Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology
The culmination of nearly two years of world building, and after a successful crowdfunding campaign, Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology was published in November 2023 by Android Press.
MOTHERSOUND transports readers to a unique realm of science and fantasy, weaving together the creative brilliance of diverse African minds. The anthology showcases a rich tapestry of stories that explore the vast and imaginative landscapes of the Sauútiverse, inviting readers to embark on an epic adventure like never before.
Starred Review from Publishers Weekly
Given this vast scope, there’s plenty of room for J. Umeh’s joyous “Kalabashing,” chronicling an interplanetary battle of the bands, to sit next to T.L. Huchu’s horror story “The Hollowed People,” in which a planet’s fragmented reality leaves its inhabitants both dead and alive at once. Eugen Bacon’s poetic neurodivergent dragonslayer tale “Sina, the Child with No Echo” fits in every bit as well as Xan van Rooyen’s futuristic story of a magical Deaf DJ in “Lost in the Echoes.” Released with a story bible and under copyright arrangements that will soon allow any African writer to add their voice to the collective, this feels like the start of something monumental.
Love for the Mothersound anthology
Contributors include: Nebula Award winner Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, World Fantasy Award nominee Eugen Bacon, NYT bestselling author Tobias S. Buckell, Caine Prize nominee T.L. Huchu, Adelehin Ijasan, Stephen Embleton, Akintoba Kalejaye, Cheryl S. Ntumy, Xan Van Rooyen, Dare Segun Falowo, Eye Kay Nwaogu, J. Umeh, Somto Ihezue.
And artwork by Akintoba Kalejaye and Stephen Embleton.
Mothersound Anthology Reviews
AUREALIS REVIEW by Michaela Teschendorff Harden
"The worldbuilding of Mothersound is the star of the show. Science fiction and fantasy blend through the coexistence of magic and advanced technology. Central to the worldbuilding are the diverse cultures of Africa and the African diaspora, constructing a unique set of voices, values and aesthetics underrepresented in mainstream speculative fiction."
★★★★★
★★★★★
Table of Contents
| Foreword: “I Dream Of Sauúti” by Fabrice Guerrier |
| Introduction: “Why We Created The First Collaborative African Sci-Fi/Fantasy Universe” by Wole Talabi |
| Welcome To The Sauútiverse |
| “Our Mother, Creator” (Creation Myth 1) by Stephen Embleton and Wole Talabi |
| “What Has No Mouth?” by Dare Segun Falowo |
| “The Way Of Baa’gh” by Cheryl S. Ntumy |
| “The Grove’s Lament” by Tobias S. Buckell |
| “Xhova” by Adelehin Ijasan |
| “A City, A Desert And All Their Dirges” by Somto Ihezue and Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki |
| “Sina, The Child With No Echo” by Eugen Bacon |
| “The Rakwa Wa-Ya’yn, Or, The Song of Our Mother’s Children” (Creation Myth 2) by Stephen Embleton and Wole Talabi |
| “Undulation” by Stephen Embleton |
| “The Hollowed People” by T.L. Huchu |
| “Muting Echoes, Breaking Tradition” by Eye Kay Nwaogu |
| “Kalabashing” by J. Umeh |
| “Lost In The Echoes” by Xan van Rooyen |
| “Hologhiri” by Akintoba Kalejaye |
| Closing Notes |
| Author Biographies |
| Glossary |
