What do you think?
Rate this book
Sudan
IS A FATHER'S LOVE STRONGER THAN THE CHAINS OF SLAVERY?
Sudan 2000.
The largest nation in Africa has become a killing field. Two million tribal people are dead, victims of a brutal civil war or massacred by their own government in systematic, cold-blooded genocide. But that's not why human rights photojournalist Ron Wolfson is risking his life there. He's chasing action and danger on a different adventure--investigating reports of human trafficking, rumors of women and children who are auctioned off to the highest bidder and then vanish into the brutal shadow world of modern-day slavery.
When Arab Murahaleen guerrillas attack a small Dinka village and kidnap a little girl named Akin to sell on the slave market in the North, her father, Idris, goes after her--looking for one child among the hundreds of thousands who've already disappeared--and Ron joins the simple villager in his desperate mission. Ron's brother, a U.S. congressman, wages a battle just as desperate against apathy and indifference to force international political pressure on the government of Sudan, while Ron tracks the phantom story he knows is out there somewhere.
Determined to capture on film the horror of human beings in chains, sold like cattle, Ron incurs the wrath of a ruthless slave trader. Now, he and Idris face savage retaliation and a heart-breaking end to their quest.
Awaiting dawn and an unthinkable execution broadcast live around the world, the American journalist and the Dinka villager are forced to place their lives and the fate of their mission into the hands of a bloodthirsty mercenary and an orphan boy. Together they forge a reckless plan, their only hope of escape. But it may already be too late.
And it may be too late to save the little girl before her innocence is stolen and she vanishes forever into the belly of the beast.
READERS praise Sudan
(Goodreads and Amazon.com)
Sudan 2000.
The largest nation in Africa has become a killing field. Two million tribal people are dead, victims of a brutal civil war or massacred by their own government in systematic, cold-blooded genocide. But that's not why human rights photojournalist Ron Wolfson is risking his life there. He's chasing action and danger on a different adventure--investigating reports of human trafficking, rumors of women and children who are auctioned off to the highest bidder and then vanish into the brutal shadow world of modern-day slavery.
When Arab Murahaleen guerrillas attack a small Dinka village and kidnap a little girl named Akin to sell on the slave market in the North, her father, Idris, goes after her--looking for one child among the hundreds of thousands who've already disappeared--and Ron joins the simple villager in his desperate mission. Ron's brother, a U.S. congressman, wages a battle just as desperate against apathy and indifference to force international political pressure on the government of Sudan, while Ron tracks the phantom story he knows is out there somewhere.
Determined to capture on film the horror of human beings in chains, sold like cattle, Ron incurs the wrath of a ruthless slave trader. Now, he and Idris face savage retaliation and a heart-breaking end to their quest.
Awaiting dawn and an unthinkable execution broadcast live around the world, the American journalist and the Dinka villager are forced to place their lives and the fate of their mission into the hands of a bloodthirsty mercenary and an orphan boy. Together they forge a reckless plan, their only hope of escape. But it may already be too late.
And it may be too late to save the little girl before her innocence is stolen and she vanishes forever into the belly of the beast.
READERS praise Sudan
(Goodreads and Amazon.com)
366 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
88 people are currently reading
709 people want to read
About the author
Ninie Hammon
48 books240 followersI was born in Socorro, New Mexico, sometime shortly after the earth cooled off. It’s clear that from the outset my parents never intended for me to amount to anything. How could I? With a name like “Ninie?” Please.
Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.
If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:
“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”
I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.
Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.
In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."
Fame and fortune do not come to people named Ninie Bovell (My maiden name.) Gabriella Bovary? You could work with that. Even something as pedestrian as Madeline Bovell or Rebecca Bovell or (though you’d lose points here for lack of originality) Elizabeth Bovell. But Ninie? I never had a chance.
If I sound a mite hostile, bear in mind that in one decisive stroke my parents sentenced their precious newborn daughter to a lifetime of explanations that began my first day at Muleshoe Elementary School. (Yeah, Muleshoe. The hits just keep on coming.) After a painful week, I had a rap down that I still use today:
“No, it’s not Ninnie like skinny and penny. It’s Ninie—rhymes with tiny and shiny. 9e…get it? And no, it doesn’t mean anything, it isn’t short for anything, long for anything, or a substitute for anything. It just is. (Pause here for the inevitable ‘Why?’) You got me, pal, I couldn’t tell you.”
I grew up in Texas, got a BA in English and theatre from Texas Tech University and snagged a job as a newspaper reporter. Didn't know a thing about journalism, but my editor said if I could write he could teach me the rest of it and if I couldn't write the rest of it didn't matter. I hung in there for a 25-year career as a journalist. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but as soon as I figured out that making up the facts was a whole lot more fun than reporting them, I never looked back.
Now, I write suspense--every flavor except pistachio: psychological suspense, inspirational suspense, suspense thrillers, paranormal suspense, suspense mysteries.
