What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fugitives
The Kamanga Kings, a Khartoum jazz band of yesteryear, is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime when a surprise letter arrives inviting them to perform in Washington, D.C. The only problem is . . . the band no longer exists.
Rushdy is a disaffected secondary school teacher and the son of an original Kamanga King. Determined to see a life beyond his own home, he sets out to revive the band. Aided by his unreliable best friend, all too soon an unlikely group are on their way, knowing the eyes of their country are on them.
As the group moves from the familiarity of Khartoum to the chaos of Donald Trump's America, Jamal Mahjoub weaves a gently humorous and ultimately universal tale of music, belonging and love.
Rushdy is a disaffected secondary school teacher and the son of an original Kamanga King. Determined to see a life beyond his own home, he sets out to revive the band. Aided by his unreliable best friend, all too soon an unlikely group are on their way, knowing the eyes of their country are on them.
As the group moves from the familiarity of Khartoum to the chaos of Donald Trump's America, Jamal Mahjoub weaves a gently humorous and ultimately universal tale of music, belonging and love.
Hardcover
Published November 5, 2020
10 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Jamal Mahjoub
23 books46 followersAka Parker Bilal
Jamal Mahjoub was born in London in 1960. After living in Liverpool for several years, the family moved to Sudan, his father’s home country. Mahjoub attended Comboni College, run by Italian priests. He subsequently received a grant from Atlantic College in , and continued his studies in geology at the university of Sheffield. While still a student he began publishing his literary texts in magazines. After several changes of location, northern Europe eventually became his home base – yet his African roots still play a central role in his books. They incorporate stories and history, science and superstition and at the same time discuss the living conditions in which people from different backgrounds live together or in close proximity with each other.
»In the Hour of Signs« (1996) tells the story of the British conquest of at the end of the 19th century. The book transforms both protagonists of the conflict, the Muslim leader Mohammed Ahmed, called Mahdi, and the English General Gordon into symbolic figures. The main characters are farmers, shepherds or simple soldiers, and the uprising is described from their perspective as country dwellers or representatives of the colonial power. Mahjoub’s historical novel »The Carrier« (1998) deals with one of the pivotal moments in European thought: the development of the telescope and the corresponding astronomical methods of calculation, which paved the way for the heliocentric view of the world and the separation of science and religion. Mahjoub described his motivation: »I was fascinated by the question of why such a significant change in thought as marked by the Renaissance in Europe, didn’t occur in the Islamic world.« The young scholar Rashid al-Kenzy, son of a Nubian slave and falsely accused of murder, is reprieved by the dey of Algiers on condition that Rashid procure him the optical device, of whose capabilities people tell the most wondrous tales – and thus Rashid sets out on a long journey. In 2006 Majoub published his novel »Nubian Indigo«, whose story is set during the construction of the Aswan High Dam. »The Drift Latitudes« (2007) has present-day London as its setting. A successful architect, daughter of an immigrant from Trinidad and a German father whom she can hardly remember, receives several letters from her half-sister in , which cause her to begin to deal with her background.
The author has been awarded the Prix d’Astrobale for the novel »Travelling with Djinns« (2003) and the Guardian/Heinemann African Short Story Prize. After spending many years in the Danish city of Aarhus, Mahjoub is now living in Barcelona.
Jamal Mahjoub was born in London in 1960. After living in Liverpool for several years, the family moved to Sudan, his father’s home country. Mahjoub attended Comboni College, run by Italian priests. He subsequently received a grant from Atlantic College in , and continued his studies in geology at the university of Sheffield. While still a student he began publishing his literary texts in magazines. After several changes of location, northern Europe eventually became his home base – yet his African roots still play a central role in his books. They incorporate stories and history, science and superstition and at the same time discuss the living conditions in which people from different backgrounds live together or in close proximity with each other.
»In the Hour of Signs« (1996) tells the story of the British conquest of at the end of the 19th century. The book transforms both protagonists of the conflict, the Muslim leader Mohammed Ahmed, called Mahdi, and the English General Gordon into symbolic figures. The main characters are farmers, shepherds or simple soldiers, and the uprising is described from their perspective as country dwellers or representatives of the colonial power. Mahjoub’s historical novel »The Carrier« (1998) deals with one of the pivotal moments in European thought: the development of the telescope and the corresponding astronomical methods of calculation, which paved the way for the heliocentric view of the world and the separation of science and religion. Mahjoub described his motivation: »I was fascinated by the question of why such a significant change in thought as marked by the Renaissance in Europe, didn’t occur in the Islamic world.« The young scholar Rashid al-Kenzy, son of a Nubian slave and falsely accused of murder, is reprieved by the dey of Algiers on condition that Rashid procure him the optical device, of whose capabilities people tell the most wondrous tales – and thus Rashid sets out on a long journey. In 2006 Majoub published his novel »Nubian Indigo«, whose story is set during the construction of the Aswan High Dam. »The Drift Latitudes« (2007) has present-day London as its setting. A successful architect, daughter of an immigrant from Trinidad and a German father whom she can hardly remember, receives several letters from her half-sister in , which cause her to begin to deal with her background.
