I have so many conflicting feelings about this. I do thing the writing propelled the story and made me want to read more, but I am very confused about whether/how to integrate the author's politics into the story. I think there is *so* much fodder here for analysis, and the comparisons to a non-pacificist Wakanda I think are warranted and interesting.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group- Penguin Books and Classics for an advanced copy of this book of pulp serial adventure and Afrofuturism.

Weekly magazines and newspapers to keep subscribers reading would print serial adventures, weekly or bi-weekly stories of adventure, derring-do, romance, and in this case science fiction with a lot of what could be considered Afrofuturism. A story of man with a plan, and a ruthless heart for the betterment of his people, no matter the cost both in material and and in human life. A story that kept readers on edge as the tale grew, a tale of violence, and yet hope. Black Empire by George S. Schuyler is a tale that mixes pulp stories of invisible menaces, but makes them the heroes in a battle for marginalized people everywhere.

The book begins with a young reporter spotting a well dressed man and an attractive woman at a diner near his paper in Harlem. Something about the man draws his attention, and he follows the couple out of the diner, where in a doorway the man touches the woman on the neck while whispering something, causing her to fall, in what looks like death. The reporter steps forward, but is captured by the man, made to drink an elixir which causes him to pass out. Upon awakening he finds himself not a prisoner, but offered a job as secretary to Doctor Henry Belsidus, a black doctor to many rich white patients by day, but a leader of a group planning to overthrow white tyranny. Soon the reporter learns of fast fields with rich production of farm products, solar powered factories building planes and weapons, schools for engineers from countries treated as colonies by European powers. The reporter even finds love with a young aviatrix, General of the Doctor's air force, as war plans are drawn up.

This is really two stories brought together, both serial adventures so there is a lot of repetition, and sometimes some things seem a little off, but all in all this is a really fascinating story. Dr. Belsidus is as if a bad guy from the Shadow or Doc Savage won the fight, and yet his fight really kind of does make sense. The Doctor uses the racism that is present in the whites, both against color and religion to make America so busy fighting itself, it does not even notice the actions of Dr Belsidus' group. The chapters were written with a quick turnaround time, so real world events could be injected into the story, which makes sense in the second part, discussions of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the change or British Governments. The characters are pulpy, so good, bad or just fodder, nothing real in development, and most remains ciphers for the entirety of the story. There are no backstories, just this is what I plan, and what is going to happen. There is a lot of violence as most of the fighting is pretty unconventional warfare, sabotage, chemical warfare, and a real big radiation weapon at the end that might be more Buck Rogers, than anything else. However it was an easy read, and one that really made me think. Also the historical essays were interesting, both about the author and his publishing history and the information it gave about black newspapers and readership.

Not for everyone. While the writing might be dated, and for some people a bit simplistic the problems discussed are still with us, and unfortunately still accepted. For readers interested in Afrofuturism and its origins, early science fiction, and people who like to read about worlds that might have been.