The world needs an African Game of Thrones

[feelosofer]

Some of these concepts sound fantastic. I definitely gotta check for some of these.

 

[Arishok]

Changa's Safari look decent

 

[Neuromancer]

Changa's Safari look decent

It's actually very good

 

[KalKal]

If you think about it, "The Wiz" is black steampunk fantasy.

 

[richaveli83]

I'm not into ghouls, monsters, hobbits, etc but I definitely feel black people should stories like this from our perspective to light.

 

[richaveli83]

I had an idea years ago when I was around 16 about writing a fantasy series set in a Fantasy Africa where Ancient Ancient Egypt went to war with Atlantis and that's how Atlantis sank because of this epic war...

breh that sounds interesting as hell! I would definitely read it and buy it if/when published.

 

[Nymeria]

If you think about it, "The Wiz" is black steampunk fantasy.

Agreed! It was very innovative and didn't get the credit it deserves, it was really fun and imaginative.

 

[CarbonBraddock]

i am about to start writing one. Set in Africa, no white people, basically a story of the black race's origin and then the origin of all the other races.

 

[MIKE SPLEAN]

This is the closest we got and it was pretty epic:

Shaka Zulu (TV Mini-Series 1986) - IMDb

A remake would be dope

 

[MegaManX]

The world needs an African Game of Thrones


(WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Epic fantasy needs to leave medieval Europe. At least, that's what Marlon James, author of the Man Booker Prize-winning novel A Brief History of Seven Killings, thinks. In a recent interview, James talked about his upcoming book Black Leopard, Red Wolf, and described it as an "African Game of Thrones." And he's fully prepared to "geek the fukk out" with it:

extended entry

"I realized how sick and tired I was of arguing about whether there should be a black hobbit in Lord of the Rings. African folklore is just as rich, and just as perverse as that shyt. We have witches, we have demons, we have goblins, and mad kings. We have stories of royal succession that would put Wolf Hall to shame. We beat the Tudors two times over."

He's absolutely right. There's already a severe dearth of central black and brown characters in high fantasy. Judging from his letters and legendarium, Tolkien's work featured an inherent bias against "dark" peoples, usually casting them as servants of Morgoth and Sauron (though his writing did evolve to reject that early racism). George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire isn't much better, despite our collective love for Khal Drogo. These works are incredible on their own, but are inherently limited.

“Elevating African folklore to the level of the Lich Kings we know and love

”

A series with A Song of Ice and Fire's scope but set in medieval Africa would challenge how Western readers understand fantasy and the role of people of color in the genre. Black writers like N.K. Jemisin and David Anthony Durham already take on the genre with fresh perspectives about oppression and "darkness." James would take that one step further, calling on Africa's history and elevating it to a place where dragons and Lich Kings are already recognizable.

I imagine fantasy based on the rise and fall of the Mali Empire. Maybe the hero would lead a coup against the ruling Mansa, but be possessed by an Adze, or firefly spirit, telling him to turn back. And maybe Ananse the Spider would play the Varys role, telling stories and weaving lies to hide the truth of the empire's inevitable collapse. There are too many ways for a story set in Africa to be powerful and eye-opening and utterly surreal. I can't wait to see it happen.

• SourceVulture

The world needs an African Game of Thrones

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[MegaManX]

That's a dope idea I will create that today and tag you guys when I get off work if nobody else wants to initiate that is. salute.

tag me for black sands updates. I am pioneering a movement to get blacks to create their own market in the EVN community. We already comic fans out of this world. Vn is the next logical step.

 

[NobodyReally]

Progress?

No

I need a real writing group or something. When I used to write, that's what got me hype and pushed me along. Stuck on the first chapter

 

[Dwolf]

No

I need a real writing group or something. When I used to write, that's what got me hype and pushed me along. Stuck on the first chapter

 

[NobodyReally]

Well that's real encouraging

 

[Dwolf]

Well that's real encouraging

I was going to say make a group but they are still down
Hey I got a lot of real time, shoot me a line if ya want to bounce ideas back and forth. shyt make it a party and do a mass pm