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The first in a series inspired by ancient Mesopotamia, following a small band of misfits on an epic journey to build Uruk, the first city
Ki, a brilliant young nomad, has figured out how to grow food and invented a sail that can “make the wind her slave.” Only her sister appreciates her genius, while the tribe labels Ki a witch. When a vicious warlord attacks their people, he discovers Ki’s talent and takes her prisoner, hoping to exploit her power. But Ki escapes, outwitting the warlord’s cruel son Jakka.
Meanwhile, in the region of Akkad, a one-handed thief named Ta is cast out of his tribe for stealing food. He fears he will die alone in the wasteland until luck comes in the form of a man, woman, and her baby who have fled their clan to find a new home by the Euphrates River. With Ta and Ki joining the ragtag group, the misfits dare to dream of a new tribe that lives by a revolutionary code, where everyone has a voice and all are protected. But Jakka is coming for them, and they’ll need to pool their talents to stop him from subduing Mesopotamia under a reign of terror.
“An engaging adventure that’s as exhilarating as it is enlightening. Zwerneman transports you to the dawn of civilization to join an endearing band of outcasts whose aspirations for humanity feel just as relevant and meaningful today. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down.”
—Joshua Chaffee, Emmy Award–winning producer and journalist
"Uruk is a sweeping prehistoric tale full of adventure and heart. Readers will fall in love with the ragtag group of misfits on the search for a better, more equitable world. This book transports, entertains, and moves. After you close the last page, you will want more.”
—Kim Parker Zox, award-winning executive producer of The Last Black Man in San Francisco
