In the spirit of afrofutrurism, a cultural practice which imagines Black people living full lives with agency in both the present and future, the following list provides rich examples of Black people literally writing their own futures, and maintaining control over narratives both real and fictitious.įrom earlier works of fiction, to more contemporary titles, below are nine Black sci-fi and fantasy novels that will carry you to another dimension.Even if you’ve never been to war, you likely know someone who has. They do so often, by providing social commentary that resonates with reader through imaginative delivery.
Perhaps ironically, while the genre is often centered on alternate realities, the work of many Black sci-fi and fantasy writers focuses on creating fictional worlds with diverse characters that encourage readers to think critically about our actual realities. From N K Jemisin with her celebrated Inheritance Trilogy to novels from the multiple Hugo award-winning Nigerian author Nnedi Okorafor, writers from Africa and the diaspora, have consistently crafted some of the most illuminating and visionary works in the literary space. While the fantasy and sci-fi genres are often seen as reserved for white males, there have been several Black writers who have followed in Butler's footsteps to produce classic works within the genre. It accomplishes what all good science-fiction does: it transports the reader somewhere different, somewhere outside of the ordinary. Ask anyone who's ever read Octavia Butler's Kindred and we're sure they can vividly recall stepping into its surreal, time-traveling world.
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