In every book I write I try to keep this promise to Loyal Reader: I will tell you a story in a distinctive voice you'll always recognize, about people as ordinary as you are--people who have been slammed by something they didn’t sign on for, and now they must fight for their lives. Then smack in the middle of their everyday worlds, those people encounter the unexplainable--and it's always the game-changer."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
April 6, 2015
This is a fictional book based in Sudan and the conflict caused by the attacks of Northern Muslims on Southern Arabs and tribes. It has been written in a way that leaves you feeling as though you’ve read a factual account of the events in the country and of people’s lives.
Personally I am aware of the attacks on Southern villages, the violence, displacement and the huge death toll, yet I was unprepared for the contents of this book. It is a graphic and difficult read that doesn't shy away from what the tribal people actually had to go through.
I became engrossed in the story and could picture clearly all the details of what happened to the characters. I could only imagine what it would be like to be in a similar situation.
This book was written with attention to detail, and I imagine it was extremely difficult to write. A tale of good overcoming evil that caused me to feel a range of emotions, and one I certainly won’t forget.
The only thing I did question was the thoughts and actions of the slave trader with regards to Akin, his youngest slave. If he took her from her family, starved her and forced her into labour then why would he wait for her to begin menstruating before abusing her like he did the other girls? Surely it couldn't be to show that everyone has a ‘good’ side or that he adheres to his religious beliefs so strictly? In my mind such a person, real of fictional has no redeeming qualities.
***UPDATE 27th Jan 2015***
After posting this review Ninie was kind enough to answer some questions I had about the slave trader and the following is her response. I'm adding this to show some of Ninie's thinking behind her writing:
Hi Mark,
Again, thanks for the great review. I really appreciate it when folks take the time to help other readers learn about a book.
About the slave trader. You wondered why the slave trader didn't just take Akin "like he did the other girls." If you recall, he only raped the older girls who had reached maturity and left Akin and Omina alone.
I certainly didn't intend to give the rat any redeeming
qualities. But the CULTURE of Islam is very strict and even Muslims
who don't believe a word of it must abide by its teachings or face
cultural sanctions. Did a lot of research and it indicated that the
rules matter even if you don't believe the intent behind them.
So I made the slave trader stick to the rules. If you recall, when Omar
showed up at the camp after Akin and the others had gone, the woman in
charge of the slaves was embarrassed by the screaming Omina made as
she was raped, said her master was doing something shameful and
forbidden to take a child to bed.
So that was my reasoning. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
Personally I am aware of the attacks on Southern villages, the violence, displacement and the huge death toll, yet I was unprepared for the contents of this book. It is a graphic and difficult read that doesn't shy away from what the tribal people actually had to go through.
I became engrossed in the story and could picture clearly all the details of what happened to the characters. I could only imagine what it would be like to be in a similar situation.
This book was written with attention to detail, and I imagine it was extremely difficult to write. A tale of good overcoming evil that caused me to feel a range of emotions, and one I certainly won’t forget.
The only thing I did question was the thoughts and actions of the slave trader with regards to Akin, his youngest slave. If he took her from her family, starved her and forced her into labour then why would he wait for her to begin menstruating before abusing her like he did the other girls? Surely it couldn't be to show that everyone has a ‘good’ side or that he adheres to his religious beliefs so strictly? In my mind such a person, real of fictional has no redeeming qualities.
***UPDATE 27th Jan 2015***
After posting this review Ninie was kind enough to answer some questions I had about the slave trader and the following is her response. I'm adding this to show some of Ninie's thinking behind her writing:
Hi Mark,
Again, thanks for the great review. I really appreciate it when folks take the time to help other readers learn about a book.
About the slave trader. You wondered why the slave trader didn't just take Akin "like he did the other girls." If you recall, he only raped the older girls who had reached maturity and left Akin and Omina alone.
I certainly didn't intend to give the rat any redeeming
qualities. But the CULTURE of Islam is very strict and even Muslims
who don't believe a word of it must abide by its teachings or face
cultural sanctions. Did a lot of research and it indicated that the
rules matter even if you don't believe the intent behind them.
So I made the slave trader stick to the rules. If you recall, when Omar
showed up at the camp after Akin and the others had gone, the woman in
charge of the slaves was embarrassed by the screaming Omina made as
she was raped, said her master was doing something shameful and
forbidden to take a child to bed.
So that was my reasoning. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
December 31, 2016
Sudan is a book with fictional characters based on very real atrocities. It is hard to read, but impossible to put down. The detailed descriptions made me sick to my stomach, and even more so whenever it struck me that these things and more happened to very real people in Sudan. It is a book which had me praying throughout for the people of Sudan who can't just put the book down and get on with life. It is a book I am glad to have read but which will not be easily forgotten.
May 27, 2015
This is the third Ninie Hammon book I have read. The author has become one of my favorite writers ever since I encountered her books on Twitter over a year ago. I sent the author a Tweet after I read Sudan and learned that the book was inspired by the true story of a Dinka tribal who walked 500 miles north to find a daughter who had been carried off by slave traders.