The author has been awarded the Prix d’Astrobale for the novel »Travelling with Djinns« (2003) and the Guardian/Heinemann African Short Story Prize. After spending many years in the Danish city of Aarhus, Mahjoub is now living in Barcelona.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 27, 2021
Sometimes a book comes along that is so good that I am dumbstruck when I discover how few reviews it has had - and presumably that equates to far too few readers. Such is the case with The Fugitives. Published back in April 2021, at the time of this review (Dec 2021) there are only 4 reviews on Goodreads and none on Amazon. So I urge everyone to hunt out and enjoy this wonderfully inventive and original novel that will make you laugh and despair in equal measure. For although it is a humorous and often light-hearted tale it deals with some dark themes and issues and the serious is never far from the surface levity. It tells the story of the Kamanga Kings, a legendary Sudanese band whose days were numbered when the new political regime under President Bashir banned music. So it is a surprise indeed when out of the blue an invitation arrives asking the now defunct band to come to Washington DC to perform. Rushdy, our narrator, a discontented and disillusioned teacher, the son of one of the original line-up, sees this unexpected invitation as an opportunity not to be missed and in short order has managed to reform the Kings and they are on their way. What follows is a sometimes almost farcical, but never quite, (well, maybe on occasion…) and picaresque, but not ridiculous, adventure for the band in the US, a post-9/11 America when distrust of foreigners is endemic and Trump’s anti-immigrant presidency is in full flow. So can music trump (sorry) ignorance and prejudice? Can the new Kamanga Kings live up to the reputation of the original band? Can this group of skilled musicians win over their public? This is a delightful book, well-written, well-paced, full of humanity and generosity, politically hard-hitting when it needs to be but never heavy-handed - and there’s even a playlist on Spotify. Read it – please.
January 28, 2022
4.5 stars. This terrific and terrifically written book about a fictional, influential and exciting Sudanese musical group called the Kamanga Kings reforming was such a pleasure to read.
When a letter arrives inviting the now disbanded Kamanga Kings to the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., hapless English teacher Rushdy’s uncle, one of the Kings, is throw into melancholy (as the group has been defunct for years, due to religious intolerance for their exuberant jazz pieces, and deaths of members, including Rushdy’s dad).
Rushdy’s friend Hisham decides this is a terrific opportunity (mainly for himself), and convinces them to take the offer seriously.
What follows is a feverish attempt to convince former band members to reunite, find new musicians, rehearse and get themselves to their performance, which goes off brilliantly, with encores and people dancing in the aisles.
When their “business manager” steals all their money, Rushdy figures that tracking down the guy makes sense. So much so that all the band agrees, and they’re off on a road trip, ferried by a free-spirited record manager, with the FBI and ICE in pursuit.
What follows is both comical and absurd, with the band travelling crammed into a motorhome, dealing with unfamiliar weather, and Rushdy questioning everything about himself, their motivations in travelling to the US, the complicated mix of religion and politics and nepotism in his part of Sudan, and the islamophobia and racism of the average Americans that they meet on their travels.
I particularly liked Mahjoub’s comment of how people around the world have so many ways to experience US culture, what with movies and the internet, but people within the US have little to no understanding of the countries and cultures, never mind their complexities, outside their borders, except in the broadest, least sophisticated way possible, e.g., people from country X are terrorists.
Jamal Mahjoub’s characters are flawed, drifting and hoping for something better, and the journey through the US crystallizes many of their desires, identities and understanding of home. It’s a wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Canongate for this ARC in exchange for my review.
When a letter arrives inviting the now disbanded Kamanga Kings to the Kennedy Centre in Washington D.C., hapless English teacher Rushdy’s uncle, one of the Kings, is throw into melancholy (as the group has been defunct for years, due to religious intolerance for their exuberant jazz pieces, and deaths of members, including Rushdy’s dad).
Rushdy’s friend Hisham decides this is a terrific opportunity (mainly for himself), and convinces them to take the offer seriously.
What follows is a feverish attempt to convince former band members to reunite, find new musicians, rehearse and get themselves to their performance, which goes off brilliantly, with encores and people dancing in the aisles.
When their “business manager” steals all their money, Rushdy figures that tracking down the guy makes sense. So much so that all the band agrees, and they’re off on a road trip, ferried by a free-spirited record manager, with the FBI and ICE in pursuit.
What follows is both comical and absurd, with the band travelling crammed into a motorhome, dealing with unfamiliar weather, and Rushdy questioning everything about himself, their motivations in travelling to the US, the complicated mix of religion and politics and nepotism in his part of Sudan, and the islamophobia and racism of the average Americans that they meet on their travels.
