Inspired by authors like Rudyard Kipling and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Gary Albyn continues to capture the essence of a wild continent. Following his acclaimed saga ('Manzovo-Place of the Elephants'), the author set about creating yet another African tale, this time breathing life into a pulsating Zulu allegory. With shades of Kipling's 'The Jungle Book,' and Disney's 'The Lion King,' he has created a saga that is worthy of the silver screen. In his second collaboration with a world-renowned wildlife artist (Craig Bone in 'Manzovo'), Albyn's 'Izwi Lami' showcases the works of award-winning South African wildlife artist, Fuz Caforio.

OVERTURE - Amatikulu, Zululand, July 1940

With a thin, sinewy arm reaching out from beneath his tattered kaross, the old man stirs his fire with a blackened poker. Placing a fresh log across the glowing embers, he slowly lowers himself back onto his carved stool. Huddled around the fire, a small, respectful audience encourages the venerated elder with their silence.

In the flickering glow, pregnant with expectation, each eager, upturned face reflects the prospect of the old storyteller’s tale. He pauses, as if waiting for a sign: just then, the fluted call of a nightjar reaches them from beyond the cast of the firelight, and immediately his words begin to flow.

Kosan’s rheumy eyes glaze over as he starts recounting those momentous events, over 60 years earlier, which defined his youth and changed his life.

Izwi Lami is his story.