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True lovers of fantasy novels will agree that contemporary fantasy books often boast the most captivating covers. These covers exude the fantastical and mythical essence of the stories within, inviting readers to look at them more than once. This is expected for fantasy reads, as they are crafted to transport us to different worlds, leaving the realities of everyday life in the background. Beyond their stunning covers, my favourite aspect of reading fantasy novels is the escape they provide from reality. I get to explore imagined kingdoms and empires, and engage with complex, magical characters that draw me deeply into their stories. Though these tales are make-believe, it doesn’t mean they lack realism or substance. Fantasy novels often convey themes such as the greed for power and the strength found by underdogs during adversity.
In our latest book recommendation, we have compiled a list of seven fantasy novels that will help you escape reality. Whether you’re looking for stories of powerful deities, mystical worlds, or heroic journeys, these fantasy novels by African authors offer the perfect escape from the mundane, inviting you to lose yourself in their spellbinding narratives.
Read our recommendations below.
THE FINAL STRIFE
AUTHOR: SAARA EL-ARIFI
GENRE: FICTION
Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes’ tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.
Anoor has been told she’s nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.
Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm. As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn. The Final Strife by Sudanese-Arab-Ghanaian-British author, Saara El-Arifi, is the first book of The Ending Fire trilogy.
SKIN OF THE SEA
AUTHOR: NATASHA BOWEN
GENRE: FICTION
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi goes against an ancient decree and does the unthinkable—she saves his life. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy the gods. To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she fails, she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.
THE GILDED ONES
Author: NAMINA FORNA
Genre: FICTION
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the colour of impurity—and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death. Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki—near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be—not even Deka herself.
Cassava Republic Press is proud to announce the launch of their inaugural $20,000 Global Black Women’s Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize dedicated to exceptional works by Black women. Deadline: 30th June 2024. Learn more here.
BLACK LEOPARD, RED WOLF
Author: MARLON JAMES
Genre: FICTION
In the first novel in Marlon James’s Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child. Tracker is known far and wide for his skills as a hunter. Engaged to track down a mysterious boy who disappeared three years earlier, Tracker breaks his own rule of always working alone when he finds himself part of a group that comes together to search for the boy. The band is a hodgepodge, full of unusual characters with secrets of their own, including a shape-shifting man-animal known as Leopard. Drawing from African history and mythology and his own rich imagination, Jamaican writer, Marlon James explores the fundamentals of truths, the limits of power, the excesses of ambition, and our need to understand them all.
RAYBEARER
AUTHOR: JORDAN IFUEKO
GENRE: FICTION
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With its stunning world building, Jordan Ifueko’s 2020 fantasy novel is a sweeping tale of betrayal, power of the empire, and revenge.
DAVID MOGO, GODHUNTER
AUTHOR: SUYI DAVIES OKUNGBOWA
GENRE: FICTION
Since the Orisha War that rained thousands of deities down on the streets of Lagos, David Mogo, demigod, scours Eko’s dank underbelly for a living wage as a freelance Godhunter. Despite pulling his biggest feat yet by capturing a high god for a renowned Eko wizard, David knows his job’s bad luck. He’s proved right when the wizard conjures a legion of Taboos—feral godling-child hybrids—to seize Lagos for himself. To fix his mistake and keep Lagos standing, David teams up with his foster wizard, the high god’s twin sister and a speech-impaired Muslim teenage girl to defeat the wizard.
MY LIFE IN THE BUSH OF GHOSTS
AUTHOR: AMOS TUTUOLA
GENRE: FICTION
Published in 1954, this novel tells the story of a young boy who becomes lost in the wilderness after fleeing from slave traders with his elder brother. The novel is presented as a collection of related narratives, although not always in chronological order, which adds to its surreal and dreamlike quality.