Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Twenty-Six (The Catch-Up)

Title: From Here to Timbuktu

Author: Milton Davis

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Here-Timbuktu-Milton-J-Davis/dp/0996016732/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445845811&sr=1-1&keywords=from+here+to+timbuktu

Why you should get it: Have you ever wanted to see a world where the African slaves in American rose up and carved out a land for themselves?  This book gives you just that along with strong black characters, a daring adventure and enough juicy visuals to match any high budget movie.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Twenty-Six (The Catch-Up)

Title: Once Upon a Time in Afrika

Author: Balogun Ojetade

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Afrika-Sword-Novel/dp/0980084237/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445846115&sr=1-1&keywords=once+upon+a+time+in+afrika

Why you should get it:  Are you interested in Africa?  Do you like action?  Do you want your action to come from an authentic source?  This book can satisfy all three of those needs.  Not only does this book do our cultural heritage proper justice, but you can also trust the action is coming from lived experience.  Check it out!

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Twenty-Six (The Catch-Up)

Title: Immortal

Author: Valjeanne Jeffers

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Immortal-Second-Valjeanne-Jeffers/dp/1441480897/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445846535&sr=1-4&keywords=immortal+valjeanne

Why you should get it: This story almost gives a Blade Runner vibe when approaching some of its more dystopic elements.  But you get a sensual love story in the mix of it that you can tell is scribed by the hands of an experienced black woman.  It’s an interesting mix of genres in this first of three books.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Twenty-Six (The Catch-Up)

Title: Binti

Author: Nnedi Okorafor

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Binti-Nnedi-Okorafor/dp/0765385252/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445846804&sr=1-1&keywords=binti

Why you should get it: Okorafor hits it out of the park again with this story.  You have a strong, young female protagonist who is willing to take a risk.  But this story is an interesting exploration of culture, what it means to defy it and the ways cultures clash when trying to communicate.  An excellent space academy adventure.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Twelve

Title: The Other Lands

Author: David Anthony Durham

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/The-Other-Lands-Acacia-Trilogy/dp/0307386767

Why you should get it: Remember how I gushed about the book ACACIA on my birthday?  Well, this is the sequel to that book and it’s just as strong.  This book sees one of my favorite fictional characters, Corrin, fleshed out even more and given a nuance and depth that many characters in her role ever find themselves having.  The artwork of what he does with this woman alone is enough to want to pick up the book.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Eleven

Title: The Grostequerie

Author: Eden Royce et al.

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Grotesquerie-Eden-Royce/dp/1495409120/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444597235&sr=1-1&keywords=the+grotesquerie

Why you should get it: This anthology is not exclusively the work of black women, but a black women is steering the ship and that’s important too.  While working within our community is of course paramount, there is a wider world out there and putting ourselves into leadership positions (creating anthologies, publishing presses etc.) has to happen.  So check out this book to see a black woman work!

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Ten

Title: Who Fears Death

Author: Nnedi Okorafor

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Who-Fears-Death-Nnedi-Okorafor-ebook/dp/B004XFYIE2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443991021&sr=1-1&keywords=who+fears+death

Why you should get it: I can honestly say this is book is one of the most tragic pieces of literature I have read in some time.  It stays with.  Leaves an emotional residue.  And it taught me something terrible.  I never knew what weaponized rape was or what it looked like until I read this book.  This isn’t for the kids, but it’s certainly worth taking the journey to read this.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Nine

Title: Griots: Sisters of the Spear

Author: Valjeanne Jeffers, Charles Saunders, P. Djeli Clark et. al

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Griots-Sisters-Spear-Milton-Davis-ebook/dp/B00H5FV8WC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443990112&sr=1-1&keywords=griots+sisters+of+the+spear

Why you should get it: Yesterday, I just talked about a book where black people are the heroes and we’re having our own adventures.  Well, this book is dedicated to black women and we all know just how strong, worthy and powerful the black woman is.  So if you’re wanting to see black people uplifting and celebrating our sisters through heroic fantasy this book is for you.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Eight

Title: Ki-Khanga

Author: Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Ki-Khanga-Anthology-Milton-Davis-ebook/dp/B00B2RNSQI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443989712&sr=1-1&keywords=ki-khanga

Why you should get it: Have you heard of Conan?  Do you remember the icon Grace Jones moving through that movie like a hurricane?  Well, this book gives you that kind of fluid, African grace because the whole novel is dedicated to building a sword slashing, spear throwing world that is just ours.  A place where we can be the stars of adventures and thrive without the help of your usual “white savior” character.  It’s a place where we are the heroes.

Black Speculative Fiction Month: Day Seven

Title: Devil Entendre

Author: John Edward Lawson

Where you can find it: http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Entendre-John-Edward-Lawson-ebook/dp/B00NRTHEKK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443989242&sr=1-1&keywords=devil+entendre

Why you should get it: “Devil Entendre is a Petri dish in which the dark moments of our lives are allowed to evolve unencumbered”.  That’s straight from the book blurb.  If there is nothing else that makes you want to pick up this book then pick it up for the beautiful use of language.  But it’s October and if you like the holiday of Halloween as much as I do then you’re probably looking for something to spook you.  And this is coming from a black man so need to worry about getting killed off five seconds into the movie or still getting killed off after making every logical choice possible.  Check it out.