Book excerpt: In the East African frontier of 1916 and the World War I colonial wars between Germany and Britain, Lieutenant Michael Fuller, a South African fighting for the British, enlists only to find that the physical battles of war are not the only ones being fought--rampant racial prejudices are issues of contention. After suffering an embarrassing defeat, Lieutenant Fuller must join forces with two men from the King's African Rifles to embark on a secret mission deep into enemy territory and the African bush. Faced with the compelling conflicts of war, characters make difficult choices between duty and individual compassion.