Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK Literary Cafe Magazine - April 2018 Issue | Page 28

cerece rennie
Panther
murphy
What to
to Read
read after Black
What
(Cerece rennie Murphy)
After Black Panther
You’ve seen it once, maybe twice… and now you
want more of that feeling of watching Black people
rise and excel in a story that is as fresh as it is heart
pounding. So, now what?
Well, the good news is that you don’t have to wait
years for Marvel to produce the next Black Panther
sequel. While it is true that Black Panther is one of
the most famous and long-standing superheroes, he
is not at all the only one.
Did you know that there are other amazing stories
that explore the fantastic in an African context? Well,
believe it or not, there is a whole world of books
written in this vein by Black Authors—past, present,
and future. As a life-long science fiction fan, it is my
pleasure to introduce you to some of them. Here
are just a few of my top recommendations. Happy
Reading and Welcome to a Brave New World!
Not Your Average Superhero
It’s often said that Octavia Butler was a pioneer in
Black science fiction, but that is not accurate. She
was a pioneer in science fiction—period. The stories
she created and the issues she tackled echo in human
consciousness to this day (especially given the current
social climate). If you haven’t read her work, you are
in for some extreme goodness. The first Octavia
Butler book I put eyes on was Wild Seed, and it blew
my mind. The story is about the pursuit of ultimate
power and features a cast of magical characters who
can shapeshift, live eternally, and suck the life right
out of you if you get to close. It’s a heart-stopping ride
with an African and African American consciousness
theme that is so cleverly written that you literally
won’t believe the ending. Luckily, Wild Seed is part of
an outstanding series, so when you come to the end
of one book, you can just keep going.
28 | NKLC Magazine