Popsugar Entertainment Book Roundup The Best Afrofuturist Books 11 Afrofuturism Books That Blend Science Fiction, Technology, and Black Culture 15 December 2020 by Allison Ingrum As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. As author and scholar Ytasha L. Womack explains, Afrofuturism is an artistic genre that blends imagination, technology, Black cultures, liberation, and mysticism. It is a "way of looking at the future and alternate realities through a Black cultural lens," including those from Africa and the African diaspora. Typically seen through an artistic aesthetic of music, visual art, dance, film, or literature, Womack also explains that the genre can be a method of self-liberation and healing by using imagination to transcend circumstances and creating agency. Currently, Marvel's Black Panther film is the most widely known and popular example of Afrofuturism. In literature, authors from Womack to Octavia E. Butler to N.K. Jemisin and so many more are acclaimed for their work in the space. Whether you are looking for an imaginative and liberating read or are looking for a suggestion for the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge's Afrofuturism prompt, pick up one of these Afrofuturist favourites. Related: 11 Best Dark Academia Books to Inspire Your New Aesthetic Kindred Image Source: bookshop.org Though most of her works were published before the term Afrofuturism was officially coined, Octavia E. Butler is often credited for being an original and influential figure in the genre. Critics note that her work is often multiethnic and multispecies, which is outside of the true Afrofuturism definition, but there's no doubt her award-winning writing was an influence for generations to come. One of Butler's most well-known pieces, Kindred ($15), follows a modern Black woman who is kidnapped from her California home and is brought to the antebellum South to save the white son of a plantation owner. Repeatedly brought back, the stay grows longer each time and she is unsure when it might end. Kindred $15 from bookshop.org Buy Now Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture Image Source: amazon.com Pulling from past and present-day artistic works, Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha L. Womack ($14) entertains and enlightens readers on afrofuturists' goal to empower individuals while breaking down racial, ethnic, and social limitations. Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha L. Womack $14 from amazon.com Buy Now Rosewater Image Source: amazon.com The start of an award-winning trilogy, Rosewater by Tade Thompson ($14) is set in a Nigerian town on the edge of an alien biodome and follows a government agent who must face his dark past to help the community. Rosewater by Tade Thompson $14 from amazon.com Buy Now Binti Image Source: amazon.com Binti by Nnedi Okorafor ($16) is an award-winning start of a trilogy following the first of the Himba people to be accepted to Oomza University. To go will mean leaving her family to be with those who don't respect her customs, but she is willing to try. Binti by Nnedi Okorafor $16 from amazon.com Buy Now The Black God's Drums Image Source: bookshop.org Set in an alternate New Orleans during the American Civil War, The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark ($11) follows Creeper's quest to earn a spot on the airship. The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark $11 from bookshop.org Buy Now The Fifth Season Image Source: bookshop.org Winning the 2016 Hugo Award, The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin ($15) starts The Broken Earth trilogy. When the world is coming to an end, a mother must face the death of her son while finding her kidnapped daughter. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin $15 from bookshop.org Buy Now Children of Blood and Bone Image Source: bookshop.org Tomi Adeyemi is one of TIME's Most Influential People of 2020 after her debut novel, Children of Blood and Bone ($17), was an instant New York Times bestseller and gained widespread attention. A West African-inspired fantasy, the book fuses magic and danger as Z has one chance to strike back against the monarchy. Children of Blood and Bone $17 from bookshop.org Buy Now The City We Became Image Source: bookshop.org Award-winning author N. K. Jemisin's 2020 novel, The City We Became ($26), blends culture, identity, magic, and myths in current-day New York City. The City We Became $26 from bookshop.org Buy Now Riot Baby Image Source: bookshop.org Tochi Onyebuchi's first novel for adults, Riot Baby ($18), is a global dystopian narrative about the Black American experience. It follows siblings Ella and Kev as they must decide how to use their powers. Riot Baby $18 from bookshop.org Buy Now Akata Witch Image Source: amazon.com Referred to as "the Nigerian Harry Potter," Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor ($16) is about a twelve-year-old with magical power finding her place among other students. Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor $16 from amazon.com Buy Now An Unkindness of Ghosts Image Source: bookshop.org With many awards and accolades, An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon ($37) was one of the best books of 2017. Born into slavery, Aster is trying to escape from the segregated spaceship she lives on, which has brought the last of humanity to a Promised Land for generations. An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon $37 from bookshop.org Buy Now Book RoundupPOPSUGAR Reading ChallengeBooks