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The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories
An unprecedented collection of the best of contemporary Black speculative fiction, featuring 20 mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, award-winning tales
Black speculative fiction has never been better than it is here and now. On the shoulders of Afrofuturist masters like Octavia E. Butler and Samuel R. Delany and pioneering visionaries before them, a new, abundant, and brilliant generation of contemporary writers, some of them just beginning their careers, is conjuring up a very real renaissance.
Edited by SF-expert andré carrington, and including Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winners alongside emerging and experimental voices, The Black Fantastic showcases the artistry of these breakout literary stars and celebrates the diversity of their talents.
Here are twenty mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, nerdy, terrifying, liberating, fantastic, utopian, surreal, genre-defying and empowering short stories, all of them worth reading and rereading now and far into futurity. Reclaiming histories of racism and oppression and seizing the day, these writers are forging kaleidoscopic new senses of Black identity, community, and imaginative freedom.
Black speculative fiction has never been better than it is here and now. On the shoulders of Afrofuturist masters like Octavia E. Butler and Samuel R. Delany and pioneering visionaries before them, a new, abundant, and brilliant generation of contemporary writers, some of them just beginning their careers, is conjuring up a very real renaissance.
Edited by SF-expert andré carrington, and including Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winners alongside emerging and experimental voices, The Black Fantastic showcases the artistry of these breakout literary stars and celebrates the diversity of their talents.
Here are twenty mindblowing, horror-strewn, weird, woke, nerdy, terrifying, liberating, fantastic, utopian, surreal, genre-defying and empowering short stories, all of them worth reading and rereading now and far into futurity. Reclaiming histories of racism and oppression and seizing the day, these writers are forging kaleidoscopic new senses of Black identity, community, and imaginative freedom.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2025
37 people are currently reading
434 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 5, 2025
Disappointing. Lots of mediocre stories with two or three I liked.
February 12, 2025
This is a reprint anthology of stories published in the past ten years or so by Black writers. Many of the stories are about some aspect of the Black experience, but not exclusively – some are just good SF or fantasy stories. What they have in common is in the anthology title: They're pretty fantastic.
I mean that in both senses of the word: The stories are really good, and they're quite fantastical. They can be pretty way-out-there in concept or effect. You have speculation based on a real sales document in “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djeli Clark, and 'Sanford and Sun' by Dawolu Jabari Anderson, which is a transcript of an imaginary TV show where the characters of Sanford and Son meet Sun Ra, the famous Afrofuturist.
There are 20 stories and not a dud in the bunch. I credit the editor Andre Carrington for carefully selecting some of the most prominent and exciting stories of the past decade or so.
I mean that in both senses of the word: The stories are really good, and they're quite fantastical. They can be pretty way-out-there in concept or effect. You have speculation based on a real sales document in “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington” by P. Djeli Clark, and 'Sanford and Sun' by Dawolu Jabari Anderson, which is a transcript of an imaginary TV show where the characters of Sanford and Son meet Sun Ra, the famous Afrofuturist.
There are 20 stories and not a dud in the bunch. I credit the editor Andre Carrington for carefully selecting some of the most prominent and exciting stories of the past decade or so.
Want to read
May 4, 2025Herbal, Nalo Hopkinson
All That Touches the Air, An Owomoyela
Bludgeon, Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai’I, Alaya Dawn Johnson
Sanford and Sun, Dawolu Jabari Anderson
A Song for You, Jennifer Marie Brissett
Tender, Sofia Samatar
The Malady of Need, Kiini Ibura Salaam
The Venus Effect, Violet Allen
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington, Phenderson Djèlí Clark
The Hospital Where, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Ones Who Stay and Fight, N. K. Jemisin
The Final Flight of the Unicorn Girl, Alex Smith
Calendar Girls, Justina Ireland
Shape-ups at Delilah’s, Rion Amilcar Scott
Habibi, Tochi Onyebuchi
Spyder Threads, Craig Laurance Gidney
The Orb, Tara Campbell
We Travel the Spaceways, Victor LaValle
Ruler of the Rear Guard, Maurice Broaddus
All That Touches the Air, An Owomoyela
Bludgeon, Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai’I, Alaya Dawn Johnson
Sanford and Sun, Dawolu Jabari Anderson
A Song for You, Jennifer Marie Brissett
Tender, Sofia Samatar
The Malady of Need, Kiini Ibura Salaam
The Venus Effect, Violet Allen
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington, Phenderson Djèlí Clark
The Hospital Where, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Ones Who Stay and Fight, N. K. Jemisin
The Final Flight of the Unicorn Girl, Alex Smith
Calendar Girls, Justina Ireland
Shape-ups at Delilah’s, Rion Amilcar Scott
Habibi, Tochi Onyebuchi
Spyder Threads, Craig Laurance Gidney
The Orb, Tara Campbell
We Travel the Spaceways, Victor LaValle
Ruler of the Rear Guard, Maurice Broaddus
dnf
March 4, 2025DNF at 50% ish. Not shocked to be DNFing because me and anthologies don’t get along well. The writing style varies so much.
