What do you think?
Rate this book
Nubia #1
Nubia: The Awakening
In a climate-ravaged New York deeply divided by class, Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, three teens of refugees from a fallen African utopia, begin to develop supernatural powers.
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2022
115 people are currently reading
3995 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
March 26, 2023
rtc
_________________________________________________________
edited: March 2023
I finally got to write my review, here goes.
I have been told to specify here that one of the co-authors of this book, Clarence A. Haynes, is one of my best friends in life and although I don't think so, I may be biased in my review of his book.
Irrespective of my friendship with one of the authors, it is a little hard to review a Young Adult book as someone who doesn't enjoy the genre, but I think it speaks for the book that it was a pleasure to read for me, it doesn't follow the same path conventional YA does and managed to keep me interested through an "adult" approach to the themes it treats.
Is it possible for a YA novel to not undermine the intelligence of its readers, represent them with respect and not be condescending? Is it possible for a YA novel to have characters not feel like naive caricatures, but actual people with valid worries and struggles?
In the case of the urban fantasy Nubia: The Awakening, yes. Yes, it is. The world building, plot and social commentaries in this debut of actor Omar Epps and fantasy writer Clarence A. Haynes managed to not only speak to me, but, it is safe to say, kept me reading compulsively.
We're in the future, but not very far, and in a universe not very different from ours. Climate change is getting serious, nations have started building hi-tech dams in order to protect themselves from he ever growing sea-level and violent storms. Nubia, the legendary island before the Western African coast, has fallen victim to one of these storms and has sunken into the sea, prompting the surviving population to seek refuge elsewhere. For the three New Yorker teenagers Zuberi, Uzochi and Lencho, their parents' home land is but a very distant memory, almost a sort of myth. Things become even more mythical and almost wondrous when they discover they all have certain supernatural powers, an almost forgotten trait, a gift from their ancestral home.
In a time when both nature and human works against them, a time in which society is divided into the ones "up high" and the ones living in slums, private militia and security forces roam the streets and they feel the imminent threat of destruction upon themselves, these three young people not only try to cope with this hostile world, they also need to accept and digest their respective abilities and the responsibilities they entail. Some of them do better at this, some of them not so, and it is too easy for them to fall into the wrong hands.
It is such a nice notion that Zuberi has her stuff so much together, is so focused, determined but also vulnerable enough to be confused over boy issues, making her a relatable but also kick-ass heroine right from the start. With Uzochi and Lencho there's some work ahead, and I can't wait to explore their arcs in the second book, which I hope will be published soon.
Adopting a highly political, complex backdrop, Nubia: The Awakening is very much on a mission - from its target audience to the subject matter, to parallels to real life movements, it aims at empowering the scorned and the ill-treated as well as draw attention to environmental problems, environmental displacement and cultural assimilation. And reaches its goal with flying colors. On a last note, I very much appreciated the audiobook production and the narrators’ work.
It ends with kind of a cliffhanger, so I'm really curious about the continuation!
_________________________________________________________
edited: March 2023
I finally got to write my review, here goes.
I have been told to specify here that one of the co-authors of this book, Clarence A. Haynes, is one of my best friends in life and although I don't think so, I may be biased in my review of his book.
Irrespective of my friendship with one of the authors, it is a little hard to review a Young Adult book as someone who doesn't enjoy the genre, but I think it speaks for the book that it was a pleasure to read for me, it doesn't follow the same path conventional YA does and managed to keep me interested through an "adult" approach to the themes it treats.
Is it possible for a YA novel to not undermine the intelligence of its readers, represent them with respect and not be condescending? Is it possible for a YA novel to have characters not feel like naive caricatures, but actual people with valid worries and struggles?
In the case of the urban fantasy Nubia: The Awakening, yes. Yes, it is. The world building, plot and social commentaries in this debut of actor Omar Epps and fantasy writer Clarence A. Haynes managed to not only speak to me, but, it is safe to say, kept me reading compulsively.
We're in the future, but not very far, and in a universe not very different from ours. Climate change is getting serious, nations have started building hi-tech dams in order to protect themselves from he ever growing sea-level and violent storms. Nubia, the legendary island before the Western African coast, has fallen victim to one of these storms and has sunken into the sea, prompting the surviving population to seek refuge elsewhere. For the three New Yorker teenagers Zuberi, Uzochi and Lencho, their parents' home land is but a very distant memory, almost a sort of myth. Things become even more mythical and almost wondrous when they discover they all have certain supernatural powers, an almost forgotten trait, a gift from their ancestral home.
In a time when both nature and human works against them, a time in which society is divided into the ones "up high" and the ones living in slums, private militia and security forces roam the streets and they feel the imminent threat of destruction upon themselves, these three young people not only try to cope with this hostile world, they also need to accept and digest their respective abilities and the responsibilities they entail. Some of them do better at this, some of them not so, and it is too easy for them to fall into the wrong hands.
It is such a nice notion that Zuberi has her stuff so much together, is so focused, determined but also vulnerable enough to be confused over boy issues, making her a relatable but also kick-ass heroine right from the start. With Uzochi and Lencho there's some work ahead, and I can't wait to explore their arcs in the second book, which I hope will be published soon.
