Wole Talabi

This is the third volume in this highly praised series (the first won the World Fantasy Award). Previous works have been praised for their eclectic mix of stories, offering a panorama of themes and styles. For instance, the 2021 edition included a story about a woman struggling with her identity and relationship in the face of a thought-recording device, a tale of a man fostering a rapidly evolving robot, and an adventurous narrative about a sentient robot dog engaging in space piracy. These stories not only explored advanced technologies and speculative scenarios but also delved deep into human emotions, relationships, and societal issues. Themes of personal struggles, such as dealing with depression, anxiety, and feelings of alienation, were also prominent. These were manifested through unique and powerful metaphors, like a woman whose detachable body parts symbolized her sense of disintegration and invisibility, or a story that portrayed the torment of self-contempt through the constant barrage of negative thoughts from imaginary entities. The anthology also ventured into mythic dimensions, echoing the voices and histories of entire cultures through concise yet profound storytelling. For example, flash fiction pieces in the collection reached the heights of epic poetry, encapsulating the journey of human life and cultural evolution. With such a backdrop, the 2023 volume continues this tradition of blending speculative elements with profound human experiences and cultural narratives. It's likely to feature stories that push the boundaries of imagination while staying grounded in the complexities of the human condition. Readers can anticipate a collection that entertains, provokes thought, and offers new perspectives on the future and the present. The anthology is not just a showcase of speculative fiction; it's a celebration of African storytelling, creativity, and the endless possibilities within the realm of speculative fiction.

A hard science-fiction novel featuring an assassin-for-hire, a witchdoctor, and an astronomer, this fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of Arrival. When a non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky, global powers are thrown into turmoil. But for Tope, a principled Nigerian assassin with a talent for lethality in the employ of the mysterious witchdoctor known as "Baba," it's all just business as usual. At least until a job goes wrong, and Tope is caught in the scramble - a high stakes game of power and politics for the future that is to come. Joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer plagued by mysterious dreams, they must find a way to survive, navigate their complicated pasts, and come to understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever. But it won't be easy. There are sinister forces marshalled against them, including a strange assassin obsessed with a single memory. The Fist Of Memory is a first contact thriller unlike any other; a meditation on the nature of reality, memory and connectedness.

Fist Of Memory is simultaneously a near-future thriller and a meditation on the nature of memory, legacy, and connectedness. When a strange and non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the night sky, approaching Earth at an impossible velocity, the established world order is thrown into turmoil. But for Tope, a principled and extremely effective Nigerian assassin with a bionic arm and talent for lethality who works for anyone willing to pay her oga - the mysterious witchdoctor known only as 'Baba' - it's all just business as usual. That is, until a routine job goes sideways, and she gets caught up in a high stakes game of power and politics. Tope is joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer who has seen her and the alien craft in his dreams and, like her, is haunted by a complicated past. Now they must both survive long enough to navigate their way through the maze of competing agendas and understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever. But it won't be easy. There are powerful, sinister forces determined to kill them, including a strange and motivated supernatural assassin obsessed with a single memory . . . A gripping thriller, this sensational new novel from multi-award winner Wole Talabi is your next SF obsession, perfect for fans of DISTRICT 9 and CHAPPIE.

A hard science-fiction novel featuring an assassin-for-hire, a witchdoctor, and an astronomer, this fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of Arrival. When a non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky, global powers are thrown into turmoil. But for Tope, a principled Nigerian assassin with a talent for lethality in the employ of the mysterious witchdoctor known as "Baba," it's all just business as usual. At least until a job goes wrong, and Tope is caught in the scramble - a high stakes game of power and politics for the future that is to come. Joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer plagued by mysterious dreams, they must find a way to survive, navigate their complicated pasts, and come to understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever. But it won't be easy. There are sinister forces marshalled against them, including a strange assassin obsessed with a single memory. The Fist Of Memory is a first contact thriller unlike any other; a meditation on the nature of reality, memory and connectedness.

Winner of the Ilube Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel 2024. Nominated for the World Fantasy Award. A Washington Post top 10 best science fiction and fantasy book of 2023 "A heist caper with sex, violence, and superpowers popping off every technicolor page." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Defiantly ambitious...an action-packed thrill ride." --The Washington Post A mythic tale of disgruntled gods, revenge, and a heist across two worlds, perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Marlon James, and Karen Lord Shigidi is a disgruntled and demotivated nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering prayers of his few remaining believers to maintain his existence long enough to find his next drink. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes for him. Together, they attempt to break free of his obligations and the restrictions that have bound him to his godhood and navigate the parameters of their new relationship in the shadow of her past. But the elder gods that run the Orisha spirit company have other plans for Shigidi, and they are not all aligned--or good. From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the swanky rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter old acquaintances, rival gods, strange creatures, and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a web of revenge, spirit business, and a spectacular heist across two worlds that will change Shigidi's understanding of himself forever and determine the fate of the Orisha spirit company. This paperback edition includes the bonus short story "Saturday's Song"

