book by Julie L. Brown and will not be my last. I absolutely recommend this, especially if you enjoy strong female characters.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good and original story - an alternative take on the history of the African slave trade in the 1600s. I really enjoyed this story and the wonderful strong, women characters. The novel imagines another time and place where women ruled and defended their freedom.

[patricia sendelbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Universal thoughts in fantasy historical fition.

[Audi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is powerful and timley. Imagine if we could reverse the trauma and pain our ancestors endured. This book is just what our culture needs to remind us how powerful we are if we unite. Bravo and encore!!!!

Someone call Oprah and Ava. This is the one! Asé!

[Ada’s Book Review · Rating 2 out of 5]

No One Will Save Us by Julie L. Brown | DNF | 2⭐
@adasbookreview

This one just didn’t work for me 😬. The premise had so much promise, but the pacing dragged, and the characters never pulled me in. I kept waiting for that hook moment, and it just never came. I finally had to admit defeat and set it down.

[Julie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed riding along with Chi, Efe, Fatimata, and Kayin on this journey. I hope readers enjoy reading it, as much as I loved writing it and, perhaps, contemplate what might have been.