Advance praise for THE ALCHEMISTS OF KUSH

“It was only a matter of time before the hip hop culture would invade the literary world. With The Alchemists of Kush, Minister Faust is leading the invasion. His novel is possibly the first hip hop epic. Hip hop has a short attention span on most  occasions. The Alchemists of Kush gives it gravitas.”

—Ishmael Reed

Author of Mumbo Jumbo and Juice!

“Minister Faust’s first two books broke new ground in the SF field. His latest, The Alchemists of Kush, not only breaks new ground; with the story-telling skills of a modern jali, the Minister creates new vistas of history, mythology, erudition, uplift, tragedy, triumph, and contemporary community activism. Once you start the first page of this book, you won't be able to put it down until you’ve finished the last one.”

—Charles R. Saunders

Author of Imaro and Dossouye

“I started The Alchemists of Kush and kept reading until I finished. Minister Faust has the most electrifying and true voice I've read in years. The Alchemists of Kush is brilliant.”

—Sparkle Hayter

Author of What's A Girl Gotta Do? and Naked Brunch

“I loved the story, the mythology, and the characters. I found myself locked into it for hours at a time and couldn't put it down. Rich in detail ...A great book.”

—Kenneth T. Williams

Playwright of  Thunderstick and Three Little Birds

“A hell of a story. A hell of a book. A hell of a style. A frenetic novel and voice—very enjoyable. Minister Faust knows how to write about male relationships, brotherhoods, and getting into the hearts of men, and about boys turning into men. The Alchemists of Kush is a triumph, not just for Minister Faust, but for Edmonton and the community of Kush.”

—Wayne Arthurson

Author of Final Season and Fall from Grace

“Inspired by a true story and set against an urban backdrop of African immigrant communities in present day Edmonton, Minister Faust weaves a masterful tale around the sacred Book of the Golden Falcon, ten Hermetical scrolls that expound upon the cross pollination of cultural themes and social considerations shared by Original People throughout the African Diaspora.

“The Alchemists of Kush is more than a story; it’s a philosophical elixir of Kemetic (Egyptian) folklore, African traditions, urban Sufism, hip hop culture, and Five Percenter pedagogy designed to transmute the challenges of colonialism, assimilation, juvenile delinquency, and moral decay into a universal solvent. Through an array of colourful characters facing unique struggles towards advancing a common cause, Minister Faust boldly takes his readers on an alchemical journey of Self Knowledge, Self Determination, and Community Action, a transformative terrain of true & living ‘gold’!”

—Saladin Quanaah Allah

Blogger, Allah School in Atlantis (ASIA)

Author of Tales of an Urban Sufi and MC on Brothers from Another Planet

“The Alchemists of Kush is both a powerful and vital contribution to Canadian literature that looks at contemporary Edmonton from an African-Canadian perspective. The characters in Minister Faust’s novel reflect the true diversity of African-Canadians living in Edmonton. Hopefully this is the beginning of more great novels from people in Edmonton that look like us that tell stories about us.”

—Arlo Maverick of Politic Live

MC and Producer on Adaptation and Market Share

“The Alchemists of Kush is its own kind of alchemy. Composed of ancient past, gritty present, mythic fantasy, social activism, it’s how Minister Faust blends it all that gives the book its rare power. Reflecting the brilliance of his earlier novels, Minister Faust again strikes the perfect balance between eloquence and entertainment.

“Within the first twenty pages, I could (and did) imagine The Alchemists of Kush on the big screen. It’s got that epic sweep to it. More importantly, I kept reading (and reading, and reading) because Minister Faust knows it’s all about creating characters you’ll love. I wept at the end.”

—Mark Kozub

Author of The Uptown Browns, A Calgary Album

Founding father of the Raving Poets

“Minister Faust presents a fierce piece of fiction in a way that only he can. I was entertained, educated and fascinated with his alchemy. The Alchemists of Kush has to be one of the best books I've read this year.”

—Milton John Davis

Author of Meji, co-editor of Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology