Tierno Monénembo’s The King of Kahel was originally published in France in 2008 and was the winner of the French literary prize, the prix Renaudot , which is awarded to the author of an outstanding original novel. Loosely based on the life of Olivier de Sanderval, a man who journeyed to Guinea to build an empire by conquering the hostile region of Fouta Djallon, the book exposes how Sanderval braves all dangers to build a railway that will bring modern civilization to Africa.