Soni and the Life Drinkers
Shiko Nguru
Lantana

With just a few days to go, twelve year old Soni has her sights firmly fixed on winning first prize at the annual middle school dance competition, Vunja Mifupa. To that end even after her fellow members of the dance squad have left, she remains behind in the studio to continue practising. While so doing she hears a heartbeat that makes her blood run cold; it’s no ordinary one but that of a shiqq, an underworld monster.

As Soni leaves, her father greets her with devastating news. Her beloved mentor and teacher, the already ailing Mr Lemayian, has taken a turn for the worse. It must be the malevolent Life Drinker that is the cause. Mr Lemayian has helped Soni and the other Intasimi Warriors—Mwikali, Odwar, and Xirsi—come into their powers and defeat evil, so now these powers must be used to save their beloved teacher. Soni calls a meeting with her friends and tells them the awful news. During the meeting there’s an unexpected arrival – it’s a hybrid (part human, part shiqq ) claiming to be able to help them, saying her name is Thandiwe and that the Final Battle is nigh. Moreover Thandiwe hands Soni a brass bracelet saying, “ … it belongs to our family. It’s your Entasim.” But can Soni trust her to help find the Life Drinker that’s draining Mr Lemayian of his life force? Then Soni learns that her mum has a twin sister who has a dark secret – a key to finding the identity of the Life Drinkers perhaps?

With their mentor growing weaker all the time, surely they can’t refuse Thandiwe’s help, despite the Intasami Warriors already having been betrayed? Maybe it’s the only way to go so long as when working with others, Soni can manage to moderate her impulsive nature.

The book ends with the Final Battle yet to happen, leaving readers eagerly waiting for the next episode.