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Harmattan Season
Award-winning author Tochi Onyebuchi’s new standalone novel is hardboiled fantasy Raymond Chandler meets P. Djèlí Clark in a postcolonial West Africa
Fortune always left whatever room I walked into, which is why I don’t leave my place much these days.
Veteran and private eye Boubacar doesn’t need much—least of all trouble—but trouble always seems to find him. Work has dried up, and he’d rather be left alone to deal with his bills as the Harmattan rolls in to coat the city in dust, but Bouba is a down on his luck deux fois, suspended between two cultures and two worlds.
When a bleeding woman stumbles onto his doorway, only to vanish just as quickly, Bouba reluctantly finds himself enmeshed in the secrets of a city boiling on the brink of violence. The French occupiers are keen to keep the peace at any cost, and the indigenous dugulen have long been shattered into restless factions vying for a chance to reclaim their lost heritage and abilities. As each hard-won clue reveals horrifying new truths, Bouba may have to carve out parts of himself he’s long kept hidden, and decide what he’s willing to offer next.
From the visionary author of Riot Baby and Goliath, Harmattan Season is a gripping fantasy noir in the tradition of Chandler, Hammond, and Christie that will have you by the throat—both dryly funny and unforgettably evocative.
Fortune always left whatever room I walked into, which is why I don’t leave my place much these days.
Veteran and private eye Boubacar doesn’t need much—least of all trouble—but trouble always seems to find him. Work has dried up, and he’d rather be left alone to deal with his bills as the Harmattan rolls in to coat the city in dust, but Bouba is a down on his luck deux fois, suspended between two cultures and two worlds.
When a bleeding woman stumbles onto his doorway, only to vanish just as quickly, Bouba reluctantly finds himself enmeshed in the secrets of a city boiling on the brink of violence. The French occupiers are keen to keep the peace at any cost, and the indigenous dugulen have long been shattered into restless factions vying for a chance to reclaim their lost heritage and abilities. As each hard-won clue reveals horrifying new truths, Bouba may have to carve out parts of himself he’s long kept hidden, and decide what he’s willing to offer next.
From the visionary author of Riot Baby and Goliath, Harmattan Season is a gripping fantasy noir in the tradition of Chandler, Hammond, and Christie that will have you by the throat—both dryly funny and unforgettably evocative.
231 pages, Hardcover
First published May 27, 2025
100 people are currently reading
6411 people want to read
About the author
Tochi Onyebuchi
91 books1,346 followersTochi Onyebuchi is the author of Beasts Made of Night, its sequel Crown of Thunder, War Girls, and Riot Baby, published by Tor.com in January 2020. He has graduated from Yale University, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia Law School, and L’institut d’études politiques with a Masters degree in Global Business Law.
His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, Omenana, Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America, and elsewhere. His non-fiction has appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Nowhere Magazine, Tor.com and the Harvard Journal of African-American Public Policy. He is the winner of the Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African and has appeared in Locus Magazine's Recommended Reading list.
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Connecticut, Tochi is a consummate New Englander, preferring the way the tree leaves turn the color of fire on I-84 to mosquitoes and being able to boil eggs on pavement. He has worked in criminal justice, the tech industry, and immigration law, and prays every day for a new album from System of a Down.
His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, Omenana, Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America, and elsewhere. His non-fiction has appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Nowhere Magazine, Tor.com and the Harvard Journal of African-American Public Policy. He is the winner of the Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African and has appeared in Locus Magazine's Recommended Reading list.
Born in Massachusetts and raised in Connecticut, Tochi is a consummate New Englander, preferring the way the tree leaves turn the color of fire on I-84 to mosquitoes and being able to boil eggs on pavement. He has worked in criminal justice, the tech industry, and immigration law, and prays every day for a new album from System of a Down.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
April 6, 2025
3.5 Stars
I appreciated the themes of colonialism explored within this novel. However I didn't not necessarily connect with the story. I found that the narrative kept me at a distance and I struggled to get immersed in this one. I find these kinds of stories important so I wished it has worked better for me.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I appreciated the themes of colonialism explored within this novel. However I didn't not necessarily connect with the story. I found that the narrative kept me at a distance and I struggled to get immersed in this one. I find these kinds of stories important so I wished it has worked better for me.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
July 1, 2025
⭐️ 4.25 ⭐️
For fans of Firewalkers by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The writing/voice takes a second to get used to, but the story is sensational and worth the read.
For fans of Firewalkers by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The writing/voice takes a second to get used to, but the story is sensational and worth the read.
Read
May 30, 2025Harmattan Season is a noir-style fantasy set in French-colonial Africa. It follows a jaded investigator who is shaken by the appearance of a bleeding young woman on his doorstep, who is later found dead and suspended in mid-air. It has themes of colonialism and the harm that comes with it and is stylized in a noir sort of way, but with some speculative elements added in. It's doing something interesting, though the characters feel rather arms-length which might be a challenge for character-driven readers. The audiobook is very well done and immersive to the place and culture. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
tsk-i-dnfed
May 31, 2025dnfing at 25%. Im just not interested in anything that's been happening and I'm not gonna force myself to finish it.
May 30, 2025
The nitty-gritty: Tochi Onyebuchi's latest melds hard boiled noir and fantasy in a perfectly paced story with humor and heart.
“The français are a Harmattan that never ends.”
Harmattan Season is a tautly written crime story with magical overtones, set in a fantasy version of postcolonial West Africa. This is a slow-burn mystery told from the first person POV of private detective Boubacar, a man caught between the worlds of the “dugulen,” the native West Africans, and the “français,” the French who have colonized his country. While I enjoyed the mystery, it was Bouba’s character and personality that left a lasting impression.
Bouba is a “chercher,” someone who finds missing people or objects. Business has been bad lately, but despite his lack of income, Bouba’s debts keep piling up, thanks to the new French regime. Even though he’s good friends with a cop named Moussa, Bouba finds himself in trouble more often than not. And things are about to get worse. Bouba opens the door to his apartment one day and finds a bleeding woman on his doorstep, who implores him to “hide her.”
