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Treasonous Paragons
Less than 48 hours until the Unification of Africa summit, an earth-shattering phone call cuts Pan-African leader, Victor Kalenga’s night short; one of the 54 presidents voting for or against the merger of Africa’s countries seems to have taken poison.
When Victor receives the call, he's with Kena Roberts, who works as a horoscope columnist at Central Newspaper. She tags along when he rushes to the ailing President’s side, only to find the President clutching a mysterious amulet in his hand. Scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to launch the summit, Victor fears the long awaited event might be cancelled if word gets out that the president is ill.
To Kena’s surprise, Victor whisks the president away while sirens approach, turning them both into fugitives with a price on their heads, hunted by the law and by a relentless assassin. For reasons unclear to Victor, Kena becomes hell-bent on deciphering the meaning of the amulet when all he wants is to clear his name and make it to the summit.
When Victor receives the call, he's with Kena Roberts, who works as a horoscope columnist at Central Newspaper. She tags along when he rushes to the ailing President’s side, only to find the President clutching a mysterious amulet in his hand. Scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to launch the summit, Victor fears the long awaited event might be cancelled if word gets out that the president is ill.
To Kena’s surprise, Victor whisks the president away while sirens approach, turning them both into fugitives with a price on their heads, hunted by the law and by a relentless assassin. For reasons unclear to Victor, Kena becomes hell-bent on deciphering the meaning of the amulet when all he wants is to clear his name and make it to the summit.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 30, 2022
5 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Pauline Manze
1 book10 followers2023 Ngoma Awards Finalist,
Category: Most Outstanding Creative Writer, Female.
The Ngoma Awards are her country, Zambia's most prestigious awards, which recognize artistic excellence. Treasonous Paragons is her debut novel.
Category: Most Outstanding Creative Writer, Female.
The Ngoma Awards are her country, Zambia's most prestigious awards, which recognize artistic excellence. Treasonous Paragons is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 4, 2023
In Victor Kalenga’s bed is a beautiful twenty-eight year old astronomical journalist, Kena Roberts. Victor has a keynote speech to deliver at the looming Unification of Africa summit, so in the cool of the night, he decides to reread it. All is well until his phone rings and the stranger on the other side tells him it’s time to get up and run. What starts off as a prank grows into what he can’t handle; an African president he’s been hiding at his guest house has been poisoned. The moment he arrives at the scene, police sirens begin to wail, on his trail. To run or to hold his ground? Whatever he decides, the crime of treason is upon him!
Set in a futuristic Africa, ‘Treasonous Paragons’ explores the theme of pan-Africanism. In this piece of fiction, one finds that African nations have decided to return to a boarderless Africa, where trade is with minimal inhibitions. What’s more, the entire continent is on the verge of recognising one supreme leader.
Corruption is also explored in this thriller. From the opening scene up to the very last one, there’s rot in the political system, in as much as the political will of some leaders is admirable. Isn’t politics a dirty game, anyway?
Before I proceed, I would like to mention here that I love movies. Give me drama action, psychological thriller or action thriller and I will love you. Give me my favourite actor of all time; Morgan Freeman. And then there’s a whole list of my other favourites; Cuba Gooding Jr., Zoe Saldana, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Jim Caviezel, Jennipher Garner, Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Denzel Washington, Keenu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Russel Crowe, Gerald Butler, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt…I am sad I shouldn’t go on. But yes, if these guys are in the movie, then I am watching it!
Back to the book, there’s a way in which reading Treasonous Paragons makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. The pages are no longer pages but a screen on which you see everything transpiring in the story and it’s so riveting that you keep turning the pages, your behind on the edge of the seat, sweat trickling down your temples because your heart is literally in your head, throbbing right next to your brain and you can’t wait for what happens next.
