New Edition of our African Reading Group London which meets regularly to discuss new and classic fiction form the continent.

“There is a good bit of “stellar travels” and “alien warfare,” so lovers of science fiction are certainly in for a thrill! “. Brittle Paper

“Binti is a compact gem of adventure, bravery and other worlds. Nnedi Okorafor efficiently and effectively uses the short format to create a visual, suspenseful ride. And the heroine, Binti, invites us along to participate in her secret mission. From the start she is special and destined for greater things, but without knowing the tests that will challenge her resilience. As a result, her heroism and vulnerabilities grab our attention, holding tight until the end”. USA Today

About the book :

Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.

Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach. If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself – but first she has to make it there, alive.

About Nnedi Okorafor :

Nnedi Okorafor is an international award-winning novelist of African-based science fiction, fantasy and magical realism for both children and adults. Born in the United States to two Nigerian immigrant parents, Nnedi is known for weaving African culture into creative evocative settings and memorable characters.Her latest works include her novel The Book of Phoenix (an Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist), her Binti Trilogy ( the first of which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novella) and her children’s book Chicken in the Kitchen (winner of an Africana Book Award). The final installment of the Binti Trilogy (titled The Night Masquerade) will be released in September and the sequel to Akata Witch (title Akata Warrior) is due out in October. Nnedi is an Full Professor at the University at Buffalo, New York (SUNY).

“Binti is like Ripley, having to deal with death and drama but in a really clever way that drinks from the pool of who she is. It’s a beautiful, heady, a bit scary, and ultimately fulfilling piece of fiction that made me cry in its last paragraph because of its hopeful, uplifting ending”. Kirkus Reviews

“Not only is it a story about an intensely clever, brave and compassionate young woman who finds herself doing several things for the first time, it’s also a first contact story. The brilliance of it lies in just how many versions of that first contact Okorafor folds into the text”. Alastair Stuart

“Binti is a supreme read about a smart, edgy Afropolitan in space! It’s a wondrous combination of extra-terrestrial adventure and age-old African diplomacy. Unforgettable!”. Wanuri Kahiu, award-winning Kenyan film director of Pumzi and From a Whisper

“Nnedi Okorafor pens a gorgeous novella set in the outer reaches of space, starring a brave, brilliant girl named Binti. Part coming-of-age tale, part science fiction adventure, Binti is as a whole relatable, beautiful and hard to put down until you’ve reached the last page.”Heroes and Heartbreakers, Mala Bhattacharjee