Amazon Resale
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Millions of titles. Learn more
Read now
OR
£3.15

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon Media EU S.à r.l..
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will pre-order your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships and Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Kathleen Flanagan Rollins
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa Kindle Edition

by Kathleen Rollins (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 111 ratings
A thief offers a woman a chance at a new life by cutting her bonds, beginning a journey that will take both of them downriver and out to the coast of West Africa. The time is 12,000 BC, and war is breaking out between the villages on the coast. Frantic to escape, the two travelers join others fleeing the chaos of battle. They think they'll be safe if they head down the coast by boat, but the sea sweeps them out into a new, very different world and a destiny they couldn't have imagined.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 4
    Misfits and Heroes
  2. Print length
    443 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    22 Jan. 2015
  6. Reading age
    15 - 18 years
  7. Grade level
    10 - 12
  8. File size
    3.3 MB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 4 books in this series.

Product description

About the Author

After receiving her Masters degree in English, Rollins taught composition and literature, including World Literature and Latin American Literature, and became fascinated by the extraordinary wealth of ancient Mesoamerican culture, which is often overlooked in history books. This research, as well as travel to ancient sites in Africa, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras, provided the inspiration for this book. It deals with early explorers in the Western Hemisphere - amazing people who dared to leave everything they knew behind and create a new life in a new world.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00SNBQL6U
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 22 Jan. 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.3 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 443 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 10 - 12
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ Misfits and Heroes
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15 - 18 years
  • Customer reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 111 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Kathleen Flanagan Rollins

Kathleen Flanagan Rollins

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Kathleen Flanagan Rollins spent over thirty years teaching composition and literature at Mott College in Flint, Michigan, as well as doing freelance work in technical writing and advertising. But all that time, there was another interest brewing: the search for real history of the Americas.

It started with a set of handprints she discovered on a rock ledge in Canyonlands National Park and led to Moundbuilder sites, then Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon, then to visits to much older sites in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize, as well as Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia.

History books used to say that all the people came to the Americas across the land brige between the areas now known as Russia and Alaska. Some probably did, but the theory is too limited to answer the questions raised, like why the earliest known human remains in the Americas were found in Brazil and Chile. There had to be other paths as well.

Then there were the pronounced African and Asian influences in the earliest recorded Mesoamerican culture, known as the Olmecs, whose influence spread from the east coast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico to the west. The sophistication of this group was amazing, as if they'd sprung from nothing to greatness and brought their calendar, technology, cosmology, and social order with them. The famous Olmec heads, each weighing over nine metric tons, were carved with such fine detail that they're still amazing to see. Despite many efforts, scientists cannot figure out how the ancients moved these massive blocks of stone from the quarry many miles away, or how they carved the very hard basalt in such fine detail with stone tools.

Long before Columbus "discovered" America (which is sort of like you discovering New York), other civilizations had risen and faded on these lands, other great tales were told.

These thoughts led to the creation of the Misfits and Heroes novels.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
111 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Citizen Justin
    5.0 out of 5 stars There was tragedy and sadness. But also joy...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I’ll stick this out at the start of the review, because it is most important: This book is a ripping, involving read, involving war, migration, outcasts attempting to find their own lives and people attempting to overcome adversity against tremendous odds. The next most important thing is that it’s set 14,000 years ago. Stone Age, or what’s generally known as the ‘Stone Age’, anyway.

    The trouble with the popular perception of prehistoric humans is that they are considered to be ‘less’ than us – uncultured, misogynistic, stupid, more violent and devoid of language beyond ape-like grunts. This view still persists despite the modern knowledge that they were, biologically, little or no different from modern people and therefore imbued with the same desire for learning, exploration and ritual as we are. The principal difference being that before the advent of mass communication, every community had to make its own discoveries. Stories, medical knowledge and basic civil engineering were either learned by experience or passed down by word of mouth, and in the event of catastrophe, a ‘reset’ would occur, with differing personalities thrown together and attempting to survive as best they could.