The chapters are short and well-organized. No space wasted whatsoever. Every scene counts and every word used thrusts the plot forward. Manze has the diction of a man and this is not to look down on female writers. Most of my favourite authors are actually female so reading a lady’s book with a plot and genre that’s not typically female-oriented was so refreshing that it made me stop at some point to ask; is Manze female? Zambian? On the Zambian question, it wasn’t the question of quality writing because Zambians can write! It was the question of the quality of the paper she used and how well-bound the book was. I have given up reading some local books before for the whiteness of their pages. My eyes weren’t cut out for white paper. I force them to read off pure white at work because how else will I mark the work of my learners? So when I slide into other books outside work, I love it when the pages are off-white or brown altogether because yes, I usually spend money on them and I want it to count. I enjoyed reading Manze’s book even if my son broke my glasses along the way. I managed to finish reading without any hiccups because the paper quality is international!
Who’s depicted in the cover picture though? Manja? I hope not, because Manja isn’t central to the plot. Who’s the protagonist to begin with? Victor? Kena? Does it matter? Well, maybe not. But none of the characters is quite well-fleshed out. There are things Victor does that make you wonder where the intelligent leader has gone. For instance, when he returns home to change clothes and how he keeps going round in circles, running like he has no proper plan. Is he acting out of character? What about Kena? Now she’s a mature journalist with adequate knowledge of her subfield and the next minute, she’s an annoying little girl, throwing tantrums. Is she also just occasionally acting out of character or lack of it? Whims don’t work very well in a work of fiction, especially when other character traits are also missing. It begins to seem like an oversight on the author’s part.
The scene where Victor goes to Chainda to meet Milimo, notices trouble but stays rooted in his seat is quite upsetting and feels a little irrational. A few of the scenes that follow also begin to feel quite exhausting and oversensationalised if not underplayed, the final scene being the worst. Kena pretends to be a soldier and leaves the parade. She is followed yet there are no consequences even just for a moment. Manja murders Frank in full view of chefs and there’s no stampede? In which Zambia would this happen?
Kena? Kenya? There are a few places at the beginning of the book where one gets confused as to which of the two is Ms. Robert’s first name. Typo? What about the scenes where Milimo is referred to as the Governor, through and through and the reader begins to assume they are two different characters, having to flip the pages back and forth to ascertain they didn’t miss anything? Quite confusing because it wasn’t other characters switching names in this fashion but the narrator.
In a nutshell, however, I have loved Treasonous Paragons and without doubt, it is one of the best books I have read this year and until further notice, my favourite local thriller.
PS: My rating is 4.5 but I was born before computers, so I am failing to add the 0.5. I'll keep practicing until I succeed.
Set in a futuristic Africa, ‘Treasonous Paragons’ explores the theme of pan-Africanism. In this piece of fiction, one finds that African nations have decided to return to a boarderless Africa, where trade is with minimal inhibitions. What’s more, the entire continent is on the verge of recognising one supreme leader.
Corruption is also explored in this thriller. From the opening scene up to the very last one, there’s rot in the political system, in as much as the political will of some leaders is admirable. Isn’t politics a dirty game, anyway?
Before I proceed, I would like to mention here that I love movies. Give me drama action, psychological thriller or action thriller and I will love you. Give me my favourite actor of all time; Morgan Freeman. And then there’s a whole list of my other favourites; Cuba Gooding Jr., Zoe Saldana, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Jim Caviezel, Jennipher Garner, Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Denzel Washington, Keenu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Russel Crowe, Gerald Butler, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt…I am sad I shouldn’t go on. But yes, if these guys are in the movie, then I am watching it!
Back to the book, there’s a way in which reading Treasonous Paragons makes you feel like you’re watching a movie. The pages are no longer pages but a screen on which you see everything transpiring in the story and it’s so riveting that you keep turning the pages, your behind on the edge of the seat, sweat trickling down your temples because your heart is literally in your head, throbbing right next to your brain and you can’t wait for what happens next.
The chapters are short and well-organized. No space wasted whatsoever. Every scene counts and every word used thrusts the plot forward. Manze has the diction of a man and this is not to look down on female writers. Most of my favourite authors are actually female so reading a lady’s book with a plot and genre that’s not typically female-oriented was so refreshing that it made me stop at some point to ask; is Manze female? Zambian? On the Zambian question, it wasn’t the question of quality writing because Zambians can write! It was the question of the quality of the paper she used and how well-bound the book was. I have given up reading some local books before for the whiteness of their pages. My eyes weren’t cut out for white paper. I force them to read off pure white at work because how else will I mark the work of my learners? So when I slide into other books outside work, I love it when the pages are off-white or brown altogether because yes, I usually spend money on them and I want it to count. I enjoyed reading Manze’s book even if my son broke my glasses along the way. I managed to finish reading without any hiccups because the paper quality is international!
