In Chaka word die geboorte, opgang en val van die historiese Shaka slegs as vertrekpunt gebruik. Die werk vertoon konneksies met verskeie mondelinge en literere genres soos die volksverhaal, legende, fabel, sage, fantasie en selfs mite. Daar is ook allegoriese kenmerke. Sy stilistiese grootsheid, poetiese prosa, historiese basis met vermenging van fiktiewe elemente en karakters, die idealisering van Shaka se krygsvernuf, die heroisering, is kenmerke wat die werk waarskynlik op die vlak van 'n literere epos plaas. Chaka se oorwinning oor die onregverdige behandeling wat hom in sy jeug te beurt geval het - gedeeltelik as gevolg van sy buite-egtelike verwekking - en sy vordering tot magtige heerser oor die grootste gedeelte van Suider-Afrika, word in die roman aangebied as 'n direkte gevolg van die intervensie van bonatuurlike magte wat hom dapper en bloeddorstig gemaak het: eers deur die vrouedokter van Bungane en daarna deur die invloedryke tradisionele geestelike Isanusi en sy kornuite Malunga en Ndlebe - wat almal briljant gekarakteriseer word. Chaka eindig met die AmaZulu wat nadink oor die tragedie wat hulle leier te beurt geval het en se: "Di a bela, di a hlweba! Madiba ho pjha a maholo!" (Dit kook en skif! Selfs die groot ryke kom tot 'n val!).

Chaka by Thomas Mofolo is the first of many works of literature that take Shaka, the great Zulu leader as its subject. Written in Sesotho in 1909 (though only published in 1925), it was an instant hit and quickly became Mofolo’s most highly regarded work. A mythic retelling of the story of Shaka’s rise and fall, it was translated into English in 1931 and went on to form the foundation for every subsequent telling of the Shaka legend. In Chaka Mofolo presents us with a study of human passion, of uncontrolled and then uncontrollable ambition leading to the moral destruction of the human character, that is comparable with Shakespeare’s most famous works – Henry V, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus, King Lear, Richard III. In recognition of its seminal influence on literature across the continent, Chaka was named one of the twelve best works of African literature of the 20th century by a panel organized by Ali Mazrui. Subsequent to the initial English translation, the book was published in French, German and Afrikaans. A second, updated English translation was commissioned in 1980. This translation – by Daniel P Kunene (now Professor Emeritus in the Department of African Languages and Literature at the University of Wisconsin) – is ae reissued by Kwela Books in April 2015.

Thomas Mofolo's final novel and masterpiece, Chaka, captures the phenomenal rise and fall of the great Zulu king. One of the earliest modern literary classics from Southern Africa, Chaka, is the tragic tale of a warrior-king and his insatiable hunger for power. Told in a mythic style, Chaka follows the torments of the Zulu king's early life, his rapid ascension to the throne, and the prophesied events that led to his downfall. Despised from birth as an illegitimate son, Chaka's hope of being accepted by his father, the king, is shattered when his father unexpectedly orders his execution. While fleeing from would-be assassins, he encounters a mysterious figure known as Isanusi – a master in sorcery and political intrigue. Insanusi offers him the chance to take the kingdom for his own but Chaka soon discovers that ultimate power comes at a heavy price... 'Chaka is a beautifully dark and twisted take on the true life story of the Zulu King... built around one of the most enigmatic and memorable literary figures you’d ever encounter.' Ainehi Edoro