The Fist of Memory

by Wole Talabi

Fist Of Memory is simultaneously a near-future thriller and a meditation on the nature of memory, legacy, and connectedness.

When a strange and non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the night sky, approaching Earth at an impossible velocity, the established world order is thrown into turmoil.

But for Tope, a principled and extremely effective Nigerian assassin with a bionic arm and talent for lethality who works for anyone willing to pay her oga - the mysterious witchdoctor known only as 'Baba' - it's all just business as usual. That is, until a routine job goes sideways, and she gets caught up in a high stakes game of power and politics.

Tope is joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer who has seen her and the alien craft in his dreams and, like her, is haunted by a complicated past. Now they must both survive long enough to navigate their way through the maze of competing agendas and understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever.

But it won't be easy. There are powerful, sinister forces determined to kill them, including a strange and motivated supernatural assassin obsessed with a single memory . . .

A gripping thriller, this sensational new novel from multi-award winner Wole Talabi is your next SF obsession, perfect for fans of DISTRICT 9 and CHAPPIE.

Genres: Science Fiction

416 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 27, 2026

About the author

Wole Talabi is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria. He is the author of the acclaimed fantasy novel SHIGIDI AND THE BRASS HEAD OF OBALUFON, which was nominated for the Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy awards; and the sci-fi thriller THE FIST OF MEMORY. His short fiction has appeared in places like Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, and The Africa Risen anthology and is collected in CONVERGENCE PROBLEMS and INCOMPLETE SOLUTIONS. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nommo, BSFA, Sidewise, Ignyte and Crawford awards, as well as the Caine Prize for African Writing. He has edited five anthologies. He likes scuba diving, elegant equations, and oddly shaped things. He currently lives in Perth, Australia. Find him at wtalabi.wordpress.com and at @wtalabi online.

Reviews

[Will Swardstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This review can also be found at: https://fanfiaddict.com/review-the-fi...
****

If you’re reading this review, chances are that you are well indoctrinated in “American” culture, where all the villains strike at the heart of New York City or Washington D.C.; the zombie apocalypse originates in Atlanta; and all the aliens visit white English-speaking people from western-civilizations (probably Americans). Considering the United States supplies just over 4% of the world’s population, we really do have an oversized view of ourselves, don’t we?

So when Wole Talabi’s new novel, The Fist of Memory puts a first contact situation firmly in Africa -- Nigeria namely -- it’s refreshing and enlightening about what possibilities are out there for other stories in the future. Those stories can absolutely exist and be great, but there is a bit of a step of faith that we Americans have to take to engage with them and allow them to get past our own filters and biases.

As for The Fist of Memory, it absolutely is a first-contact story, but there is a technothriller that dominates a good chunk of its pages, providing an action-packed near-future thriller that works in multiple ways. Talabi takes science and technology and juxtaposes them with faith and tradition in a brilliant way that spoke to me almost on a spiritual level.

At the core of the story are three seemingly disconnected characters -- Itumeleng, the South African astronomer who first discovers the aliens approaching Earth; Tope, an assassin-for-hire who seemingly has some morals; and Ahanna, a killer who has just one mission left. For the reader, it feels like the characters of Tope and Ahanna must have some sort of connection, but it takes a while in the book to find out what that is.

For me, Itumeleng is the primary protagonist. A man who is dominated by science and technology and has given up on the traditions and faith of his family. But something is reaching out -- trying to communicate through the vast distances of space. For Itumeleng, the tug of his past against the inertia of his present are the forces at play throughout. In some ways, I couldn’t help but think of the M. Night Shyamalan movie Signs as I read this novel. Yes, they’re both first contact stories, but they play out in very different ways. However, the role of faith has a profound impact on both stories and I felt similar vibes as I got into the heart of The Fist of Memory.

This book has something to say about faith and science together. Itumeleng’s ancestral faith and traditions may seem like a relic of the past, but when he needs them the most, they are right at hand ready to work hand-in-hand with the unknown future.

