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birdykinsreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
3.5
A series of short stories that range from absolutely compelling and thought-provoking to those more difficult to stay immersed and invested in.
There’s no denying that Talabi can write, and has deep insights about where our society is going in the future with AI, climate crisis, and how our lives and archives of knowledge and meaning might morph with the changes in technology. I think, maybe this just verged too far into lofty sci-fi for me when I’m more of a speculative fiction/dystopian fan grounded in a near-future. When things go to space and aliens I tend to lose interest and have a harder time relating to the lives of characters. That’s absolutely a me issue, so if you love all facets of sci-fi equally this will absolutely blow you away.
My favourite stories in this collection were “Debut” about AI learning how to create art; “Saturday’s Song” the creation of a story by some group of god-like entities; “Gamma” about two children playing together and falling in love amidst a nuclear catastrophe; “Performance Review” which is a look at life if every metric measured for work performance included actual brain scans. There was also an extended almost novella length story called “Ganger” which could have been its own book about a suicidal woman looking for meaning in a society under a dome where everything is controlled, everything a data point.
I was very into some of these stories but a lot more I just didn’t connect with. But, the writing never faltered. Highly recommend for anyone into sci-fi.
The narration was also great, but sound wise it dipped sometimes which I found really annoying.
There’s no denying that Talabi can write, and has deep insights about where our society is going in the future with AI, climate crisis, and how our lives and archives of knowledge and meaning might morph with the changes in technology. I think, maybe this just verged too far into lofty sci-fi for me when I’m more of a speculative fiction/dystopian fan grounded in a near-future. When things go to space and aliens I tend to lose interest and have a harder time relating to the lives of characters. That’s absolutely a me issue, so if you love all facets of sci-fi equally this will absolutely blow you away.
My favourite stories in this collection were “Debut” about AI learning how to create art; “Saturday’s Song” the creation of a story by some group of god-like entities; “Gamma” about two children playing together and falling in love amidst a nuclear catastrophe; “Performance Review” which is a look at life if every metric measured for work performance included actual brain scans. There was also an extended almost novella length story called “Ganger” which could have been its own book about a suicidal woman looking for meaning in a society under a dome where everything is controlled, everything a data point.
I was very into some of these stories but a lot more I just didn’t connect with. But, the writing never faltered. Highly recommend for anyone into sci-fi.
The narration was also great, but sound wise it dipped sometimes which I found really annoying.
graywild's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
Series of short stories - sci/fi and dystopian. I really only liked the longer story - Ganger. All the other stories either didn't appeal to me or they were not fleshed out enough. I love short stories but they need a bit of a beginning and end. Alot of these stories almost seemed like short chapters in a book. Stories just didn't have enough to them for me.
rach's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A thought-provoking and imaginative collection of stories that are also grounded in reality and humanity. From post-apocalyptic society to space, fantastical worlds become very real with characters confronting familiar and heart-wrenching challenges. Some of my favorites were Blowout, which explores what it means to be a hero and reconnects an estranged brother and sister, and Ganger, which delves into freedom of choice versus guaranteed safety, bodily autonomy, systemic oppression, brain control, gender, and sexuality.
amandadevoursbooks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In Convergence Problems, will need to lobby examines a future where climate catastrophe has happened. Almost every story holds a thread of grief, loss, transition, and Hope.
I enjoyed that the author played with narrative style and a couple of the stories: One is a chat post with replies one is a patent application and one breaks up a traditional Nigerian folktale with a corollary in the future present.
I also appreciated the author notes at the end of the book for each of the short stories. I found them fascinating, because they gave a glimpse into the author's writing process.
I'm definitely going to be picking up a copy for myself because I will be revisiting some of these stories.
People who like afrofuturism, Black speculative fiction are probably going to like this book.
Thank you Net Galley and Daw books for my advanced reader copy.
I enjoyed that the author played with narrative style and a couple of the stories: One is a chat post with replies one is a patent application and one breaks up a traditional Nigerian folktale with a corollary in the future present.
I also appreciated the author notes at the end of the book for each of the short stories. I found them fascinating, because they gave a glimpse into the author's writing process.
I'm definitely going to be picking up a copy for myself because I will be revisiting some of these stories.
People who like afrofuturism, Black speculative fiction are probably going to like this book.