Adopting a highly political, complex backdrop, Nubia: The Awakening is very much on a mission - from its target audience to the subject matter, to parallels to real life movements, it aims at empowering the scorned and the ill-treated as well as draw attention to environmental problems, environmental displacement and cultural assimilation. And reaches its goal with flying colors. On a last note, I very much appreciated the audiobook production and the narrators’ work.
It ends with kind of a cliffhanger, so I'm really curious about the continuation!
December 29, 2022
Nubia: The Awakening was such a pleasant surprise. I am not sure what I was expecting - I often stereotype YA thinking of a bunch of annoying characters being obnoxious and taking every wrong decision they can get away with because of their emotions. Teenagers are teenagers, I guess, but it can be frustrating to read. This is not the case with this book.
Epps and Haynes write about three Nubian teenagers who live in New York City in our future after climate change has destroyed Nubia. Nubians are climate change refugees who had to flee their land to end up in New York, where they live in the Swamp. Throughout the book, they start discovering their powers - connected to their home country - and come together to see what it all means for them and Nubia.
Now, now. The book has really good world-building and it's really accessible, I wish some fantasy books were so easy to read. It may be because it's very much like our reality but with some changes, but it was all different and familiar, so big kudos to the writers. Also, I love that it tooks about such important matters such as climate change, racism, oppression, and it includes climate change refugees into the mix (there's a lot of debate about amongst migration scholars and my PhD dissertation is about migration so I'm always reading thisss haha).
Most importantly for me, I am more of a character-focused reader rather than story or writing (and they were both really good too), and I was very pleased with the character development and building. This being said, Zuberi is my girl. I mean, she's so cool and exhumes charisma from the page. I especially loved her determination and self-discipline (maybe a bit OCD-ish at times with her training but hey, who isn't a bit obsessed with what they like?).
So yeah, I picked it up not knowing how it would go. YA is a big hit or miss for me, but this was a hit and I'm so looking forward to picking up the sequel. Thanks to @Inci for letting me know about the book!! I read it mostly while at the hospital being miserable and it made my days a little better <3
Epps and Haynes write about three Nubian teenagers who live in New York City in our future after climate change has destroyed Nubia. Nubians are climate change refugees who had to flee their land to end up in New York, where they live in the Swamp. Throughout the book, they start discovering their powers - connected to their home country - and come together to see what it all means for them and Nubia.
Now, now. The book has really good world-building and it's really accessible, I wish some fantasy books were so easy to read. It may be because it's very much like our reality but with some changes, but it was all different and familiar, so big kudos to the writers. Also, I love that it tooks about such important matters such as climate change, racism, oppression, and it includes climate change refugees into the mix (there's a lot of debate about amongst migration scholars and my PhD dissertation is about migration so I'm always reading thisss haha).
Most importantly for me, I am more of a character-focused reader rather than story or writing (and they were both really good too), and I was very pleased with the character development and building. This being said, Zuberi is my girl. I mean, she's so cool and exhumes charisma from the page. I especially loved her determination and self-discipline (maybe a bit OCD-ish at times with her training but hey, who isn't a bit obsessed with what they like?).
So yeah, I picked it up not knowing how it would go. YA is a big hit or miss for me, but this was a hit and I'm so looking forward to picking up the sequel. Thanks to @Inci for letting me know about the book!! I read it mostly while at the hospital being miserable and it made my days a little better <3
November 7, 2022
4.5✨ The cover alone is stunning, but, the story really blew me away. Around 40% I could not stop reading this book.
I loved how the story was told from the different perspectives of the characters. It was a unique futuristic story but still had some current aspects. The writing is good, the characters were likable, and the flow of the story was pretty good paced. It was carefully detailed and I could totally picture things as they happened.
The Nubian people are a group of outsiders living in the slums of New York in the late 2090s & they are at the bottom of the totem pole. However, the younger Nubians notice different things happening to them and it is revealed that they have special powers- the Awakening. I liked the suspense around the young characters coming into their new powers. The villain in the story played a huge role-the corruption and brainwashing caused all kind of chaos in the story. I am really curious to see if there will be more of this story because the ending alludes to there being more. I am advocating for a tv series or movie adaptation, I want more. Good read!
I received an ARC from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved how the story was told from the different perspectives of the characters. It was a unique futuristic story but still had some current aspects. The writing is good, the characters were likable, and the flow of the story was pretty good paced. It was carefully detailed and I could totally picture things as they happened.
The Nubian people are a group of outsiders living in the slums of New York in the late 2090s & they are at the bottom of the totem pole. However, the younger Nubians notice different things happening to them and it is revealed that they have special powers- the Awakening. I liked the suspense around the young characters coming into their new powers. The villain in the story played a huge role-the corruption and brainwashing caused all kind of chaos in the story. I am really curious to see if there will be more of this story because the ending alludes to there being more. I am advocating for a tv series or movie adaptation, I want more. Good read!
I received an ARC from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this cultural urban fantasy tale. Climate change, racism, social classes, political corruption, abuse, death, friendship, family ties, ancestry, magic and more. It had just enough and never too much.
