by Wole Talabi
First published 2024
A Lagos mechanic volunteers for an experimental procedure that will transform his skin into a superconductor, multiplying its electrical capacity beyond normal human limits. His decision sets him on a path between scientific breakthrough and personal risk. Meanwhile, on Mars, a woman fights against an unknown geological crisis to rescue her trapped brother before time runs out. Back on Earth in Nairobi, a tech support engineer watches an AI system break down in unprecedented ways, its malfunctions threatening to reshape reality itself. These characters navigate a world where technology accelerates faster than human understanding. Each faces choices that will define not just their own futures, but the trajectory of their communities. Talabi weaves sixteen stories and one novella around people caught between tradition and innovation, between the familiar rhythms of daily life and the alien demands of progress. The collection examines how Africans adapt, resist, and transform alongside the machines that increasingly define modern existence.
Genres: science-fiction, african-literature, contemporary, technology
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, man-vs-machine
Setting: Lagos, Mars, Nairobi
Period: near-future
320 pages · Hardcover · DAW