Soul-stirring. Easily one of the best books I have ever read. Science fiction meets magical realism. This fictional tale weaves together an African cosmology that knits together the past with the future. The Raybearer shines a light on one girl’s journey from seclusion and obscurity to the halls of power in the empire. Her life becomes inescapably linked to the Crown Prince and his Council. In this world, she learns her history and finds her purpose for living. Along the way, she discovers the failings of her own character as well as the will to rise above. She, like all other living creatures, must face the evil within and without, as well as learn how to be a bearer of the light. Philosophy, theology, cosmology are woven into this fantasy, and the resulting tapestry is awe-inspiring.