Having said that, I’m glad this exists. I hope other readers enjoy it more than I did.
Of the ones I read, I really liked All That Touches the Air by An Owomoyela. Space horror vibes. I also enjoyed A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai’i by Alaya Dawn Johnson which was about a future with vampiric overlords.
Having said that, I’m glad this exists. I hope other readers enjoy it more than I did.
Of the ones I read, I really liked All That Touches the Air by An Owomoyela. Space horror vibes. I also enjoyed A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai’i by Alaya Dawn Johnson which was about a future with vampiric overlords.
June 13, 2025
Alright, you freaks, strap in for The Black Fantastic: 20 Afrofuturist Stories, a ballsy anthology curated by André M. Carrington that’s like a cosmic gut-punch to the stale, whitewashed sci-fi and horror canon. This ain’t your grandpa’s Twilight Zone knockoff. It’s a raw, vibrant showcase of Black imagination that swings from mind-blowing to occasionally meh. Carrington, a scholar who cracked open the soul of speculative fiction with his 2016 book Speculative Blackness, has assembled 20 stories that scream Afrofuturism, blending sci-fi, horror, and fantasy with the unapologetic pulse of African diasporic experience. Let’s rip into the hits and misses, because this collection’s got some bangers and a few duds that don’t quite stick the landing.
Carrington’s no lightweight. A UC Riverside professor with a PhD in African American Studies, he wrote Speculative Blackness, a book that tore apart the myth that sci-fi and fantasy are lily-white playgrounds. He dug into comics, Star Trek, and more, showing how Black folks have been crafting alternate realities forever, despite history’s boot on their necks. The Black Fantastic is his victory lap, a curated slap in the face to genre gatekeepers. He’s handpicked 20 stories, mostly from the last decade, to prove Black speculative fiction isn’t just a niche, it’s a goddamn force. Expect tales of aliens, vampires, cosmic cities, and ancestral spirits, all tied together by a fierce commitment to reimagining Black futures.
Standout Stories
Nalo Hopkinson’s “Herbal”
This short, surreal gem is a masterclass in hitting the ground running. An elephant crashes into a woman’s 15th-floor apartment, wrecking her TV and eating her thyme bush before floating off into the sky like a pachyderm balloon. Hopkinson’s prose is lush, dripping with sensory details. You can practically smell the elephant’s musky hide and the dirt from the uprooted plant. It’s a compact fever dream that blends wonder and unease, using the elephant as a metaphor for ancestral memory that refuses to be ignored. Why it’s great: Hopkinson doesn’t explain shit, and that’s the point. She trusts you to feel the weight of the inexplicable, making this a haunting, unforgettable opener that sets the anthology’s tone.
Phenderson Djèli Clark’s “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington”
Clark, a history professor by day, delivers a compact tour-de-force that’s equal parts horrifying and empowering. The story reimagines the barbaric reality of slavery through a speculative lens, focusing on the teeth of enslaved people used in George Washington’s dentures. Each tooth gets a mythic backstory, blending historical pain with magical reclamation. The prose is sharp, almost surgical, cutting deep into America’s founding sins without preaching. Why it’s great: Clark balances historical weight with speculative flair, creating a story that’s both a middle finger to sanitized narratives and a celebration of Black resilience. It’s tight, poignant, and leaves you wanting more.
N. K. Jemisin’s “The Ones Who Stay and Fight”
Jemisin, a Hugo-winning titan, revisits Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” to craft a utopian tale with a dark underbelly. Her world is a shimmering ideal of justice, but it’s haunted by questions of complicity and sacrifice. The prose is mythic, measured, and laced with quiet fury, pulling you into a society that’s both aspirational and flawed. Why it’s great: Jemisin doesn’t just tell a story; she forces you to wrestle with moral grayness. It’s a brilliant, politically charged piece that challenges you to think while delivering speculative chills.
Violet Allen’s “The Venus Effect”
This story is a genre-hopping middle finger to the violence of anti-Blackness. Allen flits through narrative styles—sci-fi, fantasy, noir—like a DJ spinning tracks, each one interrupted by the grim reality of police violence. The prose is frenetic, almost manic, but razor-sharp, making every shift feel like a punch to the gut. Why it’s great: Allen’s audacity to break form and confront real-world horrors head-on is electrifying. It’s a story that dares you to look away and knows you can’t.
Weaker Entries
Tara Campbell’s “The Orb”
Campbell’s story about a mysterious, growing orb has eco-horror vibes, hinting at Anthropocene anxieties, but it falls flat. The concept is intriguing, a sensuous, ambiguous entity that might swallow the world, but the execution leans too heavily on vagueness, leaving you with more questions than feels. The prose is poetic but lacks the emotional hook to make you care. Why it’s not so good: It’s all atmosphere, no payoff. You’re left shrugging, wondering what the point was, like ordering a burger and getting just the bun.
Jennifer Marie Brissett’s “A Song for You”
Brissett’s tale of a mourning AI has potential, echoing Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang, but it doesn’t quite gel. The idea of a sentient machine grappling with loss is cool, but the story feels underdeveloped, like a sketch that needed more pages to breathe. The prose is earnest but lacks the depth or bite of the anthology’s best. Why it’s not so good: It’s a solid concept that doesn’t dig deep enough, leaving you with a sense of “that’s it?” when the final note fades.
These stories, at their best, are a fucking revelation. They don’t just entertain, they rewrite the rules of speculative fiction, proving Black voices can dominate sci-fi, horror, and fantasy without apologizing. The anthology spans subgenres like sci-fi horror, dystopia, cosmic horror, dark fantasy, gothic, supernatural, and more, all filtered through an Afrofuturist lens that celebrates Black resilience and imagination. Carrington’s curation is a tightrope walk, balancing heavyweights like Jemisin and LaValle with newcomers like Alex Smith, and his introduction is a fiery manifesto that frames these tales as a continuation of a centuries-long tradition of Black speculative storytelling. The weaker stories, while not terrible, feel like they’re coasting on ambition without the emotional or narrative heft to match the anthology’s peaks.
The Black Fantastic is a standout. The best stories hit hard, blending speculative brilliance with raw emotional power. The weaker ones don’t derail the train but slow it down, lacking the punch or polish to match. Nonetheless, it’s a vital, kickass collection that demands a spot on your shelf.
TL;DR: The Black Fantastic is a bold, brilliant anthology that showcases Afrofuturism’s power to reshape sci-fi and horror. With standout stories that hit like a supernova and a few that fizzle, it’s a must-read for anyone who craves daring, unapologetic fiction.
Recommended for: Weirdos who want their brains scrambled by Black speculative genius, like a cosmic griot spinning tales at a punk rock bonfire.
Not recommended for: Dullards who think horror is just jump scares or sci-fi is only for dudes building lightsabers in their mom’s basement.
Carrington’s no lightweight. A UC Riverside professor with a PhD in African American Studies, he wrote Speculative Blackness, a book that tore apart the myth that sci-fi and fantasy are lily-white playgrounds. He dug into comics, Star Trek, and more, showing how Black folks have been crafting alternate realities forever, despite history’s boot on their necks. The Black Fantastic is his victory lap, a curated slap in the face to genre gatekeepers. He’s handpicked 20 stories, mostly from the last decade, to prove Black speculative fiction isn’t just a niche, it’s a goddamn force. Expect tales of aliens, vampires, cosmic cities, and ancestral spirits, all tied together by a fierce commitment to reimagining Black futures.
Standout Stories
Nalo Hopkinson’s “Herbal”
This short, surreal gem is a masterclass in hitting the ground running. An elephant crashes into a woman’s 15th-floor apartment, wrecking her TV and eating her thyme bush before floating off into the sky like a pachyderm balloon. Hopkinson’s prose is lush, dripping with sensory details. You can practically smell the elephant’s musky hide and the dirt from the uprooted plant. It’s a compact fever dream that blends wonder and unease, using the elephant as a metaphor for ancestral memory that refuses to be ignored. Why it’s great: Hopkinson doesn’t explain shit, and that’s the point. She trusts you to feel the weight of the inexplicable, making this a haunting, unforgettable opener that sets the anthology’s tone.
Phenderson Djèli Clark’s “The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington”
Clark, a history professor by day, delivers a compact tour-de-force that’s equal parts horrifying and empowering. The story reimagines the barbaric reality of slavery through a speculative lens, focusing on the teeth of enslaved people used in George Washington’s dentures. Each tooth gets a mythic backstory, blending historical pain with magical reclamation. The prose is sharp, almost surgical, cutting deep into America’s founding sins without preaching. Why it’s great: Clark balances historical weight with speculative flair, creating a story that’s both a middle finger to sanitized narratives and a celebration of Black resilience. It’s tight, poignant, and leaves you wanting more.
N. K. Jemisin’s “The Ones Who Stay and Fight”
Jemisin, a Hugo-winning titan, revisits Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” to craft a utopian tale with a dark underbelly. Her world is a shimmering ideal of justice, but it’s haunted by questions of complicity and sacrifice. The prose is mythic, measured, and laced with quiet fury, pulling you into a society that’s both aspirational and flawed. Why it’s great: Jemisin doesn’t just tell a story; she forces you to wrestle with moral grayness. It’s a brilliant, politically charged piece that challenges you to think while delivering speculative chills.
Violet Allen’s “The Venus Effect”
This story is a genre-hopping middle finger to the violence of anti-Blackness. Allen flits through narrative styles—sci-fi, fantasy, noir—like a DJ spinning tracks, each one interrupted by the grim reality of police violence. The prose is frenetic, almost manic, but razor-sharp, making every shift feel like a punch to the gut. Why it’s great: Allen’s audacity to break form and confront real-world horrors head-on is electrifying. It’s a story that dares you to look away and knows you can’t.
Weaker Entries
Tara Campbell’s “The Orb”
Campbell’s story about a mysterious, growing orb has eco-horror vibes, hinting at Anthropocene anxieties, but it falls flat. The concept is intriguing, a sensuous, ambiguous entity that might swallow the world, but the execution leans too heavily on vagueness, leaving you with more questions than feels. The prose is poetic but lacks the emotional hook to make you care. Why it’s not so good: It’s all atmosphere, no payoff. You’re left shrugging, wondering what the point was, like ordering a burger and getting just the bun.
Jennifer Marie Brissett’s “A Song for You”
Brissett’s tale of a mourning AI has potential, echoing Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang, but it doesn’t quite gel. The idea of a sentient machine grappling with loss is cool, but the story feels underdeveloped, like a sketch that needed more pages to breathe. The prose is earnest but lacks the depth or bite of the anthology’s best. Why it’s not so good: It’s a solid concept that doesn’t dig deep enough, leaving you with a sense of “that’s it?” when the final note fades.
These stories, at their best, are a fucking revelation. They don’t just entertain, they rewrite the rules of speculative fiction, proving Black voices can dominate sci-fi, horror, and fantasy without apologizing. The anthology spans subgenres like sci-fi horror, dystopia, cosmic horror, dark fantasy, gothic, supernatural, and more, all filtered through an Afrofuturist lens that celebrates Black resilience and imagination. Carrington’s curation is a tightrope walk, balancing heavyweights like Jemisin and LaValle with newcomers like Alex Smith, and his introduction is a fiery manifesto that frames these tales as a continuation of a centuries-long tradition of Black speculative storytelling. The weaker stories, while not terrible, feel like they’re coasting on ambition without the emotional or narrative heft to match the anthology’s peaks.
The Black Fantastic is a standout. The best stories hit hard, blending speculative brilliance with raw emotional power. The weaker ones don’t derail the train but slow it down, lacking the punch or polish to match. Nonetheless, it’s a vital, kickass collection that demands a spot on your shelf.
TL;DR: The Black Fantastic is a bold, brilliant anthology that showcases Afrofuturism’s power to reshape sci-fi and horror. With standout stories that hit like a supernova and a few that fizzle, it’s a must-read for anyone who craves daring, unapologetic fiction.
Recommended for: Weirdos who want their brains scrambled by Black speculative genius, like a cosmic griot spinning tales at a punk rock bonfire.
Not recommended for: Dullards who think horror is just jump scares or sci-fi is only for dudes building lightsabers in their mom’s basement.
Read
April 27, 2025Due back at the library, didn't get to all the stories. I'd pick it up again in the future (no pun intended).
April 17, 2025
A fantastic read! I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Masterfully written. Original story structures. Creative plots. So much more than elves and spacemen. And, yes, it's true: 9 of George Washington's teeth were purchased from enslaved people. Google it if you don't believe me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2025
some good stories some bad. Probably wont read it again but I enjoyed parts of it
April 1, 2025
ALL BANGERS! NO SKIPS!
Faves (in no order):
- the venus effect (!!)
- bludgeon
- habibi ( FREE PALESTINE )
- calendar girls
- the orb (!!!!)
Faves (in no order):
- the venus effect (!!)
- bludgeon
- habibi ( FREE PALESTINE )
- calendar girls
- the orb (!!!!)
February 21, 2025
4.5 outstanding collection of stories. Carrington brought together some heavy hitters but some of the best stories were from authors I have never heard of. Standouts are Bludgeon by Thaddeus Howze, Sanford and Sun by Dawolu Jabari Anderson, The Venus Effect by Violet Allen, The Orb by Tara Campbell, and We Travel the Spaceways by Victor Lavalle
May 8, 2025
really wonderful collection. I love the integration of a range of pre-colonial and post-colonial cultural influence and there are so many hard hitting narratives delivered fluidly. My absolute favorites are as follows:
All that touches the air: Reminds me of a Bradbury tale. I love the character development and descriptive writing. Effortless to imagine and read and feel. Genuinely in love with the author now and grateful to discover them through this. A wonderful metaphor for self discovery and growth reflected in a less progressive (even less ethical?) society.
The Venus effect: Wow! what voice! so humorous, so well representative of a range of action stories. A wonderful medium to explore the reverse deus ex machina feeling of hopelessness in the face of meaningless loss due to the horrors of white supremacist institution. Also in love with this author.
Habibi: Straight up cried in the subway reading this. A magical connection between a dying boy and a boy trying not to. Their emotional growth and reflection and trauma accelerated maturity is so clear and I was so touched they grew soft and close because of each other despite their challenges. Incredibly touching. My heart hurts. An apt comparison to make and well executed with immense feeling.
I also enjoyed Calendar Girls, Shape-ups at Delilah's, and We Travel the Spaceways a ton.
If you enjoy the old generations of speculative fiction and short story collections I highly recommend adding these authors to your collection.
All that touches the air: Reminds me of a Bradbury tale. I love the character development and descriptive writing. Effortless to imagine and read and feel. Genuinely in love with the author now and grateful to discover them through this. A wonderful metaphor for self discovery and growth reflected in a less progressive (even less ethical?) society.
The Venus effect: Wow! what voice! so humorous, so well representative of a range of action stories. A wonderful medium to explore the reverse deus ex machina feeling of hopelessness in the face of meaningless loss due to the horrors of white supremacist institution. Also in love with this author.
Habibi: Straight up cried in the subway reading this. A magical connection between a dying boy and a boy trying not to. Their emotional growth and reflection and trauma accelerated maturity is so clear and I was so touched they grew soft and close because of each other despite their challenges. Incredibly touching. My heart hurts. An apt comparison to make and well executed with immense feeling.
I also enjoyed Calendar Girls, Shape-ups at Delilah's, and We Travel the Spaceways a ton.
If you enjoy the old generations of speculative fiction and short story collections I highly recommend adding these authors to your collection.
Read
August 21, 2025Notable standouts:
“Bludgeon”: Cute. And by cute I mean a liked it, but didn’t love it. Simple, fairly short.
“The Venus Effect”: I have started to become exhausted of depictions of police brutality as of late just because of how they’re done, that’s a whole other conversation, but this one was written in a time where the genre was fairly new. With that being said I really appreciated the strong voice that was evoked in this one. It was an interesting read purely based on the meta nature of this story—making the writer themselves the true protagonist. Quite a resonant way to discuss police brutality.
“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington”: Really appreciated the characterization (and ultimately humanization) that was brought into the story amidst the subject matter being the ways in which enslaved folk were dehumanized and brutalized. Had this completely justified and rewarding haunting energy.
“The Hospital Where”: Quite interesting. Utterly beautiful and eerie depiction on what it means to be a creative. Through pain and suffering. Through seeing it.
“Calendar Girls”: Was somewhat intrigued.
“Habibi”: Seems to be a reader’s favorite and rightfully so. Just beautiful. Heart breaking, tender, and beautiful. Humanizing some of the most marginalized populations in our world today. Connecting the two was a masterful mechanism to show that oppression all over the world and all around us in general has always and will always be connected.
“Bludgeon”: Cute. And by cute I mean a liked it, but didn’t love it. Simple, fairly short.