Ultimately, this is a very African story as well. The names might be hard for Western audiences and the locations may be unfamiliar, but the themes, action, and tropes should be familiar to readers. There are very few chapters that take place outside of the continent -- and frankly most of those are presenting the alien POV from space. The Fist of Memory doesn’t shy away from some of the stereotypical corruption you might find in post-colonial African governments (playing a key part in Tope and Ahanna’s stories), but also shows a future where Nigeria is center-stage in astronomy and space technology.

I found The Fist of Memory to be intellectually and spiritually stimulating as well as refreshing for its take on geopolitics, putting the focus of a first contact situation away from North America. I highly recommend the latest from Wole Talabi, out on Oct. 27, 2026.

Thank you to DAW for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, hats off to Talabi for the simple scope of what he pulls off here. We get what seems like a combination of a revenge tale and a first contact tale, but it ends up being so much more than just that. Talabi takes a hard look at the cycles of vengeance and asks "what would it take to put a stop to this, and what does healing in these deeply complex cases actually look like"? At about the halfway mark is when what the book is actually about becomes clear, and all I can encourage is to go in blind. Comes out in October, and highly recommended when it does.

[David Agranoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Video link For my interview with Wole..
https://youtu.be/sXu8W2K2R9A

Audio links
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bzF...

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

I don’t remember where I first heard of this book. As science fiction writers along the way Wole Talbi and I got connected on Facebook and Blue Sky. I have not read his first novel, Shigi and Brass Head of Obalufon, which he describes as an urban fantasy inspired by the Nigerian culture he grew up in. I know why I was interested, as I have had a long-standing affection for all things Nigerian SF, and not just Nnedi Okorafor, although she is fantastic; Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi was one of my absolute favorite reads of 2022.

Another Nigerian SF writer was welcome for sure. The Fist of Memory didn’t disappoint; the best way I think to describe it might be John Woo meets Arthur C. Clarke in Africa. It is certainly one of my favorite books I have read this year. A bullet opera that manages to combine a first contact story, noir, African cyberpunk, and hints of African magic.

The novel has storylines and elements that seem unconnected but weave together at the end. That said, the woman at the center of the story is Tope.

“Here's the thing about killing people; I don't like it, but I'm good at it.

That's why I'm perched on a dusty rooftop, ensconced in an electromagnetic reflection bubble, patiently waiting to kill reverend Dr. Clement Osagie.”

The novel opens in the point of view of this assassin, but after that Talabi intentionally breaks the rules, by telling the other chapters in third person. I admit this choice rattled me at first. Anyone who reads my reviews knows I am not a fan of first person. This was an interesting choice that I assume was made to signal the importance of Tope. I am sure we will talk about it during the interview for the podcast (coming soon)

She is involved in an excellent cat-and-mouse story with another assassin who works for a criminal boss/ witch doctor Baba. The story of a contract killing gone wrong is like a power chord that a portion of this novel is structured on.

At this point, you might be wondering when this becomes a SF novel…

“It is.” Daniel sighs. But maybe it's for the best. We don't have the luxury of curiosity or time period; whatever this object is, it is already within the orbit of Jupiter, and even if it keeps decelerating, which we can't be certain that it will, we don't know what its final velocity will be. Every minute we spend gathering data and debating our options reduces the chance of success even further. We may not know what it is, but we know it poses an existential threat.”

A South African Astronomer named Itumeleng has discovered an object coming from interstellar space toward earth. It is clearly a spacecraft, changing direction. Itumeleng doesn’t have to be convinced as the craft seems to be communicating with him and only him, at first through his dreams.

This Itumeleng storyline in the first few chapters it seems like a different story, but the threads come together. Once we get back into the Tope story the action picks up. We get some really interesting details about her employer Baba, and the politics of this future Nigeria when Tope appears to be hired by her target. Once she starts making choices there are consequences.

“This is trouble.

Heat rises behind my eyes. Reaching under my seat with my right hand to retrieve my Beretta, I see three men clamor out of the Mercedes. Their jerky, uncoordinated movements indicate intoxication. They are wearing crude handmade masks, and new, clean tactical body armor is obviously stolen like the classic cars.