Bouba stashes the dying woman in his closet, right before cops burst into the apartment. But when he returns later in the day after being questioned about the incident, the woman is gone and only a smear of blood remains behind. Later, Bouba is shocked to see the dead woman floating high over the town, an inexplicable event that raises lots of questions. Are the French behind the crime? What does it mean? And how does it tie into the upcoming election? Bouba jumps head first into finding the answers, but asking questions could get him in trouble—or dead.
Harmattan Season has a perfectly pitched crime noir vibe, offset by the author’s themes of colonization and political unrest. Bouba is your typical down-on-his-luck PI, barely scraping by financially but unable to resist the allure of a mystery. He knows everyone, and he has a weakness for smoking “shisha.” Bouba is a “deux-fois,” which I’m guessing has several meanings, but mostly means he belongs to both worlds, dugulen and français, but also belongs to neither. He’s both an outcast and someone who can invisibly blend into either world, and while he uses it to his advantage at times, it’s not a label he wants. The fact that he fought in the war on the other side doesn’t help matters either. I loved the way he throws himself into unraveling the mystery of the floating woman, rarely stopping to think things through. And yet he has a softer side as well, which comes through in some of his interactions with other characters.
Onyebuchi’s setting is dry and gritty and full of characters living a hardscrabble life. The Harmattan of the title is a strong, dry wind that occurs right before the rainy season, but it’s also a metaphor for the brutal, controlling French who have taken over the country. The dugulen are in the midst of an election which will determine the course of their future, and that political drama plays a big part in the mystery that Bouba is trying to solve.
Onyebuchi throws the reader right into the deep end without much explanation of his world, so you have to figure things out through context. But I was OK with that. Even the author’s generous use of French words and terms didn’t trip me up too much, although it did slow my reading down a bit. There’s never any explanation for the magical things that happen in the story, which might frustrate some readers, but you just need to go with it. The fantasy isn’t the main focus of the story anyway, and when it came along I sort of shrugged my shoulders and kept reading.
The final chapter was a surprise, and it added a wonderful emotional layer to an already excellent story. Grab this if you can, it’s really good.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
“The français are a Harmattan that never ends.”
Harmattan Season is a tautly written crime story with magical overtones, set in a fantasy version of postcolonial West Africa. This is a slow-burn mystery told from the first person POV of private detective Boubacar, a man caught between the worlds of the “dugulen,” the native West Africans, and the “français,” the French who have colonized his country. While I enjoyed the mystery, it was Bouba’s character and personality that left a lasting impression.
Bouba is a “chercher,” someone who finds missing people or objects. Business has been bad lately, but despite his lack of income, Bouba’s debts keep piling up, thanks to the new French regime. Even though he’s good friends with a cop named Moussa, Bouba finds himself in trouble more often than not. And things are about to get worse. Bouba opens the door to his apartment one day and finds a bleeding woman on his doorstep, who implores him to “hide her.”
Bouba stashes the dying woman in his closet, right before cops burst into the apartment. But when he returns later in the day after being questioned about the incident, the woman is gone and only a smear of blood remains behind. Later, Bouba is shocked to see the dead woman floating high over the town, an inexplicable event that raises lots of questions. Are the French behind the crime? What does it mean? And how does it tie into the upcoming election? Bouba jumps head first into finding the answers, but asking questions could get him in trouble—or dead.
Harmattan Season has a perfectly pitched crime noir vibe, offset by the author’s themes of colonization and political unrest. Bouba is your typical down-on-his-luck PI, barely scraping by financially but unable to resist the allure of a mystery. He knows everyone, and he has a weakness for smoking “shisha.” Bouba is a “deux-fois,” which I’m guessing has several meanings, but mostly means he belongs to both worlds, dugulen and français, but also belongs to neither. He’s both an outcast and someone who can invisibly blend into either world, and while he uses it to his advantage at times, it’s not a label he wants. The fact that he fought in the war on the other side doesn’t help matters either. I loved the way he throws himself into unraveling the mystery of the floating woman, rarely stopping to think things through. And yet he has a softer side as well, which comes through in some of his interactions with other characters.
Onyebuchi’s setting is dry and gritty and full of characters living a hardscrabble life. The Harmattan of the title is a strong, dry wind that occurs right before the rainy season, but it’s also a metaphor for the brutal, controlling French who have taken over the country. The dugulen are in the midst of an election which will determine the course of their future, and that political drama plays a big part in the mystery that Bouba is trying to solve.
Onyebuchi throws the reader right into the deep end without much explanation of his world, so you have to figure things out through context. But I was OK with that. Even the author’s generous use of French words and terms didn’t trip me up too much, although it did slow my reading down a bit. There’s never any explanation for the magical things that happen in the story, which might frustrate some readers, but you just need to go with it. The fantasy isn’t the main focus of the story anyway, and when it came along I sort of shrugged my shoulders and kept reading.
The final chapter was a surprise, and it added a wonderful emotional layer to an already excellent story. Grab this if you can, it’s really good.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Want to read
August 12, 2024"Onyebuchi's new standalone novel is hardboiled fantasy Raymond Chandler meets P. Djèlí Clark in a postcolonial West Africa"
i can't wait
i can't wait
June 5, 2025
This book grabbed my by the throat from the first line and didn't let go the rest of the book. Onyebuchi has given us a hell of a noir set in a postcolonial world that isn't quite entirely past the colonial part yet, a main character who moves in both worlds and has a hell of a past from the wars, the plot that he is drawn into when he finds a dying girl in his shitty apartment and blossoms into something that encompasses their whole town and society. This is a story about what one is willing to do in the face of atrocities, what one is willing to do to change the world, and what one is willing to stand up for. The narrative voice is amazing, and the audiobook narrator also does an astounding job. Highly recommended read this summer.
September 1, 2025
Someone compared The Harmattan Season to a Raymond Chandler novel, and I totally see it. It’s got that classic detective vibe, but with a fun touch of the fantastic mixed in. Super enjoyable and a quick recommend for anyone who likes mysteries with a little fantasy twist.
June 7, 2025
Some of the 3 stars are for the audiobook narration pulling me into the story.
The theme is French colonialism in Africa, and the deaths and corruption that comes with it. There are fantasy elements- people and buildings floating up - but the angle is more detective noir. Acceptance of bad luck, retired soldier becomes detective/“chercher” (Fr. for find/search), has connection in the police, lives among the poor.
