An award-winning novelist of African-based science fiction, fantasy, and magical realism, Nnedi Okorafor is known for weaving African cultures into creative settings and memorable characters.
After word gets out on the Internet that aliens have landed in the waters outside of the world’s fifth most populous city, chaos ensues. Soon the military, religious leaders, thieves, and crackpots are trying to control the message on YouTube and on the streets. Meanwhile, the earth’s political superpowers are considering a preemptive nuclear launch to eradicate the intruders. All that stands between 17 million anarchic residents and death is an alien ambassador, a biologist, a rapper, a soldier, and a myth that may be the size of a giant spider, or a god revealed.
“Chaotic, enthralling, and moving fluidly from character voices to oral-style narration to gut-punchingly beautiful prose.” —NPR Books
“Lagoon is a wonderfully contemporary look at how people react when confronted with the unknown on a massive scale, with all the personal character changes and challenges one could hope for. I loved reading Lagoon and it’s definitely going on my reread circuit.” —Fantasy Faction
“Lagoon mixes a traditional trope of SF—first contact with visitors from the stars—with African magical realism to create a lyrical, poetic mash-up examining social deprivation, religious excess and the power of story on our lives.” —The Guardian