African speculative fiction has been on the rise over the past 25 years, though experts like Wole Talabi note that the buildup to this moment has been many decades in the making. In our recently published 100 Notable African Books of 2024, strong presence of speculative fiction shows that the genre is hear to stay. There are epic fantasies (Faebound), reimagined mythologies (Masquerade), and futuristic narratives (Egypt + 100). These stories are grounded in African histories, mythologies, and cultural contexts while engaging with universal themes like power, resistance, and identity.

Titles like The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years and The Djinn’s Apple tie supernatural elements to aspects of South African life and Abbasid-era Baghdad, respectively, while The Year of Return explores a supernatural reckoning during Ghana’s returnee celebrations. Meanwhile, Womb City and Kwame Crashes the Underworld reimagine societal structures through speculative lenses, engaging with themes of gender, grief, and belonging.

Explore list of speculative fiction books included in our 100 Notable Books list. Click on the “buy link” to start reading.