The detective does his search, bounces between political factions, even is briefly hailed as a hero, but you don’t get to know if any of it ultimately makes a difference.
And maybe that is part of the point.
The last chapter is meant to explain the first. But only you as reader has that answer, not the detective.
The theme is French colonialism in Africa, and the deaths and corruption that comes with it. There are fantasy elements- people and buildings floating up - but the angle is more detective noir. Acceptance of bad luck, retired soldier becomes detective/“chercher” (Fr. for find/search), has connection in the police, lives among the poor.
The detective does his search, bounces between political factions, even is briefly hailed as a hero, but you don’t get to know if any of it ultimately makes a difference.
And maybe that is part of the point.
The last chapter is meant to explain the first. But only you as reader has that answer, not the detective.
June 2, 2025
Thank you to Tor Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the free ALC in exchange for an honest review
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Initially I had thought that acclaimed audiobook narrator Dion Graham’s West African/French accent would be a treat to listen to, and while it is, for some reason my focus kept on slipping away. I don’t know if it’s the genre (can I not do noir mysteries?), format (listening to speculative fiction–if this can be considered specific–is not my forte), or the story itself. Nothing really stood out for me in terms of story, characters, or audiobook performance for me to sink my teeth into.
[1 June 2025]
What did I just attempt to listen to? I’m so confused.
I really wanted to like this one more than I did. Initially I had thought that acclaimed audiobook narrator Dion Graham’s West African/French accent would be a treat to listen to, and while it is, for some reason my focus kept on slipping away. I don’t know if it’s the genre (can I not do noir mysteries?), format (listening to speculative fiction–if this can be considered specific–is not my forte), or the story itself. Nothing really stood out for me in terms of story, characters, or audiobook performance for me to sink my teeth into.
[1 June 2025]
What did I just attempt to listen to? I’m so confused.
January 8, 2026
3.5 stars.
Boubacar is a chercher, a man who finds things for others. As a private eye, and former veteran who fought on the colonist's side, he tries to keep his head down and not attract attention. But he always seems to end up in it.
When a bleeding woman arrives on his doorstep, he's concerned, but even more so when 1) she disappears soon after, then 2) even more alarmingly, appears floating in the sky.
Bouba decides to find out what happened to the woman, against his normal inclinations, and almost immediately gets into trouble. The French occupiers have been using violence to keep the indigenous dugulen down and at odds within each faction who have wanted to reclaim their abilities and culture, both of which are at odds with the French.
The more Bouba digs, the more trouble he brings down on himself, and violence on the dugulen. But, he does end up getting to the truth, which is shocking.
Lots of great commentary on the harms of colonialism using a noirish detective story in a city full of fury and tension.
Boubacar is a chercher, a man who finds things for others. As a private eye, and former veteran who fought on the colonist's side, he tries to keep his head down and not attract attention. But he always seems to end up in it.
When a bleeding woman arrives on his doorstep, he's concerned, but even more so when 1) she disappears soon after, then 2) even more alarmingly, appears floating in the sky.
Bouba decides to find out what happened to the woman, against his normal inclinations, and almost immediately gets into trouble. The French occupiers have been using violence to keep the indigenous dugulen down and at odds within each faction who have wanted to reclaim their abilities and culture, both of which are at odds with the French.
The more Bouba digs, the more trouble he brings down on himself, and violence on the dugulen. But, he does end up getting to the truth, which is shocking.
Lots of great commentary on the harms of colonialism using a noirish detective story in a city full of fury and tension.
July 14, 2025
I've read several African based SF/F, most of them include some aspects of colonialism usually rooted in English colonizers, with African mythology mixed with Christian teachings. This is the first one I've read that is based on French colonialism and African mythology mixed with Muslim teachings. For that unique perspective alone this was worth reading.
But this is also a unique take on the noir detective and deals with aspects of identity and justice in a very compelling way. The narrative doesn't flow in a typical way but Onyebuchi is a great writer and makes it all work. The ending has a very emotionally satisfying ending.
But this is also a unique take on the noir detective and deals with aspects of identity and justice in a very compelling way. The narrative doesn't flow in a typical way but Onyebuchi is a great writer and makes it all work. The ending has a very emotionally satisfying ending.
June 26, 2025
The Harmattan wind, dry and dusty, blows into West Africa from the Sahara and coats everything in dust. But this is a story about an entirely different kind of dust, the dust of old bones and old memories of bad deeds and good old days that have turned into the dust of history.
And it’s a mystery. On that dusty surface, it’s a mystery, and it’s a mystery all the way down to those dusty old bones – just not the same kind of mystery. At least, not until it is.
Boubacar is one of those people who, if it wasn’t for bad luck, wouldn’t have any luck at all. He’s down at heel, down on his luck, behind on his rent, all that’s showing up on his doorstep are bills and yet more bills.
He’s a private detective who desperately needs a case – but he’s given up on expecting one. He’s certain that all of his bad luck is the result of a curse, but he knows that’s one case he’s unlikely to solve.
When the girl knocks on his door, he’s expecting bill collectors. Or the police, coming to arrest him for something he hasn’t done. Or at least that he hasn’t done yet. Instead there’s a young woman bleeding on his doorstep, clutching her wounded side and begging him to hide her.
So he does, even though he knows the police will be right behind her. He thinks he’s stopped caring.
But he starts caring again, not because the police DO arrest him – although they do – but because the next time he sees the girl she’s dead and FLOATING over the site of a massive explosion – along with most of the debris and destruction caused by whatever blew up the street.
Leaving Boubacar attached to a case that’s likely to break him, one way or another. A case where, in the end, he’s both the victim and the original perpetrator. Or at least one of them. A crime that others are more than desperate enough to see buried – along with Boubacar.
Escape Rating B: I finished this book with a whole host of mixed feelings, because I was fascinated with what I got and intrigued about what I learned but frustrated beyond measure by the parts I had to tease out without nearly enough clues.
I’m not referring to the mystery itself, because that’s the part that absolutely worked.
