Category Archives: Black Author

Review: Dr. No by Percival Everett

Black Author, Funny, Heists & Thieves, Literary, Modern, Regular Guy Book Reviews, Stand-alone

Dr. No reads like the author does not care whether anyone reads this book or not; he had fun writing it, and that’s all that needed to happen. It’s good, absurdist fun with entertaining characters and clever social satire (but didn’t get preachy).

A mathematician who studies the concept of nothing to the point of becoming a world expert on the subject is approached by a billionaire determined to become a Bond villain. The billionaire needs help with nothing, and our mathematician needs the money. Inventive madness ensues.

Recommendation: Read it if you’re in the mood for something a little more literary, inventive, and don’t need aliens or spaceships. I’m definitely planning to read more by this author.

17 Best Afrofuturism Books

Afrofuturism, Black Author, List

Front and back cover of The Black Speculative Arts Movement edited by Reynaldo Anderson and Clinton R. Fluker—John Jennings

Afrofuturism is not just “the future with black people in it.” Its stories tend to focus on black identity, African mythology, and alternate histories involving the African Diaspora (the movement of people from Africa due to slavery).

Here’s me, a white guy, explaining a black culture thing. For a more authentic take on afrofuturism, read Jamie Broadnax’s (founder of Black Girl Nerds) “What The Heck Is Afrofuturism?”

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11 Amazing Science Fiction Books by Black Authors

Black Author, List

Though almost absent in the early years of science fiction, the number of black authors—and the recognition of their work—is growing year by year.

It’s impossible to talk about science fiction written by black authors as a cohesive genre because, like writers of other skin tones, black authors come from all over the world and write about a wildly diverse array of subjects in their own unique way and voice.

Despite that, I’m including this list because most other lists of science-fiction books tend to be “White and Male heavy,” and trumpeting the achievements of black authors should help balance that out a little bit.

I’m using “black” instead of “African-American” because a number of these authors are not American.

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