Nnedi Okorafor novella Remote Control has a classic sci/fi feel to it. We always buy her for our library.

As a big Nnedi Okorafor fan, I was delighted but this novella. It has a sense of magic that is familiar, yet new. I am always struck by the strong young female characters that Okorafor writes.

This was a great quick read. It felt very classic sci-fi to me. The whole journey of the story takes place on one long walk. We journey with Sankofa as she tries to figure out what has given her this power of death and as she learns to come to terms with what her life is. I enjoyed this. It had similar vibes to some of Okorafor's other books I've read but was also very unique. Would recommend to teens and adults looking for a "hard" feeling sci-fi, without any jargon.

REMOTE CONTROL is a slow-paced meditation about a young girl who calls down the supernatural and must come to terms with those consequences. Eye-catching prose weaves with vivid scenes make this a novella a must-read for Afrofuturism shelves, and it's perfect for fans of THE PREY OF GODS by Nicky Drayden.

This was my first time reading Nnedi Okorafor and I was pleasantly surprised. I've been binging TDC novellas and most of them seem to follow a delightfully chaotic pattern of "how many disparate elements and action scenes can we fit into this 160 pages." I love this, I am not complaining.

REMOTE CONTROL does almost the opposite, though. It's similar to reading through LORD OF THE THINGS, where it's a wonderful book but most of the action is actually the main character going for a long walk. The plot is very episodic, adventure-like, and at first glance, meandering and off-topic while the more "interesting" parts are very obviously and methodically set by the wayside.

I am not saying this a book roast, by the way: I'm saying this as a double-take of "you REALLY pulled that off, for the first time since Tolkien." It takes a powerful writer to take an incredibly busy plot into her hands, turn it inside out, and hand it back like "no: THIS is the focus. This one little thing. And nothing else will get in the way." It's spectacular.

As far as I'm concerned, all hail Nnedi Okorafor, queen of the short form.

I had previously read the Binti series so I was excited to read the new novella from Nnedi Okorafor. Set at an unspecified future time in Ghana, the story focuses on a girl who has gained a deadly supernatural power and lost her name. As she travels with only a fox accompanying her, the mythology surrounding her grows and shifts. It is at times a difficult and sad journey, but Fatima/Sankofa's story is also compelling and strange.

I’ve been a fan of Nnedi Okorafor’s work since Lagoon. Since then, I’ve always kept my eyes open for new fiction by the author. I’m happy to report that Remote Control is an excellent sci-fi novella, and I really enjoyed reading it.

Remote Control is an Afrofuturist novella set in a near future — everyone is even more connected than they are today, robotics have advanced, and corporations still have too much power over the communities in which they operate. Much of this is just the background of the story, however: the book very much focuses on Sankofa’s experiences, and her long, unrelenting quest to recover what was stolen from her.

Okorafor’s writing is excellent, as expected. From descriptions to dialogue, the author gives readers everything they need. The description is often minimal, but always evocative and interesting. Each character, whether Sankofa or mere bit players, is well-drawn and easily imagined.

Sankofa’s nature is never fully explained, but readers are given hints and more details throughout the novella. I thought this worked very well, because Sankofa herself is not aware of how or why she became changed. She’s a gentle soul suddenly imbued with a deadly power that she is not fully in control of.

As we follow Sankofa on her quest, you really feel for her — she is separated from society and the communities she travels to and through by her nature and her power. The myth that arises in her wake and precedes her journey alternates between positive and negative — some paint her as an angel of mercy, while others see her as a bad omen and evil. In each new community she arrives at, people quickly know who she is. Sometimes, she’s met with incredible generosity — given warily, however. She often plays the role of medieval “witch”: turned to when help is needed, but quickly and easily turned against if anything goes wrong. We learn of her desire for connection, her continued wariness of others and her not-entirely-under-control abilities.

If you’re looking for a near-future sci-fi novel with a difference, than I would definitely recommend Remote Control. I really enjoyed this.

I absolutely love the way Nnedi Okorafor combines the culture and traditions of the African culture with futuristic technology. The juxtaposition of these two backdrops makes her writing unique and captivating.
Fatima starts her life as a normal little girl in a small village until a meteorite shower changes everything about her life. I feel like there is definitely room for this story to continue and I certainly hope that it does. I loved this story. Highly recommended.