Nubian’s had to evacuate their country after a storm destroyed destroyed their lands. They landed in NY where the are segregated to the swamp aka slums. The rich live in high towers with all the extras money can buy, the Nubians have nearly nothing. It’s a classic tale of the rich vs the poor, with oppression, racism, and hatred, but there is a twist that makes this so much more. The once great Nubian’s get some of their history reborn. This will be the change of everything.
Cliffhanger ending
Nubian’s had to evacuate their country after a storm destroyed destroyed their lands. They landed in NY where the are segregated to the swamp aka slums. The rich live in high towers with all the extras money can buy, the Nubians have nearly nothing. It’s a classic tale of the rich vs the poor, with oppression, racism, and hatred, but there is a twist that makes this so much more. The once great Nubian’s get some of their history reborn. This will be the change of everything.
Cliffhanger ending
November 5, 2023
ɴᴜʙɪᴀ. ᴘʀᴢᴇʙᴜᴅᴢᴇɴɪᴇ - ᴏᴍᴀʀ ᴇᴘᴘꜱ, ᴄʟᴀʀᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴀ. ʜᴀʏɴᴇꜱ
ᴡꜱᴘółᴘʀᴀᴄᴀ ᴢ @wydawnictwo.beya
#hellobookstagram❤️
Dzisiaj przychodzę do Was z recenzją najnowszej książki wydanej przez @wydawnictwo.beya, a mianowicie "Nubia. Przebudzenie". Jest to pierwszy tom serii poświęconej przygodom trójki bohaterów o niezwykłych zdolnościach, nawiązującej do mitologii afrykańskiej.
"Nubia. Przebudzenie" to początek świetnie zapowiadającej się sagi young adult fantasy. Dostajemy tutaj wszystko, czego od takiego właśnie cyklu możemy wymagać: świetnie wykreowanych, silnych bohaterów, intrygujący świat przedstawiony z Nowym Jorkiem w tle, akcję osadzoną w dalekiej przyszłości, niezwykły system magiczny - czego chcieć więcej? Jedyne, czego mi tutaj zabrakło, to racjonalne zachowanie postaci w niektórych sytuacjach... Ale na szczęście jest to dopiero początek całego cyklu i autorzy mają szansę wykazać się w kolejnych tomach. Wiem, że drugi tom został już wydany po angielsku, więc mam nadzieję na polską wersję w niedalekiej przyszłości.
Oprócz tego, autorzy niezwykle dokładnie przemyśleli pojawiający się w książce system magiczny. Nawiązuje on lekko do mitów afrykańskich, jednak jest od nich niezależny. Historia wyspy Nubii również okazała się bardzo ciekawa. W powieści pojawia się kilka wstawek z przeszłości tej krainy, jednak uważam, że powinno być ich więcej. Dzięki nim czytelnik może lepiej zwizualizować sobie, jak wyglądała codzienność na Nubii i jak żyli jej mieszkańcy. Jest to bardzo ważny aspekt tej książki, ponieważ główni bohaterowie pochodzą właśnie z tej wyspy, a kultura ma dla Nubijczyków bezcenną wartość.
Podsumowując, moim zdaniem "Nubia. Przebudzenie" to ciekawy początek serii fantasy dla nastolatków, którą chętnie będę kontynuować. Ma ona kilka niedociągnięć, ale mam nadzieję, że autorzy zrehabilitują się w kolejnych tomach. Was również zachęcam do zapoznania się z tą pozycją, gdyż nigdy nie spotkałam się z podobną książką na polskim rynku.
ᴡꜱᴘółᴘʀᴀᴄᴀ ᴢ @wydawnictwo.beya
#hellobookstagram❤️
Dzisiaj przychodzę do Was z recenzją najnowszej książki wydanej przez @wydawnictwo.beya, a mianowicie "Nubia. Przebudzenie". Jest to pierwszy tom serii poświęconej przygodom trójki bohaterów o niezwykłych zdolnościach, nawiązującej do mitologii afrykańskiej.
"Nubia. Przebudzenie" to początek świetnie zapowiadającej się sagi young adult fantasy. Dostajemy tutaj wszystko, czego od takiego właśnie cyklu możemy wymagać: świetnie wykreowanych, silnych bohaterów, intrygujący świat przedstawiony z Nowym Jorkiem w tle, akcję osadzoną w dalekiej przyszłości, niezwykły system magiczny - czego chcieć więcej? Jedyne, czego mi tutaj zabrakło, to racjonalne zachowanie postaci w niektórych sytuacjach... Ale na szczęście jest to dopiero początek całego cyklu i autorzy mają szansę wykazać się w kolejnych tomach. Wiem, że drugi tom został już wydany po angielsku, więc mam nadzieję na polską wersję w niedalekiej przyszłości.
Oprócz tego, autorzy niezwykle dokładnie przemyśleli pojawiający się w książce system magiczny. Nawiązuje on lekko do mitów afrykańskich, jednak jest od nich niezależny. Historia wyspy Nubii również okazała się bardzo ciekawa. W powieści pojawia się kilka wstawek z przeszłości tej krainy, jednak uważam, że powinno być ich więcej. Dzięki nim czytelnik może lepiej zwizualizować sobie, jak wyglądała codzienność na Nubii i jak żyli jej mieszkańcy. Jest to bardzo ważny aspekt tej książki, ponieważ główni bohaterowie pochodzą właśnie z tej wyspy, a kultura ma dla Nubijczyków bezcenną wartość.