Ninie Hammon told a story of the devastation experienced by individuals, families and whole communities when violence strikes and rips apart the fabric of their life together. Ninie Hammon has such tremendous skills as a writer that she made the characters come alive. I think Sudan is an important book to read because it helps move us away from statistics to thinking about the real people that are impacted by injustice. The people in this book captured my heart and will live there. This is an excellent story and I highly recommend it.
Ninie Hammon told a story of the devastation experienced by individuals, families and whole communities when violence strikes and rips apart the fabric of their life together. Ninie Hammon has such tremendous skills as a writer that she made the characters come alive. I think Sudan is an important book to read because it helps move us away from statistics to thinking about the real people that are impacted by injustice. The people in this book captured my heart and will live there. This is an excellent story and I highly recommend it.
October 6, 2024
Jenna’s grandfather lent me this, and after it getting stolen in Italy I got a new copy (he didn’t realize the swap, btw) and finally skim-finished this.
December 29, 2014
The opening few pages of "Sudan" hit me squarely between the eyes, hooking me immediately into this dramatic exposé of the African slave trade. Using her journalistic background, the author has crafted a highly realistic story which gives the reader great insight into the brutal reality of life in a war-torn African country.
There are a lot of characters to remember, with the plot weaving four story-lines together cleverly, and Ms Hammon really allows the reader inside the heads of her characters, particularly the children.
The power of this book, for me, is in the friendships which develop in such horrific circumstances. Young girls being "prepared" for their masters, terrible rituals, money exchanging hands for the wrong reasons and other dog-eat-dog survival tactics all painted a graphic picture of this frightening world.
I found the banter between the American documentary maker, Ron, and his local guide humorous, but his endless need to correct the poor man's English came across as a little patronising! I wonder how proficient he was in Arabic or Dinka... :-) Apart from this and a geographic inaccuracy that only an ex-Brit would pick up, "Sudan" is an eye-opening and enjoyable read.
There are a lot of characters to remember, with the plot weaving four story-lines together cleverly, and Ms Hammon really allows the reader inside the heads of her characters, particularly the children.
The power of this book, for me, is in the friendships which develop in such horrific circumstances. Young girls being "prepared" for their masters, terrible rituals, money exchanging hands for the wrong reasons and other dog-eat-dog survival tactics all painted a graphic picture of this frightening world.
I found the banter between the American documentary maker, Ron, and his local guide humorous, but his endless need to correct the poor man's English came across as a little patronising! I wonder how proficient he was in Arabic or Dinka... :-) Apart from this and a geographic inaccuracy that only an ex-Brit would pick up, "Sudan" is an eye-opening and enjoyable read.
January 31, 2018
Having spent a bit of time in Sudan during the North-South conflict, I was pleased to pick up a book set in this largely-ignored piece of recent history. Despite having high hopes, I was somewhat disappointed and almost gave up numerous times in the first two-thirds of the book.
First off, this book is not a pleasant read. It is graphic and unrelenting in its depiction of human cruelty, and doesn't leave the reader with much in the way of hope to stave of compassion fatigue. Personally, I would rather read this in the form of journalism than a work of fiction.
The real reasons why I had to mark this book down in terms of its star rating was firstly, its oversimplification of the nature of the conflict in reducing it to a merely religious one. Even the characters were for the most part, polarised as 'bad' Muslims or 'good' Christians. Also, the use of stereotypes to describe people from different nations was irritating, such as the British man who brings his china tea set to Sudan(!)
In saying all this, I am thankful that this book draws attention to neglected suffering, especially in highlighting the slave trade which is still rife in the world today.
First off, this book is not a pleasant read. It is graphic and unrelenting in its depiction of human cruelty, and doesn't leave the reader with much in the way of hope to stave of compassion fatigue. Personally, I would rather read this in the form of journalism than a work of fiction.
The real reasons why I had to mark this book down in terms of its star rating was firstly, its oversimplification of the nature of the conflict in reducing it to a merely religious one. Even the characters were for the most part, polarised as 'bad' Muslims or 'good' Christians. Also, the use of stereotypes to describe people from different nations was irritating, such as the British man who brings his china tea set to Sudan(!)
In saying all this, I am thankful that this book draws attention to neglected suffering, especially in highlighting the slave trade which is still rife in the world today.
March 27, 2015
A journey
I hated for this book to end. For years I blind Really blind. I only knew what I heard on TV Until about two months ago I hadn't read a book in fifteen years. This is the third Ninie.hammon book I've read. I felt like some of the characters I wanted to be friend's with, others earned my respect even though I didn't much like them and some I loathed. But they were all so real. Ninie took me on a journey that was devastating, heartbreaking, courageous, horrifying, revolting,heartwarming,emotional, but most of all triumphant. I had to put this book down for a moment at times, but I couldn't stop reading it. A really well written bock that everyone should read. I'm really sorry that I finished the book. I'm gonna miss it
I hated for this book to end. For years I blind Really blind. I only knew what I heard on TV Until about two months ago I hadn't read a book in fifteen years. This is the third Ninie.hammon book I've read. I felt like some of the characters I wanted to be friend's with, others earned my respect even though I didn't much like them and some I loathed. But they were all so real. Ninie took me on a journey that was devastating, heartbreaking, courageous, horrifying, revolting,heartwarming,emotional, but most of all triumphant. I had to put this book down for a moment at times, but I couldn't stop reading it. A really well written bock that everyone should read. I'm really sorry that I finished the book. I'm gonna miss it
May 26, 2015
Good verses evil
Shocking story of the treatment of innocent villagers by heartless men. Strong family love is contrasted with the evil present in money hungry savages.
