The Useless Servants Book

The brief description here on Goodreads makes it sound as if the Indians discover the Europeans. This is not an alternative history novel; the Indians do not go on a grand voyage of discovery of Europe, as much as that would make an interesting premise for a novel, but rather, and unfortunately for them, they discover the European's ways when they appear in their island homes. The setup for this novel is detailed in the prologue where the author details how these historical documents have been given to him to be translated. The story is then told by the chronicler Guiakan Diego Colon as if in dated journal entries in which he relates contemporary events, namely the peace of Enriquillo, and his remembrances of the early days of the coming of the Castillans. The narrative of the chronicle's "rediscovery" by scholars, inclusion of real historical figures like Bartolomé de las Casas and real historical events may make the reader question whether this book is fiction or non-fiction, it is that well written. Barriero has imagined the history of the discovery of the new world from an indigenous viewpoint and authentically recreated the clash of cultures that occurred. It is a condemnation of the abuse inflicted on the native peoples by the Europeans, but also a celebration of the lives of the Taino people who live on in modern day islanders today.