Podsumowując, moim zdaniem "Nubia. Przebudzenie" to ciekawy początek serii fantasy dla nastolatków, którą chętnie będę kontynuować. Ma ona kilka niedociągnięć, ale mam nadzieję, że autorzy zrehabilitują się w kolejnych tomach. Was również zachęcam do zapoznania się z tą pozycją, gdyż nigdy nie spotkałam się z podobną książką na polskim rynku.
January 21, 2023
I really enjoyed this! I mostly listened to the audiobook, but some eye reading at night. The narrators were great. I look forward to the next book in the series.
November 22, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange foran honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Kaleidoscopic book tours.
Nubia: The Awakening is a fresh urban fantasy which covers some fantastic and current topics of climate change, social segregation and racism.I loved how the authors interwove such important subjects within a fantasy book and did such an amazing job of doing so.
The Nubian people have had to flee their homes and go to New York after a natural disaster. New York is nothing like their homeland and they are separated and segregated into slums across NYC. Here, the rich live in high towers living the life of luxury while the poor and the Nubians are living hand to mouth. I enjoyed how this book flowed and the different POV throughout the story. The Nubians also discover something abut themselves that they didn't know before - special powers called the Awakening and once these are discovered the stakes change. This was an amazing ride of a book and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
Nubia: The Awakening is a fresh urban fantasy which covers some fantastic and current topics of climate change, social segregation and racism.I loved how the authors interwove such important subjects within a fantasy book and did such an amazing job of doing so.
The Nubian people have had to flee their homes and go to New York after a natural disaster. New York is nothing like their homeland and they are separated and segregated into slums across NYC. Here, the rich live in high towers living the life of luxury while the poor and the Nubians are living hand to mouth. I enjoyed how this book flowed and the different POV throughout the story. The Nubians also discover something abut themselves that they didn't know before - special powers called the Awakening and once these are discovered the stakes change. This was an amazing ride of a book and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
October 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this cultural urban fantasy tale. Climate change, racism, social classes, political corruption, abuse, death, friendship, family ties, ancestry, magic and more. It had just enough and never too much.
Nubian’s had to evacuate their country after a storm destroyed destroyed their lands. They landed in NY where the are segregated to the swamp aka slums. The rich live in high towers with all the extras money can buy, the Nubians have nearly nothing. It’s a classic tale of the rich vs the poor, with oppression, racism, and hatred, but there is a twist that makes this so much more. The once great Nubian’s get some of their history reborn. This will be the change of everything.
Cliffhanger ending
Nubian’s had to evacuate their country after a storm destroyed destroyed their lands. They landed in NY where the are segregated to the swamp aka slums. The rich live in high towers with all the extras money can buy, the Nubians have nearly nothing. It’s a classic tale of the rich vs the poor, with oppression, racism, and hatred, but there is a twist that makes this so much more. The once great Nubian’s get some of their history reborn. This will be the change of everything.
Cliffhanger ending
February 19, 2023
This was such a fun read. The book is well written, well paced, with some wonderful characters, and epic sequences and twists. I tore through the action-packed finale of the book, and look forward to reading what happens next with the Nubians!
February 22, 2025
The first 250 pages: Very slow and didn’t have much of a plot line
The last 100 pages: Sooooo much better. Action, battles, and heightened emotions.
The last 100 pages: Sooooo much better. Action, battles, and heightened emotions.
December 10, 2022
You really have to love friends who write a book with an actor, without warning that it is the first in a series and especially a YA.
Pretty much the sum of everything I don't like, but that's okay, because I enjoyed it.
I was rather skeptical at first, but then the characters won me over and the pace picked up. Unfortunately, as already mentioned, the story stops at the most interesting point and I don't even know how long we have to wait for the next installment in this series, but at least I can ask Clarence, and that is much more than I can usually do.
Bisogna proprio volergli bene agli amici che scrivono un libro con un attore, senza avvertire che é il primo di una serie e soprattutto uno YA.
Praticamente la somma di tutto quello che non mi piace, ma va bene, perché mi sono divertita.
All'inizio ero piuttosto scettica, ma poi i personaggi mi hanno conquistato e il ritmo si é fatto piú intenso. Purtroppo, come già detto, la storia s'interrompe sul piú bello e non so nemmeno quanto bisognerà aspettare per il prossimo, ma almeno posso chiederlo a Clarence, che é molto piú di quanto possa fare di solito.
Pretty much the sum of everything I don't like, but that's okay, because I enjoyed it.
I was rather skeptical at first, but then the characters won me over and the pace picked up. Unfortunately, as already mentioned, the story stops at the most interesting point and I don't even know how long we have to wait for the next installment in this series, but at least I can ask Clarence, and that is much more than I can usually do.
Bisogna proprio volergli bene agli amici che scrivono un libro con un attore, senza avvertire che é il primo di una serie e soprattutto uno YA.
Praticamente la somma di tutto quello che non mi piace, ma va bene, perché mi sono divertita.
All'inizio ero piuttosto scettica, ma poi i personaggi mi hanno conquistato e il ritmo si é fatto piú intenso. Purtroppo, come già detto, la storia s'interrompe sul piú bello e non so nemmeno quanto bisognerà aspettare per il prossimo, ma almeno posso chiederlo a Clarence, che é molto piú di quanto possa fare di solito.