Armed robbers.

The kind that park in the bushes with EM scramblers, smoking ganja, drinking ogooro, and chewing kola, waiting for motorists to waylay like trolls hiding under a bridge.”

The mix of African cyberpunk elements and the very Hong Kong film killer makes for a very interesting turn on the bullet opera. Tope being a woman, a fierce one creates some of the excellent dynamics.

“Man, woman, fish, or ugwa leaf, I don’t give a fuck what you are; you think you can come kill our oga like that abi?”

Eventually, Top and Itumeleng meet in the story, as you would expect; humanity tries to destroy the spacecraft, but as you can imagine, that doesn’t save the day.

“Yeah. Turns out panicking and firing shalligram was a waste of time. Or perhaps the attack prompted it to change plan. Either way, after that crazy maneuver, its deceleration rate dropped. Simulations now show a ninety-nine percent chance of gravitational capture.” She'd gone from frantic to angry to crying and back to frantic again.

“Itumeleng, I think it's very clear now this isn't some random object, or a missile hurled at us by a dangerous intelligence. That movement, the way it evaded shalligram, it's almost certainly a piloted alien craft. You know what this means, don't you?”

Well, I didn’t know what this meant because the third act came as a big shock. The third act is earned, and certainly enough happens in the closing chapters for an entire novel. The ending is also similar to a recent TV show (They couldn’t have known of each other).

The Fist of Memory is a fantastic career-defining sophomore novel. Wole Talabi has lived with this novel a long time and it feels like it. It is wonderfully thought-out. As a structure guy, I love how wonderfully plotted this feels. One of the best new releases I have read for sure.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Astronomers discover a distant object in the solar system, headed directly towards Earth... and this is no accidental impact, but rather an alien space craft coming to contact the Earth and change anything. A South African astronomer studying the object is troubled by dreams that connect him back to the faith he left behind in favor of science finds himself caught up in something he doesn't understand... including a conflict between two assassins in Nigeria, one a who has decided to take on a contract out of mercy and compassion, and another who is single-mindedly in pursuit of revenge.

Disclaimer: I was able to review an advanced galley copy of this book through Netgalley. I don't believe it affected my review.

The initial description of this led me to believe it was a first contact tale... and it is, in its way, but it's not the type where the plot is really ABOUT dealing with learning about these particular aliens and seeing the ways they're different and the same and such. They're almost a background to the plot, something that is approaching in the background, and taking a more major role towards the end of the book, but not really what the story is about. The book really focuses on these three human characters, whose lives are impacted by the discovery of the approaching alien ship in smaller ways. It's a good example of Africanfuturism, sci-fi that centers African perspectives and characters, and normally I'm all for that, but... I tend to have one stumbling block, in that I generally don't like mixing my sci-fi with magic. And like a lot of books that fall under the umbrella, this story has no problem with including outright magic as something that exists. I'm not talking about the dreams/visions which you could arguably fit under the umbrella of psionics-are-real (a trope I'm also not too excited by, at least when it's mixed into other sci-fi concepts, but I can stretch my suspension of disbelief), but rather actual magic spells, or concoctions that do impossible things. Maybe I should just get over it to better enjoy the genre, but my brain slots books with that element into 'fantasy' and while I can get down for fantasy now and again, it's not typically what I'm seeking, so there's that sense of disappointment. So that was probably my biggest problem with the book, and though plenty would find it neutral or even a bonus, I feel the need to point it out for other readers like me who might be out there. There is outright magic in this book.

That said, although it impacted my enjoyment of the book, not a whole lot. It wasn't a significant element that keeps popping up over and over again, and could almost be entirely omitted (which might itself be a criticism you could lob against it), although the borderline stuff that can qualify as softer-SF probably couldn't. And, leaving that bit aside, the story was actually remarkably compelling. At least, the tale of the two rival assassins which makes up the heart of the book. I wasn't super-engaged with the plot involving the astronomer, but it wasn't bad by any means, but I did find myself eagerly reading pages to see what would happen next with the character Tope. And generally speaking, technothrillers about assassins aren't the kind of thing I like reading either, but I was interested and invested and even when I could see certain twists coming, they still hit properly. And, although the tie-in to the overarching first contact part felt a little shoehorned in, it didn't disappoint either.

I don't think it'd rank among my favorites, perhaps not even favorites of the year, it's just a little outside of my wheelhouse, but I liked it. I'd probably put it in the mid-three stars range, although, if I had to decide where to round, I'd probably round down.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested The Fist of Memory on NetGalley because the synopsis sounded exactly like my kind of sci-fi: first contact, assassins, strange technology, all set in Nigeria instead of the usual familiar locations. Glad I did, because this is a really interesting novel.

An alien spacecraft appears above Earth without communicating with anyone, which naturally sends the world into panic mode. The story focuses on an astrophysicist, a professional killer working for a mysterious witchdoctor, and another assassin completely consumed by revenge. None of them are especially likable or relatable, honestly, but that fits the tone of the novel. Everyone here feels damaged in one way or another.

What I liked most was the near-future setting. Talabi throws in loads of clever details that make the world feel slightly ahead of ours without drowning the reader in exposition. People have Neuranexuses embedded in their brains and casually perform tasks through neural commands while AI assistants quietly run their lives in the background. Money transfers, home management, communication - they all can be handled with a thought. Which sounds convenient right up until someone starts feeding people false memories and ideas directly into their heads.

At times, the book becomes heavily philosophical. The aliens themselves are interesting because they’re not really invaders in the traditional sense. They might actually be trying to help humanity, although "help" becomes a complicated word here. The novel spends a lot of time exploring connectedness, shared memory, identity, and what people could become if human consciousness stopped being so isolated. Some of those sections slowed the pacing a bit, but the ideas themselves were strong enough that I didn’t mind too much.

There’s still plenty of action too. Assassinations, betrayals, fights, political tension. The book started years ago as a revenge thriller before Talabi expanded it into something much larger, and you can still feel that DNA underneath all the sci-fi and metaphysics.

I did have some issues with the prose. Talabi’s writing is good, but some metaphors felt too noticeable for my taste. Lines about realizations crystallizing "like salt" or glass "screaming" when it shatters weren't my jam. I tend to prefer more neutral prose, so mileage will definitely vary depending on the reader. Some people will probably love that style. For me, it occasionally got in the way.

Still, once I settled into the rhythm of the novel, I ended up pretty impressed by it. Wole Talabi clearly had big ideas he wanted to explore, and for the most part he pulls it off. Thoughtful sci-fi with strong concepts, cool technology, and enough action to keep the philosophical parts from floating completely into space.

ARC through NetGalley

[Yev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fist of Memory is an action-thriller that emphasizes the complementary nature of science and spirituality. As with most of Talabi's work this is set in Nigeria, distinctively so through his word choice and references. This had me looking up a lot of nouns to see what their cultural context and significance was. Doing so isn't necessary, though I find it interesting to know more. The year is 2050 and Nigeria is far more developed but its political crises remain. Many of the characters have an augmented intelligence implant that is trained on their neural output to provide personalized assistance. There are several other technological advances that I found to be both reasonable and integrated well into daily life. The spiritual matters aren't about organized religion so much as accepting that there's more to existence than material reality and more to knowledge than science.

There are five perspectives. Two women, two men, and the alien entity. Two are killers, one is a scientist, one is a personal assistant, and again an alien entity. Three are Nigerians, one is South African, and the other is most recently from over 200 light years away. Four are in 3rd person and one is in 1st person perspective.

This book is primarily action-oriented. Gun fights, fist fights, car chases, and explosions. There's a lot of violence and drama between the four human viewpoints. In the last quarter melodrama and metaphysics take over. The entity only has a brief role at the end, but that's all it needs, and it's the culmination of the book's theme.

If it weren't for how the ending entirely changes the context of everything that came before I would rate this 5 stars. I can deal with the narrative telling me that all the parts that I thought were cool, fun, and stylish were actually pitiable, wretched, and self-destructive. I can respect, or at least tolerate, perspectives that go against mine. However, there are a few ideas that I feel an irrational amount of disappointment towards and the central theme of the novel is revealed to be one of them.

This is a predictable book with obvious consequences. I believe that doing so was intentional. We choose the actions of our lives with predictable consequence and blind or delude ourselves into not seeing their inevitable outcome. The irony was that I was the same as the characters. The text told me several times how the book would end. But, I ignored that and thought "This surface level spectacle sure is cool, fun, and stylish!" Then the end came and I could deny no longer. I want to emphasize this is a personal problem and that it's made me an outlier with other books that have done similarly and are both popular and greatly enjoyed. To say what it is would do more than spoil the plot. I feel that it would undermine the experience of the emotional journey that reading this book is.

[Anodyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fist of Memory follows a fascinating cast of characters pursuing their goals in a world facing the impending first contact of an alien civilisation.

Tope, orphaned at a young age by secessionist violence, has been trained as a killer ever since; with high-end technology and Baba’s juju, she engages in high-profile assassinations while haunted by her mother’s death. Her latest contract puts her in contact with Lolade, abused wife of one of Nigeria’s most powerful men, who she’s compelled by. Itumelung is an astrophysicist who refused to succeed his grandmother as iSangoma, a conduit to the ancestors; in dreams and waking, he sees visions of a woman he’s never met and a strange cylinder floating over a terrestrial monolith. When his work detects an unknown object on a direct course for Earth, he is swept up in the efforts to track and identify these objects that puts him on a collision course with Tope. Having grown up on the streets with his sister, Ahanna’s work as a contract killer secured them wealth and comfort before his peaceful retirement was shattered by killers seeking vengeance; now he enacts murderous justice at the order of the mysterious General in exchange for information on the people who killed his family, while haunted by their ghosts. Ufuoma is the personal assistant to the President and conduit to the shadowy Elders who really control Nigeria. Interspersed with these human perspectives are the Irunmole on their journey towards Earth. Tope’s perspective is present first person, while the others are close third person.

As you may expect from a cast with multiple professional killers, there’s a fair amount of violence and brutality, including animal death. Equally, while this is a first-contact story, the contact itself is very much the finale, with how humanity deals with this impending unknown forming a backdrop to the story. Beyond this, the world blends science and magic; juju and contact with the ancestors are very much tangible and undeniable, while characters are accompanied by their implanted Neuranexus companions and animal companions can be cloned and implanted with memories of their original.

The pacing is tight and driven and the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense throughout the story, such that the release of this makes the finale is incredibly satisfying; the multiple perspectives and storylines are woven together expertly. The characters are profoundly compelling, even where they aren’t necessarily people you want to root for. The worldbuilding is excellent and creates a vibrant vision of near-futurist Africa. Overall, The Fist of Memory was an incredibly enjoyable read, and I look forward to more from this author.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic blend of spirituality and science.

One of the main characters of this story, Itumeleng, struggles to balance his scientific beliefs and his connection to his ancestors. I loved how this story created a space for both of them to exist at once and influenced the first encounter.

I really liked Talabi's writing style. The prose was really beautiful and I thought everything flowed together really well. I liked all the analogies and metaphors and even some of the repetitive language (which I don't think was overdone in the slightest). His characterizations of his main four characters are also quite rich and full. The character arcs for three of the four main characters felt very satisfying, complete, and made narrative sense. The fourth character arc I still don't understand (it ended abruptly), but this book is already begging me to reread it so I can appreciate all the little details I missed, so I'm sure I'll understand with another read.

The story itself was very interesting for a multitude of reasons I do not want to spoil, but I really, really liked how the ancestors and spirituality were woven within the day to day lives of these characters. It reminded me of the magical realism genre, but obviously there was no magic, and there was a lot more science fiction. The direction of the story was not really clear until a third of a way through the book. It was a little slow to get through, but it was worth it once everything started connecting.

One of my biggest problems about this book is actually not about the book itself, it's more so about the marketing. I wanted to read this book under the assumption that it was for fans of Project Hail Mary, since that's how it was being advertised. However, these books are very, very different aside from the very general "first contact" and science fiction themes (of which Talabi did a good job researching). This is not a huge problem, but it did impact my reading a little bit since my expectations were for something completely different (most of the reasons I like Project Hail Mary were not present in this book, which is fine, but again, expectations).

This book is very unique. It is an exploration of the world's near future, set in near future Nigeria, with characters who are all struggling to reconcile some part of themselves. The book is less focused on the sci-fi elements and more focused on faith, inner peace, forgiveness, and belonging. If you can stomach a little violence, then you are in for a real treat with this well crafted story.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fist of Memory is a near-future science fiction thriller centered on memory, connectedness, and first contact. It all begins when a strange alien spacecraft enters our solar system on a trajectory toward Earth, setting off a chain of events that brings our characters together.

We follow Tope, a Nigerian assassin who carries out assignments for a mysterious witchdoctor known as Baba. When Tope accepts an unusual job, she quickly finds herself caught in a dangerous game of power with consequences far beyond what she expected. We also follow Itumeleng, a South African astronomer who has been dreaming of both Tope and the approaching alien craft. As the fallout from Tope's mission unfolds, their paths collide, and together they must survive those hunting them while preparing for whatever the mysterious spacecraft brings to Earth.

Overall, this was such an interesting read and unlike anything I've read recently. It's packed with futuristic technology, from hovercraft to the fascinating neuranexus, and I loved seeing how seamlessly these innovations were woven into daily life. The world felt both imaginative and believable, making the setting one of my favorite aspects of the novel.

At its heart, though, this is a thriller that explores memory - both the good and the bad - and how our memories shape us, drive our decisions, and connect us to one another. That underlying theme of connectedness is reflected throughout the story as seemingly separate characters and storylines gradually come together in satisfying ways.

The novel also blends several genres exceptionally well. It's part revenge story, part first contact science fiction, and part action thriller, with an intriguing alien mystery that kept me wanting to know more. I was especially impressed with how Wole Talabi balanced these unique concepts without letting any one element overshadow the others. The action, technology, themes, and mystery all complemented each other to create a compelling and memorable story.

This was my first book by Wole Talabi, but it definitely won't be my last. I'm excited to see what else he has written.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the eARC! All thoughts are my own.

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I approached The Fist of Memory with enthusiasm, intrigued by its premise, and in many ways, it lived up to that excitement. Wole Talabi reimagines the classic first-contact story, offering a distinctive take that stands apart from typical alien-invasion narratives. He skillfully blends near-future science fiction with elements of political intrigue, memory-based mysteries, and mythic/spiritual themes. The novel is ambitious, often captivating, and certainly not something you’ll find replicated in every other sci-fi thriller on the shelf.

The most compelling aspect for me was its sense of scale and originality. The setting and perspective lend a fresh feel to the story, and I appreciated that Talabi moved beyond a simple “scientists versus aliens” plot. The narrative weaves questions of memory, identity, power, and connection, creating a thoughtful and inventive experience when these elements converge. I also liked that the story strives for something larger than mere suspense, even as it navigates thriller territory.

However, the plot covers a lot of ground, and some sections may come across as more abstract than immersive. The novel combines first contact, political thriller, speculative philosophy, and mythic/spiritual layers simultaneously. While this makes for an interesting mix, it can also make the story feel somewhat scattered or overextended. The complex themes around memory, reality, and consciousness are fascinating in theory but occasionally detract from the immediacy of the narrative.

Overall, The Fist of Memory is a clever, imaginative, and refreshingly unique work. While it didn’t fully resonate with me in every aspect, I’m glad I read it, and I’d definitely be interested in exploring more of Talabi’s writing. It’s a book I respect more than I loved, but one that I’m still glad to have experienced.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that started out quite promising for this reader, but ended up far from it. Although the author had messages to deliver, and had approached this book with thoughtfulness, the final formula of the story delivered is easily ten parts violent fight, fight, fight, interspersed with perhaps one part interesting backstory about an encroaching alien ship on a collision course to Earth.

Yes we all dream of connectedness globally — man, nature, the stars, the solar system. Yes we can all become more, at any time, reinventing ourselves into our new and ultimately intended image. Yes we can perhaps commune with the ancients, our ancestors, our outer world, in ways and dimensions still to be discovered. And there is undoubtedly so much more out there for us than we can realize, particularly in terms of the structure of individual consciousness, and our ultimate melding back in communion with the universe.

But parsing out these messages does not undo the tediousness of the bulk of the story, which teems with paid assassins and their contortions in their messy, hideous, world.

This is just not what this reader wants to read about, however empathetic and layered the author strives to make these violent characters. I do acknowledge however, that perhaps I am not the right audience for this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC and opportunity to review this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

[Francine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Netgalley. Opinions are always my own.

This Africa-centric, first-contact science fiction novel has an almost literary feel to it in its character work, prose and thematic depth. Talabi masterfully weaves this together with a plot that never feels slow and grips you from page one. And for once, not in the US.

Tope, a deadly Nigerian assassin, has dealt with the death of her imagined and future self. She is empty inside, cold and calculating. Until one day she receives a job that makes her care. Itumeleng is plagued by visions he doesn't believe in. But then an alien object is heading for Earth and he cannot seem to untangle himself or his visions from that. Or the woman he keeps seeing.

Woven together, their lives can never be the same. I love how Talabi managed to mirror the separateness and connectiveness of their stories and plot arcs with the overarching theme of how we need togetherness as a species - without losing our individuality - in order to rise to the next level of consciousness and survive. On top of that, this story tackles our world's cracked sense of individuality in a profoundly non-Western way.

Overall, a captivating novel combining several strong plot arcs with deeply human themes and masterful prose. I highly recommend this one.

[Erika Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

In near-future South Africa, an astronomer discovers a foreign spacecraft speeding towards Earth. Meanwhile, a Nigerian contract killer receives an abnormal request that puts her in the centre of political turmoil. Both protagonists must dodge assassins, lightning strikes, and shadowy political plots to keep themselves alive long enough for first contact to be made.

This one was probably a me problem – I think it’s a very cool concept and will find its audience. It’s a complex novel with a lot going on, and satisfyingly intertwining plotlines. It just took me a really long time to get through, and I wasn’t feeling excited to pick it up.

Part of the problem is that I went in expecting pure scifi and was surprised by the amount of magical realism elements there were. Magical realism is really not my cup of tea, so I’m not too surprised that it didn’t work for me.

*DISCLAIMER: Thank you to DAW Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*

PUB DATE: October 27th, 2026

[David Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fist of Memory is a very complex book. Multiple story and character arcs that appear to be only peripherally related wind together into a novel of first contact, hope, redemption, and so much more. Set in Nigeria, this novel spins from political intrigue, to science fiction, to thriller and back again with deft transitions that build upon one another to create a very satisfying whole. We have Juju, Astronnomy, Astrophysics, assassins, psychological and the gulit of generations of ancestors. Then we have an object on a collision course with the Earth that appears likely to end all life on the planet if it makes impact.

Showing a very strange word-changing event through the eyes of a cast of very different characters from different walks of life begins as a kaleidescope of fear, wonder and memory and slowly coils inward to a laser-focused ending that will leave readers thinking for a very long time.

Highly recommended.

[Cathy Newman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a hard book to rate. I probably give it around 2.5 stars. Partly, the book just wasn't for me. The first half or so was interesting and seemed to be building up a cool sci-fi story with some magical/spiritual elements in the cultural context. But then I feel like it fell apart and didn't know what it was trying to be. Ultimately, this book is 90% violent assassins, 10% religion. It is for sure an adult book, but the writing seems a little juvenile with some awkward dialogue and too much of explicitly spelling things out for the reader. In addition, the author is way too heavy-handed with beating us over the head about climate change (numerous awkward mentions, plus the whole climax of the story) and capitalism. Feels preachy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.