Description
Yoruba gods liberating a Nigerian artefact from London's British Museum, this is a heist novel filled to the brim with magic.
Shigidi is a disgruntled nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering the prayers of his few remaining believers to satisfy the demands of the company board. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes.
Together, they attempt to break free of their constraints and live on their owns terms. But the elder gods have other plans for Shigidi, and the Orisha Spirit Company is not so easy to leave. The chairman has a final job for Shigidi and Nneoma, one that will take them to the very heart of the British Museum.
From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter strange creatures, rival gods and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a spectacular heist that spans two realms . . . and which could turn their own worlds upside down . . .
A magical heist novel that will take you deep into the heart of the British Museum. This is a contemporary fantasy that's perfect for fans of P. Djeli Clark, Nnedi Okorafor and Neil Gaiman.
About the Author
WOLE TALABI is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria, whose stories have appeared in Asimov's, F&SF, Lightspeed and several other places. He has edited three anthologies: Africanfuturism (2020), Lights Out: Resurrection (2016) and These Words Expose Us (2014). He has been a finalist for multiple awards, including the Nebula Award (2023), the Jim Baen Memorial Award (2022) and the Locus Award (2021), and he has won the prestigious Caine Prize (2018) as well as the Nommo Award (2022). His work has been translated into Spanish, Norwegian, Chinese, Italian, Bengali, and French, and his collection Incomplete Solutions (2019) is published by Luna Press. His novel Shigidi is forthcoming from DAW books and Gollancz in 2023, and in his spare time he likes scuba diving, elegant equations, and oddly shaped things. He currently lives and works in Australia.
Reviews
Fast and sharp as talons, Shigidi is a high-stakes art heist love story with Nigerian gods and demons and some Succession-level corporate politics and Alan Moore-ish deep dives into occult lore and mythologies. If you thought Killmonger was right or loved American Gods and Akata Witch, this one is very much for you * Lauren Beukes *
A high octane thriller that is simply unputdownable. Talabi deftly weaves different mythos spanning centuries across continents and borders to create a truly fantastical story. Gods, demons, magicians, giants, all jostling for power and prestige within an all too human story. This remarkable debut rocked my world * T.L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead *
Shigidi is a richly written story of love between immortals, a high stakes supernatural heist, and a sweeping adventure across time, space, and perhaps realms of existence. This is godpunk, done with style. And I'm absolutely here for it! * P. Djeli Clark, Nebula Award-winning author of Master of Djinn *
For those who feel as if they've been waiting years for a novel by Wole Talabi, Shigidi surpasses expectations. It's fast-paced and fun, clever and beautiful. Filled with characters you want to spend time with in a world that is fresh and exciting. * Temi Oh, author of Do You Dream of Terra-Two *
Shigidi is a tale that will excite any lover of contemporary African fantasy. What better thrill than two globetrotting, timetrotting, worldtrotting beings caught between a love story, a heist and a ghastly contract with a spirit company? Talabi's imagination, already obvious in previous works, shines through, offering us a world of deities and monstrosities trading in belief and supplication. An innovative addition to the godpunk roster-if you loved David Mogo, you'll love this! * Suyi Davies Okungbowa, author of the Nameless Republic trilogy *
A heist caper with sex, violence, and superpowers popping off every technicolor page . . . Readers are in for a rollicking thrill ride * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *
A captivating and entertaining story of a nightmare god and his succubus lover, Nneoma, pulling a heist across two worlds * Lightspeed Magazine *
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is an explosion made of other explosions. As soon as I read the opening-taut, rollicking, rooted in physicality and emotion-I was charmed. This book is incantation, a sorcerous working that bound me to its story and drew me along as it sped toward its destination. Wole Talabi is a brilliant short fiction writer, and now he is revealed as a brilliant novelist, as well * Alex Jennings, author of The Ballad of Perilous Graves *
[A] delightfully entertaining novel . . . a defiantly ambitious work . . . [and] also an action-packed thrill ride . . . Talabi's snarky narration keeps the tone light, while leaving room for a sweet love story * The Washington Post *
Talabi keeps in balance his kinetic mix of noir heist fiction, erotic romance, political intrigue, and supernatural fireworks without distracting too much from the genuinely affecting relationship between Nneoma and Shigidi, who are a pair we wouldn't mind seeing again, and won't forget anytime soon * Locus *
Talabi weaves a high-stakes, fast-paced tale of corporate greed, an interdimensional heist, and warring deities entrenched in Yoruba culture. Perfect for fans of the Ocean's film franchise and Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), this book will have readers holding their breath as Shigidi and Nneoma try to accomplish the impossible * Booklist *
A smart, sexy, postcolonial book about two freelance gods running from their past and stealing from the British Museum. I had so much fun with these characters and I can't wait for the next book in the series. Perfect for fans of American Gods * Thomas D. Lee, Sunday Times bestselling author of Perilous Times *
[A] debut fantasy novel that's everything at once: love story, adventure story, spirit world story . . . Talabi excites the reader with the beauty of his language * Aurealis *
Complex, entertaining, and absolutely *fun* - and beyond that, heartwarming in its characters and in its conclusions. A story which left me wanting to believe in it * Genevieve Cogman, Sunday Times bestselling author of the Invisible Library series *
Book Information
ISBN 9781399615662
Author Wole Talabi
Format Paperback
Page Count 304
Imprint Gollancz
Publisher Orion Publishing Co
Weight(grams) 380g
Dimensions(mm) 230mm * 152mm * 24mm