Shocking story of the treatment of innocent villagers by heartless men. Strong family love is contrasted with the evil present in money hungry savages.
June 2, 2018
SUDAN: A Novel
Wow! This book blows me away. I suffered a major anxiety attack while reading Hammon's SUDAN. Raw and powerful, this story will completely gut you. If it doesn't, check yourself for a pulse. I experienced so many different emotions as I read the heartbreaking truth about Sudan and the cruel atrocities a government inflicted on its own people. After Hitler's reign of terror, how is it possible that nations did nothing to stop the genocide in southern Sudan? It's impossible for me to understand how or why another human could be so heartless as to commit such heinous acts of crime on defenseless women and children because of religious beliefs or skin color. If you do not understand genocide and religious persecution, I dare you to read Ninie Hammon's compelling story. Yes! It's disturbing and brutal. I do not recommend this read to a young audience. Lots of triggers. But, I think it's an important read. It forces the reader to LOOK; to feel. And, how can anyone turn their backs on something so sinister? Sure. Hammon's story is fictional, although based on cold, hard facts. SUDAN revolves around three different key characters: the tribal father risking his life to protect his family, the American politician trying to convince the U.N. to step in and punish crimes against humanity, and the journalist/photographer risking everything to document an unspeakable horror.
From beginning to end, this wasn't an easy read for me. My heart raced along with the plot. As I mentioned, I actually suffered an anxiety attack and had to set the book aside until I had the courage to continue. Once I picked it back up, this book was hard to put down. Yes! The story of SUDAN is filled with unspeakable, unimaginable horror. However, it's also brimming with hope and compassion. Unexpectedly, Ninie Hammon's SUDAN ends up being one of my favorite reads of the year. I've gained knowledge about the Sudanese crisis and knowledge is power.
Based on History:
*In the summer of 2001, a Dinka tribal walked 500 miles into Arab Northern Sudan to rescue his kidnapped daughter.
*On March 4, 2009, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant -- the first ever for a sitting head of state -- for Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan. He was charged with crimes against humanity for the slaughter of two million tribal people and the sale of 300,000 into slavery.
Wow! This book blows me away. I suffered a major anxiety attack while reading Hammon's SUDAN. Raw and powerful, this story will completely gut you. If it doesn't, check yourself for a pulse. I experienced so many different emotions as I read the heartbreaking truth about Sudan and the cruel atrocities a government inflicted on its own people. After Hitler's reign of terror, how is it possible that nations did nothing to stop the genocide in southern Sudan? It's impossible for me to understand how or why another human could be so heartless as to commit such heinous acts of crime on defenseless women and children because of religious beliefs or skin color. If you do not understand genocide and religious persecution, I dare you to read Ninie Hammon's compelling story. Yes! It's disturbing and brutal. I do not recommend this read to a young audience. Lots of triggers. But, I think it's an important read. It forces the reader to LOOK; to feel. And, how can anyone turn their backs on something so sinister? Sure. Hammon's story is fictional, although based on cold, hard facts. SUDAN revolves around three different key characters: the tribal father risking his life to protect his family, the American politician trying to convince the U.N. to step in and punish crimes against humanity, and the journalist/photographer risking everything to document an unspeakable horror.
From beginning to end, this wasn't an easy read for me. My heart raced along with the plot. As I mentioned, I actually suffered an anxiety attack and had to set the book aside until I had the courage to continue. Once I picked it back up, this book was hard to put down. Yes! The story of SUDAN is filled with unspeakable, unimaginable horror. However, it's also brimming with hope and compassion. Unexpectedly, Ninie Hammon's SUDAN ends up being one of my favorite reads of the year. I've gained knowledge about the Sudanese crisis and knowledge is power.
Based on History:
*In the summer of 2001, a Dinka tribal walked 500 miles into Arab Northern Sudan to rescue his kidnapped daughter.
*On March 4, 2009, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant -- the first ever for a sitting head of state -- for Omar al-Bashir, the president of Sudan. He was charged with crimes against humanity for the slaughter of two million tribal people and the sale of 300,000 into slavery.
