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Desta #3
Desta: To Whom the Lions Bow
Desta's story unites with all humanity's in this panoramic, magical, and metamorphic 3rd phase of his journey to fulfill the sacred ancient quest entrusted to him. As he discovers just how much his life is bound up with the ancient world, powerful spirits, and his country's glorious past, he must resist the competing designs of others on King Solomon s twin magic coins. Desta relies on his wits and the power of the coin as he navigates betrayal, tragedy, challenges in school, and the intercession of unbidden voices, prismatic spirits, and delivered dictums. As his horizons widen, he must weigh the value and perils of new opportunities brought by visitors from the larger world. Through it all, with acceptance, forgiveness, and hard-won faith in himself, Desta is transformed from homeless fourth-grader to celebrated graduate and the pride of his family. As he transits to manhood, his own accomplishments and experiences teach him that the world is truly his family, but that his fated path is his alone.
- GenresFiction
Paperback
First published June 10, 2014
3 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Getty Ambau
9 books28 followersGetty Ambau was born and raised in an isolated countryside, in the highlands of Gojjam in northern Ethiopia. He came to the United States at age nineteen for his education, studied molecular biophysics, biochemistry, and economics at Yale University, and later earned an advanced business degree.
He has worked in research labs and run his own companies, but writing has always been his calling. He has authored the award-winning Desta series and several best-selling alternative health books on health and nutrition.
His second Desta novel was featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Rosario.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 5, 2016
I did not read the earlier two books in the series, but that did not come in the way of enjoying this crafty Ethiopian story that fully drenched my imagination in mystery and adventure.
In this book, Desta, a young shepherd boy in Ethiopia goes on an epic quest to find a powerful coin that would match one in his father's possession to complete the pair that King Solomon had once made, years and years ago. During the three years of his life covered in the book, Desta goes through a number of breathtaking situations and challenges yet bravely keeps himself open for new possibilities.
This book is a mystical journey through the culture and the history of Ethiopia, highly recommended to the readers who love historic fantasies with a strong touch of spirituality. Getty Ambau surely is an author to look for in coming years for me as I could see many more great books coming from him.
In this book, Desta, a young shepherd boy in Ethiopia goes on an epic quest to find a powerful coin that would match one in his father's possession to complete the pair that King Solomon had once made, years and years ago. During the three years of his life covered in the book, Desta goes through a number of breathtaking situations and challenges yet bravely keeps himself open for new possibilities.
This book is a mystical journey through the culture and the history of Ethiopia, highly recommended to the readers who love historic fantasies with a strong touch of spirituality. Getty Ambau surely is an author to look for in coming years for me as I could see many more great books coming from him.
November 6, 2025
I found Desta: Roots to be deeply moving. The story’s focus on ancestry, heritage, and personal growth makes it more than a magical adventure it’s a meditation on identity and purpose. Desta’s choices, balancing school, career ambitions, and a mystical mission, felt real and relatable. Tsadok’s mentorship adds a layer of spiritual depth, guiding both Desta and the reader through questions of destiny and responsibility. The narrative flows beautifully, creating suspense while also allowing moments of quiet reflection. This book inspires self-discovery and admiration for one’s roots.
November 19, 2025
This book surprised me by how immersive it was not just in emotion, but in history. It doesn’t lecture. It breathes. The Ethiopian setting, its traditions, its calendar, its schools it all comes alive through one boy’s very personal journey.
I didn’t just read about a place I felt like I walked its streets, touched its coins, and faced its trials. If you love cultural fiction that actually teaches you something real while pulling on your heart, this is it. It’s like traveling without leaving your chair.
I didn’t just read about a place I felt like I walked its streets, touched its coins, and faced its trials. If you love cultural fiction that actually teaches you something real while pulling on your heart, this is it. It’s like traveling without leaving your chair.
July 30, 2025
Like A Living Tapestry
Some books are just stories. Others are worlds. Desta is the latter. This third installment is woven so richly with culture, emotion, struggle, and spirit that it feels less like reading and more like stepping through a portal.
It doesn’t just explore a life it holds a whole country in its arms. Every time I closed the book, I felt I had lived something. That’s rare. For readers who want depth, beauty, and truth stitched together this is it.
Some books are just stories. Others are worlds. Desta is the latter. This third installment is woven so richly with culture, emotion, struggle, and spirit that it feels less like reading and more like stepping through a portal.
