A robot directs traffic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 Last month, a Guardian article on the value of “Afrofuturist” art started making the rounds on the web’s myriad African news and culture forums. Usually the term, coined in the 1990s, refers mainly to innovative or progressive material coming out of the African American creative community—works which often fall into the category of science-fiction or fantasy categories and are thus brushed off as genre art. But the Guardian pieces did two great services to the term, by using it to draw our attention to lesser-known and underappreciated works coming out of continental Africa, and sparking discussion about Afrofuturism’s merits as a social phenomenon.

Sci-fi and fantasy art have the power to shape modern technology through creators’ aspirations. In the case of African art, that is doubly valuable, as it offers local artists the chance to put their own stamp on the technologies and developments that will shape the continent, envisioning a future enriched by non-Western perspectives. But beyond just futurism, African sci-fi and fantasy have the potential to challenge clichéd views of the continent through imaginative worlds and parallel universes. These works can close the gaps between traditional life, mythology, and modernity by blending fantastical elements into quasi-realities and dreaming big about what could be.

When most Americans think of African science fiction, they’re likely to recall sci-fi movies out of South Africa like District 9, which sparked a minor fantasy revolution in the country’s (and the continent’s) film industry. Branching out of this entry point, many may find some interesting audio or visual futurism—music, photography, illustrations, and even television (in the genre).

But what gets lost in this embrace of African audio-visual sci-fi is the richness and depth of Africa’s sci-fi literature. The history of the genre in the continent goes back to the early 20th century, although at the time most of the authors were white South Africans. But over the past half-century the genre has exploded, featuring not just established authors, foreign transplants, and returnees who honed their skills abroad, but also homegrown authors from across the continent. 

Those wishing to explore this genre in-depth can check out anthologies like AfroSF or the informative subcultural clearinghouse AfroCyberPunk. But if you’re looking for a beginner’s jumping-off point into the vast spoils of African sci-fi, below is a list of 10 genre-gems that offer a peak into the rich world of the continent’s futuristic literature...

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