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A review by ivorhartmann
AfroSFv3 by Cristy Zinn, T.L. Huchu
5.0
AfroSFv3: Introduction
It has been six years since AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers, and three since AfroSFv2 was published, and in those years the landscape of African Speculative Fiction (ASF) has radically changed for the better.
The African Speculative Fiction Society was founded in 2016 and created and hosts the annual Nommo Awards (funded by Tom Ilube) for ASF since 2017, they also created and maintain the most comprehensive database of published ASF.
We have Mazi Nwonwu and Chinelo Onwualu’s Omenana magazine dedicated to and publishing ASF on a regular basis. Ainehi Edoro’sBrittle Paper magazine though not dedicated to ASF also regularly publishes it. Likewise African publishers: Jalalda, Chimurenga, Dada, Short Story Day Africa, The Kalahari Review, Black Letter Media, Johannesburg Review of Books, Okada Books, Enkare Review, African Writer, Afreada, umSinsi Press, Bahati Books, Kwani?, Munyori Literary Journal, Afridiaspora, Pan African Publishers, Sub-Saharan Magazine, and Jacana Media, to name a few have embraced ASF in short stories, novellas, anthologies, and novels.
Nnedi Okorafor has become our undisputed queen, winning the World Fantasy award in 2011, and both the Nebula Award and Hugo Award in 2016. And if there is a king to be it is probably Tade Thompson, winner of two Nommos, Kitschies Golden Tentacle Award, and a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award as well as nominations for the Shirley Jackson Award and the British Science Fiction Award.
What this all amounts to is an unparalleled interest in ASF both at home and abroad with more and more writers, publishers, and most importantly readers, realising a thirst for homegrown ASF, for works that address our unique problems and envisions our futures.
This brings me to the focus of AfroSFv3. Space, the astronomical wilderness that has enthralled our minds since we first looked up in wonder. We are ineffably drawn to it, and equally terrified by it. We have created endless mythologies, sciences, and even religions, in the quest to understand it. We know more now than ever before and are taking our first real steps. What will become of Africans out there, will we thrive, how will space change us, how will we change it? AfroSFv3 is going out there, into the great expanse, and with twelve visions of the future we invite you to sit back, strap in, and enjoy the ride.
It has been six years since AfroSF: Science Fiction by African Writers, and three since AfroSFv2 was published, and in those years the landscape of African Speculative Fiction (ASF) has radically changed for the better.
The African Speculative Fiction Society was founded in 2016 and created and hosts the annual Nommo Awards (funded by Tom Ilube) for ASF since 2017, they also created and maintain the most comprehensive database of published ASF.
We have Mazi Nwonwu and Chinelo Onwualu’s Omenana magazine dedicated to and publishing ASF on a regular basis. Ainehi Edoro’sBrittle Paper magazine though not dedicated to ASF also regularly publishes it. Likewise African publishers: Jalalda, Chimurenga, Dada, Short Story Day Africa, The Kalahari Review, Black Letter Media, Johannesburg Review of Books, Okada Books, Enkare Review, African Writer, Afreada, umSinsi Press, Bahati Books, Kwani?, Munyori Literary Journal, Afridiaspora, Pan African Publishers, Sub-Saharan Magazine, and Jacana Media, to name a few have embraced ASF in short stories, novellas, anthologies, and novels.
Nnedi Okorafor has become our undisputed queen, winning the World Fantasy award in 2011, and both the Nebula Award and Hugo Award in 2016. And if there is a king to be it is probably Tade Thompson, winner of two Nommos, Kitschies Golden Tentacle Award, and a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award as well as nominations for the Shirley Jackson Award and the British Science Fiction Award.
What this all amounts to is an unparalleled interest in ASF both at home and abroad with more and more writers, publishers, and most importantly readers, realising a thirst for homegrown ASF, for works that address our unique problems and envisions our futures.
This brings me to the focus of AfroSFv3. Space, the astronomical wilderness that has enthralled our minds since we first looked up in wonder. We are ineffably drawn to it, and equally terrified by it. We have created endless mythologies, sciences, and even religions, in the quest to understand it. We know more now than ever before and are taking our first real steps. What will become of Africans out there, will we thrive, how will space change us, how will we change it? AfroSFv3 is going out there, into the great expanse, and with twelve visions of the future we invite you to sit back, strap in, and enjoy the ride.