Thank you Net Galley and Daw books for my advanced reader copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Colonisation, and Murder
Moderate: Trafficking
laurareads87's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
In his introduction to this collection, Wole Talabi writes that in mathematical modelling, convergence is “bringing an approximate (simplified) solution close enough to a true solution, within a given tolerance during an iterative procedure;” he notes that while this is often needed, “there are often difficulties in converging to a solution.” Convergence Problems, then, is a collection of stories about problems that arise in imagined futures, even apparently desirable ones; Talabi notes that such problems are not always bad and can “expose poor logic or inconsistent assumptions.”
Inevitably with a short story collection, some stories will stand out to each reader more than others. For me, “Saturday’s Song,” “An Arc of Electric Skin,” “Abeokuta52,” and “A Dream of Electric Mothers” are all standouts, but there is no filler here – this is a fantastic, thoughtful, wide ranging collection. I averaged out the star ratings I gave to each individual story and came out with a number over four, and I’m more than happy to round up. The inclusion of Author Notes at the end situating the influences and publication of each story is a nice inclusion. I definitely recommend this collection.
Content warnings: homophobia, war, violence, gun violence, accidental injury, fire injury, classism, terminal illness, suicide attempt, death, murder
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Homophobia, and Classism
Moderate: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Violence, and Gun violence
faliiza's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am blown away by this collection. The stories have a common theme, a thread weaving through each of them, but yet they are varied in style, genre, voice and format. Ingenious storytelling. These stories bring alive different possibilities and futures, both dark and beautiful, with advanced technology and traditional African culture and traditions intertwined.
Each of these stories gave me something. Some of the stories were longer and thus more fleshed out and intricate. The shorter stories gave you glimpses into different realities, but still managed to leave their mark on you, often in a profound way. The collection awoke feelings of unease, horror, anger, love, helplessness and compassion. But it was also full of insightful ideas and lines that really stuck with me. Some that reflect the more general way of the world and some very personal.
I especially enjoyed the unique story formats of “Comments on Your Provisional Patent Application for an Eternal Spirit Core” and “Abeokuta52”. It’s inspiring how Talabi manages to convey a whole world, intricate characters and a moving story in formats such as a blog post + comments and a patent application form.
I genuinely cannot pick a favourite out of these 16 stories. They all speak to me and move me in some way. I am so happy I was drawn to this book by its gorgeous cover and interesting blurb. I will be rereading these stories over and over.
Arc review
Each of these stories gave me something. Some of the stories were longer and thus more fleshed out and intricate. The shorter stories gave you glimpses into different realities, but still managed to leave their mark on you, often in a profound way. The collection awoke feelings of unease, horror, anger, love, helplessness and compassion. But it was also full of insightful ideas and lines that really stuck with me. Some that reflect the more general way of the world and some very personal.
I especially enjoyed the unique story formats of “Comments on Your Provisional Patent Application for an Eternal Spirit Core” and “Abeokuta52”. It’s inspiring how Talabi manages to convey a whole world, intricate characters and a moving story in formats such as a blog post + comments and a patent application form.
I genuinely cannot pick a favourite out of these 16 stories. They all speak to me and move me in some way. I am so happy I was drawn to this book by its gorgeous cover and interesting blurb. I will be rereading these stories over and over.
Arc review
katnortonwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
Initially, I was making a list of my favorite stories so that I could name the standout entries. All anthologies have some stories I like more and some I like less, but here's the thing... a list of the stories that were 5-star entries for me would pretty closely resemble the table of contents. This whole collection is really strong, and it's an easy five stars from me.
Not only was each piece quite solid, they worked well together. They vary pretty widely in length, too. "Lights in the Sky" is an excellent flash fiction, "Tend to Zero" is a fantastic mid-length piece with notes of NK Jemisin's stories of cities personified, and the novella at the core of this book, while not my favorite piece, touched on many of the larger themes that cropped up in the other pieces. Some stories have a more fantastical bent, others are classic scifi, and all of them have Afrofuturist components that would make this book a good fit for fans of Nnedi Okorafor and Tlotlo Tsamaase's utopias-turned-dystopian.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I'm looking forward to reading Talabi's entry in Africa Risen when I read it sometime later this year. Definitely going to pick up more of his work in the future!