The setting of this story is just a bit nebulous, but I think the reasons that I teased out for that made sense. We don’t know precisely which West African country this takes place in, but the harmattan puts it somewhere in West Africa. The country is a former French colony, but based on the political climate described, its post colonial setting doesn’t feel all that post. More that legal colonialism has morphed into economic colonialism which feels all too real and that the deliberate lack of geographic specificity allows the setting to stand in for a LOT of very real places.
What made the story work was the way that Boubacar digs and keeps digging. The mystery starts simply, a woman is missing, later found dead in equally mysterious circumstances.
But Boubacar doesn’t let go no matter how much he’s encouraged – often with other people’s fists – to do so. And as he digs he brushes past the simplicity of the missing persons case and into the depths of political corruption – and he keeps going into what dirty deeds all of that corruption is moving to prevent from seeing the light of day.
Which is where he finds his own sins, his own complicity, and his desire to stop covering up. No matter what it costs.
I did enjoy this for the mystery, for the way it explored the effects of colonialism through its characters and their actions, and for Boubacar’s wry voice and hesitant pursuit of redemption. The story reads like a combination of the hardboiled detective fiction of Raymond Chandler with the fantasy worlds of P. Djeli Clark, particularly the early novellas of the Dead Djinn Universe like The Haunting of Tram Car 015. Harmattan Season also gave this reader, at least, some of the same feels as the works of Nnedi Okorafor and Moses Ose Utomi. They are all readalikes for each other, and if you have been loving the rise of both science fiction and fantasy mystery Harmattan Season any and all of the above might also be your jam.
Reviewer’s Note: I did have one huge frustration with this story. I felt like I was missing a lot because the text included what felt like important words and phrases that I didn’t understand and could not find a translation source for. This may be because I read an electronic arc and that the published work will include translations not present in the advance reading copy. The online translations programs utterly failed at translation, which could have any number of causes from euro-centricity to jargon or slang or neologisms or creativity on the part of the author. I still got into Harmattan Season, but I’m left with the feeling that I would have gotten into it more deeply if I’d been able to grasp the bits that eluded me.
Originally published at Reading Reality
And it’s a mystery. On that dusty surface, it’s a mystery, and it’s a mystery all the way down to those dusty old bones – just not the same kind of mystery. At least, not until it is.
Boubacar is one of those people who, if it wasn’t for bad luck, wouldn’t have any luck at all. He’s down at heel, down on his luck, behind on his rent, all that’s showing up on his doorstep are bills and yet more bills.
He’s a private detective who desperately needs a case – but he’s given up on expecting one. He’s certain that all of his bad luck is the result of a curse, but he knows that’s one case he’s unlikely to solve.
When the girl knocks on his door, he’s expecting bill collectors. Or the police, coming to arrest him for something he hasn’t done. Or at least that he hasn’t done yet. Instead there’s a young woman bleeding on his doorstep, clutching her wounded side and begging him to hide her.
So he does, even though he knows the police will be right behind her. He thinks he’s stopped caring.
But he starts caring again, not because the police DO arrest him – although they do – but because the next time he sees the girl she’s dead and FLOATING over the site of a massive explosion – along with most of the debris and destruction caused by whatever blew up the street.
Leaving Boubacar attached to a case that’s likely to break him, one way or another. A case where, in the end, he’s both the victim and the original perpetrator. Or at least one of them. A crime that others are more than desperate enough to see buried – along with Boubacar.
Escape Rating B: I finished this book with a whole host of mixed feelings, because I was fascinated with what I got and intrigued about what I learned but frustrated beyond measure by the parts I had to tease out without nearly enough clues.
I’m not referring to the mystery itself, because that’s the part that absolutely worked.
The setting of this story is just a bit nebulous, but I think the reasons that I teased out for that made sense. We don’t know precisely which West African country this takes place in, but the harmattan puts it somewhere in West Africa. The country is a former French colony, but based on the political climate described, its post colonial setting doesn’t feel all that post. More that legal colonialism has morphed into economic colonialism which feels all too real and that the deliberate lack of geographic specificity allows the setting to stand in for a LOT of very real places.
What made the story work was the way that Boubacar digs and keeps digging. The mystery starts simply, a woman is missing, later found dead in equally mysterious circumstances.
But Boubacar doesn’t let go no matter how much he’s encouraged – often with other people’s fists – to do so. And as he digs he brushes past the simplicity of the missing persons case and into the depths of political corruption – and he keeps going into what dirty deeds all of that corruption is moving to prevent from seeing the light of day.
Which is where he finds his own sins, his own complicity, and his desire to stop covering up. No matter what it costs.
I did enjoy this for the mystery, for the way it explored the effects of colonialism through its characters and their actions, and for Boubacar’s wry voice and hesitant pursuit of redemption. The story reads like a combination of the hardboiled detective fiction of Raymond Chandler with the fantasy worlds of P. Djeli Clark, particularly the early novellas of the Dead Djinn Universe like The Haunting of Tram Car 015. Harmattan Season also gave this reader, at least, some of the same feels as the works of Nnedi Okorafor and Moses Ose Utomi. They are all readalikes for each other, and if you have been loving the rise of both science fiction and fantasy mystery Harmattan Season any and all of the above might also be your jam.
Reviewer’s Note: I did have one huge frustration with this story. I felt like I was missing a lot because the text included what felt like important words and phrases that I didn’t understand and could not find a translation source for. This may be because I read an electronic arc and that the published work will include translations not present in the advance reading copy. The online translations programs utterly failed at translation, which could have any number of causes from euro-centricity to jargon or slang or neologisms or creativity on the part of the author. I still got into Harmattan Season, but I’m left with the feeling that I would have gotten into it more deeply if I’d been able to grasp the bits that eluded me.
Originally published at Reading Reality
May 29, 2025
I did find Dion Graham's narration a bit hard to understand at times. He has a very good voice and it did bring authenticity to the story though and once I got used to the flow of speech it was okay and I was intrigued with the story.
It is very dark and gritty set in a post-colonial French West African country in a time of unrest and change with rebels wanting to reclaim their land, French police and soldiers attacking them, and then there are the mixed race people, torn between the two nationalities. This story had the added effect of a bit of magic that I found interesting and kept me listening. And surprisingly it also had a political reason (all about removing the part that had been poisoned by the water of the conquered land with an intriguing side effect).
