Strange in many ways, The Sky and the Forest begins as a novel from the perspective of a divine Central African chieftain and his wife and son. The story of Loa takes the reader through his arrogant and deluded beginnings to his capture by Arab slave traders. His wife, Musini, and their son, Lanu, rescue him and then begins a long trek to return to their home village. Along the way, Loa becomes more self aware; he seems to evolve. Even his capacity for language and thought expands. Needless to say, many may find this somewhat condescending. Still, by book's end, Loa and Lanu have become empire builders, conquerors of nearby villages.

This is the summary for the first eighty percent of the book. Then, suddenly, focus shifts to an English mercenary in the pay of King Leopold of the Belgians who is busily absorbing the Congo into his empire. For the remaining parts of the book, the perspective is that of the European. When next encountered, Loa is an old man and he must decide how to meet the Europeans with their guns, steamships, and artillery.

Some think this a radical turn of events for Forester, taking the perspective and sympathy of Loa and black Africans. Yet, it is certainly not the first time this was done by an English author reflecting on European imperialism in Africa. H. Rider Haggard had done the same thing, even more thoroughly from the perspective of his Zulu protagonists, in Nada the Lily. And without the whiff of condescension that spoils many of Forester's pages.

Nevertheless, as usual, Forester displays a remarkable talent for describing scenes of adventure and action. And he has made a gallant try of introducing a different look at the native inhabitants of the Congo. ( )

http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2006/12/sky-and-forest-by-c.html

Once everything was right with the world, everyone knew their place, and there was broad agreement about how things should be. People had their problems for sure, but they were nothing unusual, they just come with the territory. Then some outsiders show up and turn it all upside down. White is black and black is white. The secure is filled with danger and only the unknown offers hope. Some days are like that.