John R. Gordon - Souljah (Novel & Film)

NOMINATED FOR THE LAMBDA AWARD FOR GAY FICTION

WINNER OF THE BEST SHORT FILM AT THE RUSHES SOHO SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER OF THE BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT AT THE TORONTO REELWORLD FILM FESTIVAL

Adapted from John R. Gordon's award-winning short film of the same name, which was directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair, Souljah is 'a visually arresting masterpiece' (The Huffington Post).

When violent thug Evill and his drug-dealing South London crew menace Stanlake, a young African refugee, and his mother Poppy, little do they realize that this effeminate youth is a former child soldier, capable of the most extreme responses. Forced to meet violence with violence, Stanlake stands up to his tormentors, only to find himself drawn into a darkly erotic and passionate relationship with the damaged, closetted Evill. As love begins to bloom between the two deeply-scarred young men old evil erupts, threatening to consume them both and compelling Stanlake to face – and move beyond – his past.

Souljah is a gripping, disturbing tale of love and war, religious bigotry and gay defiance, of battling against the odds, and the power of the human heart to overcome the worst of terrors.

'A breathless, cinematic thrill-ride of a novel… Sweeps you up and envelops you in its unique world… this is what novels are for. Stunning.'

– Rikki Beadle-Blair

'...a novel that defies categorization. It's a mashup of the immigrant saga, a chilling gangster thriller, a state-of-the-nation novel, a coming-of-age story and an intimate family portrait with a harrowing war crime at its heart. The fact that Gordon never once drops the ball makes Souljah a sprawling, visually arresting masterpiece.'

- The Huffington Post

You can buy this text via the following outlets:

UK: Waterstones / Amazon

US: Barnes & Noble / Amazon

You can watch the stunning, award-winning short film of Souljah here:

READER REVIEWS

★★★★★

'A fabulous novel - brutal, tender, disturbing, funny, and moving. Stanlake gives whole new meaning to the word 'courage'.'

★★★★★

'A must read. Souljah is viscerally intense, poetic and moves at an exhilarating pace, successfully getting under the skin of each deftly drawn character. Souljah offers hope for characters it seems the world has left to rot, a testament to the skill of its writer John R. Gordon. Through Gordon's carefully crafted words I discovered a London of which I was aware, but never experienced. It’s a far cry from the city in which I grew up but viscerally real and oddly comparable to a warzone. In fact, the parallels drawn between each location and its people are artfully accomplished. Anyone out to condemn the ‘privileges’ thrust upon immigrants and the ‘easy ride’ given when moving to the UK will do well to read Souljah. It is a compassionately told story that offers insight into complex lives of people frequently dismissed in mainstream narratives as not worthy of full representation. John R. Gordon courageously asks us to identify with the so-called ‘evil-doers’ in society. Not all characters are atoned, and rightly so, but they are wholly understood. I enjoyed the moral challenges Souljah posed and found myself gripped by a story that accelerated at breakneck pace, taking me into new worlds by which I felt deeply affected.'

★★★★★

'This is a book that I really miss reading. I couldn't put it down and was engrossed in the story from the first page. It was beautifully written and I enjoyed reading from the differing characters' prospectives and was surprised by who I felt the most connected with. I really felt like I went on a journey with Stanlike, and I hope others take the time to experience this stunning piece of work. (I have already lent it out to a few friends so I have people to discuss it with!)'

★★★★★

'Wow, a good old fashioned page-turner this is. Though not old-fashioned at all, of course. Souljah's a contemporary story about a former African child soldier dealing with his truly horrific, I repeat, horrific formative years in an alien London present. For me, its so easy to look the other way with this type of subject matter but I'm glad that I didn't. I have been taken so skillfully into the lives of others and made to feel emotions ranging from joy and passion to hate and even a mutual identity.'

★★★★★

'A masterpiece. It's rare that a book can draw you in with a story so intense, characters so unique, a landscape so real as if to be there, and a morality that is so legitimate and moving. Souljah does all these things and intertwines a beautiful story of love and respect as well.'

★★★★★

'A tale of growth and redemption. A beautifully written story of romance and the psychological aftermath of being a child soldier. An excellent reminder that even in our families not all may be as it first appears. Sometimes accepting someone as they are may be just what it takes for them to become more. Acknowledgement may not be sufficient unto itself but it is certainly necessary.'

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