I particularly liked Mahjoub’s comment of how people around the world have so many ways to experience US culture, what with movies and the internet, but people within the US have little to no understanding of the countries and cultures, never mind their complexities, outside their borders, except in the broadest, least sophisticated way possible, e.g., people from country X are terrorists.
Jamal Mahjoub’s characters are flawed, drifting and hoping for something better, and the journey through the US crystallizes many of their desires, identities and understanding of home. It’s a wonderful book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Canongate for this ARC in exchange for my review.
January 26, 2022
"Great music transcends all barriers."
But does it really?
When you come from a country that is listed as a Sponsor of Terrorism in Trump-era America. When prejudices are cultivated against your skin colour, your ethnicity, your origin; does your music matter then? Your art? Your history? Or YOU for that matter?
Boy, this book hit close to home!
Funny, delightful and heart breaking, this is a story about music, passion and the revival of shattered dreams. The narrative follows the Kamanga Kings, a defunct Sudanese music band, in their attempt to reform in order to answer an invitation to play once more for an American audience in Washington DC. The band used to play back in the heyday of Sudanese independence, but now AlBashir has banned music and Musicians have become an endangered species. Sadly for the band, not only was their reformation a risky business at home, but also arriving in America at the height of an unfairly enforced travel ban poses its own risks abroad. One fake call and the band members find themselves on the run.
Handled with a handsome dose of comedy, the book depicts the idiosyncrasies of Sudanese culture and its intermingle with current day politics. Mahjoub simply portrayed reality by means of the absurd, explaining what it is like to be a Sudanese musician in today's Sudan and to the West, capturing feelings that are way realistic and all too familiar by employing a sense of humour. The book is primarily political: it explores the dark themes of racism, oppression and Islamophobia, but it was never heavy handed in its execution. Not to mention that this is a book that justly calls for our right to tell our own stories, and how African history— and consequently, African stories—has been always overshadowed by the West's attempt to put its own history on a pedestal to the exclusion of all else, first through imperialism and now through CAPITAL imperialism.
Read this gem, for instance:
"' What I'm trying to say, Waldo, is that by acquiring knowledge of you, of America, we inherited the sense that we are lacking in a fundamental way. Our history is lost in the dust, while yours is written in neon lights.'"
Yes, until this very day, storytelling remains a one way street to the west. Most books about Africa and Asia are narrated through a white gaze. So very few books are acquired that authentically represent us, the Africans. Especially so when you compare the numbers of African/Asian authors to what is being mass produced as literature. And even those authors must establish a tie to the west somehow in order to make a story heard.
So grateful for the chance to review this gorgeous book from Canongate and NetGalley. I can tell this will be one of my favourite reads this year.
P.S. You'll be missing out on a lot of fun if you don't pick up this book.
March 26, 2023
A little known book, read for a class through our local indie book store. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. And wonderful mix of humor and serious topics. Delightful dialogue, colorful characters. From Khartoum to DC, themes of legacy, relationships, migration and bigotry. Wonderful audio narrator.
April 29, 2023
A fun, funny book about Sudan, America and best of all, jazz. It has some silly twists but it's a great story, all in all.
January 3, 2022
Heerlijk boek! Helemaal als je het leest met de playlist op Spotify. Dan kom je helemaal in de stemming. Je volgt de zoon van de trompettist van de Kamanga Kings, een legende in Sudan. De vader is dood, net als de meeste andere muzikanten. De zoon zelf is een onderwijzer en er is niet echt zicht op een ander leven. Totdat er een uitnodiging komt vanuit de VS - gericht aan de Kamanga Kings - om te komen optreden. Wat nu? Kan de band heropgericht worden? Aan de hand van dit gegeven geeft de schrijver een beeld van Sudan (North, South en voordat het twee landen waren), hoe noord naar zuid kijkt - en je krijgt een beeld van Amerika vanuit de ogen van de Sudanese musici. Lekker lezen dit boek! Musici met een passie, maar helaas geboren in een land met een ingewikkelde geschiedenis en nog steeds niet erg veel toekomst mogelijkheden - op een luchtige manier geschreven. Heel knap.
October 27, 2021
The Kamanga Kings, a Khartoum jazz band have been disbanded for a long time, and not all of the original seven members are still alive. One of those members was Rushdy’s late father, whose brother, Maher, also played in the band too. He was an old man now and he liked his routines, one of which was to check his mailbox each week. It was normally empty, until one day he received a letter from America.
It was from the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. The Kamanga Kings were being invited to travel to America and perform at the annual festival of world music. Rushdy’s uncle sighed at the news and said it would be impossible for them to go. Rushdy has other ideas though, he feels he is in a dead-end job and that having an opportunity to see another part of the world is too good a chance to miss.