It doesn’t just explore a life it holds a whole country in its arms. Every time I closed the book, I felt I had lived something. That’s rare. For readers who want depth, beauty, and truth stitched together this is it.
July 30, 2025
For Every Outsider
This is for the kid who didn’t have the right documents. For the one who slept on floors. For the child who couldn’t explain their dreams to anyone, so they carried them quietly like a second heart.
Desta’s story is personal, yes but it’s also universal. It reminded me of how deeply we all want to belong, to be trusted, to have a place. Read this if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t have one.
This is for the kid who didn’t have the right documents. For the one who slept on floors. For the child who couldn’t explain their dreams to anyone, so they carried them quietly like a second heart.
Desta’s story is personal, yes but it’s also universal. It reminded me of how deeply we all want to belong, to be trusted, to have a place. Read this if you’ve ever felt like you didn’t have one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2025
I came for a coming-of-age tale. What I found was a layered, soulful trek across culture, myth, and hardship that left me unexpectedly emotional. This isn’t your average “young boy with a dream” story it’s deeper, more spiritual.
The connection between past and present, the coin’s mysterious guidance, and the voice that reminds him of belonging those details are what gave this book its soul. Perfect for those who like their fiction with a touch of the divine.
The connection between past and present, the coin’s mysterious guidance, and the voice that reminds him of belonging those details are what gave this book its soul. Perfect for those who like their fiction with a touch of the divine.
August 16, 2025
There’s an educational depth to this book that goes beyond school. Through Desta’s trials, you learn about culture, resilience, resourcefulness and what it means to find your own worth in the absence of applause.
I felt mentored by this story. Inspired by its honesty. It teaches not just through plot, but through spirit. A must-read for students, dreamers, and anyone building their life from the ground up, one brave step at a time.
I felt mentored by this story. Inspired by its honesty. It teaches not just through plot, but through spirit. A must-read for students, dreamers, and anyone building their life from the ground up, one brave step at a time.
August 23, 2025
Few books capture the ache of wanting like this one. The longing to belong. To be educated. To matter. It pours out of every scene like ink from a cracked heart. And somehow, it’s still hopeful.
The writing is tender, not melodramatic. Honest, but never self-pitying. I found myself rooting for Desta not just because of what he faced but because of how he chose to respond. It’s an emotional and deeply empathetic read.
The writing is tender, not melodramatic. Honest, but never self-pitying. I found myself rooting for Desta not just because of what he faced but because of how he chose to respond. It’s an emotional and deeply empathetic read.
August 27, 2025
I didn’t cry at the sad parts I cried at the hopeful ones. There’s something deeply moving about watching a child carry his dreams in his pocket like currency, daring to believe the world will meet him halfway.
I don’t have a neat summary or rating for this. All I can say is: it touched me. In a tender, aching way. It reminded me that sometimes, just being brave enough to ask for help is its own kind of miracle.
I don’t have a neat summary or rating for this. All I can say is: it touched me. In a tender, aching way. It reminded me that sometimes, just being brave enough to ask for help is its own kind of miracle.
August 27, 2025
There’s a calmness in this book that slowly gives way to an unstoppable force. It doesn’t shout; it endures. The protagonist’s journey is filled with small, quiet refusals to give up, even when the world has nothing to offer.
What stayed with me wasn’t the magic it was the humanity. The way hard work, disappointment, and self-belief are threaded together like prayer beads. This is a book for anyone who’s had to create a future from nothing but grit and grace.
What stayed with me wasn’t the magic it was the humanity. The way hard work, disappointment, and self-belief are threaded together like prayer beads. This is a book for anyone who’s had to create a future from nothing but grit and grace.
August 29, 2025
Not Just a Boy’s Tale..
I went into this thinking it would be another story of a young boy facing hardship. What I found instead was a meditation on legacy, destiny, and how the past speaks to us through symbols, strangers, and choices.
It reads almost like a spiritual scroll. Every moment, every hardship, feels connected to something bigger. This is for anyone who has felt guided by something unseen. A beautiful blend of the mystical and the personal.
I went into this thinking it would be another story of a young boy facing hardship. What I found instead was a meditation on legacy, destiny, and how the past speaks to us through symbols, strangers, and choices.
It reads almost like a spiritual scroll. Every moment, every hardship, feels connected to something bigger. This is for anyone who has felt guided by something unseen. A beautiful blend of the mystical and the personal.
November 19, 2025
A Sacred Journey
This book felt like more than fiction it felt sacred. There’s something about the way it intertwines ancient symbols, dreams, and everyday hardships that made me feel like I was reading an epic in slow motion.
