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By Thean Sargeant
It’s inspiring to see publishing houses and their imprints (think smaller, more specific publishing houses under one publisher) pick up manuscripts and imprints by Black authors. It’s even more inspiring to see many Black authors explore the fantasy genre. Many fantasy authors draw inspiration from their cultures’ mythology.
If you’ve been thinking about reading fantasy, consider supporting these Black fantasy novelists.
Ehi, as she likes to be called, grew up with the Nigerian mythology and traditions that she writes about in her books. This multi-degree holder’s debut book, and first of a duology, Forged By Blood, was published by Harper Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins that is dedicated to science fiction and fantasy. Look out for the sequel, Exiled by Iron, in October 2024.
Tracy Deonn (#1 New York Times bestseller)
Known for her popular series The Legendborn Cycle, Deonn, who holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, has made quite a name for herself. In 2021, she won a Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe New Talent Award. Her books are published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster literary fiction and nonfiction for children and teens. Look out for the third book in The Legendborn Cycle, Oathbound in May 2025.
Liselle Sambury (Canadian)
Sambury, who holds a degree from Queen’s University in Ontario, is another author published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. She debuted in 2021 with her book Blood Like Magic, the first in the Blood Like duology. This book made Sambury a finalist in the 2021 Governor General’s Literary Award for Young People’s Literature — Text. The sequel, Blood Like Fate, came out the following year. Her two newer books Delicious Monsters and Tender Beasts are out now and available for purchase.
Jordan Ifueko (#1 New York Times bestseller)
Award-winning author (Nebula Award and Ignyte Award, to name a few) Jordan Ifueko is known for her Raybearer series. The series is partially inspired by her West African heritage and other world cultures. The imprint Abrams Books has published her work. Look out for her new, standalone book (based in the same world as Raybearer) The Maid and the Crocodile.
Davenport is both an academic and a published author. She is known for her popular Blood Gift duology published by Harper Voyager. The first book in the duology, and Davenport’s debut book, is The Blood Trials. The follow-up book, The Blood Gift, was published in June 2024.
Deborah Falaye (Canadian)
Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria equipped Falaye with knowledge of the Nigerian and Yoruba mythologies she needed to write her debut novel Blood Scion. Published by HarperTeen, another imprint for HarperCollins, in 2022, the book is the first in an unnumbered series. Look out for her second book War Widow in late 2024.
Suyi Davies Okungbowa (assistant professor at the University of Ottawa)
Another academic and author, OsasuyiOkungbowa, Suyi for short, has four science fiction books. Anaddon Books published David Mogo, Godhunter in 2019. Hachette’s imprint Orbit Books published two books in the Nameless Republic trilogy: Son of the Storm (2021) and Warrior of the Wind (2023). Tor Publishing Group, an imprint of Macmillan, published his standalone book Lost Ark Dreaming in 2024. The release of his last book in the Nameless Republic trilogy is anticipated.
This master’s degree author wrote a popular series, Blood Debt, which contains two books: Blood Debt and Blood Justice. They were published by Tor Teen, an imprint of Macmillan. Walker also has a children’s fantasy series, Alex Wise, published by Random House Children’s Books’s imprint Labyrinth Road.
James is a Jamaican-American academic and author whose first book was published in 2005. His book Black Leopard, Red Wolf, published by Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Group/Penguin Random House, marked his entry into fantasy in 2019. This book is the first of a planned trilogy titled The Dark Star. The second book, Moon Witch, Spider King was published in 2022. Look out for the final book in the trilogy White Wing, Dark Star.
Utomi, a Nigerian American, takes inspiration from his West African culture and mythology. This academic published his first fantasy YA novel Daughters of Oduma with Atheneum Books for Young Readers, a Simon and Schuster imprint. His two published novellas are part of the Forever Desert trilogy. The books, published by Tordotcom, an imprint of Macmillan, include The Lies of the Ajungoand The Truth of the Aleke. The last book of the trilogy is forthcoming.
Shea’s debut book, I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me, and its upcoming sequel, I Am the Dark That Answers When You Call, serves as their launch into the world of dark fantasy writing. Henry Holt and Co., who operate under Macmillan in the US, published their books.
Award-winning academic and author, Solomon has been in the fantasy genre for seven years. Their book An Unkindness of Ghosts was published by Akashic Books, an independent, Brooklyn-based publisher. Their second book, The Deep (a novella), is based on a song of the same name that was commissioned from the hip-hop group Clipping for the show This American Life. The group members Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, and Jonathan Snipes are given credit on the book for their involvement. Saga/Gallery Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, published the book. Solomon’s third book, Sorrowland, is a gothic fantasy published in 2021 by MCD Books (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, whose parent company is Macmillan).
Thean Sargeant
Thean Sargeant is a first-time writer for Black Voice. She likes to create interesting stories that others will enjoy.