He decides to have a go at reviving the band with the help of his slightly unreliable friend, Hisham and after persuading Alkanary, another original member they advertise for new members. They are inundated with potential musicians who have a wide range of musical skills, but they eventually manage to select a new line-up. A businessman offers to help fund them and act as their manager. They are on the way to America.
America is an alien place compared to Khartoum, full of bright lights and strange sights. After they get through the tough immigration, they make it to the hotel. In no time at all it is time to play the venue but before they can bask in the praise they realise that their manager has taken the money they are due and disappeared. Rather than feel sorry for themselves Rushdy wants to go after him, but before he knows it, all the band members want to come too. They escape from the hotel and before they know it they are wanted by the immigration authorities and the FBI…
It was about the music, about excavating a spirit had been buried for decades, something that we each had carried within us all these years as a longing.
This was an unsolicited copy that I was fortunate enough to receive from the publisher. I wasn’t sure if this was going to be my sort of thing at first, I don’t read that much fiction for one thing and when I do, this is not going to be very high on the list of books that I would have selected. That said, I actually enjoyed this. I thought it was a genuinely heartwarming tale that made me laugh as much as it did make me feel for the characters. Give it a go, you might like it!
It was from the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts. The Kamanga Kings were being invited to travel to America and perform at the annual festival of world music. Rushdy’s uncle sighed at the news and said it would be impossible for them to go. Rushdy has other ideas though, he feels he is in a dead-end job and that having an opportunity to see another part of the world is too good a chance to miss.
He decides to have a go at reviving the band with the help of his slightly unreliable friend, Hisham and after persuading Alkanary, another original member they advertise for new members. They are inundated with potential musicians who have a wide range of musical skills, but they eventually manage to select a new line-up. A businessman offers to help fund them and act as their manager. They are on the way to America.
America is an alien place compared to Khartoum, full of bright lights and strange sights. After they get through the tough immigration, they make it to the hotel. In no time at all it is time to play the venue but before they can bask in the praise they realise that their manager has taken the money they are due and disappeared. Rather than feel sorry for themselves Rushdy wants to go after him, but before he knows it, all the band members want to come too. They escape from the hotel and before they know it they are wanted by the immigration authorities and the FBI…
It was about the music, about excavating a spirit had been buried for decades, something that we each had carried within us all these years as a longing.
This was an unsolicited copy that I was fortunate enough to receive from the publisher. I wasn’t sure if this was going to be my sort of thing at first, I don’t read that much fiction for one thing and when I do, this is not going to be very high on the list of books that I would have selected. That said, I actually enjoyed this. I thought it was a genuinely heartwarming tale that made me laugh as much as it did make me feel for the characters. Give it a go, you might like it!
May 6, 2025
I have read a few of Mahjoub’s books now and can’t understand why he is not better known. This picaresque journey through Trump’s America (the first time around) is not my favourite as it does err too much on the whimsical side for me but those are the very reasons lots of other people would love it. It’s a soothing, heartwarming story but with some serious (if sometimes a bit unsubtle) political bite and a glimpse into a version of Sudan that is rarely seen. If you are a fan of jazz so, so much the better. Again, this is not my favourite but this is an author that I think deserves more readers.
January 19, 2022
Special thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
The Fugitives opens in late-2010s Sudan. Rushdy is an English teacher who feels that he lives in the shadow of his late father, one of the founding members of a popular jazz band called the Kamanga Kings. Rushdy’s Uncle Maher (his mother’s brother) was another founding member of the band. Although the Kamanga Kings have been inactive for decades now – and indeed, several of the members are dead and the rest are getting old – Rushdy and his uncle are surprised when they get an exciting invitation one day. The Kamanga Kings are invited to perform in Washington, D.C. at a special music festival. With some encouragement from Rushdy and his best friend Hisham, the Kamanga Kings reform with old members and new ones. This Sudanese jazz band is determined to play at that American festival.
The first thing that drew me to The Fugitives is that it’s about a jazz band. Other than books and reading, my other big passion is music, and I always love reading novels that are about music in some way. Early on, The Fugitives includes some beautiful portrayals of music and of a love of music. Rushdy describes how important music is to him and his family; he describes the different influences that informed the Kamanga Kings’ unique sound. As a music lover myself, I could identify with Rushdy’s appreciation of songs, instruments, and performance.
I admit that I’m not very familiar Sudanese music, nor African music more generally. The only African artist I listen to much is K’naan from Somalia. So for me it was a treat to learn more about Sudanese music and the different sounds that make it up. It inspires me to seek out music from different artists around the continent. However, from a political standpoint, The Fugitives also provides some interesting information surrounding music’s place in Sudan. Music has a history of enlightening people and inspiring progress, and it’s fascinating to learn how music has been considered dangerous by Sudan’s government.
Beyond my passions for books and music, I also love travel – though that can be quite expensive and difficult, especially in a pandemic. And so armchair travel is invaluable. Here, readers get a glimpse into what Sudan is like, particularly its culture. I loved the chance to learn more about Sudan, its recent political history, its geography, and its people.
