AfroSFv3 edited by Ivor W Hartmann

The AfroSFv3 anthology of short speculative fiction by a stellar array of African authors edited by the deft hand of Ivor W Hartmann has been burning a hole in my iPad awhile now, but I am pleased that I set aside the time to work through them. Many of the names are not new to me, and especially where stories have interlinked with previous works by the author, it's given me a deeper glimpse into their setting. As always with any anthology of short fiction, there will be some tales that work for me and some that don't. This is no reflection on the author but rather the reader, so bear that in mind. As always, I will recommend African speculative fiction for those who wish to step away from the usual West-centric fare out there. 

Njuzu by TL Huchu takes a recognisably African culture off-planet, to a time where humanity has colonised hostile environments, and where customs have evolved. Yet what is universal is a mother's grief for her missing child, no matter how alien the landscape. Evocatively written, this story explores the subtle emotions and the bonds between people within a community, while at the same time dipping into how a mother comes to terms with her loss.

I'm no stranger to Cristy Zinn's writing, having edited her fiction on numerous occasions. The Girl Who Stared at Mars remains with the theme of bereavement, but blends it also with memory and the letting go of one's past. The African Space Agency is sending people to Mars, but this comes with a heavy psychological burden that the narrator explores – isolation being one of them. Zinn's writing is full of emotion, and is carefully nuanced, and asks some hard questions.

The EMO Hunter by Mandisi Nkomo explores a setting where religious zealotry is the order of the day. But what happens when a husband and wife are drawn down vastly different paths. People lie, and the outcome of Joshua and Miku's actions will be catastrophic – especially as Joshua spirals further into madness. Nkomo paints a disquieting world that drew me in.

Biram Mboob's The Luminal Frontier kicks off with a bang, as we join a crew smuggling contraband. Only if they jettison their cargo, they may be guilty of a greater crime. Yet the story takes us into a world where people live a virtual life as lively and 'real' as the one in meat space. The tension ramps up, and somehow the two realities blend. Mboob's ramping of tension is breathtaking.

The Far Side by Gabriella Muwanga is a story that had me on the edge of my seat as well. Mason needs to bring his daughter to the Lunar colony, but her physical defects disqualify her. He cannot leave her behind, and will go to extremes to bring her with him – leaving her behind on Earth will certainly mean her death. Of course, things don't quite go as planned...

Wole Talabi certainly knows how to start a story with a bang, when his opening line reads: In space, no one can hear your ship explode. Which kinda makes you want to see what happens next. In Drift-Flux he drags readers along on a nail-biting caper to unravel not only a mystery but embark on a race against time. As always, Talabi hits just the right notes.

Journal of a DNA Pirate by Stephen Embleton takes us into the fevered ramblings of a madman with an agenda to unleash a deadly virus. Which is perhaps a story that isn't exactly comforting in present times.

The Interplanetary Water Company by Masimba Musodza is a bit too heavy on the exposition side for my tastes, which saw me skim-reading more than getting into the story, which was about a research team with an agenda sent to planet their people all but destroyed.

Dilman Dila's delightful Safari Nyota: A Prologue, recasts the Trolley Problem, but in deep space and with AI having to make difficult decisions. Some surprising twists and turns here, but I won't spoil.

Parental Control by Mazi Nwonwu is another gem in this anthology, asking questions about family, virtual reality and patchwork family relationships. To an extent, it is a coming-of-age tale, but also dips into the concept of synthetic life.

Inhabitable by Andrew Dakalira is an alien contact story that sees humans at a disadvantage dealing with a more superior race. They have been given an ultimatum to pass on information bout advanced weapons which will irrevocably shape the outcome of a war. 

I've read another of Mame Bougouma Diene's stories that drop us into the world where ChinaCorp has caused irreparable damage to earth. Ogotemmeli's Song takes this conflict to earlier times where we see how the ominous red matter devastates life by Jupiter. Yet we do get a glimpse into a greater mystery too. At times I felt the abundance of names and characters was a bit overwhelming – that this story could have been expanded into novel-length, but it was overall an innovative telling that left me scratchy behind the eyes.