In his 1972 book, Rebellion, Revolution and Armed Force, the social scientist, D.E.H. Russell, refers to ‘unsuccessful’ revolution, ‘partially successful’ revolution and ‘successful’ revolution. He argues that the first produces minimal social change, the second a middling degree of social change, and the third, which he feels is the ideal, major social change: ‘Successful revolution is defined as substantial (or fundamental) social change resulting from rebellion’ (58). Bearing this definition in mind, it becomes obvious that much of contemporary Africa is in dire need of successful revolution. Foreign rule, civilian rule and military rule have all failed to bring about positive social change on a continent that is to a large extent rapidly deteriorating in its morals and its economy. Africa is still searching for a means of social regeneration, and this is clearly one of the motivating factors behind the writing of Ayi Kwei Armah's sixth novel, Osiris Rising (OR). Armah believes that the key to social regeneration lies in ancient Egyptian culture – in its uniqueness, its polish, and above all its testimony to African creativity.

With the reputation Armah enjoys as one of Africa's leading novelists, one would have expected this 1995 publication to have provoked a flood of critical response. On the contrary very little has been written on it, and a comment in an article captioned ‘The Meaning of Life’ could explain why.