Though The Fugitives starts off in Sudan, most of the book is actually set in the United States. I enjoyed getting to see America through a traveler’s eyes and seeing the different instances of culture shock or just confusion at Americans’ ways. As a person who has lived abroad and is married to a man from another country, I’m familiar with some judgments people around the world have about Americans. For example, many think we smile too much or that our friendliness seems odd. We get some of that perspective in this novel, and I found it to be fun and charming.
However, The Fugitives also doesn’t shy away from tougher and more serious themes. The book is set during Trump’s administration and his horrible Muslim travel ban. As you might recall, Sudan was on the list of banned countries. This novel offers perspectives on immigration, asylum, refugees, the travel ban, and the way Americans think about foreigners. These Sudanese musicians have to fight stereotypes that they’re terrorists or trying to stay in the United States illegally. It’s not heavy-handed, but I found that The Fugitives offers some valuable discourse on these important topics.
Early on, it seems that The Fugitives has a clear story arc plotted out; surprisingly, about halfway through, the story goes in another direction. At times it feels a bit meandering, but ultimately I love how it comes together by the end. Without getting into spoilers, it ties together music with bigger themes in a climatic way that I found inspiring.
The Fugitives is a wonderfully written, musical, and thought-provoking novel that crosses Sudanese and American cultures. It’s charming and fun, a little bit adventurous, and filled with heart. I will be recommending it to everyone I know.
This is my first book by Jamal Mahjoub, and I’m eager to read more from him, so stay tuned for additional reviews of his books.
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
The Fugitives opens in late-2010s Sudan. Rushdy is an English teacher who feels that he lives in the shadow of his late father, one of the founding members of a popular jazz band called the Kamanga Kings. Rushdy’s Uncle Maher (his mother’s brother) was another founding member of the band. Although the Kamanga Kings have been inactive for decades now – and indeed, several of the members are dead and the rest are getting old – Rushdy and his uncle are surprised when they get an exciting invitation one day. The Kamanga Kings are invited to perform in Washington, D.C. at a special music festival. With some encouragement from Rushdy and his best friend Hisham, the Kamanga Kings reform with old members and new ones. This Sudanese jazz band is determined to play at that American festival.
The first thing that drew me to The Fugitives is that it’s about a jazz band. Other than books and reading, my other big passion is music, and I always love reading novels that are about music in some way. Early on, The Fugitives includes some beautiful portrayals of music and of a love of music. Rushdy describes how important music is to him and his family; he describes the different influences that informed the Kamanga Kings’ unique sound. As a music lover myself, I could identify with Rushdy’s appreciation of songs, instruments, and performance.
I admit that I’m not very familiar Sudanese music, nor African music more generally. The only African artist I listen to much is K’naan from Somalia. So for me it was a treat to learn more about Sudanese music and the different sounds that make it up. It inspires me to seek out music from different artists around the continent. However, from a political standpoint, The Fugitives also provides some interesting information surrounding music’s place in Sudan. Music has a history of enlightening people and inspiring progress, and it’s fascinating to learn how music has been considered dangerous by Sudan’s government.
Beyond my passions for books and music, I also love travel – though that can be quite expensive and difficult, especially in a pandemic. And so armchair travel is invaluable. Here, readers get a glimpse into what Sudan is like, particularly its culture. I loved the chance to learn more about Sudan, its recent political history, its geography, and its people.
Though The Fugitives starts off in Sudan, most of the book is actually set in the United States. I enjoyed getting to see America through a traveler’s eyes and seeing the different instances of culture shock or just confusion at Americans’ ways. As a person who has lived abroad and is married to a man from another country, I’m familiar with some judgments people around the world have about Americans. For example, many think we smile too much or that our friendliness seems odd. We get some of that perspective in this novel, and I found it to be fun and charming.
However, The Fugitives also doesn’t shy away from tougher and more serious themes. The book is set during Trump’s administration and his horrible Muslim travel ban. As you might recall, Sudan was on the list of banned countries. This novel offers perspectives on immigration, asylum, refugees, the travel ban, and the way Americans think about foreigners. These Sudanese musicians have to fight stereotypes that they’re terrorists or trying to stay in the United States illegally. It’s not heavy-handed, but I found that The Fugitives offers some valuable discourse on these important topics.
Early on, it seems that The Fugitives has a clear story arc plotted out; surprisingly, about halfway through, the story goes in another direction. At times it feels a bit meandering, but ultimately I love how it comes together by the end. Without getting into spoilers, it ties together music with bigger themes in a climatic way that I found inspiring.
The Fugitives is a wonderfully written, musical, and thought-provoking novel that crosses Sudanese and American cultures. It’s charming and fun, a little bit adventurous, and filled with heart. I will be recommending it to everyone I know.
This is my first book by Jamal Mahjoub, and I’m eager to read more from him, so stay tuned for additional reviews of his books.
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
January 11, 2022
Despite its serious sounding title, Jamal Mahjoub’s The Fugitives is an uplifting and delightful romp about the Kamanga Kings, a legendary Sudanese jazz band. When elderly Uncle Maher receives a mysterious letter from the United States, he asks his nephew Rushdy to translate. As Rushdy deciphers the strange letter, he slowly realizes that it is an invitation to the Kamanga Kings to perform at Washington, D. C.’s The Kennedy Center. There is one big problem. Decades earlier, Sudan’s then conservative Islamic government had banned the Kamanga Kings, just as it had banned all music, literature, and art that threatened the government’s power by stirring the people’s souls. Most of the Kamanga Kings are long dead.
Without the Kamanga Kings, Jamal Majoub would have no novel. Rushdy would have no story to tell, for the novel is presented as English teacher Rushdy’s account of his troubling musical heritage. “When my father died,” he writes, “he left me two things: a rather battered trumpet and the legend of the Kamanga Kings. . . . Like all legends, that of the Kamanga Kings was a blessing and a curse. Their exploits were woven into the fabric of my life.”
Following a brief introduction, Rushdy tells his story in three parts. “Part I: Raising the Dead” centers on the reforming of the band from two aged original members and five new ones, including Rushdy on his father’s trumpet. “Part II: The Kamaga Kings Fly!” spans the band’s travel to the U.S. through its performance of a lifetime at the Kennedy Center. “Part III: The Fugitives,” gives the book its title as the band flees Homeland Securities and ICE.
This is the story of Uncle Maher and Alkanary, of Hisham, Wad Mazaj, John Wau, and Kadugli. It is the story of people the band unexpectedly encounters along the way, such as the fly-by-night record producer Waldo and the Latino hotel caretaker Rudy, whom the band saves and who saves the band. Perhaps most of all, it’s the story of Rushdy, who must come to terms with his heritage and find his future.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for an advance reader copy of this highly recommended book. Although it is my first for 2022, it is sure to be one of my most enjoyed.
Without the Kamanga Kings, Jamal Majoub would have no novel. Rushdy would have no story to tell, for the novel is presented as English teacher Rushdy’s account of his troubling musical heritage. “When my father died,” he writes, “he left me two things: a rather battered trumpet and the legend of the Kamanga Kings. . . . Like all legends, that of the Kamanga Kings was a blessing and a curse. Their exploits were woven into the fabric of my life.”
Following a brief introduction, Rushdy tells his story in three parts. “Part I: Raising the Dead” centers on the reforming of the band from two aged original members and five new ones, including Rushdy on his father’s trumpet. “Part II: The Kamaga Kings Fly!” spans the band’s travel to the U.S. through its performance of a lifetime at the Kennedy Center. “Part III: The Fugitives,” gives the book its title as the band flees Homeland Securities and ICE.
This is the story of Uncle Maher and Alkanary, of Hisham, Wad Mazaj, John Wau, and Kadugli. It is the story of people the band unexpectedly encounters along the way, such as the fly-by-night record producer Waldo and the Latino hotel caretaker Rudy, whom the band saves and who saves the band. Perhaps most of all, it’s the story of Rushdy, who must come to terms with his heritage and find his future.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for an advance reader copy of this highly recommended book. Although it is my first for 2022, it is sure to be one of my most enjoyed.
May 27, 2021
Can I tell you what I love about @canongatebooks? I always finish their books feeling as if my eyes have been opened to something new, or that there’s a powerful message to take away, and this is no exception.
Told in the most gentle and lyrical way, this is the story of The Kamanga Kings - an old jazz band from Khartoum who’ve been asked to perform in America. With young Rushdy taking the lead, this huge group of conflicting personalities soon find themselves in trouble when their manager takes their money and goes on the run in the US, bringing them to the attention of immigration authorities. The band decides that the only way to restore their honour is to find him themselves and prove that they never intended to stay in the US, but of course a large group of foreigners in Trump’s America is never going to be able to hide for long...
This story is a little bit of magic. It’s political, musical, funny, moving, romantic, adventurous and wise. It’s a beautiful way of seeing the harsh realities of Trump’s racist and judgemental America, where simply speaking a foreign language can make you an outsider. It also taught me about a country I knew so little of, Sudan, where even the simple act of playing music can get you in trouble.
The dynamic between the characters is so wonderfully entertaining - some of them are very calm and wise, whilst others are hotheaded so it leads to plenty of debate! Rushdy is easy to relate to as someone who feels a little disillusioned with everything and doesn’t know what his next step is. Yet he brings this band together to create something extraordinary.
Whilst this did feel very politically charged, it was also really amusing and exciting at times as they were on the run in this huge van. I loved the way the author introduced us to all of these side characters and we got to learn their stories as they travelled - this is such a brilliantly diverse and eclectic story.
The music just ties everything together and brings even more soul to an already deeply moving novel. This is a brilliant tale of legacies, dreams and belonging.
Told in the most gentle and lyrical way, this is the story of The Kamanga Kings - an old jazz band from Khartoum who’ve been asked to perform in America. With young Rushdy taking the lead, this huge group of conflicting personalities soon find themselves in trouble when their manager takes their money and goes on the run in the US, bringing them to the attention of immigration authorities. The band decides that the only way to restore their honour is to find him themselves and prove that they never intended to stay in the US, but of course a large group of foreigners in Trump’s America is never going to be able to hide for long...
This story is a little bit of magic. It’s political, musical, funny, moving, romantic, adventurous and wise. It’s a beautiful way of seeing the harsh realities of Trump’s racist and judgemental America, where simply speaking a foreign language can make you an outsider. It also taught me about a country I knew so little of, Sudan, where even the simple act of playing music can get you in trouble.
The dynamic between the characters is so wonderfully entertaining - some of them are very calm and wise, whilst others are hotheaded so it leads to plenty of debate! Rushdy is easy to relate to as someone who feels a little disillusioned with everything and doesn’t know what his next step is. Yet he brings this band together to create something extraordinary.
Whilst this did feel very politically charged, it was also really amusing and exciting at times as they were on the run in this huge van. I loved the way the author introduced us to all of these side characters and we got to learn their stories as they travelled - this is such a brilliantly diverse and eclectic story.
The music just ties everything together and brings even more soul to an already deeply moving novel. This is a brilliant tale of legacies, dreams and belonging.
October 15, 2024
Brilliant
February 11, 2023
Really enjoyed this - a very happy read... the Kamanga Kings - from Khartoum to DC. Fab.
May 14, 2024
Love this book so much. What an amazing novel.
Read
March 19, 2024A fun romp which weaves in some very grounded observations about life in Sudan and in America when you are Sudanese? Or a serious and thoughtful examination of how America treats Africans and Arabs shot which (like its protagonists) takes an unexpected journey into whimsy and feelgood towards the end?
I think The Fugitives is sort of both of these things, but probably more the former. By the time I realised that yes, yes it was going to take some of the more obvious literary routes with its set up, it had already done a brilliant job of evoking life in Khartoum for the jazz group The Kamanga Kings and their relatives.
I think that first half was the better bit of the book for me, more grounded and therefore more interesting - I don't know enough of Sudan and its people except for the recent upheavals and atrocities which are still happening thanks to their shitty leaders (who Mahjoub gives short shrift in this book). The evocation of place and circumstance worked really well, doing that great thing fiction does of transporting you.
The second half, in America, is still engaging, even if there was something of the energy of an episode of Scooby Doo at times. I'm not completely sure the characters the book chooses to give focus to were definitely the right choices (I wanted to hear more about John Wau, the South Sudanese bassist, for instance), but the main character Rushdy was a good choice of narrator.
I think The Fugitives is sort of both of these things, but probably more the former. By the time I realised that yes, yes it was going to take some of the more obvious literary routes with its set up, it had already done a brilliant job of evoking life in Khartoum for the jazz group The Kamanga Kings and their relatives.
I think that first half was the better bit of the book for me, more grounded and therefore more interesting - I don't know enough of Sudan and its people except for the recent upheavals and atrocities which are still happening thanks to their shitty leaders (who Mahjoub gives short shrift in this book). The evocation of place and circumstance worked really well, doing that great thing fiction does of transporting you.
The second half, in America, is still engaging, even if there was something of the energy of an episode of Scooby Doo at times. I'm not completely sure the characters the book chooses to give focus to were definitely the right choices (I wanted to hear more about John Wau, the South Sudanese bassist, for instance), but the main character Rushdy was a good choice of narrator.
September 12, 2024
I really enjoyed reading this book. The book is funny to the point of being absurd. A legendary Sudanese band that broke up and stopped producing new music decades ago is asked to come to the Kennedy Center in DC during the Trump presidency (though Trump-- afaik-- is never named). A cast of characters is assembled before they depart to DC to play a concert. There are many twists and turns that keep you entertained. This is a great distraction from reality.
A couple of things bothered me about this book. First were the twists. There were too many and they eventually started to distract me from the plot. There were specific characters that were developed for a chapter or two but then their stories weren't really elaborated on throughout the book. Many new characters important to later chapters were brought up realllll late in the story.
I loved some details a lot. The Uncle character was convinced -- at least twice -- to listen to an opinion other than his own by a woman. Once it was with the main characters mom and then again with the lead singer.
The author is definitely a fan of music with many references that go over my head but I enjoyed reading nonetheless. In the Acknowledgements, the author mentions that he never really learned to play an instrument himself. Its easy to tell by the way the characters speak of music that the author really loves it.