March 19, 2024
The description on the book jacket does not do this book justice. It seemed a little too on the nose with its obvious social commentary,BUT, while that commentary is accurate and present in the story, it's more subtle than the jacket made it seem. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, and I'm enjoying this fresh take on magical/paranormal powers. I'm also totally interested in the world and the needed revolution. So relatable!
November 12, 2022
4.5 stars
There were so many things I loved about this book! I started reading it in the evening and initially paused at about the 55% mark, but then I kept thinking about it and ended up cracking it open and finishing it up before going to bed. The story takes place in NYC in a place called The Swamp, where Nubian refugees have all settled. Nubians come from an African Island nation that was lost to flooding and violent storms, and much of their culture and identity has been lost to the oppressive lives they find themselves in. Even as they struggle to live day-to-day, those who literally live up in the sky live in opulence and pretend to care about them. The story centers around three youths, Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, as they each experience an awakening of special powers.
Climate change, racism, politics, exploitation of the downtrodden, culture, classism, social justice, violence, and death are all a part of this story, but the authors do a great job of pacing this story. I never lost interest, and actually read the last three chapters twice to make sure I understood where all the players were. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm hoping we won't have to wait a long time for the next book.
This book had echoes of Black Panther for me, as well as Klune's The Extraordinaries. I really liked many of the characters and felt there was a nice balance of character and story development, and as I said, the pacing felt right for me.
That said, I think I wanted a stronger emotional connection with our protagonists. In some ways this felt like a story that would be perfect for the screen and considering the background of the writers, I could totally see it. I'm not saying that writing for the screen means you can't spend as much time with enough character development to connect strongly with them because there are plenty of movies that do that. But I do think that these are characters that will mean more to me as the series progresses.
I really did love this first book and will be keeping an eye out for news about the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There were so many things I loved about this book! I started reading it in the evening and initially paused at about the 55% mark, but then I kept thinking about it and ended up cracking it open and finishing it up before going to bed. The story takes place in NYC in a place called The Swamp, where Nubian refugees have all settled. Nubians come from an African Island nation that was lost to flooding and violent storms, and much of their culture and identity has been lost to the oppressive lives they find themselves in. Even as they struggle to live day-to-day, those who literally live up in the sky live in opulence and pretend to care about them. The story centers around three youths, Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, as they each experience an awakening of special powers.
Climate change, racism, politics, exploitation of the downtrodden, culture, classism, social justice, violence, and death are all a part of this story, but the authors do a great job of pacing this story. I never lost interest, and actually read the last three chapters twice to make sure I understood where all the players were. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I'm hoping we won't have to wait a long time for the next book.
This book had echoes of Black Panther for me, as well as Klune's The Extraordinaries. I really liked many of the characters and felt there was a nice balance of character and story development, and as I said, the pacing felt right for me.
That said, I think I wanted a stronger emotional connection with our protagonists. In some ways this felt like a story that would be perfect for the screen and considering the background of the writers, I could totally see it. I'm not saying that writing for the screen means you can't spend as much time with enough character development to connect strongly with them because there are plenty of movies that do that. But I do think that these are characters that will mean more to me as the series progresses.
I really did love this first book and will be keeping an eye out for news about the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 12, 2022
Afrofuturist is a genre I’m really enjoying. So I was thrilled when I received from @netgalley the ARC of Nubia The Awakening by Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes. This an Afrofuturist dystopian fantasy.
We meet 3 teenagers whose people are climate change refugees from an African utopia, Nubia. There are themes of poverty, oppression, immigration, family, race, discrimination, classism, abuse, ancestry, and magic.
The fist part of the book is world building and then it takes off! I’m ready for the next one and this isn’t even out yet. I know my kids are going to love this book so I’m going to get it for them.
I loved that the kids felt real. They weren’t perfect. They had normal reactions and emotions to stresses, etc. If you like Black Panther or The Ones We’re Meant to Find (loved the Up High city parallels).
#NubiaTheAwakening #netgalley
We meet 3 teenagers whose people are climate change refugees from an African utopia, Nubia. There are themes of poverty, oppression, immigration, family, race, discrimination, classism, abuse, ancestry, and magic.
The fist part of the book is world building and then it takes off! I’m ready for the next one and this isn’t even out yet. I know my kids are going to love this book so I’m going to get it for them.
I loved that the kids felt real. They weren’t perfect. They had normal reactions and emotions to stresses, etc. If you like Black Panther or The Ones We’re Meant to Find (loved the Up High city parallels).
#NubiaTheAwakening #netgalley
October 11, 2022
3.5 ⭐️
This fast paced urban fantasy has all the makings of an incredible introduction to a series. The "haves" have ascended to live above while the "have nots" are left below in the slums to barely survive. But once the "have nots" begin to realize their supernatural powers, they become an even bigger commodity to the powerful.
But something is off. The pacing in beginning is slow but eventually picks up. Perhaps its the chunky transitions. It is still a mystery of what the benefits of the Nubia special powers are. Hopefully this is revealed in the follow up book.
Yes, the cover is gorgeous. The three Nubian MCs are represented but the adornment worn is never mentioned in the book.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Follow me on IG @bujos_n_books
This fast paced urban fantasy has all the makings of an incredible introduction to a series. The "haves" have ascended to live above while the "have nots" are left below in the slums to barely survive. But once the "have nots" begin to realize their supernatural powers, they become an even bigger commodity to the powerful.
But something is off. The pacing in beginning is slow but eventually picks up. Perhaps its the chunky transitions. It is still a mystery of what the benefits of the Nubia special powers are. Hopefully this is revealed in the follow up book.
Yes, the cover is gorgeous. The three Nubian MCs are represented but the adornment worn is never mentioned in the book.
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this e-ARC.
Follow me on IG @bujos_n_books
September 15, 2022
I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I am fairly new to the fantasy genre but I have come to love it. I am so glad I took the plunge and read it because I was so hooked! I read it walking from my office to different offices as I had to go to meetings or get things done kind of hooked. The characters are so so so well developed and 3 dimensional, they felt so real! I also really enjoyed feeling like I was completely transported into a new world. This can be a bad thing if you then try to function back in reality. :-)
It is a book newbies like myself and long time fantasy fans can enjoy. There were a few twists that made me keep reading later than was wise when I had to work early.
I can't wait to read more books by Omar Epps and Clarence Haynes!
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
It is a book newbies like myself and long time fantasy fans can enjoy. There were a few twists that made me keep reading later than was wise when I had to work early.
I can't wait to read more books by Omar Epps and Clarence Haynes!
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2022
TW/CW: Violence, death, domestic abuse, brief mention of sexual assault
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Nubia: The Awakening takes place in New York in 2098. Climate change has made a good bit of the world uninhabitable and the rich live in a city in the sky while the poor live in a New York that is only barely protected from rising sea levels by a leaky seawall. The area closest to the wall is inhabited by the Nubians – refugees who barely escaped the destruction of their own land. They live in grinding poverty, most barely getting by. That is, until a group of Nubian teenagers start realizing they can do things that nobody else can do…that they have powers – and that those powers can change everything.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, interesting, and had a story that keeps the reader captivated. It makes important points about discrimination, poverty and race, truly, it’s an integral part of the story and makes it that much more powerful. It is very much the first book in a series – it ends, but not completely and there is still a lot left to be done when this book is finished.
I recommend this book to fans of sci-fi/fantasy and YA novels.
REVIEW: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Nubia: The Awakening takes place in New York in 2098. Climate change has made a good bit of the world uninhabitable and the rich live in a city in the sky while the poor live in a New York that is only barely protected from rising sea levels by a leaky seawall. The area closest to the wall is inhabited by the Nubians – refugees who barely escaped the destruction of their own land. They live in grinding poverty, most barely getting by. That is, until a group of Nubian teenagers start realizing they can do things that nobody else can do…that they have powers – and that those powers can change everything.
I really enjoyed this book. It was well written, interesting, and had a story that keeps the reader captivated. It makes important points about discrimination, poverty and race, truly, it’s an integral part of the story and makes it that much more powerful. It is very much the first book in a series – it ends, but not completely and there is still a lot left to be done when this book is finished.
I recommend this book to fans of sci-fi/fantasy and YA novels.
January 18, 2023
Nubia: the awakening is action packed sci-fi fantasy novel with social commentary such as climate change. Nubia: The Awakening is about three teens leaving in a futuristic New York City. Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho are Nubians, The Nubians is a group of people who escaped to New York after their home of Nubia was destroyed by a natural disaster of a planet plagued by climate change. They also find themselves suddenly coming into some intense and strange powers, powers that throw all of their lives and the lives of the Nubians around them into chaos. The pace was slow at the beginning, but it picks up in the middle. Nubia is written by Omar Epps, the TV/movie actor.
November 8, 2022
The Awakening is the first part in a fantasy series called Nubia by Omar Epps and Clarence A. Haynes. They are an actor and producer and a writer, who now work together to write this book. It is a book which I said to be the perfect fit for fans of Black Panther and Children of Blood and Bone, but will I share this oppinion?
Find out in my review on my blog Boekensteeg
Find out in my review on my blog Boekensteeg
November 17, 2022
I never missed an episode of House when it was on, and when I saw that Omar Epps (Dr. Eric Foreman) had co-written a book, there was no doubt I’d read it. And just look at that stunning cover!
This novel is set in NYC decades in the future, but I liked that a history of the city is given before the story begins. Drastic climate change has necessitated the building of sea walls around the city and the creation of a sky city. Naturally, only the privileged have “ascended” to the sky city while Nubians and others live below. Racism, class division, and political corruption runs rampant and affects each of the main characters in some way. My blood boiled at how the Nubians were treated by other citizens, students, teachers, etc.
Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho are very well-drawn, but also flawed – which made them easily relatable. Each of them have their own goals and dreams, but when their powers emerge and expectations of them are explained by the elders, the teens feel as if they’ve lost control of their own lives. Watching them weigh the options of putting their people first is a little bit of a coming of age experience.