The Nommo Award Winner. The Nebula Award Finalist. The World Fantasy Award Finalist. The British Science Fiction Award Nominee. A contemporary fantasy filled with the mythos of Nigeria. Shigidi is the god of nightmares. Once a feared and powerful member of the Yoruba spirit world, these days he haunts people for scraps of power, which he must give up to the executives of the Orisha Spirit Company. Nneoma is a deadly succubus. Fierce, independent and unpredictable, she's not afraid to take dangerous risks to free herself from the mistakes of her past. Two soulmates. One bid for freedom. To gain the independence they both desire, the two of them are about to embark on a heist that spans both the real world and the spiritual world. But they'll find far more than they bargained for in the depths of the British Museum . . . A supernatural adventure novel rich in Nigerian mythology, and an eviscerating examination of cultural theft in the real world. This is perfect for fans of P. Djeli Clark, Nnedi Okorafor and Ben Aaronovitch.

Convergence Problems is a new short story collection from award-winning, Nebula-nominated Nigerian author Wole Talabi. Containing brand-new stories, rewrites of early work, and a few previously published pieces, Wole Talabi’s new collection, Convergence Problems, consists of sixteen short stories and one previously unseen novella. All of the stories in this collection are set in, or relate to, Africa, and investigate the rapidly changing role of technology in our lives as we search for meaning, for knowledge, for justice; constantly converging to our future selves. In Lagos, Nigeria, a roadside mechanic volunteers to undergo a procedure that will increase the electrical conductivity of his skin by orders of magnitude. On Mars, a woman races against time and a previously undocumented geological phenomenon to save her brother. In Nairobi, a tech support engineer tries to understand what is happening when an AI system begins malfunctioning in ways that could change the world.

The Nommo Award Winner. The Nebula Award Finalist. The World Fantasy Award Finalist. The British Science Fiction Award Nominee. A contemporary fantasy filled with the mythos of Nigeria, featuring Yoruba gods liberating an artefact from the depths of the British Museum. Shigidi is a disgruntled nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering the prayers of his few remaining believers to satisfy the demands of the company board. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes. Together, they attempt to break free of their constraints and live on their owns terms. But the elder gods have other plans for Shigidi, and the Orisha Spirit Company is not so easy to leave. The chairman has a final job for Shigidi and Nneoma, one that will take them to the very heart of the British Museum. From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter strange creatures, rival gods and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a spectacular heist that spans two realms . . . and which could turn their own worlds upside down . . . A magical heist novel featuring gods, monsters, magicians and more. This is a contemporary fantasy perfect for fans of P. Djeli Clark's A Master of Djinn and Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Here's what readers are saying:'A fast paced heist story with a Nigerian twist . . . It was super unputdownable''Such an interesting look into African mythology and different settings that you don't often see''I love the way this book splices together both Nigerian and British myths and legends''It has everything: a tricky heist, African gods and succubi, romance. It was just a fun story with interesting characters and great world building''It is a fantasy heist book like nothing I have ever read. If American Gods and Oceans 11 had a baby it would be this book''This was OH SO SULTRY. There's poly rep with so much African Mythology featuring a Nightmare god and Succubus in a way that very vaguely reminds me of an adult version of Strange the Dreamer''This book was so ambitious trying to cram as many African (and even non African!) mystical/religious elements as possible but I think it delivered!''Wow - what a ride! I learned much about Yoruba and orishas in this fantastical tale of Shigidi and Nneoma's adventures''A fascinating story that is based in Nigerian Yoruba traditional mythos, updated with a very modern twist'

Winner of the Ilube Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel 2024. Nominated for the World Fantasy Award. A Washington Post top 10 best science fiction and fantasy book of 2023 "A heist caper with sex, violence, and superpowers popping off every technicolor page." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Defiantly ambitious...an action-packed thrill ride." --The Washington Post A mythic tale of disgruntled gods, revenge, and a heist across two worlds, perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Marlon James, and Karen Lord Shigidi is a disgruntled and demotivated nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering prayers of his few remaining believers to maintain his existence long enough to find his next drink. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes for him. Together, they attempt to break free of his obligations and the restrictions that have bound him to his godhood and navigate the parameters of their new relationship in the shadow of her past. But the elder gods that run the Orisha spirit company have other plans for Shigidi, and they are not all aligned--or good. From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the swanky rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter old acquaintances, rival gods, strange creatures, and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a web of revenge, spirit business, and a spectacular heist across two worlds that will change Shigidi's understanding of himself forever and determine the fate of the Orisha spirit company.