Last month, the African Speculative Fiction Society announced its longlist for the annual Nommo Awards, which honor the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror from African writers across a broad range of categories.
Now the organization has revealed its shortlist of nominees for its members to vote on.
From here, members of the ASFS will have the opportunity to vote on the nominees—voting ends on August 31st, 2021.
Here’s the full short list:
The Ilube Nommo Award for Best Speculative Fiction Novel by an African
- The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
- Club Ded by Nikhil Singh
- Soul Searching by Stephen Embleton
2021 Novella Shortlist
- Guardians: The Awakening by David A. Atta
- A Fledgling Abiba by Dilman Dila
- Ife-Ikyoku: The Tale of Imadeyunuagbon by Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald
- The Silence of the Wilting Skin by Tlotlo Tsamaase
- Riot Baby by Tochi Onyebuchi
2021 Short Story Shortlist
- “Rat and Finch are Friends” by Innocent Chizaram Ilo
- “Corialis” by T L Huchu
- “The Bend of Water” by Tiah Marie Beautement
- “Behind Our Irises” by Tlotlo Tsamaase
- “The Goatkeeper’s Harvest” by Tobi Ogundiran
2021 Graphic Novel Short List
- Alex by Anna Mbale (writer) and Mwiche Songolo (artist) – Black Hut Comics
- Black Sheep by Mwiche Songolo (writer & artist) – Black Hut Comics
- Meanwhile… by Quinto Collab (various writers & artists), MaThoko’s Books, an imprint of GALA Queer Archive
- Moongirls by Nana Akosua Hanson (writer) AnimaxFYB Studios (art) – Ghana Drama Queens Collective
- New Men by Murewa Ayodele (writer) and Dotun Akande (artist) – Collectible Comics.
- Titan by Mazuba Chimbeza (writer & artist) – Black Hut Comics
... the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror from the African diaspora
If you read the African Speculative Fiction Society’s “Who Is Afrcian” page, it’s clear that this is not an award for “the African diaspora”. “Diaspora” refers to communities outside the country or continent of origin (the Italian diaspora includes, for example, Italian-Americans and Italian-Argentinians, but not Italian people who live in Italy).
These awards are primarily for writers from Africa; the only members of the African diaspora who qualify are those who actually emigrated from Africa (“citizens or people born on the continent who live abroad”) or their children (“people who have at least one African parent”).
@1 Updated–thanks for the clarification!