Imagine a forest so scary that people all over the world call it the forest of ghosts and blood. That is where this story begins, in a place called Aokigahara in Japan. It is not just a regular forest; it is one of the most dangerous places on earth. The author, Mrs Sadauki, starts us off right in the middle of a creepy secret society meeting. Picture over a hundred people standing in two long lines. The ones on the left are wearing all black, and the ones on the right are wearing bright red. They all have big hats covering their faces so you cannot see who they are. Then, the ocean starts making a huge noise, like it is angry, and these people start chanting some strange words. The book says they were saying, "Kanzakhani yelolini, barhan yakulu, isbaryeyejanye" (translated from Hausa). It sounds like they are calling something from the water, and then suddenly, an old man who looks about sixty years old walks right out of the waves. He is very fair, looking like a Jewish man with a pointy mustache, and he is only wearing a red cloth around his waist. This is Marlin, the big boss of the group. It is such a wild way to start a story because it makes you wonder what kind of dark world these people live in.
After this scary ritual where everyone has to cut their hands and let their blood drip into the ground and the river, we meet Bobby. Bobby is Marlin’s son, but he is not like his father at all. While his father is busy with secret societies and rituals, Bobby just wants to train with his spear. He is a tough guy, very brave, and he does not like big parties or crowds. His dad, Marlin, just got a big promotion in their secret world, and he wants Bobby to come to a celebration. Bobby tries to get out of it, saying he just wants to go for his training, but his dad is not having it. Even his mom, who is looking very fancy in a dress with no sleeves, tells him to just come along. This family is clearly very rich and powerful, but you can feel that Bobby feels like an outsider in his own home. If you want to find more stories about powerful families and secrets, you should check out the best Hausa novels available right now.
The party is full of rich people drinking and dancing, but Bobby just sits in the corner by himself. He really hates the noise. His dad eventually drags him over to meet two other boys who are the sons of Marlin’s close friends. Their names are Kameel Mohan and Fadeel Martan. These three boys are supposed to be the next generation of this secret group. Their fathers are talking nearby, and they are discussing the different types of magic they use. One father uses "Black Magic" because he says he is a wicked person and it makes him a lot of money. Another one uses "Red Magic" because he says in his country, Senegal, people struggle with love and desire, so he uses his powers for that. Bobby’s dad, Marlin, explains that he prefers "Blue Magic" because it deals with water spirits who always keep their promises. It is a bit chilling to hear them talk about "sacrificing" things to get more money. You can tell Bobby is just standing there thinking these old men are doing too much. You can download Hausa novels like this one to see how these different types of magic play out in the plot.
Later that night, Bobby’s new friends, Kameel and Fadeel, convince him to go out to a club. Bobby does not really want to go, but he goes anyway because he does not want to look like a loser. They drive to a big club with loud music playing. Fadeel is the wild one; as soon as he sees a pretty girl, he is gone. Bobby and Kameel sit down, and Bobby starts smoking a cigarette. They start talking about where they come from. Kameel is from Senegal and is black, while Bobby is fair-skinned. They have this interesting conversation where Bobby says something you wouldn't expect. He tells Kameel, "I am a Jew, but I love black women very much" (translated from Hausa). It is a funny moment because Kameel is shocked that a guy who looks like Bobby prefers black women over women who look like him. But then the mood gets serious. Bobby admits that he has only ever loved one woman in his entire life, and it seems like it ended badly. He looks really sad when he talks about it, like his heart is still broken.
While they are at the club, Bobby gets very uncomfortable. He sees Fadeel kissing a girl and he immediately looks away. He seems to have a real problem with seeing people being intimate. He gets a headache and has to go sit in the car. He even turns the music up to the highest volume just so he can't hear the sounds of his friends in the back seat. When he gets home, he is so upset that he doesn't even say hello to his dad. He just runs to his room and falls on his bed. His dad, Marlin, follows him and sees Bobby sweating and looking like he is having a nightmare. Marlin is worried because Bobby is supposed to take over the secret society one day, and if he is this weak or troubled, the "Hidden World" will not accept him. To find out what happens next to Bobby, you can search for Hausa novels online and follow the drama.
Marlin decides he needs to find out what is really wrong with his son. He goes into his secret room, takes off all his clothes, and stands in front of a mirror while saying magic spells. Suddenly, a spirit appears. It looks like a very old man with hair as white as a palm tree. Marlin asks the spirit, "Father, I want to know what is bothering Bobby... he is my successor, what will he be able to do for the Secret World if he is like this?" (translated from Hausa). The spirit tells him that Bobby is suffering from a "poison of love." It turns out that years ago, Bobby was in a very intense relationship with a girl from Pakistan named Anita. They loved each other so much, but Bobby had a "power" or a "strength" that was too much for her to handle. Anita couldn't take it, so she broke up with him, and that is why he is so messed up now. He is basically traumatized by how much he loved her and how it ended.
This story by Mrs Sadauki is really deep because it mixes this scary cult stuff with a very sad love story. Bobby is caught between a father who wants him to be a powerful leader of spirits and his own heart which is stuck in the past. You feel bad for him because he is surrounded by people who only care about power and money, while he is just trying to deal with his feelings. The way the author describes the different types of magic—the Blue, the Red, and the Black—makes the world feel very real and dangerous. You start to wonder if Bobby will ever get over Anita, or if his father’s magic will force him to become someone he is not. There is so much tension in every chapter, especially when you see how much Bobby hates the lifestyle his father is trying to give him. If you are looking for the Taskar Novels collection, this is definitely one you should add to your list.
The book keeps you guessing because you don't know if Anita will come back or if Bobby will find someone new. Also, the secret society is planning to do more sacrifices, and you just know Bobby is going to be right in the middle of that mess sooner or later. It is a story about family pressure, dark secrets, and a love that was so strong it actually became a problem. I really like how it shows that even people with all the money and magic in the world still have normal human problems like heartbreak. It makes the characters feel like real people you could actually know, even though they are doing magic in a Japanese forest. You should definitely check out the rest of this story and others like it. You can find this book and many more on Taskar Novels. It is the best place to get all your favorite stories and keep up with the latest updates from your favorite authors.