Even when nothing big was happening, everything mattered. Every word carried weight. It’s for the kind of reader who doesn’t just want a page-turner, but a heart-opener. One who values meaning over momentum. I closed the book feeling quieter inside, in a good way.
This book felt like more than fiction it felt sacred. There’s something about the way it intertwines ancient symbols, dreams, and everyday hardships that made me feel like I was reading an epic in slow motion.
Even when nothing big was happening, everything mattered. Every word carried weight. It’s for the kind of reader who doesn’t just want a page-turner, but a heart-opener. One who values meaning over momentum. I closed the book feeling quieter inside, in a good way.
November 19, 2025
Sometimes, a story doesn’t sweep you away it roots you. This one planted something in me. It’s about forging forward even when the map is blank, and trusting that belief alone can bridge the distance between where you are and where you long to be.
What I loved most was how the protagonist’s hope felt both fragile and fierce. The moments of doubt were as powerful as the triumphs. This is a story for readers who’ve ever whispered “maybe” into the dark, waiting for a sign to keep going.
What I loved most was how the protagonist’s hope felt both fragile and fierce. The moments of doubt were as powerful as the triumphs. This is a story for readers who’ve ever whispered “maybe” into the dark, waiting for a sign to keep going.
November 19, 2025
Heartfelt and Human
There’s a moment in this book just a tear sliding into a boy’s ear that made me pause. Not for its sadness, but its honesty. That’s what this book is: profoundly human, even in its smallest details.
It doesn’t rely on twists or plot shocks. Instead, it captures what it means to feel unseen, yet still press forward. I think anyone who’s ever had to rely on strangers or carve their own path in a foreign place will find their story here, tucked gently between the lines.
There’s a moment in this book just a tear sliding into a boy’s ear that made me pause. Not for its sadness, but its honesty. That’s what this book is: profoundly human, even in its smallest details.
It doesn’t rely on twists or plot shocks. Instead, it captures what it means to feel unseen, yet still press forward. I think anyone who’s ever had to rely on strangers or carve their own path in a foreign place will find their story here, tucked gently between the lines.
November 19, 2025
Unshakable Will
I’ve read many books, but few as quietly powerful as this. There’s no grand rebellion, no easy wins just a steady, relentless will to survive, learn, and find belonging. That’s what makes this unforgettable.
The smallest interactions the kindness of a stranger, the warmth of a borrowed room felt monumental. For readers who love stories where strength is measured not in victory but in endurance, this will hit home. It reminded me that persistence is its own form of grace.
I’ve read many books, but few as quietly powerful as this. There’s no grand rebellion, no easy wins just a steady, relentless will to survive, learn, and find belonging. That’s what makes this unforgettable.
The smallest interactions the kindness of a stranger, the warmth of a borrowed room felt monumental. For readers who love stories where strength is measured not in victory but in endurance, this will hit home. It reminded me that persistence is its own form of grace.
August 15, 2025
What resonated with me most wasn’t what was said it was what was endured. This is a book full of pauses, hesitations, and unspoken truths that still scream across the page. Desta’s world is quiet, but the weight of his emotions is immense.
There’s power in the stillness here. Pain, longing, and hope settle in your bones. If you’ve ever had to hold your dreams in silence, waiting for the world to notice you, this book will speak directly to that ache.
There’s power in the stillness here. Pain, longing, and hope settle in your bones. If you’ve ever had to hold your dreams in silence, waiting for the world to notice you, this book will speak directly to that ache.
August 15, 2025
A Slow-Burning Triumph
This book doesn’t rush. It walks, barefoot and determined, through rejection, hunger, and self-doubt and somehow ends up glowing with triumph. Desta’s story isn’t fast-paced, but it’s deeply felt.
It rewards the patient reader. The kind who likes transformation not in big moments, but in quiet choices. If you enjoy character-driven stories where growth comes with scars, this book will stay with you long after you close it.
This book doesn’t rush. It walks, barefoot and determined, through rejection, hunger, and self-doubt and somehow ends up glowing with triumph. Desta’s story isn’t fast-paced, but it’s deeply felt.
It rewards the patient reader. The kind who likes transformation not in big moments, but in quiet choices. If you enjoy character-driven stories where growth comes with scars, this book will stay with you long after you close it.
September 1, 2025
At its heart, this is a story about trying to be seen. Not praised. Not rewarded. Just seen. The protagonist’s hunger for education and stability is painfully relatable, especially in a world where paperwork can define your worth.
It made me reflect on how many kids never get a fair shot simply because of where they’re born or who stands in their corner. This book is a necessary reminder that sometimes, all it takes is one person believing in you.
It made me reflect on how many kids never get a fair shot simply because of where they’re born or who stands in their corner. This book is a necessary reminder that sometimes, all it takes is one person believing in you.
September 1, 2025
I rarely use the word “inspiring” for fiction, but here it fits. Watching a boy navigate rejection after rejection and still show up, still try it made me want to be better. The story isn’t just about school or work it’s about self-respect.
It’s proof that resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just one foot in front of the other, a quiet “yes” when everything screams “no.” I’d gift this book to any student who feels like they’re falling behind. It’s that powerful.
It’s proof that resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s just one foot in front of the other, a quiet “yes” when everything screams “no.” I’d gift this book to any student who feels like they’re falling behind. It’s that powerful.
January 21, 2016
The third installment of the Desta series is a mix of quest, coming of age tale, adventure, mystery, fantasy, and primer in all things Ethiopian.
The writing is crisp and clean, filled with starkly alluring images. “"This meant traveling through mountains that grew like trees—some whose tips were sharp and pointy like needles, others whose facades were wavy, and ridges razor sharp." (p91)
Ambau builds complexity like a layered piece of music. Stacking tiers of symbolism, history, magic, and spiritualism, he expands his opus from the mundane to the fantastic. Like Garcia-Marquez, he seamlessly moves between the everyday travails of a young man pursuing academic excellence and a world inhabited by ghosts and spirits, where supernatural forces rule, and every event is inextricably connected with all of history.
A wonderfully written, intricate tale that nicely sets up events for the next adventure in this extraordinary young man’s star-crossed search for his Coin of Magic and Fortune.
The writing is crisp and clean, filled with starkly alluring images. “"This meant traveling through mountains that grew like trees—some whose tips were sharp and pointy like needles, others whose facades were wavy, and ridges razor sharp." (p91)
Ambau builds complexity like a layered piece of music. Stacking tiers of symbolism, history, magic, and spiritualism, he expands his opus from the mundane to the fantastic. Like Garcia-Marquez, he seamlessly moves between the everyday travails of a young man pursuing academic excellence and a world inhabited by ghosts and spirits, where supernatural forces rule, and every event is inextricably connected with all of history.
A wonderfully written, intricate tale that nicely sets up events for the next adventure in this extraordinary young man’s star-crossed search for his Coin of Magic and Fortune.
March 12, 2016
The book is a whole lot of magic and mysticism bottled into the beautiful words of the story. The character Desta is very interesting and intriguing. This is one of those books where you keep flipping the pages, thirsty to see what happens next. The description is flawless and wonderful, painting images in the head, making you feel you've traveled all throughout Ethiopia. The story is filled with mystery and spirituality, and within the book there are references to the importance of courage, diligence, striving for excellence, and most importantly, magic.
There is something about this book which separates it from others I've read, and that's the beautiful part about it.
This is a must read for those seeking something different, interesting, and magical.
Desta is more than just a character, he's a hero in my opinion, one who conquered the hardships of life while maintaining a strong and persevering spirit.
There is something about this book which separates it from others I've read, and that's the beautiful part about it.
This is a must read for those seeking something different, interesting, and magical.
Desta is more than just a character, he's a hero in my opinion, one who conquered the hardships of life while maintaining a strong and persevering spirit.
March 16, 2016
The book is a whole lot of magic and mysticism bottled into the beautiful words of the story. The character Desta is very interesting and intriguing. This is one of those books where you keep flipping the pages, thirsty to see what happens next. The description is flawless and wonderful, painting images in the head, making you feel you've traveled all throughout Ethiopia. The story is filled with mystery and spirituality, and within the book there are references to the importance of courage, diligence, striving for excellence, and most importantly, magic.
There is something about this book which separates it from others I've read, and that's the beautiful part about it.
This is a must read for those seeking something different, interesting, and magical.
Desta is more than just a character, he's a hero in my opinion, one who conquered the hardships of life while maintaining a strong and persevering spirit.
There is something about this book which separates it from others I've read, and that's the beautiful part about it.
This is a must read for those seeking something different, interesting, and magical.
Desta is more than just a character, he's a hero in my opinion, one who conquered the hardships of life while maintaining a strong and persevering spirit.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews