David Mogo Godhunter

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Pub Date 09 Jul 2019 | Archive Date 11 Jul 2019

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Description

"A Nigerian Harry Dresden."
Jacey Bedford, author of Winterwood

"A riveting debut.'
~ Publisher's Weekly.

LAGOS WILL NOT BE DESTROYED.

The gods have fallen to earth in their thousands, and chaos reigns. 

Though broken and leaderless, the city endures. 

David Mogo, demigod and godhunter, has one task: capture two of the most powerful gods in the city and deliver them to the wizard gangster Lukmon Ajala. 

No problem, right? 

"A Nigerian Harry Dresden."
Jacey Bedford, author of Winterwood

"A riveting debut.'
~ Publisher's Weekly.

LAGOS WILL NOT BE DESTROYED.

The gods have fallen to earth in their thousands, and chaos reigns. 

...


A Note From the Publisher

Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian writer of science fiction, dark and contemporary fantasy. His short fiction and essays have appeared in Lightspeed, Fireside, Podcastle, The Dark, Ozy, Omenana and other magazines and anthologies. His urban fantasy novel about gods in Lagos is forthcoming in 2019. Learn more at suyidavies.com or tweet at him at @IAmSuyiDavies.

Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a Nigerian writer of science fiction, dark and contemporary fantasy. His short fiction and essays have appeared in Lightspeed, Fireside, Podcastle, The Dark, Ozy, Omenana and...


Advance Praise

"Vivid, visceral and with a strength of the voice that just pulls me right in. The god-littered world of David Mogo’s Lagos just won’t let go.’
~Jeannette Ng, author of Under the Pendulum Sun

"A riveting debut...this story is captivating."
~Publisher's Weekly

"A fantastic adventure of gods and mortals--highly recommended."
~Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

"Wholeheartedly recommend if you love Zen Cho, Tade Thompson or Nnedi Okorafor."
~Liz de Jager, author of Blackhart Legacy trilogy

"A Nigerian Harry Dresdan. Okungbowa's voice is great, and makes Lagos feel familiar."
~Jacey Bedford, author of Winterwood

"I did not know I was a fan of the Nigerian Godpunk genre, but this book convinced me!"
~Horner's Book Corner

"This is a refreshing take on an urban fantasy, and definitely worth a look."
~Mhairi White

"Vivid, visceral and with a strength of the voice that just pulls me right in. The god-littered world of David Mogo’s Lagos just won’t let go.’
~Jeannette Ng, author of Under the Pendulum Sun

"A...


Marketing Plan

- National Press interviews and coverage

- Blogtour

-Online coverage

- Giveaways 

- Author promotions 

- Author signings and events

- Own voices debut author 

- National Press interviews and coverage

- Blogtour

-Online coverage

- Giveaways 

- Author promotions 

- Author signings and events

- Own voices debut author 


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781781086490
PRICE $9.99 (USD)
PAGES 360

Average rating from 112 members


Featured Reviews

This is one of the most surprising book for me that I have read in quite a while. Not only provided it twists and turns in the story of the superhero who realises that he needs other people in order to succeed in his quest, it also holds an interesting and diverse cast of characters.

First of all we have David Mogo, half god half human with more than human powers but not fully divine, He sets out onto a quest to find out about and understand his godhood, the powers he has, but he also wants to set things right between the humans and the gods that have descended upon earth, more precisely onto Lagos and create havoc wherever they go. And there is Papa Udi, the wizard who took David Mogo in, when his mother left him on the wizard's doorstep many years ago.

And then there is a whole cast of characters who come in as the story unfolds. One of the things I loved most in this book is its relational character, how people bond and connect together and you have such a variety of relationships, barely ever based on the bloodline, but based on circumstances and based on choice and care and love and how you want your life and that of your community to be.

The world, respectively Lagos we encounter in this book is dystopian at least, vast parts have been laid bare by the catastrophic event of gods arriving in the human dimension and not returning to their abode. The book is fast paced. It is part urban fantasy but also more. There is a lot of fights and gore and torment in this book, don't get me wrong. But my impression is that when you put this book into one category you miss out onto the whole that it has to offer as expectations might be raised that will not be met by this book., because, possibly the best way of putting it is, that it has been written in-between various genres.

There are at least two other languages represented in this book apart from English. For one of them I got somewhat the hang of, with the other, I wouldn't understand at all, but it didn't matter as David Mogo stuck to his English and sometimes you don't have to understand the words in order to get the meaning.

This was a book that took me out of my comfort zone of Western UK and US publications of science fiction and fantasy writing, and I am so glad I got this opportunity to read this book. It is one of the most gender including books that I have come across in quite a while, where male and female meet in a balance, and mutual respect is the basis for the building of any kind of community.

And last, but definitively not least, what I am particularly happy about is, that, for once, the mother has not gone missing.

The eARC for this review was provided to me from the publishers Rebellion Publishing and Abaddon via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

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I love any novel that revolves around mythology and this is the case here.

Welcome to Africa, where the gods were expelled from their kingdom to end up on Earth. The gods presented in this book all come from the African mythology and I loved that. Above all, the author takes the time to explain their roles, their stories and I liked to discover this mythology which is completely new to me. In addition, the author has located his story in the heart of Central Africa and he describes lifestyles, culture which is also another asset. We are seeing more and more novels centered on North Africa but here we have something new with Central Africa and there is need to see more from this region.

David Mongo, our hero, is a demi-god who drives the gods out of his world when he can. He is willing to help the humans, but he does not always know how to do it right. He is a complex character who is in search of his story, his function in this world and he will clearly not make the right choices all the time. It's a kind of anti-hero.

As for my opinion, I really liked the universe and the plot in general. It is build in 4 large parts that revolve around the evolution of our hero. There is rhythm throughout the book and the action is present. However, what may be displeasing is the style of the author, he gave David a rather unique inner voice and I think it will not please everyone. So it's a book that I found nice, more adult than my usual reading, but sometimes it feels good.

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I’ve been anticipating reading David Mogo Godhunter since January and I’m excited to say that this book met all my expectations. It’s a gritty, epic, and enthrallingly unique blend of dystopia and urban fantasy.

I loved the concept of the gods falling from the sky as an apocalyptic event and the contrasts drawn between Lagos pre- and post Falling. This is dystopia in all its gritty and filth-covered glory and it makes all other dystopian scenarios seem gentle and kind by comparison. This is, in part, due to how near the verge of dystopia Okungbowa’s pre-Falling Lagos already was, with its inconsistent electricity supply and bad service delivery in general. Speaking as a South African, I found it all far more intimately relatable than any of the other novels I’ve read recently in the dystopian/urban fantasy genre were.

David is rough and tough but kind-hearted and I loved the relationship he has with his foster grandfather, the renowned wizard, Papa Udi. I didn’t feel much for his internal conflict over being a demi-god abandoned by his mother although Okungbowa relates his emotional states well. I enjoyed the mishmash of found family and unlikely allies that arise through the course of this novel but probably would’ve liked it more if there were more personal interactions between the characters.

This novel is divided into three parts, Godhunter, Firebringer, and Warmonger, and although the conflict ramps up throughout the novel, it reads more like a trilogy of novellas since the first two sections have their own conflict and resolution within the overarching plot. Okungbowa’s world-building is vivid and imbues this novel with an atmosphere of overall desolation that I could almost smell. The godlings are horrifying, their origins even more so, and Okungbowa’s depiction of the fallen Orisha deities is astounding in that it captures their very human natures as well as their staggering otherness. The battles involving the higher deities are jaw-dropping in scale and might, but nonetheless realistic enough to be believable.

The pidgin English was a little hard to follow at times but one gets the jist of these conversations through the narrative. Certain aspects were a little jarring, such as a crocodile screaming, but since it was a magical crocodile, I’m willing to let it slide.

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One of the best I've read this year. A problematic fave granted, but a fave nonetheless. Provided a link to my full-length review with all my thoughts and the issues I had with the book. It was very enjoyable though. A definite four stars for me. Loved the fact that it was set in Africa, we need more representation in literature other than our own.

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Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for the ARC as an ebook copy.

David Mogo, Godhunter was an interesting story by Suyi Davies Okungbowa. The book is told in first person POV that is action packed portrayal of an apocalyptic fall of gods. The chapters are short and always leaves the reader in a cliff hanger to keep the page turning. If you are a fan of the supernatural and urban fantasy with amazing characters, this book is for you. I loved also the inclusion of the language involved (such as Pidgin and Yoruba) which adds to the setting of Lagos, Nigeria. What an enjoyable read and a great ride! Thank you!

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Suyi Davies Okungbowa has rooted his excellent urban fantasy in his culture, with Yoruba and Pidgin English speaking characters throughout, and featuring deities from across the African pantheons. It's rich and vivid, and its all bound together by the irresistible lead voice of David Mogo himself - uncertain, angry, and increasingly afraid of both the power of the gods he opposes and that of himself.

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I requested this book on a day I was looking for something different to what I normally read, and boy did this book come through for me.

The themes in the book cover everything from African culture to Gods to urban fantasy. My favourite part was the imbuement of David's humour. It made the book much more entertaining to read and had me chuckling out loud on a few occasions.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but at times it did feel very long, I think there are often occasions where books fall down when they have a bit too much, unnessacery description that the reader gets lost in it, and I certainly did. Would recommend to friends looking for something different but not a book I will be re-reading again and again.

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Ah, this book. It was an absolute ride, filled with action, gods and an unforgettable main character. This book was described as “Nigerian God-punk” and after having read it, I can absolutely say that that’s an amazing description.

I loved David’s voice in this book. It was somewhere between weary PI and absolute badass, and it was just so easy to fall into his words. And his relationship with Papa Udi is absolutely fantastic. Their relationship was so nuanced and caring in such a wonderful way. Sadly some of the other characters fell a little flat for me, but that was fine since I enjoyed David so much.

The thing that I really loved about this book, was how incredibly fast-paced it was. Sometimes it felt a little like I couldn’t catch my breath (but like in the best way!), but I wouldn’t be able to put it down, cause I had to know what was going to happen.

All in all, I found this to be a very action packed book, and would recommend it to people who are looking for that like Urban fantasy, but would like it in a new setting, and overall, anyone who loves interactions between people and Gods.

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Review copy provided by publisher.
A slightly future/altered Lagos, Nigeria, is the setting and the heart of David Mogo, Godhunter. It is squarely in the middle of the contemporary urban fantasy tradition--the one with Ben Aaronovitch and Jim Butcher, not the one that's a sub-genre of romance. And that combination of factors changes the beats and the shape of the story completely.
David Mogo is half-orisha. He is learning who he is and who he wants to be. This is a very coming of age sort of book. But coming of age as the son of a god in a ravaged natural and magical landscape is anything but a standard tale. David's care for his family, his chosen companions, his surroundings, infuse this book with an intensity that makes it a page-turner every bit as much as its dramatic action scenes do.

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4/5 stars! What a fantastic book! I found every word enjoyable. Give me a story with gods from any mythos, and I will love it!

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Extremely fun and engaging. It kept me up late a couple of nights because I wanted to find out what would happen next.
The writing style mixes English and Nigerian, which could make it more difficult for non-native speakers of English, but also gave the story a well-suited flair.
The narrative was quite choppy, there were significant time jumps. I found this distracting at worst and mildly inconvenient at best. This is also the reason I won't be giving the full five stars.

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