    As of now, this is the first fictional portrayal of prehistoric people that I have encountered that portrays accurately not only that way of life, but also – perhaps most importantly – does it in a believable way, resulting in a world shaped entirely by the characters’ own perceptions. This makes it a truly unique book, and I am glad that it and I crossed paths.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • G MacK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Storytelling That Brings This Book To Life!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book is in West Africa, around 12,000 BC and life then is very similar to life now. The story will take you on an extraordinary adventure, the characters are all different with their own story to tell. Let Misfits & Heroes sweep you away, to a place the author brings to life.Her descriptive narrative enables the reader to experience the story first hand. Their is war, romance, adventure and migration. Kathleen Rollins keeps the story twisting and turning so you never know what the next Chapter will bring. A wonderful story full of wisdom with a satisfying ending. Thoroughly recommend!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Billt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Heart-warming
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2015
    Verified Purchase
    From the very first page the reader steps into a world of 14,000 years ago, "when Africa was still unbroken rainforest and the Sahara was a grassy steppe'. With the principal characters, Naaba and Asha, we experience the world through Stone-Age eyes. We see the mystical symbolism of standing stones, masks & shamans, and feel the fear creeping along our spine as a black mamba threatens them. A very unusual book, which credits our Stone Age ancestors with feelings just like ours, fear, curiosity and love. A heart-warming read which I would recommend to anyone.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ingrid
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and funny tale
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2016
    The author has recreated an amazing scenary as a background for the main characters journey which is full of surprises.
    Great style and lovely use of historical facts mixed with interesting fiction
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jane H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic and Beautiful
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 July 2016
    This is an amazing book which takes on the difficult task of presenting prehistoric man. Rollins writes beautifully as she portrays man at the beginning of civilization. This doesn't feel like a historical novel; rather, it reads like poetry describing the natural world of these very real people. Highly recommended!
    Helpful
     Report
  • LC
    5.0 out of 5 stars but not like you've ever read before
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 August 2015
    This story delves into life and humanity, the ability for people to overcome even in the earliest days of existence as a species. It's a historical thriller about overcoming, but not like you've ever read before.

    The style employed is brilliant, at times poetic and always fun to read. The characters come from different backgrounds and evolve over time, and it's a very relatable story.

    I recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction and look forward to more works by Kathleen!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Encuentro
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique and Exhilarating Adventure Story!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2016
    Kathleen Rollins has created an imaginative and thrilling ancient world with fully-realized characters in "Misfits & Heroes: West from Africa." At the center of the story is Naaba and Asha, two lost characters who find each other on the rugged terrain of West Africa circa 12,000 BC. Together, they must navigate the chaos and fight for survival as various village leaders fight for control of the region. The region is exceptionally valuable due to its river system. This is the story of "ordinary" people caught in extraordinary circumstances, swept up in the turmoil that has engulfed their land. The contrasts in this story are clear. There are those who have power but are not content with the power they have. Naaba and Asha find contentment in one another. Therein lies their struggle. To continue to find contentment in one another, they must find a way to escape the violence that has consumed the region. The couple are befriended and assisted by numerous characters who share the same plight. The characters are very distinct. They each have their own unique voice. The story is well-written and moves quickly. Give this novel a chance. You'll be glad you did!
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read
    Reviewed in Canada on 26 April 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Misfits and Heroes by Kathleen Flanagan Rollins is a saga of human suffering, hope, friendship and love. Beautifully written and rich in imagery, it takes the reader through the trials and tribulations of a small group of people living thousands of years ago. Individually, or as a group these people face war, death and betrayal. They have to run for their lives and also fight for them. I truly liked meeting these fascinating characters and reading about their passions, talents and shortcomings, but what I enjoyed the most were the stories within the story. The tales of the storyteller Dashona have the flavour of ancient myths and take the reader back to the beginning of time. I recommend the book to anybody who likes well-crafted and interesting stories.
    Report
  • DWP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Inventive, Expansive, and Exciting Pre-Historic Tale
    Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This inventive, expansive, and exciting story takes place in 12,000 BC Africa. There are two main characters here: Naaba, an exiled troublemaker, and Asha, an imprisoned woman he frees. Together, Asha and Naaba navigate multiple difficult situations full of deceptively welcoming communities and warring villages.
    My reading preferences have more often than not leaned toward modern tales with familiar settings, which made Misfits and Heroes such a breath of fresh air. Despite my lack of knowledge here, the vivid descriptions provided me with an intricate picture of how this time period was. The author organically introduced the world as opposed to clumsy dumps of information as with other books tasked with explaining complex or foreign settings. While the period and setting are obviously drastically different than today, it still remains remarkably relatable because at its core, it’s a story about two seemingly unexceptional people forced into a completely exceptional set of experiences.
    The author states a significant interest in ancient culture and the opulence of it all, and that is all clearly on display. Her passion and expertise clearly shine through as someone that intimately knows her subject like only few can. Sometimes books like this can focus too much on the setting and neglect the development of a cohesive story, but this is not the case with Misfits and Heroes. The plot and characters stand alone as deep, multi-faceted subjects, that make this book a true pleasure to read.
    Report
  • Jessica Titone
    4.0 out of 5 stars but their joy is short lived
    Reviewed in the United States on 20 April 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The story’s opening centers on Naaba and Asha, two lost souls. At a time when community was vital to survival, they are separate from their groups. When they find each other, they feel a true sense of belonging, but their joy is short lived. An event spurs Asha to fall into her old ways of wandering. For the rest of the book, the scope of the story widens, involving a group of characters who flee their homeland due to their village’s destruction by a leader known as The Black Rhino, who has been driven insane by power. They embark on a quest for a new home that leads them over the Atlantic.