August 5, 2018
This was a rough book about the Sudanese Government bent on Genocide
There was Raiders attacked a remote village and kidnapped and killed many people in the village in one little girl was taken away I was going to put into slavery when she was only nine years old she so so much while she was taken away that she felt that her father would come find her before she could be raped
So many people knew what was going on and yet certain people were the only ones I could help this was a interesting book to read and yet really hard to read what these people went thru but on the end the Dinka farmer got his girl back from unlikely people who helped where one of them was Ron a journalist who took photos of what was going on there under cover and had to have people who helped him to bring the information to the states where his brother was in the government I’m sure the still goes on now and people turn their heads away and pretend it doesn’t happen
There was Raiders attacked a remote village and kidnapped and killed many people in the village in one little girl was taken away I was going to put into slavery when she was only nine years old she so so much while she was taken away that she felt that her father would come find her before she could be raped
So many people knew what was going on and yet certain people were the only ones I could help this was a interesting book to read and yet really hard to read what these people went thru but on the end the Dinka farmer got his girl back from unlikely people who helped where one of them was Ron a journalist who took photos of what was going on there under cover and had to have people who helped him to bring the information to the states where his brother was in the government I’m sure the still goes on now and people turn their heads away and pretend it doesn’t happen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2020
Full Circle
The way that 3 or 4 separate events culminate into a riveting, but disturbing book, is seamlessly accomplished in this horror story right out of a real place! I was in Nairobi a few years ago and tried desperately to get to a refugee camp in Sudan but now I'm glad I never made it. The cruelty in this tale will resonate long after this review and the guilt we should feel, if this is still truly happening, should be channeled into a tsunami of protests on the World stage....starting with the United Nations with a caveat that they can't allow this to be another Rwanda, sending in ineffective peacekeepers.
The way that 3 or 4 separate events culminate into a riveting, but disturbing book, is seamlessly accomplished in this horror story right out of a real place! I was in Nairobi a few years ago and tried desperately to get to a refugee camp in Sudan but now I'm glad I never made it. The cruelty in this tale will resonate long after this review and the guilt we should feel, if this is still truly happening, should be channeled into a tsunami of protests on the World stage....starting with the United Nations with a caveat that they can't allow this to be another Rwanda, sending in ineffective peacekeepers.
June 6, 2018
Heartbreaker if a s story
My first read by this author and I could not put this book down! I was
grabbed immediately by the characters and the moving heart breaking
story. If most of this is based on fact,the reader can't help but want to do something to help this horrible situation in Sudan!
My first read by this author and I could not put this book down! I was
grabbed immediately by the characters and the moving heart breaking
story. If most of this is based on fact,the reader can't help but want to do something to help this horrible situation in Sudan!
May 19, 2018
wonderful and heart rending
June 24, 2019
A riveting tale of a father's love for a daughter in Sudan. Shows the brutality of daily life in Sudan & the persistence of both evil & love.
November 9, 2019
Page turner
Definite page turner... you can see the scenes through the words. Very realistic and thrilling. Totally enjoyed. Would definitely recommend
Definite page turner... you can see the scenes through the words. Very realistic and thrilling. Totally enjoyed. Would definitely recommend
February 25, 2021
Truth
This was full of education about slave trade in Sudan the hard ugly truth of the destruction of life as a child
This was full of education about slave trade in Sudan the hard ugly truth of the destruction of life as a child
June 12, 2018
Poignant and haunting story.
May 18, 2020
The story of a 10-year-old girl kidnapped from a village in what is now South Sudan and sold as a slave in the north. Amazingly, she is found and rescued.
July 15, 2020
This is an eye opening, tragic, heartbreaking and emotional journey into the lives of people living through a civil war. Based on the war in Sudan, it tells the story of people in southern Sudan who were at the mercy of the northern Muslims of Sudan. It is graphic, horrifying and utterly gripping as we are made aware and bear witness to atrocities such as these. With themes of genocide, murder, rape and slavery it is difficult to read at times. The main characters are heart warming and following their journeys is nerve wracking and very emotional.
If like me, you feel deep sympathy for these characters then keep a box of tissues handy for the tears that will flow as you read this amazing book.
Ninie Hammon is a wonderful writer with a special gift for story telling.
If like me, you feel deep sympathy for these characters then keep a box of tissues handy for the tears that will flow as you read this amazing book.
Ninie Hammon is a wonderful writer with a special gift for story telling.
June 4, 2020
Setting: Sudan
Time Period: 2000
“Sudan” by Art Ayris and Ninie Hammon is the story of a father’s unrelenting love and sacrifice to find his daughter who was kidnapped by Muslim human traffickers. This novel of war between Muslim gorilla’s against Sudanese Christians is based on a true story. May we all learn to appreciate the life we have been blessed with - for, what the Sudanese people have been through, and many other nations like them, has been more than what I know I could bear.
They were nothing but farmers with fields of crop, some cattle and mud huts. But one morning, they lost almost everything and everyone when the gorilla's came, shot almost everyone in the village and rounded up the girls and young women to be carted away. Akin, daughter of Idris, was one of those girls. Against all odds, Idris sells all he has and sets off to find his daughter and bring her home. He walks to the largest town, hires someone to guide him and does all he can. While many called him foolish, the story that unfolds in “Sudan” is as miraculous as his mission is impossible.
The words “based on a true story” are printed on the front cover right below the title. As I read chapter after chapter from the safety of my living room, each page told tragedy after tragedy the Sudanese Christians have faced at the hand of a Muslim government who will do anything to make them disappear. I’ve read my share of suspense / thriller type novels, and though I know there are many fictional elements to this book, the reality that the basic things in this story actually happen in real life is stunning. The depravity. The hatred. The disregard for human life. It’s real. So, while I’m going to tell you that this book was well written, had three dimensional characters and deep themes of sacrifice and forgiveness - I’m also going to tell you it’s a sad, heavy read. Done well, but the truth of it can be hard to swallow at times.
Conclusion: I’m glad I read this book. It taught me a lot about what’s going on in other parts of the world and how people everywhere are in need of Christ. Though I’m glad that both the fictional take and the real stories had happy endings for the characters named, it’s overwhelming to think of the two million Sudanese who didn’t get the chance to have one. We need to read books like this to remind us that Islam isn’t just another religion or way of worshipping - it’s a holy war to them. May stories like this urge us to reach out, pray and help our brothers and sisters around the world when we can.
Time Period: 2000
“Sudan” by Art Ayris and Ninie Hammon is the story of a father’s unrelenting love and sacrifice to find his daughter who was kidnapped by Muslim human traffickers. This novel of war between Muslim gorilla’s against Sudanese Christians is based on a true story. May we all learn to appreciate the life we have been blessed with - for, what the Sudanese people have been through, and many other nations like them, has been more than what I know I could bear.
They were nothing but farmers with fields of crop, some cattle and mud huts. But one morning, they lost almost everything and everyone when the gorilla's came, shot almost everyone in the village and rounded up the girls and young women to be carted away. Akin, daughter of Idris, was one of those girls. Against all odds, Idris sells all he has and sets off to find his daughter and bring her home. He walks to the largest town, hires someone to guide him and does all he can. While many called him foolish, the story that unfolds in “Sudan” is as miraculous as his mission is impossible.
The words “based on a true story” are printed on the front cover right below the title. As I read chapter after chapter from the safety of my living room, each page told tragedy after tragedy the Sudanese Christians have faced at the hand of a Muslim government who will do anything to make them disappear. I’ve read my share of suspense / thriller type novels, and though I know there are many fictional elements to this book, the reality that the basic things in this story actually happen in real life is stunning. The depravity. The hatred. The disregard for human life. It’s real. So, while I’m going to tell you that this book was well written, had three dimensional characters and deep themes of sacrifice and forgiveness - I’m also going to tell you it’s a sad, heavy read. Done well, but the truth of it can be hard to swallow at times.
Conclusion: I’m glad I read this book. It taught me a lot about what’s going on in other parts of the world and how people everywhere are in need of Christ. Though I’m glad that both the fictional take and the real stories had happy endings for the characters named, it’s overwhelming to think of the two million Sudanese who didn’t get the chance to have one. We need to read books like this to remind us that Islam isn’t just another religion or way of worshipping - it’s a holy war to them. May stories like this urge us to reach out, pray and help our brothers and sisters around the world when we can.
May 23, 2015
Atrocities against Christians aren't new. But, in our lifetime, one would be hard-pressed to name a more atrocious offender than Sudan. Sudanese government, diehard Muslims, launched a war against Southern, Sudanese Christians. Genocide began. Tiny news blurbs escaped to be spoonfed to news outlets. Only those who suffered know the entire truth of what went on in Sudan. Ninie Hammon's 'Sudan' is a fictional account but is as close to nonfiction as you can get.
Photojournalist, Ron Wolfson, is trying desperately to document all he can in Sudan. Weaving through refugee camps & seedy areas, he asks hard questions & takes heart wrenching pictures. When he hears rumors of slavery in Sudan, he's disgusted. Launching a one man crusade, he's determined to document a slave auction to show the world.
Without technology at their fingertips, Sudanese southerners know little of the war the government is waging against them. Village after village is attacked & destroyed. During his son's baptism, Idris' village is attacked. As the dust settles & the village takes in reality, Idris realizes one of his children is dead & another is missing. Young Akin, his daughter, has been taken during the raid. Knowing the fate awaiting her, Idris decides he must rescue his child.
Two men, polar opposites, are fighting the same cause. Their hearts are pure, but they will be confronted by the very face of evil. Heartless slave traders, dishonest mercenaries, & rampant violence will try their best to prevent them from fulfilling their mission. Ron fights to end an evil. Idris fights to save his child. Will either succeed?
Warning: There is an incredible amount of violence in this novel. Slavery is disgusting & the treatment of slaves is horrid. Children & women are terrible treated which is vividly described.
At times, parts of the novel is hard to read. Akin goes through a great deal of torturous treatment. Her story could most definitely be that of any child in Southern Sudan. But, it's difficult to stomach nonetheless. As far as the other characters, the heroes are courageous. The villains are nauseating. Once you begin reading, you'll find yourself invested in the heroes & Akin, unable to stop until you find out what happens. It isn't a novel you simply put down when you're finished. It stays with you. Despite the subject matter, it is well-written & riveting.
Photojournalist, Ron Wolfson, is trying desperately to document all he can in Sudan. Weaving through refugee camps & seedy areas, he asks hard questions & takes heart wrenching pictures. When he hears rumors of slavery in Sudan, he's disgusted. Launching a one man crusade, he's determined to document a slave auction to show the world.
