A giant spaceship lands in the waters offshore of Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria, and things get out of control immediately. Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor is more about the writhing, hustling world of Nigeria, and the arrival of aliens is a great way to see that in action. It’s very well-written, fast-paced, fascinating, and intense. It does not, however, make me want to visit Lagos.

Technically science fiction, Lagoon scratches more of a fantasy/magic realism itch than a science fiction one, but it’s still a great “The Aliens Arrived And Everyone Lost Their Minds” story.

Recommendation: Read it. It’s nice to read some science fiction when you have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen next.