Not only was each piece quite solid, they worked well together. They vary pretty widely in length, too. "Lights in the Sky" is an excellent flash fiction, "Tend to Zero" is a fantastic mid-length piece with notes of NK Jemisin's stories of cities personified, and the novella at the core of this book, while not my favorite piece, touched on many of the larger themes that cropped up in the other pieces. Some stories have a more fantastical bent, others are classic scifi, and all of them have Afrofuturist components that would make this book a good fit for fans of Nnedi Okorafor and Tlotlo Tsamaase's utopias-turned-dystopian.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I'm looking forward to reading Talabi's entry in Africa Risen when I read it sometime later this year. Definitely going to pick up more of his work in the future!
sarrie's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
TL;DR: A strong and varied collection of African centered SF stories exploring technology and it’s connections in our lives.
Convergence Problems is solid. I have to open with that. While it wasn’t mind blowing for me, I enjoyed most of these stories for how our author captured and explored these ‘convergence problems’ in short format. Each takes a different way of looking at how technology does or might intersect with our lives.
My favorite pieces in this were the shorter ones, the longer pieces struggled to hold my interest but the shorter, more dynamic pieces were great. This features at least one novella, which I found fascinating but a little dull to my tastes, as well. My favorite by far was Saturday’s Song. The dynamic way it was told, via song and different voice, made it fun and unique.
If you enjoy Science Fiction shorts this is a collection that’s worth the pick up. The ideas are interesting, and the execution solid.
3 out of 5 mercenary gods
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Colonisation, Racism, and Death
Minor: War and Gore
crothe77's review
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Convergence Problems by Wole Talabi is a collection of Africanfuturism short stories that range in length and style. Two of the stories, Abeokuta 52 and Comments on Your Provisional Patent Application for an Eternal Spirit Core, play with format and use an internet article and comments in the first and email in the second to tell a story.
My favorite of the collection was A Dream of Electric Mothers, a short story about a group of people consulting their ancestors over a border dispute. I loved it when I read it on Tor last year and I loved it even more when I read it again in this collection.
Another favorite of mine was Saturday’s Song where siblings sit around and tell a story as a group. The siblings as a device with very distinct personalities was well-written and I liked how they each impacted the story.
I would recommend this to fans of Africanfuturism or readers looking to dip their toes into this rich subgenre.
aishareadsnrambles's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
BOOK: CONVERGENCE PROBLEMS
AUTHOR: WOLE TALABI
PUB DATE: FEBRUARY 2024
🌍🌍
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🌍🌍
This book filled with short stories, different characters, and cultures is the first I've ever read. I love, love the infusion of Nigerian, African culture with sci-fi, something that's not popularly seen. I loved his reimagination of Nigeria. I loved through the sci-fi journey, there was no Western countries. I liked the places in Nigerian I saw, the familiar lingo and names. I love the author's writing. He's a wonderful writer, wowing me in the different stories. I didn’t like all the stories in the book, but I liked most of them. The author's imagination is out of this world.
🌍🌍
1. DEBUT: At first, I didn’t understand this at first. I stopped it and went back to it. But, i liked the Nigerian futuristic setting, some African characters, and its unusual ending
2. AN ARC OF ELECTRIC SKIN: This was wonderful. I could definitely relate considering Nigeria's history of corruption in the past. I understood Akachi's decision. I loved the superhero act. Even though I didn’t read his POV
3. SATURDAY'S SONG: This short story was two in one, and I learned a lot of things. I learned some Hausas worship small gods and about Shigidi. I liked the entirety of the storyline and the ending. I liked the Days of the Week POV. It was really nice.
4. LIGHTS IN THE SKY: I loved this too, the storyline and the setting. It was emotional and raw and relatable. A favorite.
5. BLOWOUT: This was good, too. I liked the insertion of the familiar places. I liked Folake's story and her reunion with her brother. It was nice
6. GAMMA (OR: LOVE IN THE AGE OF RADIATION POISONING): Short but poignant and sad. Had a dystopian setting, and I liked it. Had young characters, too. A favorite
7. GANGER: My least favorite, it was the longest, and I was very confused when I started it. Consequently, I liked the setting, which is very dystopian. I didn’t like the ending, too.
8. ABEOKUTA 52: I liked this too. It was the most relatable story. but it ended way too soon. I was familiar with the lingo and the place. It was very good. I didn't like the ending, though.
9. TENDS TO ZERO; I didn’t really like this one because of the main character. But I liked the magical realism part. I liked the realistic Lagos setting.
10. NIGERIAN DREAMS: I could relate to this because the main character wanted to 'japa', some thing many Nigerians want to do. I could also relate to the Nigerian dream that was in the book.
