Photo credits to Arizona State University.

Nigerian fantasy and speculative fiction writer Suyi Davies Okungbowa recently announced that the sequel to his epic fantasy novel Son of the Storm is coming out in November 2023. Titled Warrior of the Wind, the book is set to be the second installment in The Nameless Republic trilogy and published by Orbit Books.

For readers who need a brief refresher of what happened in the first novel Son of the Storm, here is a quick plot summary. The first novel is described as “a sweeping epic” set in a world inspired by the pre-colonial empires of West Africa with bustling city streets and forests filled with magical beasts. Danso is a clever scholar in the ancient city of Bassa, who is intent on finding out Bassa’s darkest secrets about what lies outside the city walls. But his curiosity could bring down this empire when he comes across Lilong, a warrior wielding forbidden magic.

Okungbowa has included a brief description of Warrior of the Wind on his website and it sounds absolutely fascinating. The second novel is described as “a complex tale of the consequences of truth and power” full of strong characters and lush worlds.

Read the synopsis below:

After escaping Bassa, Danso and Lilong live in the vagabond colony of Chabo, under the looming threat of the new emperor’s bounty. Lilong’s dreams of returning home with the Diwi seem all but dashed, until opportunity knocks in the form of an offer from the Gaddo Company: resources for a journey east. In exchange? Lilong must break into a prison.

Events from the heist soon force Lilong and Danso to leave hiding and travel the Lonely Roads East to the seven islands, accompanied by new allies. But Red Emperor Esheme, fresh from acquiring new powers and territories, has other plans. Her relentless pursuit haunts the treacherous journey through the Savanna Belt.

But surviving each other is the least of their problems.

A new power arrives from the Sahel. Something ancient and uncontrollable awakens in the seven islands. Trouble heads for Bassa, and the continent of Oon will need more than ibor to fix what’s coming.

Okungbowa has not said much about the highly anticipated sequel on social media. However, he recently posted the following cryptic photos on Twitter and fans have been trying to interpret what they mean:

Based on these clues, we can definitely ascertain that the sequel will feature the three main characters in the roles of rebel and hunter. Perhaps the warrior Lilong turns into a rebel and Red Emperor Esheme becomes a hunter? What about the new power that is imminent and possibly the most dangerous of them all?

Stay tuned for more details. Preorder link coming soon.