When extraterrestrials arrive on Earth, they do so in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria. The wave formed from their splash landing pulls three people on Bar Beach into the ocean — a marine biologist, a soldier, and a rapper — changing their lives and tying them inextricably to the first contact chaos. And the being they meet is beyond anything they could have imagined. Adoyele, as the creature has named themself, has come with a message of peace, hoping to share ideas and a planet. But not everyone is as accepting of Adoyele as those first three people, and it seems their mission might be a bit harder to accomplish.
There are many, many first-contact stories, and this isn't even the first one I've read in which extraterrestrials land in Africa. However, it is the first I've found that manages to bring to life Lagos and imbue the story with traditional Nigerian storytelling styles. It's electric, thought-provoking, and just the sort of wonderfulness I've come to expect from Okorafor. Can't wait to see what the Orcs & Aliens say about it on Monday!
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