Paths of Sanctuary

Cover art: Rafael Leonardo Black - Paths of Sanctuary is a magic-realism novel which traces the life of an African-American family from enslavement in 1786 through post reconstruction to its eventual settling in Sanctuary, a small mountain village situated geographically just below the first gates of heaven.

The human characters are utterly human and equally flawed. Those flaws and a variety of misunderstandings all drive the story toward an inevitable series of tragedies. Bracy's prose is both mystical and muscular and therefore utterly appropriate. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries but not for "gentle readers."-Library Journal Jim Dwyer

"Bracy depicts myriad aspects of African American family dynamics. This tragic novel delves back into the horrific slave trade and merges into present emancipation at the Gates of Heaven. The author creatively carves out mystical characters with names such as Dance, Time, Passage, and Silence. Each character's life exemplifies his or her name. This novel is filled with hints of voodoo and the paranormal."

"Paths of Sanctuary is a magic-realism novel which traces the life of an African-American family from enslavement in 1786 through post reconstruction to its eventual settling in Sanctuary, a small mountain village situated geographically just below the first gates of heaven. The novel centers on the forbidden commingling of the people of clay (humans) with the people of fire (angels) and the friction that occurs whenever two bordering cultures co-exist. Told in an almost lyrical narrative, Paths of Sanctuary explores the hidden complexities discovered within family, including the trials found within infidelity, friendship and love.

This novel works with both hands, a visionary work with a command of craft that ensures Ihsan Bracy's literary legacy, work that acclaims the craftsman a master and makes it all worthwhile. An exquisite post modern folkology, the novel every writer wants to write and every reader wants to read." -Arthur Flowers, De Mojo Blues, Another Good Lovin' Blues, Confessions of a 21st Century Conjure Man

"ihsan bracy is a visionary wordsmith. In a story that spans both time and the imagination, he has managed to capture the most painful and yet the most beautiful of our experience, while gifting us with an epic, bordercrossing story that transcends the conventional, and leaves readers lifted. Thank you ihsan, for journeying on. Paths of Sanctuary is well worth the wait." - Sheree Renee Thomas, Editor of the Dark Matter Series

"Bracy is a writer unafraid to enter the deepest night to find the brighter light within. In his invention, I see our own as Black Americans, a winding road through an emotional landscape, taking us from our rough arrival to new knowledge of self and destiny."- Terence Taylor, Dark Dreams, Voices from the Other Side, Whispers in the Night, Bite Marks