Comp titles of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther are spot on (I’m a fan of both), and I’d also toss in the TV show Heroes from several years ago. Pacing is pretty steady, tensions and stakes are high, and although the purpose of the powers still remains a mystery, I expect more will be revealed in the sequel. Which I will most definitely be reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This novel is set in NYC decades in the future, but I liked that a history of the city is given before the story begins. Drastic climate change has necessitated the building of sea walls around the city and the creation of a sky city. Naturally, only the privileged have “ascended” to the sky city while Nubians and others live below. Racism, class division, and political corruption runs rampant and affects each of the main characters in some way. My blood boiled at how the Nubians were treated by other citizens, students, teachers, etc.
Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho are very well-drawn, but also flawed – which made them easily relatable. Each of them have their own goals and dreams, but when their powers emerge and expectations of them are explained by the elders, the teens feel as if they’ve lost control of their own lives. Watching them weigh the options of putting their people first is a little bit of a coming of age experience.
Comp titles of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther are spot on (I’m a fan of both), and I’d also toss in the TV show Heroes from several years ago. Pacing is pretty steady, tensions and stakes are high, and although the purpose of the powers still remains a mystery, I expect more will be revealed in the sequel. Which I will most definitely be reading.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 15, 2023
Disclaimer straight up: the co-author, Clarence A. Haynes, has also worked as my developmental editor on two books. I hold him in the utmost respect, and therefore approached this book with faith that it'd be excellent.... and it is. My copy is signed by Omar Epps and was purchased at Pearl's Books in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Nubia: The Awakening is a fast, breathless read, spinning familiar tropes about futuristic high inner city high schools all around. The climate apocalypse occurred, the mass flooding and weather changes overturning governments and destroying countries entirely. Many well-off people have 'Ascended,' living in cities up on high. The former financial district of New York City has become a slum mostly for refugees from Nubia, a land utterly lost in the disaster. The cast largely consists of Nubian teens, each a distinct personality, each with different ways of trying to survive, from martial fitness to scholarship to dealing drugs. And when these kids have incredible powers awaken... well, that is by no means a ticket to the easy life.
The characters are fantastic, but as someone who loves deep world-building, wow did I love what was created here. This future world feels eerily, horribly plausible. I'm really glad the next book will be released soon because I want to know what happens next!
Nubia: The Awakening is a fast, breathless read, spinning familiar tropes about futuristic high inner city high schools all around. The climate apocalypse occurred, the mass flooding and weather changes overturning governments and destroying countries entirely. Many well-off people have 'Ascended,' living in cities up on high. The former financial district of New York City has become a slum mostly for refugees from Nubia, a land utterly lost in the disaster. The cast largely consists of Nubian teens, each a distinct personality, each with different ways of trying to survive, from martial fitness to scholarship to dealing drugs. And when these kids have incredible powers awaken... well, that is by no means a ticket to the easy life.
The characters are fantastic, but as someone who loves deep world-building, wow did I love what was created here. This future world feels eerily, horribly plausible. I'm really glad the next book will be released soon because I want to know what happens next!
February 2, 2023
I loved the world and the people of the future! I loved the magical world the author created! I really enjoyed learning about this new world and how it got to where it is currently. I wish there was even more information to show how and when everything actually changed from what we know as “normal”.
I enjoyed the characters and they were very flushed out. They all seemed unique in their own way. I liked the friend relationship the most.
What I wanted was more!! I felt as if things were just getting good and then the book ended! I wanted to see the love story blossom. I wanted to see the revolution. I wanted to see what happens now that the Nubians have powers. I wanted a lot more!
The whole book felt like it was to help explain the world and set a foundation for book 2. I think it’s a safe assumption there will be a book 2.
Something interesting I noticed was how the Nubian characters were described in such detail. We were given the color of their skin and a rich idea of their culture. But the people Up High did not get a detailed description. They have light eyes and beautiful skin. I would be curious what you envisioned the people Up High looked like.
I enjoyed the characters and they were very flushed out. They all seemed unique in their own way. I liked the friend relationship the most.
What I wanted was more!! I felt as if things were just getting good and then the book ended! I wanted to see the love story blossom. I wanted to see the revolution. I wanted to see what happens now that the Nubians have powers. I wanted a lot more!
The whole book felt like it was to help explain the world and set a foundation for book 2. I think it’s a safe assumption there will be a book 2.
Something interesting I noticed was how the Nubian characters were described in such detail. We were given the color of their skin and a rich idea of their culture. But the people Up High did not get a detailed description. They have light eyes and beautiful skin. I would be curious what you envisioned the people Up High looked like.
December 8, 2022
review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2022/1...
Nubia The Awakening is gripping and interesting first book in futuristic fantasy series that revolves around three teenage refugees whose people struggle under oppression but their lives change when their dormant supernatural powers awaken.
The story is about racism, political intrigue, corruption, social difference, #climatechange, colonial magic, oppression, struggle, family, and friendship.
Writing is gripping and fast paced with third person narrative from Zeberi, Uzochi, and Lencho’s perspective. There is an intermittent POV of Sandra that made the plot more intriguing.
There is lots of build up here as author introduced world, characters and their life before starting with supernatural abilities that came in picture or let’s say we have more clarity about it after 100 pages. But it never felt slow or boring. In fact, all the build up created suspense along with political intrigue. It was interesting to see what sky city lord, Krazen is planning and what is the history of Nubia and why they have #supernaturalpowers.
