Afro-Futurist Reading List Vol 2.
Afro Futurism Reading List Vol 1:
Afro Futurism Reading List Vol 2:
Black Speculative Fiction Breakdown by Genre
African Fantasy (early myths and fables from the continent):
Forest Of A Thousand Deamons: A Hunter’s Saga by Daniel O. Fagunwa
The Palm Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts by Amos Tutuola
Simbi and the Satyr of the Dark Jungle by Amos Tutuola
The Brave African Huntress by Amos Tutuola
Feather Woman of the Jungle by Amos Tutuola
Ajaiyi and his Inherited Poverty by Amos Tutuola
The Witch-Herbalist of the Remote Town by Amos Tutuola
Utopia (alternate histories written during the jim crow & antebellum eras):
Blake Or The Huts Of Africa by Martin Delany
Imperium In Imperio by Sutton E Griggs
Light Ahead For The Negro Edward A Johnson
One One Blood by Pauline Hopkins
Black No More by George Shuyler
Lord Of The Sea by MP Sheil
Space Opera (far future sci fi worlds of interplanetary travel):
Nova by Samuel R Delany
Stars In My Pocket Like Grains Of Sand by Samuel R. Delany
Binti Trilogy by Nnedi Okorafor
An Unkindness Of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
Midnight Robber by Nalo Hopkinson
Rayla 2122 Series by Ytasha Womack
Trouble On Triton by Samuel R. Delany
Babel 17 by Samuel R Delany
Empire Star by Samuel R Delany
The Galaxy Game by Karen Lord
The Best Of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
Ancient Ancient by Klini Iburu Salaam
Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden
Ascension: Tangled Axon by Jacqueline Koyanagi
Teleportality by T Cisco
Nadine’s Bible Seris by T Lindsey-Billingsley
Nigerians In Space Series by Deji Bryce Olukotun
Aliens (alien encounters):
Lilith’s Brood Trilogy by Octavia Butler
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
Rosewater Trilogy by Tade Thompson
The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbell
The Wave by Walter Mosley
Dystopia (oppressive futures and realities):
Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjie Brenyah
Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
War Girls Series by Tochi Onyebuchi
Sunshine Patriots by Bill Campbell
Gunmen’s Peace by Milton J Davis
Dragon Variation by T Cisco
Experimental (literary tricksters):
The Ravicka Series by Renee Gladman
The Freedom Artist by Ben Okri
The Structure Of Dante’s Hells by LeRoi Jones
The House Of Hunger by Dumbudzo Marachera
Black Sunlight By Dumbudzo Marachera
Yellow Back Radio Broke Down by Ishmaeel Reed
The Last Days Of Louisiana Red by Ishmaeel Reed
The Sellout by Paul Beatty
Koontown Killing Kaper by Bill Campbell
The African Origin Of UFOs by Anthony Joseph
Quantum Black Futurism(Theory & Practice Volume 1) by Rasheeda Philips by Rasheeda Philips
Spacetime Collapse: From The Congo to Carolinas
Spacetime Collapse II: Community Futurisms by Rasheeda Philips
consent not to be a single being trilogy by Fred Mot
Post-Apocalyptic (worlds falling apart):
The Purple Cloud by MP Shiel
Dhalgren by Samuel R Delany
The Parable Series by Octavia Butler
Brown Girl In The Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
Dying Earth (far future post-apocalyptic worlds + magic):
The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin
The Einstien Intersection by Samuel R. Delany
The Jewels Of Aptor by Samuel R. Delany
The Fall Of The Towers Trilogy by Samuel R. Delany
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorofor
The Book Of Phoenix by Nnededi Okorofor
The Prey Of Gods by Nicky Drayden
Alternate History (alternate timelines and what-ifs):
Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed
Everfair by Nisi Shawl
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The Insh'Allah Series by Steven Barnes
Ring Shout by P Djelia Clark
A Dead Djinn In Cairo by P Djelia Clark
The Black God’s Drum by P Djelia Clark
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
Pimp My Airship: A Naptown By Airship Story by Maurice Beaudice
The Dream Of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
Pym by Matt Johnson,
Dread Nation Series by Justina Ireland
From Here to Timbuktu by Milton J Davis
High Fantasy (magical kindoms and high adventures):
The Neveryorn Series by Samuel R. Delany
Black Leapard Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Deep by Rivers Solomon & Clipping
Imaro Series by Charles R. Saunders
The Children Of Blood & Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
The Children Of Virtue & Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi
The Sorcerer Of The Wildeeps by Kai Ashai Washington
A Taste Of Honey by Kai Ashai Washington
Beasts Made Of Night Series by Tochi Onyebuchi
A Place Of Nights: War & Ressurection by Oloye Karade,
Woman Of The Woods: A Sword & Soul Epic by Milton J Davis
Temper by Nicky Drayden
They Fly At Ciron by Samuel R. Delany
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
The House Of Discarded Dreams by Etakterina Sedia
Magic Realism (literary naturalism with surreal, dreamlike, and mythic imagery):
The Echo Tree & Other Stories by Henry Dumas
The Kingdom Of This World by Alejo Carpentier
General Sun My Brother by Jacques Stephen Alexis
The Famished Road Series by Ben Okri
The New Moon’s Arms by Nalo Hopkinson
The Salt Roads by Nalo Hopkinson
Montaro Caine by Sydney Portier
Mama Day by Gloria Naylor
Redemption In Indigo by Karen Lord
Mem by Bethany C Morrow
Urban Fantasy (modern citybound fantasy):
The City We Became by NK Jemisin
Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson
The Chaos by Nalo Hopkinson
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead
Blue Light By Walter Mosley
Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright
Time Travel (stories unstuck in time):
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Version Control by Dexter Palmer
Recurrence Plot by Rasheedah Phillips
Horror (nightmare, terrors, and hauntings):
Beloved by Toni Morisson
African Immortals by Tananarivue Due
Fledgling by Octavia Butler
The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez
Lakewood by Meggan Giddings
The Ballad Of Black Tom by Victor Lavalle
Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
The Changeling by Victor Lavealle
Zone One by Colson Whitehead
The Between by Tananarive Due
The Good House by Tananarive Due
Ghost Summers: Stories by Tananarive Due
Unhollowed Graves by Nunzo Onho
Catfish Lullaby by AC Wise
Young Adult (books for young adults):
Akata Witch Series by Nnedi Okorofor
Zarah The Windseeker & The Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorofor
Long Juju Man by Nnedi Okorofor
Ikenga by Nnedi Okorofor
Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia
A Song Below Water by Bethany C Morrow
Daughters Of Nri by Reni K. Amayo
A River Of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy
47 by Walter Mosley
Comics (graphic storytelling)
George Herriman Library: Krazy & Ignatz (1919-1921) by George Herriman
The Boondocks Complete Collection by Aaron Mcgruder
Birth Of A Nation by Aaron Mcgrudger, Reginald Hudlin, & Kyle Baker
Prince Of Cats by Ronald Wimberly
Concrete Park by Erika Alexander & Tony Puryear
Incognegro Series by Matt Johnson
Your Black Friend & Other Stories by Ben Passmore
Bttm Fdrs Ezra Clayton Daniels & Ben Passmore
Sports Is Hell is Ben Passmore
LaGuardia by Nnedi Okorofor & Tana Ford
Bread & Wine: An Erotic Tale Of New York by Samuel R Delany & Mia Wolff
Empire by Samuel R Delany & Howard Chaykin
Excellence by Brandon Thomas
Bitteroot by David F Walker, Chuck Brown & Sanford Greene
Black by Kwanza Osajyefo
Niobe: She Is Life by Amandla Stenberg & Sebastian A Jones
Black Panther by Christopher Priest
Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin
Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Shuri by Nnedi Okorofor
World Of Wakanda by Roxane Gay
Truth: Red, White, & Black by Kyle Baker
House Of Whispers by Nalo Hopkinson & Neil Gaiman
Naomi by David F Walker, Brian Micheal Bendis, & Jamal Campbell
Far Sector by NK Jemison & Jamal Campbell
Short Stories (collections by single authors):
Driftglass by Samuel R Delany,
Distant Stars by Samuel R Delany
Bloodchild & Other Stories by Octavia Butler
Unexpected Stories by Octavia Butler
Falling In Love With Hominids by Nalo Hopkinson
Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson,
Kabu Kabu by Nnedi Okorofor,
How Long Til Black Future Month? by NK Jemisin
Nine Bar Blues by Sheree Reneee Thomas
Anthologies (collections from multiple authors)
Dark Matter edited by Sheree Renee Thomas
So Long Been Dreaming edited by Nalo Hopkinson
Conjure Stories edited by Nalo Hopkinso
Whispers From The Cotton Tree Root: Caribbean Fabulist Fiction edited by Nalo Hopkinson
Afro SF: Science Fiction by African Writers edited by Wor. W. Hartmaan
Stories For Chip: A Tribute To Samuel R Delany edited by Nisi Shawl
Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movement edited by Adrienne Marie Brown & Walidah Imarisha
Mothership: Tales of Afrofuturism and Beyond edited by Bill Campbell
The City: Cyberfunk Antholoy edited by Milton J Davis
Steamfunk edited by Milton J Davis
Dieselfunk edited by Milton J Davis
Griots: A Sword & Soul Anthology by Milton J Davis & Charles R Saunders
Griots: Sisters Of The Spear by Milton J Davis & Charles R Saunders
Non-Fiction (histories, essays, and arguments)
Afrofuturism And The World Of Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy Culture by Ytasha Womack
Afrofuturism 2.0: The Rise Of Astral Blackness edited by Reynaldo Anderson & Charles E Jones
The Black Imagination: Science Fiction, The Future, and The Speculative by Sandra Jackson & Julie E Woody-Freeman
Afro-Futures & Astral Black Travel by Juice Aleem
The Sound Of Culture: Diaspora & Black Technopoetics by Louis Cude Soke
Black Utopia: The History Of An Idea From Black Nationalism To Afrofuturism by Alex Zamalin
Afrouturism Rising: The Literary Pre-History Of A Movement by Isiah Lavendar III
A Pure Solar World: Sun Ra & The Birth Of Afrofuturism by Paul Youngquist
Where No Black Woman Has Gone Before: Subversive Poryrals In Speculative Film & TV by Diana Adesola Mafe
Black Kirby: In Search Of The Motherbox Connection by John Jennings & Stacey Robinson
Super Black: American Pop Culture & Black Super-Heroes by Adilifu Nama
Black Space: Imagining Race In Science Fiction Film by Adilifu Nama
Black Super-Heroes, Milestone Comics, And Their Fans by Jeffery A Brown
Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changin Worlds by Adrienne Marie Brown
*cover image from Ytasha Womack’s “Afrofuturism: The World Of Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy Culture”
(please post anything I might have left out in the comments)