Without technology at their fingertips, Sudanese southerners know little of the war the government is waging against them. Village after village is attacked & destroyed. During his son's baptism, Idris' village is attacked. As the dust settles & the village takes in reality, Idris realizes one of his children is dead & another is missing. Young Akin, his daughter, has been taken during the raid. Knowing the fate awaiting her, Idris decides he must rescue his child.
Two men, polar opposites, are fighting the same cause. Their hearts are pure, but they will be confronted by the very face of evil. Heartless slave traders, dishonest mercenaries, & rampant violence will try their best to prevent them from fulfilling their mission. Ron fights to end an evil. Idris fights to save his child. Will either succeed?
Warning: There is an incredible amount of violence in this novel. Slavery is disgusting & the treatment of slaves is horrid. Children & women are terrible treated which is vividly described.
At times, parts of the novel is hard to read. Akin goes through a great deal of torturous treatment. Her story could most definitely be that of any child in Southern Sudan. But, it's difficult to stomach nonetheless. As far as the other characters, the heroes are courageous. The villains are nauseating. Once you begin reading, you'll find yourself invested in the heroes & Akin, unable to stop until you find out what happens. It isn't a novel you simply put down when you're finished. It stays with you. Despite the subject matter, it is well-written & riveting.
April 21, 2015
While this book is a work of fiction, I believe I do recall Ninie Hammon write that she pulled factual information from news reports, so I believe it is safe to say that some things that take place in this book have actually happened to the people of Sudan (as well as other 3rd world countries).
I can typically read a book in a matter of a few days. Like a few other reviewers mentioned, it took me much longer to read this book, just due to the emotional effect that it had on me.
The begining of this book just hits you square in the face and keeps going full speed. I could visualize all of the characters, which there were many. I could almost see each scene unfold in front of me as I read the book. Some of the scenes in the book were very hard to read and it makes me so thankful for what I have. To imagine that people live in villages as described in the book and sleep on the floor and have very little to eat just breaks my heart. I do know that 3rd world countries are actually like this.
It is absolutely heart wrenching what is being done to people that live in the villages. When aide is flown in to help them, many of them are killed just trying to get some food. The slave traders and masters are absolutely despicable with how they treat the slaves, what they do to children, both boys and girls...just outrageous. I do realize that there are cultural differences, but I could never harm anyone, much less a child. The things that are done to them is just pure evil.
I loved how the men came together in the end...Ron, Masapha, Omar and Idris, despite the brutality they endured, to save children (Akin and Koto).
This book was very well written and I'm glad that I took the time to read it as it isn't a genre that I typically read. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!
I can typically read a book in a matter of a few days. Like a few other reviewers mentioned, it took me much longer to read this book, just due to the emotional effect that it had on me.
The begining of this book just hits you square in the face and keeps going full speed. I could visualize all of the characters, which there were many. I could almost see each scene unfold in front of me as I read the book. Some of the scenes in the book were very hard to read and it makes me so thankful for what I have. To imagine that people live in villages as described in the book and sleep on the floor and have very little to eat just breaks my heart. I do know that 3rd world countries are actually like this.
It is absolutely heart wrenching what is being done to people that live in the villages. When aide is flown in to help them, many of them are killed just trying to get some food. The slave traders and masters are absolutely despicable with how they treat the slaves, what they do to children, both boys and girls...just outrageous. I do realize that there are cultural differences, but I could never harm anyone, much less a child. The things that are done to them is just pure evil.
I loved how the men came together in the end...Ron, Masapha, Omar and Idris, despite the brutality they endured, to save children (Akin and Koto).
This book was very well written and I'm glad that I took the time to read it as it isn't a genre that I typically read. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone!
April 16, 2015
Despite this story being fictional, you can't help but think - these entwined stories happened to someone, somewhere.
Painted in graphic detail, the heinous crimes of kidnapping, rape and murder touched my heart and toyed with my emotions, to the point that I was a bubbling wreck at several points in the novel. Hammon has written a truly good novel about such deplorable topics and done justice with the grains of truth the book is based on. I have never come across a writer who can depict characters you can really empathise with. We are so used to reading stories with happy endings where all the wrongs are put right but I don't think we are quite prepared for the twists in this novel. Just when you think something good is happening, something more harrowing leaps off the pages.
I think what's also refreshing about this novel is that rather than putting Christians against Muslims, it also sees the two religious groups work together to irradiate some evils. These characters became my friend because they were with me for so long. A book that could have been read in a matter of days due to its length actually took me weeks because I endured the journeys and torments with the main stars of the novel and unlike them, I had to take a break from the action every so often because the wounds inflicted were so deep and so raw.
Painted in graphic detail, the heinous crimes of kidnapping, rape and murder touched my heart and toyed with my emotions, to the point that I was a bubbling wreck at several points in the novel. Hammon has written a truly good novel about such deplorable topics and done justice with the grains of truth the book is based on. I have never come across a writer who can depict characters you can really empathise with. We are so used to reading stories with happy endings where all the wrongs are put right but I don't think we are quite prepared for the twists in this novel. Just when you think something good is happening, something more harrowing leaps off the pages.