That is the broad view of the novel. Narrowing down, this is a story about a detective named Boubacar, weary with the choices he has made in his life and looking for either punishment or redemption for those choices, starting with the woman who burst into his office/home late one night with a peculiar wound and then her subsequent mysterious death. Many surprises and beatings were on that path, and honestly I was amazed by how many beatings Bouba received but how he kept going, unraveling the mystery, plots to reclaim the country, and meeting interesting people like the helpful urchin, rebels, police, and those who changed to survive the French occupation. I also liked how the book both started and ended with the woman that came into Bouba's life and changed everything because of it.
So, it was an interesting slice of a dark time with a bit of hope and the ability to change.
It is very dark and gritty set in a post-colonial French West African country in a time of unrest and change with rebels wanting to reclaim their land, French police and soldiers attacking them, and then there are the mixed race people, torn between the two nationalities. This story had the added effect of a bit of magic that I found interesting and kept me listening. And surprisingly it also had a political reason (all about removing the part that had been poisoned by the water of the conquered land with an intriguing side effect).
That is the broad view of the novel. Narrowing down, this is a story about a detective named Boubacar, weary with the choices he has made in his life and looking for either punishment or redemption for those choices, starting with the woman who burst into his office/home late one night with a peculiar wound and then her subsequent mysterious death. Many surprises and beatings were on that path, and honestly I was amazed by how many beatings Bouba received but how he kept going, unraveling the mystery, plots to reclaim the country, and meeting interesting people like the helpful urchin, rebels, police, and those who changed to survive the French occupation. I also liked how the book both started and ended with the woman that came into Bouba's life and changed everything because of it.
So, it was an interesting slice of a dark time with a bit of hope and the ability to change.
June 20, 2025
A detective noir thriller set in an alternate, unnamed African nation colonized and oppressed by France. The noir storyline is made more complex by elements of colonialism, but also the complicity and participation in oppression by the Africans, especially the protagonist.
It's an interesting blend of a classic genre style with contemporary explorations of colonialist themes. However, I had some problems. Some were technical: the rapid fire dialogue often didn't give clues as to which person was speaking – I frequently had to adjust my impression of who said what, and re-read the section.
Also, the concept of Floating is critical to the book but I didn't really understand its purpose. Sure, it's a metaphor, but one of escape, or power, or something else? It's not necessary for a reader to understand how a fantasy concept works (it's all hand-waving anyhow), but I felt unmoored by this one, especially due to its importance. Your mileage may vary.
I did appreciate the unique language. The author did not patronize us with unnecessary explanations of terms we may not understand – we were meant to understand them in context as the story progressed. It's the 'throw them in the deep end and make them swim' approach to language, and I appreciate it while others may feel put off by it.
It's an interesting blend of a classic genre style with contemporary explorations of colonialist themes. However, I had some problems. Some were technical: the rapid fire dialogue often didn't give clues as to which person was speaking – I frequently had to adjust my impression of who said what, and re-read the section.
Also, the concept of Floating is critical to the book but I didn't really understand its purpose. Sure, it's a metaphor, but one of escape, or power, or something else? It's not necessary for a reader to understand how a fantasy concept works (it's all hand-waving anyhow), but I felt unmoored by this one, especially due to its importance. Your mileage may vary.
I did appreciate the unique language. The author did not patronize us with unnecessary explanations of terms we may not understand – we were meant to understand them in context as the story progressed. It's the 'throw them in the deep end and make them swim' approach to language, and I appreciate it while others may feel put off by it.
reviewed-only
February 3, 2026I started this, could not get engaged, and skimmed to the end. The main character is compelling, but the story is complex. I feel like I need to read this as a class assignment with a teacher who helps me understand what is going on and what is being commented on. It's deep, too deep for me to read right now when my brain is full of Other Things. There are many words from other languages that slowed me down and that I did not have the energy to look up. The narrative is evocate and disturbing.
Maybe some day when my brain is up to it I'll pick this up once again.
Maybe some day when my brain is up to it I'll pick this up once again.
June 11, 2025
Can we normalize including glossaries in fantasy books already, please and thanks?
Like, for the sake of accessibility?
Because reading this was a chore and that overshadowed how unique and interesting it all was.
And yes, I'm aware that I was recently banging on about how I prefer it when authors trust their readers to put all the pieces of their book together instead of over-explaining it all.
But in this case, it felt like the author withheld a few of those pieces.
2.5 out of 5.
Like, for the sake of accessibility?
Because reading this was a chore and that overshadowed how unique and interesting it all was.
And yes, I'm aware that I was recently banging on about how I prefer it when authors trust their readers to put all the pieces of their book together instead of over-explaining it all.
But in this case, it felt like the author withheld a few of those pieces.
2.5 out of 5.
July 18, 2025
I love this classic noir inspired story, detective unexpectedly thrown into a story that is much bigger than him and all expectations. While the story is ostensibly about a detective trying to solve a case it has so many layers all dealing with the effects of colonialism, not only on personal lives, but, on people, culture, country and this is what seeps throughout the story and infects everything.
Want to read
February 8, 2025The blurb sold it so hard that I hadn’t even heard about this author before but now it’s one of my most anticipated releases this year.
May 3, 2025
An intriguing dark fantasy / crime noir mashup. Set in colonial French West Africa.
Want to read
May 5, 2025yes i love seeing all these standalone adult sff
June 25, 2025
I really wanted to like this but I found myself bored of the story a majority of the time.
Read
June 2, 2025Between the writing and the audiobook narrator's overly dramatic and heavily accented delivery I'm having a hard time following along, and given my tepid response to the author's previous works have decided to throw in the towel about 1/3 in.
That said, if you're a fan then you will likely enjoy this one as well. The premise and the setting are interesting.
That said, if you're a fan then you will likely enjoy this one as well. The premise and the setting are interesting.
May 1, 2025
This book was gritty and serious. The ending came out of left field. Could not stop reading it, but it also felt like homework.