Who’s depicted in the cover picture though? Manja? I hope not, because Manja isn’t central to the plot. Who’s the protagonist to begin with? Victor? Kena? Does it matter? Well, maybe not. But none of the characters is quite well-fleshed out. There are things Victor does that make you wonder where the intelligent leader has gone. For instance, when he returns home to change clothes and how he keeps going round in circles, running like he has no proper plan. Is he acting out of character? What about Kena? Now she’s a mature journalist with adequate knowledge of her subfield and the next minute, she’s an annoying little girl, throwing tantrums. Is she also just occasionally acting out of character or lack of it? Whims don’t work very well in a work of fiction, especially when other character traits are also missing. It begins to seem like an oversight on the author’s part.
The scene where Victor goes to Chainda to meet Milimo, notices trouble but stays rooted in his seat is quite upsetting and feels a little irrational. A few of the scenes that follow also begin to feel quite exhausting and oversensationalised if not underplayed, the final scene being the worst. Kena pretends to be a soldier and leaves the parade. She is followed yet there are no consequences even just for a moment. Manja murders Frank in full view of chefs and there’s no stampede? In which Zambia would this happen?
Kena? Kenya? There are a few places at the beginning of the book where one gets confused as to which of the two is Ms. Robert’s first name. Typo? What about the scenes where Milimo is referred to as the Governor, through and through and the reader begins to assume they are two different characters, having to flip the pages back and forth to ascertain they didn’t miss anything? Quite confusing because it wasn’t other characters switching names in this fashion but the narrator.
In a nutshell, however, I have loved Treasonous Paragons and without doubt, it is one of the best books I have read this year and until further notice, my favourite local thriller.
PS: My rating is 4.5 but I was born before computers, so I am failing to add the 0.5. I'll keep practicing until I succeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2023
A ride of thrills
A politician spearheading the unification of African countries campaign and a horoscope columnist race against time in the streets of Lusaka to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearances of three visiting presidents and clearing their names. On their heels are two ambitious cops and a ruthless assassin.
Treasonous Paragons is an unputdownable ride of thrills, a book so captivating with twists and turns it raises questions that leave your brain aching and craving for the conclusion to get answers. Pauline opens the story with a bang with the short and riveting prologue. She maintains the same momentum as she breaks down the astrology and science jargon. Or when her characters evade the police. Or when they outsmart the assassin. Or when they survive multiple near death experiences. The same energy lasts until the closing scene and leaves you with nothing but respect for the author's writing prowess. Her flair for writing screams gifted and honed talent.
The negative? For me, while the plot is thrilling and exciting, the characters, especially the main character, Victor, reads flat. It’s like he exists solely for the plot, did not exist before and won't be there after it’s all settled. There isn't much on his personal life or motivations and the same goes for a couple of the others. Maybe it’s the author style of writing but I feel the characters could have been further developed, fleshed out more for the reader to see who they really are underneath the guise of people high on adrenaline, faced with the option of fight or flight.
Overall, Treasonous Paragons is worth every ngwee and second one spends on it. Perhaps it will go down as a classic Zambian thriller for ages.
A politician spearheading the unification of African countries campaign and a horoscope columnist race against time in the streets of Lusaka to solve the mystery surrounding the disappearances of three visiting presidents and clearing their names. On their heels are two ambitious cops and a ruthless assassin.
Treasonous Paragons is an unputdownable ride of thrills, a book so captivating with twists and turns it raises questions that leave your brain aching and craving for the conclusion to get answers. Pauline opens the story with a bang with the short and riveting prologue. She maintains the same momentum as she breaks down the astrology and science jargon. Or when her characters evade the police. Or when they outsmart the assassin. Or when they survive multiple near death experiences. The same energy lasts until the closing scene and leaves you with nothing but respect for the author's writing prowess. Her flair for writing screams gifted and honed talent.
The negative? For me, while the plot is thrilling and exciting, the characters, especially the main character, Victor, reads flat. It’s like he exists solely for the plot, did not exist before and won't be there after it’s all settled. There isn't much on his personal life or motivations and the same goes for a couple of the others. Maybe it’s the author style of writing but I feel the characters could have been further developed, fleshed out more for the reader to see who they really are underneath the guise of people high on adrenaline, faced with the option of fight or flight.
Overall, Treasonous Paragons is worth every ngwee and second one spends on it. Perhaps it will go down as a classic Zambian thriller for ages.
May 18, 2023
Pauline, you are a beast writer! The writing in this book blew me away! You really put your heart and soul into this piece. What makes this book even more beautiful is the fact that we have little-to-no stories of this calibre written/told in a Zambian setting 🇿🇲 .
The only problem I have with this book is that I didn't enjoy it as much. I'm not a thriller enthusiast. So, in the words of one musical genius: "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me." 😅💀
Otherwise, this is a brilliant book. Thriller/Crime fans, sink your teeth in this meat!
The only problem I have with this book is that I didn't enjoy it as much. I'm not a thriller enthusiast. So, in the words of one musical genius: "It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me." 😅💀
Otherwise, this is a brilliant book. Thriller/Crime fans, sink your teeth in this meat!
November 9, 2023
Treasonous Paragons is an action thriller from Zambian author Pauline Manze.
The protagonist Victor Kalenga, a Pan African leader gets entangled in a treasonous plot ahead of a continent-wide summit of African Heads of State. The fast-paced novel, set in a near-futuristic Africa, blends politics, astrology, and high-speed chases in the streets of Zambia in a Toyota Spacio.
Fantasy books may have my soul on speed dial but I still love a good thriller novel, you know the kind where each page feels like you are watching an action thriller movie…. That’s what reading Treasonous Paragons feels like.
It was such a captivating read hardly noticed as I breezed through its 300 pages
Read Full review on Becoming The Muse: Treasonous Paragons Review
The protagonist Victor Kalenga, a Pan African leader gets entangled in a treasonous plot ahead of a continent-wide summit of African Heads of State. The fast-paced novel, set in a near-futuristic Africa, blends politics, astrology, and high-speed chases in the streets of Zambia in a Toyota Spacio.
Fantasy books may have my soul on speed dial but I still love a good thriller novel, you know the kind where each page feels like you are watching an action thriller movie…. That’s what reading Treasonous Paragons feels like.
It was such a captivating read hardly noticed as I breezed through its 300 pages
Read Full review on Becoming The Muse: Treasonous Paragons Review
January 25, 2023
Totally shocked that this book kept me engaged from the first page to the last which counts for a lot, seeng I'm quite used to slow burns. I gobbled up every word in record time, if the're slower pages the're well balanced so I didn't notice even after +300 pages in 36 hours later. Totally recommend.
Also, I'm new to the country and was trying out a mobile library I found on facebook. Haven't seen an actual library in 4 months since I got here! Turned out this book was her own so I borrowed it, just because the lady was so nice to me. It was a brilliant choice.
Also, I'm new to the country and was trying out a mobile library I found on facebook. Haven't seen an actual library in 4 months since I got here! Turned out this book was her own so I borrowed it, just because the lady was so nice to me. It was a brilliant choice.
February 23, 2023
This book has kept me captivated since I started reading it.My friend Pauline has done an amazing job.Cant believe this is her first novel.Loved it,loved it through and through couldn't keep it down for a second.
I can't wait for your next book my friend.
I can't wait for your next book my friend.
May 16, 2023
It is always a pleasure to read a book that has settings in Lusaka, reading about places that I see everyday plus seeing more Zambian women writing really warms my heart.
A Zambian Crime Thriller written by a woman should intrigue you to want to read it.
A Zambian Crime Thriller written by a woman should intrigue you to want to read it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews