From timeless classics to intriguing newcomers, we pick the year’s top Afrofuturism reads.
In a literary landscape constantly evolving, Afrofuturism stands tall as a genre that melds African diaspora culture with technology, envisioning a future filled with arts, science, and magic. Dive into our top picks for 2023.
Our Team’s Afrofuturism Book Picks for 2023:
Kindred
Brief: A gripping tale of a modern black woman who is transported back in time to the antebellum South, where she encounters her ancestors and confronts the complexities of slavery, racial prejudice, and generational trauma.
The Fifth Season: The Broken Earth, Book 1
- Brief: The Broken Earth, Book 1 by N.K. Jemisin: Set in a world frequently ravaged by cataclysmic events, it follows Essun, a woman who embarks on a quest to find her missing daughter in a society that oppresses those with seismic magical abilities.
- Buy on Amazon
Parable of the Sower (Parable, 1)
- Brief: Set in a dystopian future America, the story revolves around Lauren Olamina, a young woman with hyperempathy, as she creates a new belief system called Earthseed to survive the societal collapse.
- Buy on Amazon
Imago
- Brief: . It explores the life of Jodahs, the first Oankali-Human construct ooloi, as it matures and faces the challenges of its unique existence.
- Buy on Amazon
Just Out of Jupiter’s Reach (The Far Reaches collection)
- Brief: A revolutionary experiment in space opens a woman’s eyes to the meaning of solitude in a thought-provoking short story by New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor.
- Buy on Amazon
The Stone Sky
- Brief: The concluding volume of N.K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy. The story continues to follow Essun and her daughter Nassun as they navigate a world on the brink of destruction, grappling with issues of power, oppression, and love.
- Buy on Amazon
The Fadian Experiment (Cards of Fate Book 1)
- Brief: Having failed the assessment that promised escape from poverty, Kaleigha spends her days dodging enforcers and drifting between legitimate jobs and street hustles. Her quest for survival is often derailed by the disembodied voices that lead her good fortune just as often as they lead her astray. After an inexplicable incident involving her mother’s boyfriend, Kaleigha finds herself kicked out of her home.Kaleigha is immediately rescued by a man claiming to be her father. He offers her a life of comfort, notoriety, and most of all help with the mysterious changes happening to her. However, Kaleigha cannot accept the price of this guidance and runs away to join a mysterious enclave. There she learns the origin of her powers, their reality-altering nature, and the true threat to their entire existence.Kaleigha must shake the reigns of the city’s elite power brokers so that she is free to save them all from the looming threat of total annihilation.
- Buy on Amazon
Parable of the Talents
- Brief: Environmental devastation and economic chaos have turned America into a land of horrifying depravity. Assault, theft, sexual abuse, slavery, and murder are commonplace. Taking advantage of the situation, a zealous, bigoted tyrant wins his way into the White House.
- Buy on Amazon
Skin Folk: Stories
- Brief: A collection of short stories that blend the magical with the everyday, exploring themes of Caribbean folklore, race, gender, and sexuality.
- Buy on Amazon
The City We Became
- Brief: Set in New York City, the story unfolds in a world where major cities become sentient through human avatars. When New York’s avatar mysteriously vanishes, five new avatars representing the city’s boroughs unite to combat a shared adversary.
- Buy on Amazon
Dawn
- Brief: It follows the story of Lilith Iyapo, who wakes up in an alien ship 250 years after a nuclear apocalypse. The Oankali, an alien species, have saved the remaining humans, but at a cost. They wish to interbreed with humans to produce a hybrid species.
- Buy on Amazon
Born To Magic: A Post Apocalyptic Epic Sci-Fi Fantasy of Earth’s future (Tales Of Nevaeh Book 1)
- Brief: If you lived in a Post Apocalyptic world… What would you do if you were told the future of the world is in your hands?
- Buy on Amazon
Wild Seed: The Patternist Series, Book 1
- Brief: As the acclaimed Patternist science-fiction series begins, two immortals meet in the long-ago past – and mankind’s destiny is changed forever.
- Buy on Amazon
Binti (Binti, 1)
- Brief: Binti is the first of the Himba people to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer, she must leave her family behind. On her journey, she encounters an alien race, the Meduse, leading to an interstellar conflict.
- Buy on Amazon
The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer
- Brief: In The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, singer-songwriter, actor, fashion icon, activist, and worldwide superstar Janelle Monáe once again brings her voice to the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, helping narrate these new stories which explore how different threads of liberation—queerness, race, gender plurality, and love—become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time in such a totalitarian landscape…and what the costs might be when trying to unravel and weave them into freedoms.
- Buy on Amazon
A Master of Djinn: A Novel
- Brief: A Novel by P. Djèlí Clark: Set in an alternate Cairo in 1912, this novel follows Agent Fatma el-Sha’arawi of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities as she investigates the murders of members of a brotherhood dedicated to Al-Jahiz, the man who transformed the world 50 years earlier with his inventions.
- Buy on Amazon
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
- Brief: Selected as a best book of 2021 by NPR, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Ms. Magazine, Wake is an imaginative tour-de-force that tells the powerful story of women-led slave revolts, and chronicles scholar Rebecca Hall’s efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record. Originally published as part graphic novel and part memoir, Wake has now been adapted into a dramatized audio original by critically acclaimed playwright and television writer Tyler English-Beckwith and features the voice talents of DeWanda Wise (Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Jurassic World: Dominion, The Harder They Fall), Chanté Adams, (A League of Their Own, Roxanne Roxanne, A Journal for Jordan) and an all-star full cast.
- Buy on Amazon
Children of Blood and Bone Sneak Peek
- Brief: Download a FREE sneak peek of CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE!Tomi Adeyemi conjures a stunning world of dark magic and danger in her West African-inspired fantasy debut.They killed my mother.They took our magic.They tried to bury us.Now we rise.Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.
- Buy on Amazon
Fledgling
- Brief: This is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted – and still wants – to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself.
- Buy on Amazon
Mind of My Mind
- Brief: Part of the Patternist series, this book revolves around Mary, a young telepath who creates a mental network of telepaths. As she grows in power, she challenges the ancient, immortal being Doro, leading to a confrontation with significant consequences.
- Buy on Amazon
Akata Witch (The Nsibidi Scripts)
- Brief: The story follows Sunny, an American-born albino child of Nigerian parents, as she discovers her magical abilities. Along with her friends, she navigates the world of the Leopard People, a secret society of West African magicians
- Buy on Amazon
Binti: The Complete Trilogy (Binti Trilogy)
- Brief: This trilogy follows Binti, the first of the Himba people to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. As she leaves her home, she encounters alien species and ancient wars, all while trying to maintain her identity.
- Buy on Amazon
Raybearer
- Brief: A fantasy novel that tells the story of Tarisai, who has been raised in isolation and is sent to the capital to compete for a spot on the Crown Prince’s council. However, she carries a secret mission to kill the prince, even as she grows close to him.
- Buy on Amazon
Clay’s Ark
- Brief: In a post-apocalyptic future, a family is kidnapped by a group infected with an alien disease. The story delves into the struggle for survival, the nature of humanity, and the consequences of unchecked power.
- Buy on Amazon
Bloodchild and Other Stories
- Brief: A perfect introduction for new readers and a must-have for avid fans, this New York Times Notable Book includes “Bloodchild,” winner of both the Hugo and the Nebula awards and “Speech Sounds,” winner of the Hugo Award. Appearing in print for the first time, “Amnesty” is a story of a woman named Noah who works to negotiate the tense and co-dependent relationship between humans and a species of invaders. Also new to this collection is “The Book of Martha” which asks: What would you do if God granted you the ability—and responsibility—to save humanity from itself?Like all of Octavia Butler’s best writing, these works of the imagination are parables of the contemporary world. She proves constant in her vigil, an unblinking pessimist hoping to be proven wrong, and one of contemporary literature’s strongest voices.
- Buy on Amazon
She Dreams of Me (The Children of Clay)
- Brief: Amanda Sanchez is a 19-year old, Class Three citizen, who lives in the Polis, a thousand-year-old underground human colony. The Polis is thought to be the only surviving human society, the last remnant of The Destruction, a nuclear war spurred by religious factions.The Polis has survived and thrived only because it has been strict about enforcing a no-faith rule. Anyone found to hold faith is banished to the irradiated surface to die. Amanda has faith and her secret might just spell trouble, not just for her, but for her boyfriend and her best friend. But when Amanda stumbles into a dark truth about the Polis, she realizes that her city is not so perfect after all. Even worse, the Polis is running out of resources and may not make it another thousand years. To save her beloved city, Amanda’s secret must be revealed, endangering the lives of everyone she loves.
- Buy on Amazon
My Soul to Keep
- Brief: From the award-winning master of horror and Afrofuturism Tananarive Due comes a modern classic of dark introspection.
- Buy on Amazon
Pattern master
- Brief: An all-powerful ruler’s son vies for control over the human race in this brilliant conclusion to the Patternist saga, from the critically acclaimed author, Octavia E. Butler
- Buy on Amazon
Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective III: The Case of the Vanishing Child
- Brief: The threads of a blood chilling mystery … A world torn in half. A young black man desperate to avenge his murdered brethren. A white supremacist with the terrifying power to alter reality. And a little girl trapped in the eye of the storm. Detective Mona Livelong takes on her most dangerous case yet, as she races to save the life of an innocent child, and countless others hanging in the balance. Cover art by Quinton Veal.
- Buy on Amazon
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
- Brief: A graphic novel adaptation of Butler’s classic novel, “Kindred,” where a modern African-American woman is transported back in time to the antebellum South.
- Buy on Amazon
Titanium Noir: A novel
- Brief: A virtuosic mashup of Philip K. Dick and Raymond Chandler by way of Marvel—the story of a detective investigating the murder of a Titan, one of society’s most powerful, medically-enhanced elites. • “Cross-genre brilliance from the superbly talented Nick Harkaway.” —William Gibson,
- Buy on Amazon
The Deep
- Brief: A novel about the water-dwelling descendants of African slave women, exploring themes of memory, trauma, and belonging.
- Buy on Amazon
Zone One
- Brief: A post-apocalyptic tale set in Manhattan, where survivors of a pandemic try to rebuild society while fending off zombies.
- Buy on Amazon
Chrysalis (A Fantasy LitRPG): Beast Realms, Book 1
- Brief: With regenerative abilities, a badass tail and the potential to evolve his body, how could Art resist choosing a lizard man as his avatar? All’s well until he accidentally joins forces with an acid-spitting, enemy-consuming shadow-bound grub, causing his light-bound guild members turn against him, and a deadly fire mage to wage a vendetta against him.
- Buy on Amazon
Rosewater
- Brief: Set in Nigeria, the story revolves around an alien biodome with healing powers, and a government agent with telepathic abilities investigating its mysteries.
- Buy on Amazon
Who Fears Death
- Brief: In a post-apocalyptic Africa, a young woman named Onyesonwu sets out on a journey to confront a powerful sorcerer and face her destiny.
- Buy on Amazon
Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha Book 1)
- Brief: In the kingdom of Orïsha, magic has been suppressed. Zélie Adebola embarks on a quest to restore magic and confront the oppressive ruling class.
- Buy on Amazon
How Long ’til Black Future Month?: Stories
- Brief: This is a collection of short stories that explore various themes, including resistance, legacy, and hope. The stories are set in different worlds, from post-apocalyptic cities to alternate histories. The author, N.K. Jemisin, is a three-time Hugo Award winner and is known for her intricate world-building and compelling characters.
- Buy on Amazon
The Coordinate
- Brief: :”The Coordinate” is a thrilling adventure that follows two teenagers, Logan and Emma, as they embark on a journey to uncover a secret that has been hidden for centuries. The story combines historical facts with fiction, taking readers on a roller-coaster ride of suspense and discovery.
- Buy on Amazon
House of Gold
- Brief: From visionary author C. T. Rwizi comes the epic journey of four people on a distant planet who face the ultimate test of loyalty, friendship, and duty in the rising tide of war.
- Buy on Amazon
The Seedbearing Prince: Part I (World Breach Book 1)
- Brief: Dayn Ro’Halan is a farmer’s son sworn to a life of plowing on his homeworld, Shard. After finding a lost artifact called a Seed, he’s thrust into an ancient conflict between voidwalkers of the hated world Thar’Kur, and Defenders from a floating fortress called the Ring. Dayn must become a Seedbearer and learn to use the Seed’s power to shape worlds before the entire World Belt is lost.
- Buy on Amazon
Afterglow: Climate Fiction for Future Ancestors
- Brief: Hopeful and forward-looking futuristic short stories that explore how the power of storytelling can help create the world we need “This is a glorious book that challenges our conceptions of bookmaking as much as it questions our conceptions of world-building. We, as earthlings, will be better to the earth after experiencing this book. That is not hyperbole.”
- Buy on Amazon
Lilith’s Brood
- Brief: This is a science fiction series that explores themes of genetics, identity, and survival. The story follows Lilith Iyapo, who is one of the few survivors of a nuclear apocalypse. She is chosen by an alien race, the Oankali, to help repopulate the Earth, but the process comes with its own set of challenges and moral dilemmas.
- Buy on Amazon
Remote Control
- Brief: The narrative revolves around a girl named Sankofa, who possesses a mysterious power that can kill instantly. As she travels across Ghana, she searches for answers about her abilities and confronts the challenges of being both feared and revered.
- Buy on Amazon
These Alien Skies: Black Stars
- Brief: Accidents happen in the strange realms of the African Union system. One of them sends two humans to the far side of a star gate in a thrilling short story of hope, survival, and new dimensions.
- Buy on Amazon
Noor
- Brief: From Africanfuturist luminary Okorafor comes a new science fiction novel of intense action and thoughtful rumination on biotechnology, destiny, and humanity in a near-future Nigeria. The story is set in a future Nigeria and follows a young girl named Noor, who possesses unique abilities. As she navigates a world filled with advanced technology and ancient magic, she must confront the challenges of her destiny.
- Buy on Amazon
Kindred, Gift Edition
- Brief: This novel tells the story of Dana, a modern Black woman who is transported back in time to the antebellum South. She finds herself in a world where she must navigate the brutal realities of slavery while trying to survive and find a way back to her own time
- Buy on Amazon