September 21, 2025
This is an author I have been rather meh on. I keep trying him, trying to find a good story from him, and he keeps disappointing me. The closest I've come is
Riot Baby,
which had many things to say about the realities of being black in America, but which didn't quite gel as a story. That is also the problem with this book. I can see what the author is trying to do here, commenting on colonialism and white supremacy, but the worldbuilding is so vague it doesn't hit home like it could.
This is set in an unnamed African country and city colonized by the French. Our protagonist is Boubacar, a down-on-his-luck private eye, who is surprised one night by a woman knocking on his door who has been stabbed (he thinks) and is leaking blood on his carpet. She is followed by the police. Bouba hides her in his closet, and after the police leave he discovers she is gone. He makes up his mind to try to find her and discover what she has gotten herself into. This leads to a bloody trail out of Bouba's own past, and a massacre he was a part of. This story brings him full circle, as he owns up to what he did and attempts to make some sort of atonement for it.
Bouba is a biracial man, with a French father, and is able to pass for white (or "dieman," in this book's vernacular). This plays into the internal struggle he goes through. Revolution is brewing in the city, and Bouba has to decide if he is going to throw in his lot with the rebels. The guilt over his past is a big part of his character arc.
The fantasy element of this story--that there are some natives of this unnamed country who have superhero qualities, i.e. they can "Float" (or fly, rather) like Superman, and the internal organs that allow them to do this can be removed from their bodies and repurposed as bombs--didn't really work for me. It was an awkward kludge over the rest of the story, to say the least. The private-eye-noir part, along with the commentary on colonialism and racism, didn't need this magical-realism poofery. In the end, that dragged the entire story down for me.
Since I've tried this author three times now and not really clicked with his work, I think that's it. Obviously he's finding his audience, but unfortunately, I'm not part of it.
This is set in an unnamed African country and city colonized by the French. Our protagonist is Boubacar, a down-on-his-luck private eye, who is surprised one night by a woman knocking on his door who has been stabbed (he thinks) and is leaking blood on his carpet. She is followed by the police. Bouba hides her in his closet, and after the police leave he discovers she is gone. He makes up his mind to try to find her and discover what she has gotten herself into. This leads to a bloody trail out of Bouba's own past, and a massacre he was a part of. This story brings him full circle, as he owns up to what he did and attempts to make some sort of atonement for it.
Bouba is a biracial man, with a French father, and is able to pass for white (or "dieman," in this book's vernacular). This plays into the internal struggle he goes through. Revolution is brewing in the city, and Bouba has to decide if he is going to throw in his lot with the rebels. The guilt over his past is a big part of his character arc.
The fantasy element of this story--that there are some natives of this unnamed country who have superhero qualities, i.e. they can "Float" (or fly, rather) like Superman, and the internal organs that allow them to do this can be removed from their bodies and repurposed as bombs--didn't really work for me. It was an awkward kludge over the rest of the story, to say the least. The private-eye-noir part, along with the commentary on colonialism and racism, didn't need this magical-realism poofery. In the end, that dragged the entire story down for me.
Since I've tried this author three times now and not really clicked with his work, I think that's it. Obviously he's finding his audience, but unfortunately, I'm not part of it.
Read
October 12, 2025I DNF'd this after picking it off the library's shelves. I was interested in the noir in West Africa theme, but found the worldbuilding to just not work for me. It was an interesting spin on colonialism - it seemed that a lot of French people were moving to the place in the book, which may (?) have happened in Algeria (North Africa) but didn't really happen in Togo (West Africa), where I lived. And in a spin on how colonial economics works, the narrator owes interest on his school fees, instead of how colonizers imposed taxes onto an agrarian economy and then forced people to build roads to pay off their tax debt.
So that much was interesting, but there were too many undefined terms for me to understand what was going on; and usually this isn't a problem for me. Also I just couldn't care very much about what was happening. I like Chandler and Djèli Clark, but this didn't work for me. A little too world-weary, perhaps?
So, a book with interesting ideas, but not one that I care particularly about finishing. 10/10/25
So that much was interesting, but there were too many undefined terms for me to understand what was going on; and usually this isn't a problem for me. Also I just couldn't care very much about what was happening. I like Chandler and Djèli Clark, but this didn't work for me. A little too world-weary, perhaps?
So, a book with interesting ideas, but not one that I care particularly about finishing. 10/10/25
February 24, 2025
I received this book in a goodreads giveaway and I'm leaving an honest review of the book.
I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book but overall found it to be interesting and unique.
The Noir style really shines through with the writing style. It really does feel like you're in one of those old Noir films with the narration and lingo. That being said, it does start get a little tiring real fast. Otherwise, I thought the premise and characters were interesting. It's also a rather short novel so it's quick to get through.
I really learned a lot from this book. It had me googling words and time periods like crazy. Since this story took place in West Africa there was lot's of words, names, concepts, and history I wasn't familiar with. For example, I had no idea Tarboosh was the Turkish word for a Fez and I went down an entire rabbit hole about Fez's, their meaning, where they originated from, how they where used in religion, etc. I also learned about Muslim influence in West Africa as well as the French occupation and their rule over 8 to 9 different countries up until 1958.
So, overall a very interesting read. However, I'm unsure whether I would recommend it or not just because the writing style is what I would call an acquired taste. If the concept sounds interesting to you then definitely pick it up. If you don't like the nior type narration or you don't like political themes then you're probably not going to enjoy this book.
I wasn't really sure what to expect with this book but overall found it to be interesting and unique.
The Noir style really shines through with the writing style. It really does feel like you're in one of those old Noir films with the narration and lingo. That being said, it does start get a little tiring real fast. Otherwise, I thought the premise and characters were interesting. It's also a rather short novel so it's quick to get through.
I really learned a lot from this book. It had me googling words and time periods like crazy. Since this story took place in West Africa there was lot's of words, names, concepts, and history I wasn't familiar with. For example, I had no idea Tarboosh was the Turkish word for a Fez and I went down an entire rabbit hole about Fez's, their meaning, where they originated from, how they where used in religion, etc. I also learned about Muslim influence in West Africa as well as the French occupation and their rule over 8 to 9 different countries up until 1958.