“The Venus Effect”: I have started to become exhausted of depictions of police brutality as of late just because of how they’re done, that’s a whole other conversation, but this one was written in a time where the genre was fairly new. With that being said I really appreciated the strong voice that was evoked in this one. It was an interesting read purely based on the meta nature of this story—making the writer themselves the true protagonist. Quite a resonant way to discuss police brutality.
“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington”: Really appreciated the characterization (and ultimately humanization) that was brought into the story amidst the subject matter being the ways in which enslaved folk were dehumanized and brutalized. Had this completely justified and rewarding haunting energy.
“The Hospital Where”: Quite interesting. Utterly beautiful and eerie depiction on what it means to be a creative. Through pain and suffering. Through seeing it.
“Calendar Girls”: Was somewhat intrigued.
“Habibi”: Seems to be a reader’s favorite and rightfully so. Just beautiful. Heart breaking, tender, and beautiful. Humanizing some of the most marginalized populations in our world today. Connecting the two was a masterful mechanism to show that oppression all over the world and all around us in general has always and will always be connected.
September 25, 2025
3.75 - I either loved a story or struggled to complete/become invested.
Faves:
Introduction by Andre M. Carrington (OK, so this isn't a short story but I really love Andre's introduction. He sets the tone magnificently)
Herbal by Nalo Hopkinson
Bludgeon by Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Sanford and Sun by Dawdle Jabri Anderson
A Song for You by Jennifer Marie Brissett (perhaps the the most memorable, in my opinion)
The Secret Lives of The Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington by Phenderson Djeli Clark
The Hospital Where by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin (is anyone surprised she'd be a fave?)
Calendar Girls by Justina Ireland (I want a whole book of this)
Shape-Ups at Delilah's by Rion Amilcar Scott
Ruler of The Rear Guard by Maurice Broaddus
Faves:
Introduction by Andre M. Carrington (OK, so this isn't a short story but I really love Andre's introduction. He sets the tone magnificently)
Herbal by Nalo Hopkinson
Bludgeon by Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Sanford and Sun by Dawdle Jabri Anderson
A Song for You by Jennifer Marie Brissett (perhaps the the most memorable, in my opinion)
The Secret Lives of The Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington by Phenderson Djeli Clark
The Hospital Where by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
The Ones Who Stay and Fight by N.K. Jemisin (is anyone surprised she'd be a fave?)
Calendar Girls by Justina Ireland (I want a whole book of this)
Shape-Ups at Delilah's by Rion Amilcar Scott
Ruler of The Rear Guard by Maurice Broaddus
April 27, 2025
This anthology did all that I could ask by showcasing an eclectic group of very talented Black writers
with an amazing variety of tales to tell. It both entertains and informs the reader, allowing them to think about a wide array of topics. The editor prefaced the collection with a scholarly exploration and introduction that set the tone of the offerings that followed. I found every story compelling and enjoyed viewpoints quite different from my own.
with an amazing variety of tales to tell. It both entertains and informs the reader, allowing them to think about a wide array of topics. The editor prefaced the collection with a scholarly exploration and introduction that set the tone of the offerings that followed. I found every story compelling and enjoyed viewpoints quite different from my own.
February 28, 2025
liked - herbal, all that touches the air, bludgeon, a guide to the fruits of hawai’i, tender, the venus effect, the secret lives of the nine negro teeth of george washington, the final flight of the unicorn girl, calendar girls.
June 20, 2025
This is an amazing collection of thematically-balanced and creative stories. Carrington’s curation is top notch, and I’m sure he could compile a few volumes. I was happy to savor this one over a few months.
May 6, 2025
A truly excellent anthology of speculative fiction by Black writers. Its tutelary spirits are Octavia Butler and Sun Ra.
July 7, 2025
loved pretty much all these stories. a great and varied collection.
July 29, 2025
Each tale is an incredible tapestry of originality, insight, and relevance.
December 21, 2025
Some stories I really enjoyed, others I felt meh about.
July 2, 2025
All That Touches the Air by An Owomoyela
Bludgeon by Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson
The Venus Effect by Violet Allen
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington P. Djeli Clark
Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi
Spyder Threads by Craig Laurence Gidney
We Travel the Spaceways by Victor Lavalle
Bludgeon by Thaddeus Howze
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson
The Venus Effect by Violet Allen
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington P. Djeli Clark
Habibi by Tochi Onyebuchi
Spyder Threads by Craig Laurence Gidney
We Travel the Spaceways by Victor Lavalle
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews