BOOK
by Vimbai Chinembiri
Masimba Musodza
will be publishing
Shavi Rechikadzi, a
ChiShona language
horror novel, with
sexual violence as a
main theme.
The story connects
to the international
horror genre by narrating how a copy of
De Vermis
Mysteriis, the
700¬page grimoire
penned by Belgian necromancer
Ludwig Prinn just
before he
was executed in
1489 found its way
to what is now Zimbabwe through the
adventures of
Zanzibari scholar,
Mwalimu Jumah, a
man who “enquired
after things one
ought not.” Since it
is possible that,
after all these years,
Mwalimu Jumah
himself may yet still
live, the horrible
tome may make
several appearances
in Zimbabwean
literature in the
future….
Musodza will also
begin to serialise
readings of the
novel, which, except
for the last part, will
be freely available
online as podcasts.
The author hopes
to generate enough
interest among the
Shona¬speaking
communities,
especially those who
live in countries
with developed book
industries, to create
the first
bestseller in the
language in recent
times. While his
publishing model is
a nod to the “small
press” of the typical
horror writer, Musodza recognises
that he is actively
establishing a new
avenue for African
writers, especially
those who, like himself, do not adhere to
the “African
writer” convention
established by the
major publishing
houses, and that
other Zimbabwean
authors are watching
carefully this new
development
Title: Shavi Rechikadzi
Author: Masimba
Musodza
Publisher: Belontos
Books, ISBN:
978¬1¬908690¬27¬2
Genre: Horror/Zimbabwean Fiction/Fiction in
ChiShona
Language:ChiShona
Release Date: 16 July
2015.
MUSIC
“Geronimo” – Sheppard (single ).
by Farai Kwesha
Mainstream music
can sound a little
repetitive – and not
reveiw
just sonically. I can’t
remember the last
time I gasped in awe
of any single artist’s
lyrical mastery or
creativity. Don’t
get me wrong,
mainstream music,
however formulaic,
is awesome – the
catchy hooks, the
tongue-in-cheek
rhymes, and even
the worn out themes
of love, lust, hate,
intoxication (or
“getting high & getting wasted” as the
kids like to say these
days) and partying.
Sometimes however, in that pleasant
mess, you discover a
gem like Sheppard’s
Geronimo, with all
the makings (clichés
and all) of a run-ofthe-mill pop song,
but at the same time
far superior.
The song opens up
with subtle pulsating
drums, accompanied
by guitars before
lead singer George
Sheppard’s vocals
kick in, in what is
arguably one of the
most gripping verses
of 2015. Even this
early on, the anthemic nature of the
song is instantly apparent, as the verses
sound like they
are building up to
something epic (and
THAT they are).
The simple, insanely
catchy shout/si