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The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
2 reviews
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Having very much enjoyed 2021’s collection, I was pleased to find that The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction (2022) is equally wide ranging, thought-provoking, and timely as its predecessor — in fact, I might have enjoyed this one even more. Inevitably, with an anthology, some stories stood out for me personally more than others, but there is no filler here and I have no doubt that each reader will find stories that stay with them and new-to-them authors to seek out further works from (I know I have). Some of my favourites included:
—P. Djèlí Clark’s “If the Martians Have Magic” - sci-fi with magic, from one of my absolute favourite fantasy authors.
—Tobi Ugundiran’s “Deep in the Gardener’s Barrow” - eerie, witchy, mysterious.
—Wole Talabi’s “An Arc of Electric Skin - revolution with science fictional aspects.
—Ugochi Agoawike’s “When She Speaks” - poetic, queer, magical.
—Nnamdi Anyadu’s “The Coward of Umustead” - a quiet child who isn’t who isn’t quite who he appears.
—Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki’s “Destiny Delayed” - an excellent story I already got to enjoy in the collection <i>Between Dystopias</i> (which I recommend!) and was happy to give a re-read.
This installment of The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction includes a section of poems at the end. I don’t feel like I have the critical vocabulary to review poetry well, but I found many of the poems to be impactful and I am glad that the decision was made to include them. I really hope that this wonderful series of anthologies continues!
Content warnings: gun violence, murder, death, sexual assault, rape, slavery, racism, slurs, trauma, genocide, gore, body horror, injury detail
Thank you to NetGalley, Arc Manor, CAEZIK SF & Fantasy, and the editors for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
—P. Djèlí Clark’s “If the Martians Have Magic” - sci-fi with magic, from one of my absolute favourite fantasy authors.
—Tobi Ugundiran’s “Deep in the Gardener’s Barrow” - eerie, witchy, mysterious.
—Wole Talabi’s “An Arc of Electric Skin - revolution with science fictional aspects.
—Ugochi Agoawike’s “When She Speaks” - poetic, queer, magical.
—Nnamdi Anyadu’s “The Coward of Umustead” - a quiet child who isn’t who isn’t quite who he appears.
—Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki’s “Destiny Delayed” - an excellent story I already got to enjoy in the collection <i>Between Dystopias</i> (which I recommend!) and was happy to give a re-read.
This installment of The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction includes a section of poems at the end. I don’t feel like I have the critical vocabulary to review poetry well, but I found many of the poems to be impactful and I am glad that the decision was made to include them. I really hope that this wonderful series of anthologies continues!
Content warnings: gun violence, murder, death, sexual assault, rape, slavery, racism, slurs, trauma, genocide, gore, body horror, injury detail
Thank you to NetGalley, Arc Manor, CAEZIK SF & Fantasy, and the editors for providing an ARC in exchange for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Gore, and Body horror
laurareads87's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
This is a fantastic and wide-ranging collection including stories of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Editor Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki has truly done a wonderful job in bringing together diverse themes – parenthood, grief, gentrification, technological change, scientific ethics, racism, guilt, sacrifice, environmental destruction – in a range of genres and styles. The majority of authors included in this collection I had not read before; I am thrilled to have discovered quite a few authors whom I absolutely must read more from. Inevitably with an anthology, I enjoyed some stories significantly more than others; some stories I found too short. Overall, I enjoyed this collection very much and highly recommend it. Some of my favourite stories included:
“Things Boys Do” by Pemi Aguda – disturbing horror as three men find reason to be afraid of their newborn sons.
“Giant Steps” by Russell Nichols – the reflections of a scientist on an incredible solo space voyage. A favourite in the collection for sure.
“A Mastery of German” by Marian Denise Moore – a thought-provoking story raising issues of epigenetics, the transferability of memory, and medical ethics. An absolute favourite.
“Disassembly” by Makena Onjerika – a woman who can come apart and rebuild herself. Thought-provoking; another favourite.
“Egoli” by T.L. Huchu – an elderly protagonist reflects on all the changes she’s experienced throughout her lifetime.
“And This is How to Stay Alive” by Shingai Njeri Kagunda – a moving story of grief and guilt after the suicide of a loved one.
“Red_Bati” by Dilman Dila – the story of a robotic dog with more awareness than those around it realize it has.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jembefola Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this review.
“Things Boys Do” by Pemi Aguda – disturbing horror as three men find reason to be afraid of their newborn sons.
“Giant Steps” by Russell Nichols – the reflections of a scientist on an incredible solo space voyage. A favourite in the collection for sure.
“A Mastery of German” by Marian Denise Moore – a thought-provoking story raising issues of epigenetics, the transferability of memory, and medical ethics. An absolute favourite.
“Disassembly” by Makena Onjerika – a woman who can come apart and rebuild herself. Thought-provoking; another favourite.
“Egoli” by T.L. Huchu – an elderly protagonist reflects on all the changes she’s experienced throughout her lifetime.
“And This is How to Stay Alive” by Shingai Njeri Kagunda – a moving story of grief and guilt after the suicide of a loved one.
“Red_Bati” by Dilman Dila – the story of a robotic dog with more awareness than those around it realize it has.
Thank you to NetGalley and Jembefola Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Fatphobia, and Blood
Moderate: Gun violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, and Racism
Minor: Sexual assault
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