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11corvus11's review against another edition
3.0
The other Dark Matter anthology is one of my favorite anthologies, if not the favorite. This one did not move me as much. I started reading it months ago to have fiction on hand to sparingly read between all the nonfiction- something I could pick up and put down for some time. It did serve that purpose well. I do like that it had a few essays following the stories like the other Dark Matter anthology did. That is a nice touch. I did really enjoy a couple of the stories, most were ok, and some of them were kinda bad, I hate to say. That said there are some great authors who make appearances in this, including in an interview in the end with some of the greatest Black scifi authors of all time. Worth reading once. Not sure if I will read it again.
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
This 2004 anthology collects 24 speculative fiction stories by Black authors, together with three non-fiction pieces. I loved the breadth of Sheree R. Thomas's selections, encompassing many flavors of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, and extending back to include stories from as early as 1920, though most are much more recent. The three non-fiction selections are all of interest, one being a transcription of 1997 panel featuring six prominent SF/F authors of color, and the other two discussing the works of Virginia Hamiltion and Andre Norton.
I particularly liked Sheree R. Thomas's choice to bookend the fiction with two very different stories that nonetheless speak to each other. The opening story, ihsan bracy's "ibo landing," retells a folktale about transported slaves walking onto the sea to escape slavery. The final story, Kalamu ya Salaam's "Trance," is a time-travel science fiction tale that, briefly but effectively, calls back to that opening story when a character says, "I'm talking about how some of us walked into the sea and most of us stayed on the shore."
In between are a wealth of stories that tackle slavery, racism, gods, drugs, werewolves, and a great deal more. As is almost inevitable in an anthology of some two dozen stories, not every one appealed to me. There were also a few stories that I found effective, yet too bleak to describe as enjoyable, such as Pam Noles's powerful "Whipping Boy," in which a 19-year-old becomes a supernatural scapegoat.
Among my favorites were two of the older selections: "Jesus Christ in Texas," by W. E. B. Du Bois, published in 1920, all the more striking for the quiet restraint of its storytelling, and Walter Mosley's 1967 story "Whispers in the Dark," made moving by the characters' compassion for each other. I also particularly liked "Corona," by Samuel R. Delany, a vividly imagined story where two very different people (a White male ex-convict and a telepathic Black nine-year-old girl) briefly meet and each try to help the other.
My favorite of all was Nisi Shawl's "Maggies," which skilfully paints a future where modified humans (Maggies) help in terraforming, a complex, very well-told story, centered on its characters but encompassing a powerful inditement of racism, that managed all this while being a pleasure to read.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
I particularly liked Sheree R. Thomas's choice to bookend the fiction with two very different stories that nonetheless speak to each other. The opening story, ihsan bracy's "ibo landing," retells a folktale about transported slaves walking onto the sea to escape slavery. The final story, Kalamu ya Salaam's "Trance," is a time-travel science fiction tale that, briefly but effectively, calls back to that opening story when a character says, "I'm talking about how some of us walked into the sea and most of us stayed on the shore."
In between are a wealth of stories that tackle slavery, racism, gods, drugs, werewolves, and a great deal more. As is almost inevitable in an anthology of some two dozen stories, not every one appealed to me. There were also a few stories that I found effective, yet too bleak to describe as enjoyable, such as Pam Noles's powerful "Whipping Boy," in which a 19-year-old becomes a supernatural scapegoat.
Among my favorites were two of the older selections: "Jesus Christ in Texas," by W. E. B. Du Bois, published in 1920, all the more striking for the quiet restraint of its storytelling, and Walter Mosley's 1967 story "Whispers in the Dark," made moving by the characters' compassion for each other. I also particularly liked "Corona," by Samuel R. Delany, a vividly imagined story where two very different people (a White male ex-convict and a telepathic Black nine-year-old girl) briefly meet and each try to help the other.
My favorite of all was Nisi Shawl's "Maggies," which skilfully paints a future where modified humans (Maggies) help in terraforming, a complex, very well-told story, centered on its characters but encompassing a powerful inditement of racism, that managed all this while being a pleasure to read.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
lacy30twin1's review against another edition
5.0
I give this book a 4.5. Of course like and book of short stories, some stories are better than others but in this book there were only a few stories that I had to push through. For the most part I enjoyed all of them. The stories included range from past, present and future settings. My favorite stories in this book are:
The Glass Bottle Trick
'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes*
Whipping Boy
Aftermoon*
BLACKout
Trance
Those with stars I would LOVE to see expanded into novels.
I've read a handful of short story collections now, mostly all by one author, but of the short story collections I've read this by far was one of the best.
The Glass Bottle Trick
'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes*
Whipping Boy
Aftermoon*
BLACKout
Trance
Those with stars I would LOVE to see expanded into novels.
I've read a handful of short story collections now, mostly all by one author, but of the short story collections I've read this by far was one of the best.
joyful24's review against another edition
4.0
a great cross section of speculative african diaspora fiction. the retelling of igbo landing was fierce! the idea that vampires, zombies, telepathy, supernatural abilities, and religion transverse blackness as smoothly as leaves flowing down stream in spring time is refreshing.
essinink's review
3.0
Counting this as ‘read’ even though there were (7) short stories and (3) essays I didn’t get to before it was due back to the library.
Like most anthologies, it’s a mixed bag. There were a few that I really liked, a few that I appreciated but didn’t feel strongly about, and one that I ‘noped’ right away from. Overall, though, it’s worth a read. Lots of excellent stories here.
Full story list with initial thought-blurbs below the cut.
(Warning: This is a really long text post.)
Fiction
ibo landing (1998) by ihsan bracy
The Quality of Sand (2004) by Cherene Sherrard
Yahimba's Choice (2004) by Charles R. Saunders
The Glass Bottle Trick (2000) by Nalo Hopkinson
Desire (2004) by Kiini Ibura Salaam
Recovery from a Fall (2004) by David Findlay
Anansi Meets Peter Parker at the Taco Bell on Lexington (2000) by Douglas Kearney
The Magical Negro (2004) by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
Jesus Christ in Texas (1920) by W.E.B. Du Bois
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1974) by Henry Dumas
'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes (2004) by Kevin Brockenbrough
Whipping Boy (2004) by Pam Noles
Old Flesh Song (2004) by Ibi Aanu Zoboi
Whispers in the Dark (2001) by Walter Mosley
Aftermoon (2004) by Tananarive Due
Voodoo Vincent and the Astrostoriograms (2004) by Tyehimba Jess
The Binary (2004) by John Cooley
BLACKout (2004) by Jill Robinson
Sweet Dreams (2004) by Charles Johnson
Buying Primo Time (1988) by Wanda Coleman
Corona (1967) by Samuel R. Delany
Maggies (2004) by Nisi Shawl
Excerpt from Mindscape (2004) by Andrea Hairston
Trance (2004) by Kalamu ya Salaam
Non-Fiction Essays
The Second Law of Thermodynamics: Transcription of a Panel at the 1997 Black Speculative Fiction Writers Conference Held at Clark Atlanta University (2004) by Jewelle Gomez
Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton (2004) by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
Celebrating the Alien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton (2004) by Carol Cooper
Like most anthologies, it’s a mixed bag. There were a few that I really liked, a few that I appreciated but didn’t feel strongly about, and one that I ‘noped’ right away from. Overall, though, it’s worth a read. Lots of excellent stories here.
Full story list with initial thought-blurbs below the cut.
(Warning: This is a really long text post.)
Spoiler
Fiction
ibo landing (1998) by ihsan bracy
5 Stars - Ibo (Also Igbo, Ebo, or Ebos) Landing was the site of a mass suicide in 1803 by Ibo captives who refused to submit to slavery in the United States. Here, the story is retold.
The Quality of Sand (2004) by Cherene Sherrard
4 Stars - Historical fantasy set in the Caribbean. Escaped slaves turned pirates, and also djinni.
Yahimba's Choice (2004) by Charles R. Saunders
4 Stars - FGM and associated superstitions and realities; social norms and how to change them.
The Glass Bottle Trick (2000) by Nalo Hopkinson
3.5 Stars - Eerie, and more horror-flavored than most of my reading. I like it in spite of myself, I think. Mad props to Hopkinson for surprising me--I actually didn’t see that twist coming. It wasn’t out of the blue, or anything, I just didn’t see it. Maybe I should have; I have read Brown Girl in the Ring, after all.
Desire (2004) by Kiini Ibura Salaam
4 Stars - So this one was *cough* decidedly not for minor ears, but still absolutely brilliant. Part folktale, part sensuality, part married life. I laughed, I blushed, and I laughed again. The ending is perfect.
Recovery from a Fall (2004) by David Findlay
1 Star - I ‘noped’ right out of this one. Thank you, sir, but this is not for me. Drugs and really crazy sex that I’m pretty sure is a metaphor for something else but don’t want to look at any closer.
Anansi Meets Peter Parker at the Taco Bell on Lexington (2000) by Douglas Kearney
4 Stars - Short enough that it’s hard to talk about it without giving everything away. Funny and mildly depressing all at once.
The Magical Negro (2004) by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
5 Stars - As much as her longer fiction has been a tough sell for me, I’ve really enjoyed Okorafor’s short stories. This one takes the “magical negro” narrative and eviscerates it in glorious fashion.
Jesus Christ in Texas (1920) by W.E.B. Du Bois
4 Stars - Written in 1920, and still relevant on both a social and religious level.
Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (1974) by Henry Dumas
3 Stars - Spec-fic RE appropriation of emerging Black culture by white musicians, but didn’t care for the writing style.
'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes (2004) by Kevin Brockenbrough
3 Stars - Again, good commentary, but wasn’t blown away by the execution.
Whipping Boy (2004) by Pam Noles
2 Stars - Reader Discretion: Implied Cannibalism - I get where this was going, but... dude. Not for me.
Old Flesh Song (2004) by Ibi Aanu Zoboi
2 Stars - Reader Discretion: Cannibalism, Child Death - See previous.
Whispers in the Dark (2001) by Walter Mosley
3 Stars - This was actually really cool, but also pretty weird. Phonetically spelled dialect takes some getting used to.
Aftermoon (2004) by Tananarive Due
4 Stars - Short but sweet werewolf tale with socially relevant undercurrents.
Voodoo Vincent and the Astrostoriograms (2004) by Tyehimba Jess
4 Stars - Funny. Vincent is given a gift by “Leg Baby” (Papa Legba), only to spurn him later. You can probably guess where this is going. For all the humor (and yes, the way it’s written is amusing), it has keen insight.
The Binary (2004) by John Cooley
BLACKout (2004) by Jill Robinson
Sweet Dreams (2004) by Charles Johnson
Buying Primo Time (1988) by Wanda Coleman
Corona (1967) by Samuel R. Delany
Maggies (2004) by Nisi Shawl
Excerpt from Mindscape (2004) by Andrea Hairston
5 Stars - I read Mindscape in it’s entirety a couple years ago. It’s a trip. Not for everyone, though. This excerpt has the prologue and a bit of the first chapter. Usually I don’t care for excerpts, but this one works.
Trance (2004) by Kalamu ya Salaam
Non-Fiction Essays
The Second Law of Thermodynamics: Transcription of a Panel at the 1997 Black Speculative Fiction Writers Conference Held at Clark Atlanta University (2004) by Jewelle Gomez
Her Pen Could Fly: Remembering Virginia Hamilton (2004) by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
Celebrating the Alien: The Politics of Race and Species in the Juveniles of Andre Norton (2004) by Carol Cooper
nannahnannah's review against another edition
4.0
Dark Matter is the first (and only) series collecting sci-fi/fantasy short stories by black authors. Like Booklist says on the cover, it’s a great “who’s who of African American writers”. There were a little over 25 pieces - pretty massive for a short work collection, so it really is an excellent guide or even introduction to black writers.
