Hi, it's Jen. We know the news cycle has been difficult these last few weeks with continuing developments in Ukraine.

So we offer today's podcast as a break from hard news. But for all the latest updates, be sure to visit

npr.org or tune into your local public radio station. Enjoy the show.

Marlon James is the author of Five Books. His novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings, won the

Man Booker Prize in 2015. Seven killings tells the story of post-colonial Jamaica through the

voices of 12 narrators and spans decades of contemporary Jamaican history. His latest work is

a little different. The Dark Star trilogy is a series of fantasy novels that take place in a

fictionalized version of ancient Africa. There are monsters, and violence, and an epic quest.

After the break, we'll talk to Marlon about the Dark Star trilogy and the newest book in the series.

I'm Jen White. You're listening to the One-A podcast where we get to the heart of the story.

A reminder to have your questions answered on future topics or just to let us know what you think.

Tweet us at one A.

Support for NPR and the following message come from BetterHelp, offering online counseling.

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We as people are hardwired to connect with others, which is why this whole time is so difficult.

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Over this last year and a half, the world's been through a lot.

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