    I will admit that I approached this book with a fair amount of intimidation. This is not my usual reading fare and I was worried that I’d be out of my depths. I was expecting to be drowned in overly academic words or premises that I didn’t understand, but I am happy to say that the worry was mostly unfounded. The author writes in a style that is simple, but beautifully clear. The themes are universal for any human and easy to relate to. Though this is a work of fiction and also a fantasy, its ideas seem to originate in fact. It’s evident that the author’s done a tremendous amount of research to give the correct feel to her story. No need for suspension of disbelief - everything contained within the story feels appropriate for its time and region. For concepts that are particularly tricky to imagine, the author has even provided illustrations.
    The first third of the book I spent acclimating to the story. I began to enjoy it once I did. The second third introduced many more new characters and problems. Here I struggled to keep up with who was who and why they were doing the things that they were doing. I found the flow of my reading constantly being halted because I kept having those, “Wait, what’s happening?” moments, causing me to thumb back through the story to read more carefully. (Not the easiest thing to do in a digital book.) At times, I felt I might have needed a notebook or chart to keep track of who was who and what his/her role was in the grand scheme of things. Once the main group of characters hit what I’m dubbing “The Trickster’s Island” the many cords of story were woven together beautifully and the story moved forward swiftly and effortlessly. I had the glorious reading experience being sucked into the action and then looking up to find an entire hour gone without knowing where it went. Dashona’s stories were particularly enjoyable and my favorite aspect of the book.

    The fault in this book comes in the form of the constant explanation of processes or activities that the characters were engaged in, such as the play by play of a spear-throwing contest or the instructions given for how a piece of leather was to be tanned. There is likely a great reason why the author included these within her story, but to a reader who is inexperienced with the cultures and time period of the book, the significance was lost on me and the constant explanations only bogged down the story.

    Four stars for the following:
    -From a purely mechanical standpoint (spelling, grammar, punctuation, voice, etc) no flaw could be found with the writing. The editing job on this was tremendous.

    -The amount of research needed to achieve the meticulousness in historical/cultural accuracy.

    -Engaging action scenes.

    -Well crafted characters whose triumphs and struggles are universal, regardless of nationality or time period.

    I couldn’t award the fifth star because too often, the story suffered due to overabundance, such as too many characters doing too many things at once or the long drawn out explanations as mentioned above.

    If you are a fan of adventure, interested in prehistoric times, you will find this to be an engrossing, worthwhile read. If you are an outsider to this genre as I was, don’t be afraid to try something new, as you may learn a great deal.
    Report
  • C.D. Gorri
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unique story worth the read
    Reviewed in the United States on 10 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I never thought I would read and enjoy a book set in the Stone Age in Africa, but I was absolutely wrong! Masterfully written, This novel tells the tale of Asha and Naaba as they travel and experience the best and worst of life. What a wonderful adventure story that seems to accurately describe life 14,000 years ago! Rollins succeeds brilliantly in bringing the region, time, and characters to life and not only that, but she makes them relevant to today in that all humanity still searches for peace and a brighter tomorrow. I don't want to give anything away since this is really a book you need to experience for yourself, so no spoilers here. However, I have to highly recommend this to anyone who loves history and anthropology. Amazing! Unique!
    Report
  • JD
    2.0 out of 5 stars Long story.
    Reviewed in the United States on 8 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    About a story that takes place in 12,000 B.C capturing the journey from downriver to the coast of West Africa. The author has tried to capture how life was several thousand years ago and how comparative it is to our current modern life in terms of how we feel and our needs. Also tried to show how Individuals and groups tried to settle down in new places and how their life was.

    Having said that the whole book was stretched a lot which I can see from the 443 pages. It is not interesting enough to read through, like it often creates a feeling when this book will end. Very slow pace and not enough substance for such a long book.

    The overall flow is boring. The writing style is not that great and really tests the patience. I purchased this book for $3.99, I don't think it is worth the money spent.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report