Short story collections are usually a gamble, with some stories incredible while others fall short. This one is no different, although some of these works soared Very high (Whispers in the Dark) and others were just Not something I enjoyed (The Binary). And although short story collections usually just contain, you know, short stories, this one has transcripts of discussions on what makes science fiction as a genre work, biographies, and even works as short as a page and a half. All are equally as important. I love that the books teach you about the black authors that came before as well as the ones alive and publishing today.
Though there may have been more pieces here I disliked than those I liked, the ones I liked I liked Very Much, and it makes up for the rest. I’m a bit sad this is a library book, and one the library requested from another library, because I’d like to read some of these stories again. A lot of them are incredibly layered and deep, written to make you think a long time after the first read.
Anyway, I’ll definitely be reading the other books in this collection! And taking note of which authors strike a chord with me as I go on.
Short story collections are usually a gamble, with some stories incredible while others fall short. This one is no different, although some of these works soared Very high (Whispers in the Dark) and others were just Not something I enjoyed (The Binary). And although short story collections usually just contain, you know, short stories, this one has transcripts of discussions on what makes science fiction as a genre work, biographies, and even works as short as a page and a half. All are equally as important. I love that the books teach you about the black authors that came before as well as the ones alive and publishing today.
Though there may have been more pieces here I disliked than those I liked, the ones I liked I liked Very Much, and it makes up for the rest. I’m a bit sad this is a library book, and one the library requested from another library, because I’d like to read some of these stories again. A lot of them are incredibly layered and deep, written to make you think a long time after the first read.
Anyway, I’ll definitely be reading the other books in this collection! And taking note of which authors strike a chord with me as I go on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Minor: Fatphobia and Racial slurs
also: lynchingitsthathikingreader's review against another edition
5.0
These anthologies are great. They're a great source of works and non-fiction essays. I use this (and the first anthology in the series) in the Speculative Fiction in Africa class I teach.
salama_assata's review against another edition
5.0
This is possibly my new favorite book. I highly recommend it to anyone of the African diaspora interested in fiction. If you're looking to read more Black authors this is a great introduction to many literary greats. Although I did not like every story included it is a masterful compilation. I especially appreciated the way African tradition religions were woven into many plots. A really great read!!
taraminter's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
octavia_cade's review against another edition
4.0
Wide-ranging and compelling anthology of speculative fiction by black writers. There's such a variety of stories in here, and though a small handful of them didn't do anything for me the quality is in general excellent. There's rather more focus on fantasy than science fiction, but together the stories cover everything from typical speculative creatures (such as werewolves and vampires) to more overtly political narratives (focused on, for instance, reparations and slavery). The anthology ends with three non-fiction essays, discussing various inspirations for some of the writers collected in here, and these were interesting too.
I think the standout stories for me were "Maggies" by Nisi Shawl (about genetically engineered creatures of the selkie-sort, and their effects on the human families who love them), "Yahimba's Choice" by Charles R. Saunders (looks at female circumcision, with a particularly painful and affecting ending), the super-creepy clone harvesting and rebellion of Kevin Brockenbrough's "'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes", and the beautifully written eroticism of Kiini Ibura Salaam's "Desire". Really, though, although these were my favourites I could have listed more - there's a lot of fantastic stories in here, genuinely something for everyone I think, and well worth reading.
I think the standout stories for me were "Maggies" by Nisi Shawl (about genetically engineered creatures of the selkie-sort, and their effects on the human families who love them), "Yahimba's Choice" by Charles R. Saunders (looks at female circumcision, with a particularly painful and affecting ending), the super-creepy clone harvesting and rebellion of Kevin Brockenbrough's "'Cause Harlem Needs Heroes", and the beautifully written eroticism of Kiini Ibura Salaam's "Desire". Really, though, although these were my favourites I could have listed more - there's a lot of fantastic stories in here, genuinely something for everyone I think, and well worth reading.