I think what's also refreshing about this novel is that rather than putting Christians against Muslims, it also sees the two religious groups work together to irradiate some evils. These characters became my friend because they were with me for so long. A book that could have been read in a matter of days due to its length actually took me weeks because I endured the journeys and torments with the main stars of the novel and unlike them, I had to take a break from the action every so often because the wounds inflicted were so deep and so raw.
March 26, 2015
The story is about human trafficking in the African nation of Sudan. Ron, an American photographer is there following leads about villages the soldiers have ravaged and the children they have abducted and sold into slavery. He gets involved in the grizzly underworld as he is documenting the hardships of these abducted individuals and their families. While Ron is working on documentation, his brother Dan, a U.S. Senator is trying to convince Congress to provide help to those who have lost and sanctions against those to participate in the slave trade.
It is an interesting and believable story. I would have rated it 3.5 stars but not 4. It was easy to set aside instead of compelling me to keep reading.
It is an interesting and believable story. I would have rated it 3.5 stars but not 4. It was easy to set aside instead of compelling me to keep reading.
February 6, 2016
Great read. This will be a book that will take awhile to forget or shake the pictures projected in my mind as I read it. Tough subject matter. Well written, a lot of details and very graphic at times. So hard to comprehend the evil that humans do to other humans. I was struggling in the beginning trying to follow 3 to 4 separate stories. But then (like her other books) Ninie grabs you by the collar and drags you into her world where the stories just come together and you are off reading like a maniac and turning pages anxious to see what happens next. Thank you for also allowing us to see glimpses of good in your story.
January 21, 2016
Wat een boek! Beschrijft de mensenhandel in Sudan, wat misschien wel een van de onveiligste landen ter wereld is; hoe de wereld en dan met name de VS hier tegen aan kijkt en wat er dan aan gedaan wordt, welke belangen meespelen in het tot stand komen van wetgeving, hoe de Arabieren met hun geloof omgaan, de onmenselijke wreedheden zoals mensenhandel, vrouwen en kinderen met name.
Een absolute aanrader: het zet je weer aan het denken van hoe weinig eigenlijk in al die eeuwen de mensheid beschaafd is geworden. Daarnaast wat een ongelofelijk geluk wij toch hebben niet in Afrika of Azië te wonen.
Een absolute aanrader: het zet je weer aan het denken van hoe weinig eigenlijk in al die eeuwen de mensheid beschaafd is geworden. Daarnaast wat een ongelofelijk geluk wij toch hebben niet in Afrika of Azië te wonen.
October 29, 2014
I hardly know where to start. I have been to a couple villages in Kenya, so I was able to picture the tribal scenes quite well. The savagery of the attackers was described so vividly that my heart was often in my throat.
The story is well done, with very well developed characterizations. There are some rough scene changes, but they can be worked through. s
So, this is a novel about the horrors in Sudan that we hear very little about; slavery, butchery, castration, clitorectomies, killings and other awful inhumanities.
A very good read to shake your complacency.
The story is well done, with very well developed characterizations. There are some rough scene changes, but they can be worked through. s
So, this is a novel about the horrors in Sudan that we hear very little about; slavery, butchery, castration, clitorectomies, killings and other awful inhumanities.
A very good read to shake your complacency.
October 27, 2014
Slavery in the 21st century
This powerful book gives human form to a situation most of us know only from news reports...the enslavement by thousands of tribal Africans by mercenaries in Sudan. We see and hear the horrors of violence, families murdered or separated, children beaten. raped, castrated, with little chance of rescue. But brave men-a father, a journalist,a politician,a friend-determine to find the lost,document their suffering, and put a dent in the Sudanese slave trade.
This powerful book gives human form to a situation most of us know only from news reports...the enslavement by thousands of tribal Africans by mercenaries in Sudan. We see and hear the horrors of violence, families murdered or separated, children beaten. raped, castrated, with little chance of rescue. But brave men-a father, a journalist,a politician,a friend-determine to find the lost,document their suffering, and put a dent in the Sudanese slave trade.
November 17, 2014
Excellent portrayal of a situation that sadly gets lost in the news that concerns our everyday lives. Yet, this is the everyday life of other human beings! I could not believe the atrocities committed to the Southern Sudanese, mostly Christian and animists, by the mostly militant Muslim Northern Sudanese. I am glad that the author also portrayed the universal good values that many human beings share and therefore gives us hope that these kinds of situations will be stopped.
December 22, 2014
This is a work of fiction based on the facts of the genocide in Sudan. It is one of the most difficult books I've ever read. The horrors inflicted on non-Muslims in southern Sudan are unimaginable. There were passages that turned my stomach. That said, I believe this is an important book as it tells the story of what is happening there.
There were some parts of the book that were a bit far-fetched for me. Overall this was a good but difficult read.
There were some parts of the book that were a bit far-fetched for me. Overall this was a good but difficult read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews