Lion's Blood

Steven Barnes' alternate history establishes a universe in which Africa arose as the superior military and economic power and used white slave labor from Europe to colonize the Americas. The novel takes place in 1863 A.D., and involves two main families: one of Islamic African aristocrats, the other of Druidic Irish slaves. Beautifully written with historical flavor, "Lion's Blood" is a combination of Gone With the Wind and Roots. Two young men, one of each racial line, must learn to deal with their world and with each other.