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Black Stars

By: Nisi Shawl, Nnedi Okorafor, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, C. T. Rwizi, Nalo Hopkinson, Victor LaValle
Narrated by: LeVar Burton, Naomi Ackie, Nyambi Nyambi, Indya Moore, Adenrele Ojo, Brian Tyree Henry
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Publisher's summary

2021 SOVAS Award Finalist for Audiobook Narration—Short Story Anthology—Best Voiceover

The sky is not the limit. From an alley in New York to an interstellar wormhole, the path to the future looks different for everyone. These cosmic short stories from some of today’s most influential Black authors reveal a universe of possibilities.

2043...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be) by Nisi Shawl

African-descended USians are finally obtaining reparations - underwater. Take a deep breath and enjoy this politically sharp short story that dives into fantastic new territory. Plunge into the action of a visionary future by the award-winning author of Everfair, with narration by LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation).

The Black Pages by Nnedi Okorafor

By fate and fire, a being four millennia old is reborn in Mali in a short story of contemporary African life and ancient secrets by the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the Binti trilogy.

The Visit by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

As a powerful matriarchy reshapes the world, two men - old friends - confront the past and future in a bracing speculative short story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of Americanah.

These Alien Skies by C.T. Rwizi

Accidents happen in the strange realms of the African Union system. One of them sends two humans to the far side of a star gate in a thrilling short story of hope, survival, and new dimensions.

Clap Back by Nalo Hopkinson

A past struggle for racial equity could achieve a profound future victory in this audacious short story about technology, hoodoo, and hope by a Nebula Award-winning author.

We Travel the Spaceways by Victor LaValle

Otherworldly interference in real-world New York City? Or delusions? For the answer, follow two loving strangers in an astonishing short story of faith and hope by a World Fantasy Award winner.

©2021 2043...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be) © 2021 by Nisi Shawl. The Black Pages © 2021 by Nnedi Okorafor. The Visit © 2021 by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. These Alien Skies © 2021 by C. T. Rwizi. Clap Back © 2021 by Nalo Hopkinson. We Travel the Spaceways © 2021 by Victor LaValle. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
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Critic reviews

“An outstanding assembly of authors is matched by a stellar set of narrators, including both well-versed veterans and fresh talents. Of particular note are LeVar Burton's jovially menacing turn in a story about underwater reparations and the cost of freedom, Naomi Ackie as a djinn-like creature reemerging in a time of conflict, and Brian Tyree Henry's vocal range as an unhoused man and the collection of soda cans that might be telling him the secrets of the universe.”AudioFile Magazine

What listeners say about Black Stars

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Excellent collection!

Wonderful writing and narration - full of cultures and perspectives which you can only begin to explore and understand!

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Love this series.

Saturday morning well spent. I was excited to move on to each story. Listen to many of them more than once.

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Great stuff!

I would like to hear more of this kind of stuff. I am going to look up the authors and read more!

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Great to see great stories with variety of themes

I tend more to novels than short stories, but it was enjoyable and engaging to read such a collection of good sci fi.

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MORE!

Great listen! I was enthralled by the stories and characters. I want to read/hear more from the authors!

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Wow! Wow!Wow!

I loved everything - the stories, narrators, and creativity. Perfect! I feel asleep to the soothing narrators, got jolted awake by the fascinating stories and wished it hadn't come to an end. Black Excellence!

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Afrofuturism!!!

I enjoyed each story! I liked that there were multiple short stories together, and each one left me wanting to hear the full book of each. Wonderfully written and performed.

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Fantastic

Each story begins like a walk in the park and ends atop Mount Everest.
Poetry, every word.

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Filled

my heart is full with these works. I have joy, and thoughts, and tears, and hope for the world's these characters live in and the one we live in. hope that we can shape each other for the better. love love love!

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Great stories!

I was fortunate to stumble across this collection of stories, I’m not even aware what possessed me to check them out but I am glad I did. I enjoy any author that can help broaden my perspective especially in a cultural sense. I don’t know that this kind of writing would have been so readily available even 20 years ago and that’s a shame but I’m grateful it is available now. I encourage anyone with an open mind or someone willing to open their mind to different ways of thinking and alternative perspectives to the traditional to listen to these stories and appreciate them for the art that they are.

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