So, overall a very interesting read. However, I'm unsure whether I would recommend it or not just because the writing style is what I would call an acquired taste. If the concept sounds interesting to you then definitely pick it up. If you don't like the nior type narration or you don't like political themes then you're probably not going to enjoy this book.
January 18, 2026
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: colonization
3.5
I’m always interested in genre blending, and in particular I’m always interested in speculative noir. That was the selling point of this book for me, and it does indeed deliver. The feeling of fantasy noir is strong in this story, and it does a good job making that atmosphere one you can feel enveloped in.
I thought that the colonization and revolution portion of the story was also very impactful, and gave things a more realistic tilt.
I also just generally enjoyed the world building of the floating- everything about that is interesting, even if I don’t totally understand it, even at this point.
But, I need so much more context. I left this book feeling like I should have had supplemental materials in hand. I am confused, and it feels like there’s elements entirely missing here.
I also would have loved some information on the Sordassi earlier than the ⅘ way through mark.
I also, while enjoying the noir, did feel the book’s speed slacken as things became focused on property law and war crimes and the specifics of the law and politics. It just slowed down quite a bit, and didn’t keep me quite as invested. Eventually, I did feel myself lose nearly all interest, and it's hard to say if it was the plot or a very inconvenient time.
TW: colonization
3.5
I’m always interested in genre blending, and in particular I’m always interested in speculative noir. That was the selling point of this book for me, and it does indeed deliver. The feeling of fantasy noir is strong in this story, and it does a good job making that atmosphere one you can feel enveloped in.
I thought that the colonization and revolution portion of the story was also very impactful, and gave things a more realistic tilt.
I also just generally enjoyed the world building of the floating- everything about that is interesting, even if I don’t totally understand it, even at this point.
But, I need so much more context. I left this book feeling like I should have had supplemental materials in hand. I am confused, and it feels like there’s elements entirely missing here.
I also would have loved some information on the Sordassi earlier than the ⅘ way through mark.
I also, while enjoying the noir, did feel the book’s speed slacken as things became focused on property law and war crimes and the specifics of the law and politics. It just slowed down quite a bit, and didn’t keep me quite as invested. Eventually, I did feel myself lose nearly all interest, and it's hard to say if it was the plot or a very inconvenient time.
November 6, 2025
I went into this book blind, unsure what exactly to expect. I was really excited when the story begins (as most classic noir stories do), with someone desperately seeking a private investigator at an ungodly hour, all of which inevitably draws our protagonist into a world of corruption and danger where nothing is as it seems. And that's pretty much exactly what I got.
Our narrator, Boubacar, is a man with a past navigating a city in turmoil. An upcoming election is pitting a man of the people against the incumbent puppet of the ruling classes. French colonialism of this unnamed African city/region/country have race relations constantly bubbling below the surface. The wartime atrocities of the invading French (and native people enlisted to serve their purposes) against the local populace is still fresh in people's minds. Corruption, poverty, and crime is the everyday environment in which our story takes place. And in the midst of it all, a young woman has been found dead, floating in the air.
There's so much of this story to like. The world feels alive with sand and spices and wrapped clothing. The action begins right away and slowly the world is revealed to the audience, along with certain terminology that feels authentic to the setting. In classic noir fashion, our main character is put through the ringer, accosted by criminals, the police, the French peacekeepers, and more. Boubacar leans on his connections and grit to investigate and demand answers. While the world as presented can be bleak, there is a underlying current of hope that seems to resonate within the pages. Of wrongs being put right. Of justice being served. Of forgiveness.
There's also the supernatural element of people (and items) found floating in the air. It's a really interesting concept that has me questioning its overall use in the story. It lends a extraordinary flair to what would otherwise be a straightforward crime noir story. It also seems possible to write this story without this concept at all, so I'm curious if there's some aspect to it that I'm not fully considering, or a message or theme that has eluded me.
My only real critique of this story is that I felt a little unsure of the world in which the story takes place. The setting itself is vibrant and well described, but since the area isn't named at any point, I wasn't sure if we were seeing a fantastic alternative history of a real place or something totally different. I looked up some of the words to describe the locals and was informed that they are not real, so that thankfully answered that question, but I think a name of an obviously fake location could have clarified that easily too. I'd also say it's hard to gauge the exact date. Since French colonialism in Africa peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (according to Google), I presumably assumed the year to be around then. And yet there was language that appeared to be somewhat modern at times. Our narrator makes a baseball reference at some point, which seems out of place (although I don't know enough about the history and popularity of baseball to comment on it definitively). A date or year could have helped clear up the confusion and given just a bit more context in which this area lives and breathes.
Overall this was an enjoyable ride and a pleasant surprise. It's always fun when stories of diverse places and genres are combined to create something truly unique and entertaining.
Our narrator, Boubacar, is a man with a past navigating a city in turmoil. An upcoming election is pitting a man of the people against the incumbent puppet of the ruling classes. French colonialism of this unnamed African city/region/country have race relations constantly bubbling below the surface. The wartime atrocities of the invading French (and native people enlisted to serve their purposes) against the local populace is still fresh in people's minds. Corruption, poverty, and crime is the everyday environment in which our story takes place. And in the midst of it all, a young woman has been found dead, floating in the air.
There's so much of this story to like. The world feels alive with sand and spices and wrapped clothing. The action begins right away and slowly the world is revealed to the audience, along with certain terminology that feels authentic to the setting. In classic noir fashion, our main character is put through the ringer, accosted by criminals, the police, the French peacekeepers, and more. Boubacar leans on his connections and grit to investigate and demand answers. While the world as presented can be bleak, there is a underlying current of hope that seems to resonate within the pages. Of wrongs being put right. Of justice being served. Of forgiveness.
There's also the supernatural element of people (and items) found floating in the air. It's a really interesting concept that has me questioning its overall use in the story. It lends a extraordinary flair to what would otherwise be a straightforward crime noir story. It also seems possible to write this story without this concept at all, so I'm curious if there's some aspect to it that I'm not fully considering, or a message or theme that has eluded me.
My only real critique of this story is that I felt a little unsure of the world in which the story takes place. The setting itself is vibrant and well described, but since the area isn't named at any point, I wasn't sure if we were seeing a fantastic alternative history of a real place or something totally different. I looked up some of the words to describe the locals and was informed that they are not real, so that thankfully answered that question, but I think a name of an obviously fake location could have clarified that easily too. I'd also say it's hard to gauge the exact date. Since French colonialism in Africa peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (according to Google), I presumably assumed the year to be around then. And yet there was language that appeared to be somewhat modern at times. Our narrator makes a baseball reference at some point, which seems out of place (although I don't know enough about the history and popularity of baseball to comment on it definitively). A date or year could have helped clear up the confusion and given just a bit more context in which this area lives and breathes.
Overall this was an enjoyable ride and a pleasant surprise. It's always fun when stories of diverse places and genres are combined to create something truly unique and entertaining.
April 10, 2025
My thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an advance copy of this novel that takes place in a Western African country, colonized by the French, with winds of both natural and unnatural forces threatening to blow everything away, and a private detective who can walk in both worlds doing his best to figure out what is happening.
I have always felt that crime novels can really tell us a lot of who we are as a people. Nonfiction sometimes has an agenda, prove the forces of good use technology, or go to lengths to find murders. In fiction one knows within pages that every part of the system is corrupt, and no body cares. Except for that lone knight, male, female, it doesn't matter. That character not afraid to hit those mean streets, be it LA in the 30's, London in the Victorian Age, a fantasy world, even a West African nation, colonized by the French, who still use a heavy hand. A character who no matter how much they have given up, how knocked down they get, how many lies they have to carry, still tries to do what is right. Crime novels tell us much about who we are as a people, how low we can descend, and how hard it is to do right. Even when one is caught between worlds in more ways than one. Harmattan Season is by award-winning author Tochi Onyebuchi and tells of a private detective who starts with a simple quest to find a missing body, and finds himself caught in a battle that might lift the lid, literally of his homeland.
Boubacar has a small room, over a smaller office in a building loaded with families, in a West African nation, currently under French control. Bouba, as people call him, is both a veteran, a private detective and what is called a deux fois, a person of both worlds. Bouba has gained a reputation for finding things, both for the people who live here, and the French who control the area. Recently Bouba has had a problem finding work, and his bills are even beginning to scare him. A knocking awakes him, a woman, bleeding from the stomach who speaks only a word or two, before the sounds of the police are heard. Bouba hides the woman, but she disappears, only to be found floating the middle of the city square, dead. Bouba is tasked to find out what is going on, for this woman is not the only body found floating, something that Bouba has not heard, which worries him. What could be so powerful, so strong, that no one is talking about 6 bodies. The more Bouba investigates, the more that he finds that something is going on, something much bigger that murder. As the winds of the Harmattan start to hit the city, Bouba is afraid that everything he knows will be blown away.
A mix of film noir, colonialism, and magical realism, all mixed well into a very tasty story. Onyebuchi is a very good writer, able to craft a world that seems slightly familiar, and yet different, mix in French influences, and hints of magic. Until the magic gets big. Bouba is a great character, and Onyebuchi does a good job of showing both his strong sense of responsibility, and the difficulties of being of two worlds. There is a scene where Bouba is being berated by a street thief and a school loan officer about his debts that really drives this point home. The story is good, the plot moves along, and is revealed slowly. Sometimes there is a little bit of an info dump, but even that makes sense in the way the story works.
I enjoyed the world, the mystery, the reasons why, and why Bouba does what he does. I love the influence of film noir, fantasy and a world that could exist. Onyebuchi is very good mixing all this, and crafting an intriguing and compelling story. This is the first I have read by Tochi Onyebuchi, but I look forward to reading many more.
I have always felt that crime novels can really tell us a lot of who we are as a people. Nonfiction sometimes has an agenda, prove the forces of good use technology, or go to lengths to find murders. In fiction one knows within pages that every part of the system is corrupt, and no body cares. Except for that lone knight, male, female, it doesn't matter. That character not afraid to hit those mean streets, be it LA in the 30's, London in the Victorian Age, a fantasy world, even a West African nation, colonized by the French, who still use a heavy hand. A character who no matter how much they have given up, how knocked down they get, how many lies they have to carry, still tries to do what is right. Crime novels tell us much about who we are as a people, how low we can descend, and how hard it is to do right. Even when one is caught between worlds in more ways than one. Harmattan Season is by award-winning author Tochi Onyebuchi and tells of a private detective who starts with a simple quest to find a missing body, and finds himself caught in a battle that might lift the lid, literally of his homeland.
Boubacar has a small room, over a smaller office in a building loaded with families, in a West African nation, currently under French control. Bouba, as people call him, is both a veteran, a private detective and what is called a deux fois, a person of both worlds. Bouba has gained a reputation for finding things, both for the people who live here, and the French who control the area. Recently Bouba has had a problem finding work, and his bills are even beginning to scare him. A knocking awakes him, a woman, bleeding from the stomach who speaks only a word or two, before the sounds of the police are heard. Bouba hides the woman, but she disappears, only to be found floating the middle of the city square, dead. Bouba is tasked to find out what is going on, for this woman is not the only body found floating, something that Bouba has not heard, which worries him. What could be so powerful, so strong, that no one is talking about 6 bodies. The more Bouba investigates, the more that he finds that something is going on, something much bigger that murder. As the winds of the Harmattan start to hit the city, Bouba is afraid that everything he knows will be blown away.
A mix of film noir, colonialism, and magical realism, all mixed well into a very tasty story. Onyebuchi is a very good writer, able to craft a world that seems slightly familiar, and yet different, mix in French influences, and hints of magic. Until the magic gets big. Bouba is a great character, and Onyebuchi does a good job of showing both his strong sense of responsibility, and the difficulties of being of two worlds. There is a scene where Bouba is being berated by a street thief and a school loan officer about his debts that really drives this point home. The story is good, the plot moves along, and is revealed slowly. Sometimes there is a little bit of an info dump, but even that makes sense in the way the story works.
I enjoyed the world, the mystery, the reasons why, and why Bouba does what he does. I love the influence of film noir, fantasy and a world that could exist. Onyebuchi is very good mixing all this, and crafting an intriguing and compelling story. This is the first I have read by Tochi Onyebuchi, but I look forward to reading many more.
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