The Fist of Memory
Oct 2026 · Astra Publishing House
Ebook
416
Pages
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infoThis book will become available on October 27, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
"Absolutely masterful." —Annalee Newitz
"A unique meeting of big concepts and elegantly-crafted action." —Adrian Tchaikovsky
A strange alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky in this electrifying, action-packed first contact novel set in near-future Nigeria from award-winning author Wole Talabi
A hard science-fiction novel featuring an assassin-for-hire, a witchdoctor, and an astronomer, this fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of Arrival
When a non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky, global powers are thrown into turmoil.
But for Tope, a principled Nigerian assassin with a talent for lethality in the employ of the mysterious witchdoctor known as "Baba," it’s all just business as usual. At least until a job goes wrong, and Tope is caught in the scramble—a high stakes game of power and politics for the future that is to come. Joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer plagued by mysterious dreams, they must find a way to survive, navigate their complicated pasts, and come to understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever. But it won’t be easy. There are sinister forces marshalled against them, including a strange assassin obsessed with a single memory.
The Fist Of Memory is a first contact thriller unlike any other; a meditation on the nature of reality, memory and connectedness.
"A unique meeting of big concepts and elegantly-crafted action." —Adrian Tchaikovsky
A strange alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky in this electrifying, action-packed first contact novel set in near-future Nigeria from award-winning author Wole Talabi
A hard science-fiction novel featuring an assassin-for-hire, a witchdoctor, and an astronomer, this fast-paced thriller is perfect for fans of Arrival
When a non-communicative alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky, global powers are thrown into turmoil.
But for Tope, a principled Nigerian assassin with a talent for lethality in the employ of the mysterious witchdoctor known as "Baba," it’s all just business as usual. At least until a job goes wrong, and Tope is caught in the scramble—a high stakes game of power and politics for the future that is to come. Joined by Itumeleng, a South African astronomer plagued by mysterious dreams, they must find a way to survive, navigate their complicated pasts, and come to understand how they, and all of humanity, are connected to the alien craft before it lands and the world changes forever. But it won’t be easy. There are sinister forces marshalled against them, including a strange assassin obsessed with a single memory.
The Fist Of Memory is a first contact thriller unlike any other; a meditation on the nature of reality, memory and connectedness.
"Absolutely masterful." —Annalee Newitz
"A unique meeting of big concepts and elegantly-crafted action." —Adrian Tchaikovsky
A strange alien spacecraft suddenly appears in the sky in this electrifying, action-packed first contact novel set in near-future Nigeria from award-winning author Wole ...
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About the author
Wole Talabi is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria. Author of the critically acclaimed Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon which was named one of the best books of 2023 by The Washington Post. He has hopped around the planet quite a bit but right now lives in Australia. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula and Locus awards, the Caine Prize, and has won the Sidewise award for alternate history. Talabi's work has also been translated into 7 languages. His fiction has appeared in Asimov's, F&SF, Clarkesworld, and is collected in the books Incomplete Solutions (2019, Luna Press) and Convergence Problems (2024, DAW Books).
Wole Talabi is an engineer, writer, and editor from Nigeria. Author of the critically acclaimed Shigidi And The Brass Head Of Obalufon which was named one of the best books of 2023 by The Washington Post. He has hopped around the planet quite a bit but right now lives in Australia. He has been a ...
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