A couple of things bothered me about this book. First were the twists. There were too many and they eventually started to distract me from the plot. There were specific characters that were developed for a chapter or two but then their stories weren't really elaborated on throughout the book. Many new characters important to later chapters were brought up realllll late in the story.
I loved some details a lot. The Uncle character was convinced -- at least twice -- to listen to an opinion other than his own by a woman. Once it was with the main characters mom and then again with the lead singer.
The author is definitely a fan of music with many references that go over my head but I enjoyed reading nonetheless. In the Acknowledgements, the author mentions that he never really learned to play an instrument himself. Its easy to tell by the way the characters speak of music that the author really loves it.
August 1, 2025
Sometimes you stumble upon a book that throws all your expectations out the window. I thought this book would be an easy read about getting a band back together, them playing a concert or two to save the band’s name and then the book would end. But it was so much more than that.
The Fugitives by Jamal Mahjoub is a book about many things. A shattered band reunited. A man finding his own light after living in his self imposed deceased father’s shadow all his life. The uniqueness and fellowship and diversity of Sudanese music. An old woman becoming young again. Finding new friends in unexpected locations. A revolution. And lastly it’s a love story.
There are so many quotable lines in this book that if I were to write them all I would write the book all over again.
s.62 “ I heard the whisper of their voices at the door. I felt like a child again, comfortable and safe in the embrace of adult conversation, then thankfully I fell into profound and undisturbed slumber.” This made me feel so so comfortable.
For these eight months it has taken me to read this book I've brought this book with me wherever I go. I've read it at school, at work, on a full bus, in front of the fire in the hearth of our summer house in April, in Finland when I was sick and almost lost my life, and now finally again at our summer house in July. I borrowed this book from our library probably ten times if not more, leaving my bookmark in place every time. I could not put it down.
The Fugitives by Jamal Mahjoub is a book about many things. A shattered band reunited. A man finding his own light after living in his self imposed deceased father’s shadow all his life. The uniqueness and fellowship and diversity of Sudanese music. An old woman becoming young again. Finding new friends in unexpected locations. A revolution. And lastly it’s a love story.
There are so many quotable lines in this book that if I were to write them all I would write the book all over again.
s.62 “ I heard the whisper of their voices at the door. I felt like a child again, comfortable and safe in the embrace of adult conversation, then thankfully I fell into profound and undisturbed slumber.” This made me feel so so comfortable.
For these eight months it has taken me to read this book I've brought this book with me wherever I go. I've read it at school, at work, on a full bus, in front of the fire in the hearth of our summer house in April, in Finland when I was sick and almost lost my life, and now finally again at our summer house in July. I borrowed this book from our library probably ten times if not more, leaving my bookmark in place every time. I could not put it down.
June 3, 2025
I loved this book! It’s full of humanity and has a zany narrative and a setting totally unfamiliar and so intriguing. It makes the case for kindness and empathy towards others when it seems to be In short supply.
It’s a novel set in Khartoum and America, and involves recreating a jazz band suppressed by the regime. They get an unlikely invitation to take part in a World Music event at the Kennedy Centre.
It’s a novel set in Khartoum and America, and involves recreating a jazz band suppressed by the regime. They get an unlikely invitation to take part in a World Music event at the Kennedy Centre.
October 22, 2023
The unrealistic turns in the story made it a fun read, despite it having one too many diner scenes and the ending feeling a bit rushed.
Reading about my hometown after being displaced was a lot harder than I anticipated. May we all return to a peaceful Bahri once again.
Reading about my hometown after being displaced was a lot harder than I anticipated. May we all return to a peaceful Bahri once again.
August 11, 2024
Loved the storytelling and the message of this book. The general plot is great and interesting from the first page. Only 4 stars because the romance subplot did not incorporate well with the book and is sort of sprung on the reader and feels like an afterthought that you could probably do without. However, the conclusion to the book resolves it well and I definitely finished it having seen a small slice of Sudanese culture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2024
I wish I could give this a 4.75 ⭐️ It got a little melodramatic at the end but otherwise, I loved reading this from start to finish. This held my attention and was a really well written and entertaining read.
December 2, 2020
Arguably the best book I’ve read all year. A little rushed at the end but thoroughly enjoyable.
December 21, 2021
A defunct Sudanese band reforms for one last jam in the United States and ends up going on a wild road trip.
March 31, 2023
Couldn't really pin the vibes but sometimes they were very fun.
April 12, 2023
Cinematic/entertaining story but requires suspension of disbelief.
May 3, 2023
Characters I didn't want to leave and a story I didn't want to end. I love this book!
May 21, 2023
Great fun - should be a movie of this, it would be terrific
June 27, 2023
3.75/5
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The story is realistically impossible, but it was generally an entertaining and light read for the summer.
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The story is realistically impossible, but it was generally an entertaining and light read for the summer.
July 25, 2023
And a strong half
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews