Africa Risen started off in on an incredibly good note, but that didn't last for the majority of the anthology for me.

I have received this book in exchange of an honest review, thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley for the opportunity.

Release date: 8th of November 2022.

───────────────────

Anthologies are a special kind of interesting for me, mainly because of the fact that there are many ideas in one location to consume. Africa Risen in my humble opinion, started out really really well, but it didn't manage to stay as engaging the farther I went into the stories.

The thing that annoys me the most about this experience, is the fact that all the stories had interesting ideas, could be considered very creative and they were pretty well written as well. It is also a massive plus that they are set in a setting or inspired by one that is not as wildly used in my readings.

But enjoyment value seemed to be such an elusive aspect. There were still some very interesting stories however. My two favourite stories of the lot were “The Blue House" and "The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library".

For the former, I felt like I was reading a story set in the Horizon game universe for some reason (which I love), and I really really wished that there were so many other smaller stories like that to enjoy. For the latter, it was probably because of how bizarre of a story it was with its added horror elements. It didn't stop it from being interesting as well and it gave a whole new perspective to be overdue to anything.

Despite my own somewhat lacking experience, it's undeniable that each and every single author put a lot of thought and heart into their stories. Out of the 32 stories, I can say that I truly truly didn't enjoy 3-5 of them, while the remaining ones varied for me depending on my mood at that time.

It took a little over a week to get through them, so my own mood might have played into that.

Regardless of any of this, I'm glad that I was presented with the opportunity to get through this anthology. For the simpler reason that I now have some authors (like Dilman Dila specifically) that I can follow for further readings, which as a reader, is a whole other prize on its own.

I loved this collection of stories. I don't read too many short stories just because I, personally, find it hard to really connect and get into a world in so few pages. But, when I heard about this collection, I knew I had to pick it up and I'm glad I did. I loved reading SFF from so many different black voices, and as a black person myself, it was really exciting to see so much art and creativity from black authors. With every anthology, there are always some stories you love and some you don't, and with this anthology that is no different. However, I do think I loved majority of these stories and really only disliked one or two, which is rare for me (even more rare than me actually reading an anthology). I will definitely be picking up more from these authors and buying a physical copy of this anthology to share with my friends!

This is a great collection of stories, mostly in the dystopian and fantasy range. One story felt more like science fiction and perhaps didn't fit as well as the others as a result. On the whole, I'd read most of the authors again, although there were two that I didn't enjoy enough to want to read more. The ones I liked the most left me wanting more of the universe or character. Happy to say that was the majority of the stories.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy I got to read this early! I really enjoyed reading all these SFF stories from so many different black voices. As with almost every short story anthology, some stories worked better for me than others; for example, "IRL", "Mami Wataworks" and "The Soul Would have no Rainbow" all really stayed with me and made an impact. However, there were some that I didn't enjoy that much - such as "A Girl Crawls in a Dark Corner" - which was very hard to read because of a lot of upsetting content that I didn't expect. All in all, an immensely enjoyable sci-fi anthology, and I will definitely be looking to read more from the authors included here.

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>Edited by Sheree Renee Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight. Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>This is an anthology of original fiction by authors from Africa and the African diaspora. Its editors are extremely personally aware that Africa is not one location but an entire continent worth, and that any anthology of this nature should have breadth and depth of story choice.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>And wow, does it deliver. There's the hardest of science fiction and the highest of fantasy and everything in between. Settings everywhere, <em>everywhere</em>. Stylistic choices of basically every type. If you can't find something you like in this anthology, you probably don't like speculative fiction at all, because there's just so much here. I have long argued that lists like "best Mexican-American poetry" should be evaluated not as an AND but as an OR: if you are specifically interested in EITHER Mexican-American writing OR poetry, you should give it a look, as long as you're not <em>actively averse</em> to one of them, and I think that's important here. If you have an interest in speculative fiction by writers with African roots, great--but if you just have an interest in <em>one</em> of those categories, <em>still great</em>, don't miss it.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>There were a few stories that really stood out for me in this antho. First off, they started with an absolute barnburner of a story from Dilman Dila, "The Blue House." It's poignant, it's excellent at thinking through non-standard points of view, and it's got a human-robot hybrid in it, literally what more could you ask Dila for. "Lady Rainbow" by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu has a lovely relationship with the protag's grandmother, mediated by her cookbook, and also there's a giant mantis element in it (!!!). Wole Talabi's "A Dream of Electric Mothers" also has strong themes of family and ancestors, with giant future computers involved in a thoughtful examination of the complex nature of peace.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>But those are just <em>my</em> favorites--there's enough in this anthology that I'm sure you'll find other things. There are friends and familiar names in here but also authors I'd never read before, which is a hard and wonderful balance for an anthology to strike. Recommended.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

This anthology was a mixed bag. There were some stories I really liked, some that were okay, some that bothered me, and a couple that I couldn't bear to read.

The highlights of the anthology for me were:

"The Blue House" - A sci-fi story about what it is to be human

"The Deification of Igodo" - This felt like an old legend or fable

"A Dream of Electric Mothers" - Probably my favorite, this sci-fi felt true to African culture and values, and it was beautiful

"Ghost Ship" - Very atmospheric and creepy

"The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" - This one was so fun with its threatening librarian who can't be escaped in her pursuit of an overdue book

"When the Mami Wata Met a Demon" - A lovely story of a child working together with a deity to save their mother's life

Now for the reason why this anthology got such a low rating from me...

Content warning:
A good deal of the second half of this anthology contained stories that either featured rape as the central theme or as an unnecessary addition. "Peeling Time" was the first and the most alarming. It was so graphic and twisted that I couldn't read the whole thing. "A Girl Crawls in a Dark Corner" was the second most upsetting in its subject matter, in my opinion. I barely made it through that one. Reading about this topic over and over was really demoralizing.

So, I can only recommend reading a portion of this book, unfortunately. Those darker stories soured my overall experience.

A great compilation of some of the best voices in the SFF genre right now, there are so many uplifting and intriguing stories to be found here!

Africa Risen is an excellent anthology bursting with imaginative stories. Each story had a compelling voice all its own and no two stories were alike, which made this a great read. I really enjoyed taking my time to savor these stories. Some particular favorites were:

- "The Soul Would Have No Rainbow" by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu // Langa inherits her grandmother's cookbook after she passes away and learns some family secrets. The story balances family history and world events in a way I found really gripping.

- "Simbi" by Sandra Jackson-Opoku // Kasese has an encounter with Mami Wata while running away from raiders. This was a short story that packed a powerful punch.

- "Ghost Ship" by Tananarive Due // In the year 2060, Florida is tasked with smuggling a genetically modified pet from South Africa to the United States. Her transportation is an ocean liner that largely transports wealthy, white "USians" home from vacation. Things on the voyage do not go as planned...

- "The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library" by Tobi Ogundiran // Wande loses a copy of Things Fall Apart checked out from a small library but the librarian will not rest until the book is returned. Ogundiran's writing was immersive and eerie.

- "Exiles of Witchery" by Ivana Akotowaa Ofori // Witchcraft + found family + a magical mode of transportation sort of like a TARDIS. That alone was enough to sell me on this story set in a world with a fascinating but dark take on magic.

Thank you to Tordotcom and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very impressive anthology. I’ve read other anthologies that were composed of a couple of good stories and some mediocre ones. All of the stories in African Risen are either excellent or good. It’s also very impressive how much perfect the length of each story was. Even though all of them were short, it was the ideal length to paint the world and characters.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

A fantastic SciFi anthology full of 32 amazingly different voices and stories from African authors. I really enjoyed how I would read one story, put the book down and come back days later and be in a completely different world. Anthologies are always a fun read for me and I don't regret reading this one in small doses, in order to absorb each story individually.

As with anthologies it’s difficult to rate each story individually, but decided to rate 5 stars due to the opportunity of finding a next favourite author, or 32….

Please go into this book cautiously, as some of the darker stories can be triggering to some. StoryGraph has a list of potential triggers but as the book is so new (released Nov 2022) not a lot of people have been able to contribute to the content warnings and trigger list.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tordotcom for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Link to TikTok will be added once published.

How I rate books
1- I disliked this book very much. Highly unlikely to read this author again
2- Eh. I didn't hate it. Might give the author another go
3- It was fun
4- Amazing and would read again
5- I'm in love. Give me more right now!

A magnificent collection, full of both new voices and established stars. The range of stories is wide without feeling overwhelming and not a single story was a miss for me. I was struck by the number of new names I've added to my "I want to read everything they write" list and this collection is guaranteed to be a game-changing introduction to the wider world of an African diasporaic speculative fiction community bursting with imagination.

**TL;DR:** A super interesting collection, but with a lot of darker stories, especially in the second half.

**Thoughts:**

It’s extremely hard to review an anthology of this size without just muddling through a bunch of individual reviews. There are, like with any anthology, weaker and stronger stories. The depth and aim of this collection is to highlight and feature stories from African writers using and from African lore/view/history. On that this succeeded fantastically.

The stories and authors were varied in style and type. A lot of these had some very interesting, fun, and not so fun nods to history and I was happy to have caught some of those as I’m working on educating myself more on those things. On the whole I enjoyed this, though the last half felt heavier and darker due to a few triggers that popped up, specifically for me. These are stories I did skim through to the next, so be aware there maybe stories here that you’ll find hard to read or disturbing. My favorite stories all came from the beginning of the collection - in fact my favorite story was the first story, The Blue House. This one was so vivid and grabbed me so intently I was lost in for the duration.

I would recommend this one for anyone who is looking for more stories from the African voice. There were some weaker stories of course, but the whole of it felt strong and rich in tone and voice. Another fantastic collection for those of us who enjoy short stories.

A solid sci-fi anthology. I expected good stories here, and that's what I got. A very solid collection. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

A huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Africa Risen is an anthology collection of short sci-fi stories written by African authors. As with most anthologies, this brings a mixture of outstanding short stories that will leave a lasting impression on the reader, and some which are otherwise not as enjoyable or engaging.

I had great enjoyment with some of these titles and loved what it is they provided and told; stories such as IRL and a Dream of Electric Mothers were incredibly engaging, and gave a good twist and change on the sci-fi genre. There are also culturally rich stories such as the Soul Would Have no Rainbow and Mami Wataworks which were so interesting too.

However, as much as there were stories I really enjoyed, there were those I wasn’t so fond of. But, on the positive side of this, there is a good variety so there is sure to be something for any reader here.

I would say that it is definitely worth picking yourself up a copy of this novel when it goes on sale - it is so rare we get to see these types of stories get published, and it is important to showcase and share stories like those written by African authors. Plus, you get to see more unique perspectives on science-fiction and ways in which it can challenge other important topics, which is always a good thing!

A stunning collection of various stories that explore the culture of Africa past and future. Overall I found the scope of the stories to be wild but in the best way, truly a collection worth reading.

(Thank you Tordotcom and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review)

“Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction” is a collection of thirty-two original stories showcasing the breadth of fantasy and science fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora.

1- The Blue House by Dilman Dila:
After the Great Burn, android Cana-B70 is researching ancient human civilisations when a little blue house causes her to have a thought. Her Security.sys, a part of her system that keeps her ‘safe’ from Organic.sys, shuts her down but when she awakes, she searches for answers to whether she is alive.This was the perfect introduction story, I loved it so much.

2- March Magic by WC Dunlap:
This story follows the first point of view of Mama Willow as her and her coven conduct a ritual? I'm going to be honest, I understood nothing from this story. It started then it ended so abruptly.

3- IRL by Steven Barnes:
The world has gone to hell. A toxic environment, a plague having killed off a good percentage of the population and corporations have slowly taken over governments. For Garrett, his virtual life where he rules as King, is better than the real world with his deceased mother and estranged father. This reminded me of Ready Player One with higher stakes. I loved the complex relationships portrayed and a glimpse in a possible virtual future.

4- The Deification of Igodo by Joshua Uchenna Omenga:
Igodo, a legendary hero learns the consequence of arrogance and greed.This read like the cautionary tales our grandparents or primary teachers would tell us when we misbehaved. The nostalgia hit me.

5- Mami Wataworks by Russell Nichols:
Set in a futuristic world where water is scarce and the possibility of stealing water is enough to be burned, Amaya wants to make a change. If only her village would listen to her. I found this very interesting. The way mankind dealt with drought and how a new religion came up from that. How even the slightest hope can bring about chaos. It definitely had me thinking.

6- Rear Mirror by Nuzo Onoh:
This reminds me of the story of the hearse that refused to move forward unless they were heading back to the deceased person’s home. They had to turn the corpse around to trick it then the car worked.

7- Door Crashers by Frank Zeph:
Codename Yaro, is the Team Leader of the Data Retrieval Unit, which is a part of the UIC. The United Intelligence Committee’s efforts were a last-ditch attempt to shore up this dying world of 2067 and Yaro is known for hacking alternate realities. I want a full book of this. I was engaged from start to finish and I want to learn more of this future world, of Yaro and if Kraken got what he deserved.

8- The Soul Would Have No Rainbow by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu:
Langa has travelled back to Zimbabwe for her grandmother’s funeral, whom she lovingly calls Gogo. Gogo also happens to be the first name of Gogo Magera, a mythical praying mantis who clipped your hair when you were asleep, as told by her Gogo’s bedtime stories. When Langa finds her grandmother’s cookbook, she learns more of her grandmother’s life and how she fought for her country’s independence. This got me a bit teary-eyed.

9- A Dream of Electric Mothers by Wole Talabi:
Iya Ajimobi, Minister of Defense must seek guidance from the Electric Mother on a possible war with a neighbouring kingdom but what she's advised isn't exactly what she wants to do. I enjoyed this futuristic setting with its way of life deeply rooted in African culture.

10- Simbi by Sandra Jackson-Opuku:
This was short yet impactful as we follow Kasese, kidnapped into slavery as a child, and Simbi who stays with him throughout his life.

11- Housewarming for a Lion Goddess by Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga:
This made me hungry, lol

12- A Knight in Tunisia by Alex Jennings:
John, a Paranorm, has been back on Earth for years but he struggles to fit in, even with those like him. The worldbuilding here was insane, especially since the story was so short. I loved this. Definitely a favourite.

13- The Devil Is Us by Mirette Bahgat:
The story tells the tale of Abu-Ammar, a man who craves wealth and power, Sheikha Afrah, a rumoured half jinn sorceress and Ikbal, a woman who grew up wishing to be a prophet and who is in want of a child. I loved that this story focused on Islam. The insight given about the nature of jinns was fascinating to read.

14- Cloud Mine by Timi Odueso:
This felt like it’s in the same world as the story “Mami Wataworks” with a drought that has left the world barren. In this tale, rainmakers are valuable and Salim eagerly awaits his uncle’s return for the people of Da’if are in need. Timi Odueso, your prose is downright gorgeous. I felt immersed in this world.

15- Ruler of the Rear Guard by Maurice Broaddus:
Environmental collapse requires citizens to wear oxygenators to survive and our main character Sylvonne Butcher has returned to her ancestral home Ghana, to reclaim her identity. I loved this story because it reminded me of what my social studies teacher taught us in primary. Kwame Nkrumah, who had led Ghana to political independence, in 1958 brought forward his vision for the future: the formation of a United States of Africa. Pan-Africanism is the belief in the unity, common history and purpose of the peoples of Africa and the diaspora and the notion that their destinies are interconnected. It was partly brought about by the need to oppose Eurocentrism and reclaim Africa’s rightful place in history. Several leaders have spoken out on a unified Africa, the most prominent and known being Muammar Gaddafi. Strangely enough, most of these leaders are dead. Gee, I wonder how they died.

16- Peeling Time (Deluxe Edition) by Tlotlo Tsamaase:
Motsumi, what the fuck

17- The Sugar Mill by Tobias S. Buckell:
Our unnamed narrator is trying to sell his house after a hurricane devastated his home island. The commission he hopes to get from the sale will help him run away from his life but the shades on the land haunt him. The Old Mill behind the house is a graveyard of broken limbs of the slaves who worked the gears to get sugar and being of their blood, he sees them,, he hears them. This had me tearing up.

18- The Carving of War by Somto Ihezue Onyedikachi:
There’s no way to explain anything that happens here, other than what a masterpiece.

19- Ghost Ship byTananarive Due:
Years in the future, with segregation even worse, Florida has been sent by her employer by ship to the US with a mysterious package. That last line was downright creepy.

20- Liquid Twilight by Ytasha Womack:
Oh child of the land sea, born on the wrong side of the ocean, with all the tides against you. This was beautiful😭

21- Once Upon a Time in 1967 by Oyedotun Damilola Muees:
Werefoxes, water goddesses, magic, friendship, love. This was a straight up fairytale.

22- A Girl Crawls in a Dark Corner by Alexis Brooks de Vita:
I am not easily triggered but this was very close. We follow a slave working on a plantation where the owner practises FGM on the girls and women he buys. This was horrifying but portrays practices that still occur to this day.

23- The Lady of the Yellow-Painted Library byTobi Ogundiran:
Well that was terrifying. Mr Badmus is late in returning a book to the library, then he starts to receive creepy messages from the librarian no matter how far away he runs. Librarians scare me now. This story also reminded me that I need to read Chinua Achebe.

24- When the Mami Wata Met a Demon by Moustapha Mbacké Diop:
Fatuma, desperate to save her mother’s life, begins a ritual that summons mami wata. I’ve always loved the ocean and the descriptions shared in this story were of Her mystery, beauty and power.

25- The Papermakers by Akua Lezli Hope:
Aviva works for the Guild that exists to use magic subtly, the magic of work and creating to make change through paper making.

26- A Soul of Small Places by Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo:
This story deserves an award. We follow Woppa Diallo in her small village where the lives of girls are not cared for and survivors are forced to marry their rapists. Just a heartfelt, breathtaking read that deals with family, love, being a woman, strength and survival.

27- Air to Shape Lungs by Shingai Njeri Kagunda:
There are no other words to describe this except, beautiful. Enchantingly beautiful

28- Hanfo Driver by Ada Nnadi:
“The excitement in Oga Dayo’s voice was the first sign that something Fidelis most likely would not enjoy was about to go down.”-That first sentence had me laughing so hard because we all have that friend with terrible business ideas they keep asking you to support.

29- Exiles of Witchery by Ivana Akotowaa Ofori:
This was a blend of ancient civilizations yet a futuristic world, fantasy yet science fiction. Comedy yet serious. Honestly impressive.

30- The Taloned Beast by Chinelo Onwualu:
For as long as he could remember, Edim had always been able to hear the Voices of the Earth; it was his gift from the Goddess. They guided him home whenever he was lost. Following discovery, Edim is sent to be a doctor’s apprentice for his abusive Uncle Emmem. Wow. Just wow.

31- Star Watchers by Danian Darrell Jerry:
For seventeen years, Seydou has trained with the Star Watchers to sense the slightest illuminations. He’s studied with his sister Djemba but as he longs for the night and stars, she longs for the sun.

32- Biscuit and Milk by Dare Segun Falowo:
Now THAT’S how you end an anthology. Wow

This was quite a journey. I loved reading all these African stories from African authors. I recommend this book to everyone. Yes, everyone but like Sheree Renée Thomas said, as you read and explore these original stories, remember that this is a movement rather, than a moment, a promising creative burgeoning. Because Africa isn’t rising— it’s already here.

I'm usually not a fan of short stories, but I thought these were really good and well written. Each story was well written and I loved the cultures spread throughout. I would definitely recommend this one.

Wow. That is the one word that was stuck in my head after finishing this title. The representation that comes from this collection of stories is inspiring. So many of the stories I was disappointed because it was over and I wanted to continue the story the author had created. Such a bonus when you find a short story collection book and it is highlighting underrepresented authors. Can’t wait to be able to see many of these authors continue their work. I really loved the formatting of this and how it was easy to distinguish between where one story ended and the next began. Definitely recommend this to others.

Africa Risen is a collection of short SFF stories written by African and Afrodiasporic authors.

Collections of stories written by different authors may be hard to go through due to the different storytelling styles and themes. The book doesn’t feel very organic, under that point of view.

I enjoyed some of the stories better than others: my absolute favorite is Mami Wataworks.

Anyway, I recommend Africa Risen to anyone willing to give a chance to little-known fantasy authors.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.