11. PERFORMANCE REVIEW: This had just two scenes, and I was able to understand the fmc's situation. I liked it and the sci-fi genre.
12. SILENCE: Short and poignant story of love. I liked it. A favorite.
13. EMBERS: A sad story borne out of the desperation of the mmc. I didn't really like this because of the ending. I loved the Kawashida power supply, though.
14. THE MILLION EYES OF A LONELY AND FRAGILE GOD: I didn't really like this too, but it was probably because of how realistic it was. It packed a punch, though.
15. COMMENTS ON YOUR PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION FOR AN ETERNAL SPIRIT CORE: I didn’t really like this. It was confusing, but I later got the gist.
16. A DREAM OF ELECTRIC MOTHERS: I didn't really like the story line, but I loved the setting. Odua republic led by a Yoruba king, the re imagination of Babalawos. I liked it.
🌍🌍
I liked this book and the author's writing. You might not like all the stories, but you'll love most of them. You'll be blown away by the author's writhing and imagination. A must-read.
AUTHOR: WOLE TALABI
PUB DATE: FEBRUARY 2024
🌍🌍
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
🌍🌍
This book filled with short stories, different characters, and cultures is the first I've ever read. I love, love the infusion of Nigerian, African culture with sci-fi, something that's not popularly seen. I loved his reimagination of Nigeria. I loved through the sci-fi journey, there was no Western countries. I liked the places in Nigerian I saw, the familiar lingo and names. I love the author's writing. He's a wonderful writer, wowing me in the different stories. I didn’t like all the stories in the book, but I liked most of them. The author's imagination is out of this world.
🌍🌍
1. DEBUT: At first, I didn’t understand this at first. I stopped it and went back to it. But, i liked the Nigerian futuristic setting, some African characters, and its unusual ending
2. AN ARC OF ELECTRIC SKIN: This was wonderful. I could definitely relate considering Nigeria's history of corruption in the past. I understood Akachi's decision. I loved the superhero act. Even though I didn’t read his POV
3. SATURDAY'S SONG: This short story was two in one, and I learned a lot of things. I learned some Hausas worship small gods and about Shigidi. I liked the entirety of the storyline and the ending. I liked the Days of the Week POV. It was really nice.
4. LIGHTS IN THE SKY: I loved this too, the storyline and the setting. It was emotional and raw and relatable. A favorite.
5. BLOWOUT: This was good, too. I liked the insertion of the familiar places. I liked Folake's story and her reunion with her brother. It was nice
6. GAMMA (OR: LOVE IN THE AGE OF RADIATION POISONING): Short but poignant and sad. Had a dystopian setting, and I liked it. Had young characters, too. A favorite
7. GANGER: My least favorite, it was the longest, and I was very confused when I started it. Consequently, I liked the setting, which is very dystopian. I didn’t like the ending, too.
8. ABEOKUTA 52: I liked this too. It was the most relatable story. but it ended way too soon. I was familiar with the lingo and the place. It was very good. I didn't like the ending, though.
9. TENDS TO ZERO; I didn’t really like this one because of the main character. But I liked the magical realism part. I liked the realistic Lagos setting.
10. NIGERIAN DREAMS: I could relate to this because the main character wanted to 'japa', some thing many Nigerians want to do. I could also relate to the Nigerian dream that was in the book.
11. PERFORMANCE REVIEW: This had just two scenes, and I was able to understand the fmc's situation. I liked it and the sci-fi genre.
12. SILENCE: Short and poignant story of love. I liked it. A favorite.
13. EMBERS: A sad story borne out of the desperation of the mmc. I didn't really like this because of the ending. I loved the Kawashida power supply, though.
14. THE MILLION EYES OF A LONELY AND FRAGILE GOD: I didn't really like this too, but it was probably because of how realistic it was. It packed a punch, though.
15. COMMENTS ON YOUR PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION FOR AN ETERNAL SPIRIT CORE: I didn’t really like this. It was confusing, but I later got the gist.
16. A DREAM OF ELECTRIC MOTHERS: I didn't really like the story line, but I loved the setting. Odua republic led by a Yoruba king, the re imagination of Babalawos. I liked it.
🌍🌍
I liked this book and the author's writing. You might not like all the stories, but you'll love most of them. You'll be blown away by the author's writhing and imagination. A must-read.
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