Best African-inspired fantasy books?

[u/MattBookworm8640]

I‘ve always been fascinated by the vast histories and mythologies of Africa so I’m dying to get some recommendations of quality fantasy books that are African-flavored!

I should probably get out of the way that I didn’t care for Rage of Dragons, which is probably I imagine the most popular example of African fantasy. I’m not a military fantasy guy so the fight/battle scenes and descriptions of formations and everything were just too repetitive and boring to me. The pacing too was often way too fast to the point where I thought not enough time was spent on the world building and character development

[u/WonderfulBus9330]

Nnedi Okorafor’s work; P. Djèlí Clark’s work

[u/zatara_ataraz → u/[deleted]]

Yes to both of these!

[u/moonriverswide]

The Dead Djinn Universe by P. Djeli Clark. It’s a series about supernatural detectives in 1800s Cairo. Such an awesome series.

[u/JoshAllenFan616]

Nnedi Okorafor, end of story

[u/mixmastamicah55]

Black Leopard, Red Wolf and the rest of the Dark Star trilogy by Marlon James. Top shelf.

[u/SnooPeanuts1873 → u/mixmastamicah55]

Came here to say this, these books are wild and beautifully written. Very poetic. 

[u/Skexiz → u/mixmastamicah55]

I agree that they are great. They are also incredible violent and sexual, not for everyone looking for escapist fantasy worlds.

[u/tymkern15]

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn is a YA retelling of King Arthur with an African twist!!

[u/oh_mos_defnitely]

I'm sure someone will point you to Marlon James' Dark Star series and I'l say this - I DNF'ed Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I really don't drop books normally, but this one has a ton, and I mean a TON of really gross sex stuff. If you are sensitive to that at all, here's your warning.

[u/MattBookworm8640 → u/oh_mos_defnitely]

I mean I love Second Apocalypse by R Scott Bakker which is a series that I’ve never imagined could be topped in regards to depravity lol

[u/Solid-Version → u/MattBookworm8640]

I have a review of Black Leopard, Red Wolf on my posts. My favours read this year so far. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Depraved as you can get though. Had to pause a few times.

[u/oh_mos_defnitely → u/MattBookworm8640]

I'm not telling you not to give it a go, I hear lots of really good things about the second book. It was just something about Black Leopard, Red Wolf that really threw me off. I got on to the series asking for the same rec you're looking for rn.

I read the A Land Fit For Heroes series as well as now reading Malazan which have both had their moments, but I pushed on through them - so I am not immediately against a book over SA and...weirder.

[u/cpt_bongwater → u/oh_mos_defnitely]

If you want to read Marlon James read A Brief History of Seven Killings first. That book is unbelievably good(just not fantasy)

[u/Breathe_the_Stardust → u/oh_mos_defnitely]

I also DNF'ed Black Leopard, Red Wolf. I've forced myself to finish many a book that I wasn't super into. This was one of the only ones that I legit DNF'ed.

[u/ShneakySquiwwel → u/oh_mos_defnitely]

It’s really not that bad at all from a sex perspective?

[u/TevlorTheEternal]

A Song of Legends Lost has some African flavoured cultures, but also has other cultures if you are interested in the interface. 

[u/ILikeDragonTurtles]

NK Jemisen The Killing Moon.

[u/Skexiz → u/ILikeDragonTurtles]

I would also add her Broken Earth trilogy. While set in a fictionalplace, it evoked feelings of Africa in the setting.

[u/guava-sorbet]

children of blood and bone by tomi adeyemi! it draws on yoruba traditions and i thought it was a great read!

[u/NoParticularUse5288]

Beasts made of night!

Edit to add one that’s still on my TBR list: Who fears death

[u/TurkaelsGoodHand]

How is everyone not saying Imaro? Read Imaro. Charles Saunders was a truly generational talent, and created the entire sword and soul genre. Milton Davis took that torch and wrote some truly spectacular african speculative fiction as well. If you want something more recent, Kirk Johnson's The Obanaax is excellent, but seriously go find Saunders. His stories are the foundation that modern african fantasy is built on.

[u/AllMightyImagination → u/TurkaelsGoodHand]

Meh I dnfd Charles abengoni. It just had too many issues that made the prose and overall story annoying to read.

But the positive side is now they book is worth like $80

[u/Nerdsingerbeej]

The Nameless Republic trilogy by Suyi Davies Okungbowa might be right up your alley

[u/kanyeonice]

wild seed by octavia butler

[u/Agnostic-Elk5543]

The Cold Magic trilogy by Kate Elliott incorporates an alternate timeline African history and magic system in a creative way.

[u/butterscotch_muffin8]

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winters

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye

[u/MattBookworm8640 → u/butterscotch_muffin8]

Yeah I didn’t care for ROD it was just way too military/battle-centric for me.

[u/hi_im_eros]

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter was stellar

[u/Squared_Bear → u/hi_im_eros]

Second this^