All characters are flawed that made them realistic. World is fantastic. I enjoyed every detail of it.
Why 4 star - There is still lot to know about this world and the characters and development is to come in next books which makes it hard to have any firm opinion towards certain characters. Like I said I didn’t like Zuberi being overshadowed by Uzochi who is not my favorite character.
Overall, Nubia is stunning, gripping, complicated, and tense YA fantasy with amazing themes and futuristic dystopian world.
Nubia The Awakening is gripping and interesting first book in futuristic fantasy series that revolves around three teenage refugees whose people struggle under oppression but their lives change when their dormant supernatural powers awaken.
The story is about racism, political intrigue, corruption, social difference, #climatechange, colonial magic, oppression, struggle, family, and friendship.
Writing is gripping and fast paced with third person narrative from Zeberi, Uzochi, and Lencho’s perspective. There is an intermittent POV of Sandra that made the plot more intriguing.
There is lots of build up here as author introduced world, characters and their life before starting with supernatural abilities that came in picture or let’s say we have more clarity about it after 100 pages. But it never felt slow or boring. In fact, all the build up created suspense along with political intrigue. It was interesting to see what sky city lord, Krazen is planning and what is the history of Nubia and why they have #supernaturalpowers.
All characters are flawed that made them realistic. World is fantastic. I enjoyed every detail of it.
Why 4 star - There is still lot to know about this world and the characters and development is to come in next books which makes it hard to have any firm opinion towards certain characters. Like I said I didn’t like Zuberi being overshadowed by Uzochi who is not my favorite character.
Overall, Nubia is stunning, gripping, complicated, and tense YA fantasy with amazing themes and futuristic dystopian world.
February 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this.
I was about to type for the zillionth time how much I don't like YA except for.... Well maybe I do like YA a little, if the book is good. Which is true for any genre, so I'm not going to write it. Or I won't write it again I guess.
There's a lot going on in this book. It takes place about 50 years in the future in New York. A group of immigrants from the fictional country of Nubia have been marginalized, forced to live in crumbling and decrepit homes. But a small group of their teenagers are now in a gifted program at school. And if they work hard enough (or so they are told) they can "ascend" to live in the sky - towers that are clean and safe and all good things.
The story begins with gang rivalry and fights. But some of the kids seem to have supernatural fighting abilities. And some of the kids can "see" things or "hear" things. None of them know what's going on until
Definitely a book setting up the series. I'm looking forward to more books from the author.
I was about to type for the zillionth time how much I don't like YA except for.... Well maybe I do like YA a little, if the book is good. Which is true for any genre, so I'm not going to write it. Or I won't write it again I guess.
There's a lot going on in this book. It takes place about 50 years in the future in New York. A group of immigrants from the fictional country of Nubia have been marginalized, forced to live in crumbling and decrepit homes. But a small group of their teenagers are now in a gifted program at school. And if they work hard enough (or so they are told) they can "ascend" to live in the sky - towers that are clean and safe and all good things.
The story begins with gang rivalry and fights. But some of the kids seem to have supernatural fighting abilities. And some of the kids can "see" things or "hear" things. None of them know what's going on until
Definitely a book setting up the series. I'm looking forward to more books from the author.
November 25, 2022
A fresh urban fantasy, I was super excited about the concept of Nubia The Awakening and it didn't disappoint at all. I loved the originality of this book, I haven't read anything like it before and it really kept me captivated.
Covering important topics such as climate change, segregation and racism This book felt timely and important and I loved the way these talking points were woven into the story in such a seamless but hard hitting way.
There's so much adventure and action packed into this story and I was so here for people of colour being the superheroes, Rising up and coming into their power with magical abilities. I also loved the stories of ancestry and how important Nubia and it's people are.
The multiple Povs really worked and the characters are likeable, They have their own stuff to work through and I found each character felt really distinguished.
Overall I really enjoyed this futuristic fantasy. It took me a couple of chapters to understand the world building but after that I was hooked. I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a unique story.
Covering important topics such as climate change, segregation and racism This book felt timely and important and I loved the way these talking points were woven into the story in such a seamless but hard hitting way.
There's so much adventure and action packed into this story and I was so here for people of colour being the superheroes, Rising up and coming into their power with magical abilities. I also loved the stories of ancestry and how important Nubia and it's people are.
The multiple Povs really worked and the characters are likeable, They have their own stuff to work through and I found each character felt really distinguished.
Overall I really enjoyed this futuristic fantasy. It took me a couple of chapters to understand the world building but after that I was hooked. I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a unique story.
January 19, 2024
This book was pretty good, though this is a generous 4/5 stars. One, I loved the afrofuturistic setting, the characters, the relevancy of climate change and how they framed classism in this version of NYC. I also love the revolutionary ideology peddled by Zuberi (my fav character btw). Uzochi is a close second bc I resonate with his character a lil toooo much. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick and easier read that also thought they were gonna get superpowers December 12th two years ago (iykyk)
January 17, 2023
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 stars
February 18, 2023
This book has a lot going on. I’ll try to come back to it later this year.
June 27, 2023
This is solid. A bit like Red Queen with a lot of different characters and different powers. Has a spiritual element, too. I'm looking forward to book 2.
July 1, 2023
I mean it was fine
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews