The Keys: A YOU are the Hero Book

by Balogun Ojetade

Pyramids – located all over the world, among different cultures and nations – are actually portals that allow teleportation between them.

For thousands of years, there was peace between nations; there was exchange of knowledge and culture and all of the pyramid cultures worldwide advanced because of it. But the peace soon shattered and the world was cast into the bloodiest and most costly of wars.

At the same time, the Iberian Empire, led by Infante (“Prince”) Henry the Navigator, attacked the Aztec Empire. Henry, the Navigator believed the legendary Christian kingdom of Prester John (“Presbytu Johannes”) to be the Aztec Empire’s Nueva Guatemala de la Asuncion (now called Guatemala City). He wanted to find the kingdom and achieve immortality and would murder the world if it meant achieving his goal.

The Aztec allied with the powerful Oyo Empire of West Africa and together they defeated Henry the Navigator and his monstrous army and restored a fragile peace to the world, deactivating the power of the world’s pyramids until humanity was once again ready to use their power responsibly.

Two gods – one Oyo and one Aztec – were placed into a deep sleep within the bloodlines of two warrior families from the great Oyo-Aztec Alliance.

These gods, lying dormant within two unwitting teenagers known as The Keys, are to awaken only when the world – and the gods’ teenaged hosts – is ready.

YOU choose to be one of the two heroes of the story: Jordan Drummond, college basketball phenomenon and math genius; or Theresa “Terry” De Fuego, self-proclaimed “extreme journalist.”

YOU battle the forces of evil and maybe even save the world!

YOU decide your destiny... for YOU are the Hero!

250 pages, Paperback

First published September 14, 2014

About the author

Balogun Ojetade is the author of the bestselling non-fiction books Afrikan Martial Arts: Discovering the Warrior Within, The Afrikan Warriors Bible, Surviving the Urban Apocalypse, The Urban Self Defense Manual and The Young Afrikan Warriors’ Guide to Defeating Bullies & Trolls.
He is one of the leading authorities on Afroretroism – film, fashion or fiction that combines African and / or African American culture with a blend of “retro” styles and futuristic technology, in order to explore the themes of tension between past and future and between the alienating and empowering effects of technology. He writes about Afroretroism – Sword & Soul, Rococoa, Steamfunk and Dieselfunk at http://chroniclesofharriet.com/.
He is author of sixteen novels and gamebooks – MOSES: The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman (Books 1 & 2); The Chronicles of Harriet Tubman: Freedonia; Redeemer; Once Upon A Time In Afrika; Fist of Afrika; A Single Link; Wrath of the Siafu; The Scythe; The Keys; Redeemer: The Cross Chronicles; Beneath the Shining Jewel; Q-T-Pies: The Savannah Swan Files (Book 0) and A Haunting in the SWATS: The Savannah Swan Files (Book 1); Siafu Saves the World; Siafu vs. The Horde; and Dembo’s Ditty – contributing co-editor of three anthologies: Ki: Khanga: The Anthology, Steamfunk and Dieselfunk and contributing editor of the Rococoa anthology and Black Power: The Superhero Anthology.
He is also the creator and author of the Afrofuturistic manga series, Jagunjagun Lewa (Pretty Warrior) and co-author of the Ngolo graphic novel.
Finally, he is co-author of the award winning screenplay, Ngolo and co-creator of Ki Khanga: The Sword and Soul Role-Playing Game, both with author Milton Davis.
Reach him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Afrikan.Mart... and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Baba_Balogun. Find his books on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Balogun-Ojetad....

Reviews

[Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Keys is an imaginative and entertaining read. Written as a 'You are the hero' story, it tells the story of two main characters who discover they are 'the keys' to restoring the connection between ancient empires. After choosing which character you will be, you read the story then make a choice of where the story will lead. I had a great time following the story to its various conclusions and I can see young adults enjoying it as well. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Stephanie Yuzuki · Rating 2 out of 5]

A gamebook focused not just on a black protagonist but two protagonists, male and female, is a brilliant idea, one I could have done with in my childhood when most of these gamebooks only had white male protagonists if any illustrations were included. The backstory is impressively ambitious too, involving rival ancient empires and wondrous artifacts, good enough for an entire story arc (and the book promises a sequel, although one has yet to be seen). The illustrations by Chris Miller are adequate as well. This was all great to start with and worth the third star, but there's one flaw that drags the rest down rather badly: namely, you get two appealing protagonists with the exact same story. Details do differ depending on who you play given the different points of view, but for the most part you get the same adventure and it feels very redundant to read through both, particularly given the exorbitant price for a gamebook. It was fun following along the first time, but a second time with so little changed was frustrating. Something with this set-up needs different paths for each protagonist, similar to how R. L. Stine's Give Yourself Goosebumps would have two distinct paths for the reader to play to give the books re-readability. If something like this can be implemented in further You Are the Hero books then the rest will make spectacular gamebooks, well worth the high price.