Everfair

I’m a fan of alternate history fiction, but I get bored with one more speculation about the outcome of World War II or the American Civil War.

Everclear transported me to an entirely different continent, tracing an alternate history in which the people of the Congo resist and expel the vicious regime of King Leopold of Belgium and construct an independent nation. I loved that the storyline is not simple. Not all the Africans are heroic, not all the white characters are on the wrong side, and everyone is prone to mistakes.

History moves in the right direction, but it’s… show more.

Everfair is one of several recent alternate histories that challenge the usual focus on the same sorts of events in the same parts of the world and the all-too-frequent disturbing obsession with “what if the bad folks had won?” questions (South in the Civil War, Axis in WWII).

Shawl imagines a different, better history for the Congo—liberated from European control and gifted with a new source of energy. Her interesting characters from many backgrounds around the globe come together to fight for their sometimes conflicting, sometimes flawed visions for a better future.

This is the visionary aspect of speculative fiction… show more.

This book is a great example of alternate history allowing a new and better perspective on a historical period. Set in the Belgian Congo during the reign of King Leopold and the atrocities committed in his name, this book offers heart, joy, and beauty. I believe a sequel releases next year, and I am here for it.

This recommendation hits close to home. 

What if an African nation had found a way to reverse the power dynamics during the colonial era? Nisi Shawl tells the story of a utopia, a community in Belgian Congo that fosters innovation and provides a safe haven for the victims and targets of slave trades. 

As a creative writer, one of my main goals is to provide a more positive outlook on the African culture and its heritage through a hopeful narrative. I joined Nisi Shawl in the fight as she remains one of my biggest influences in Afrocentric storytelling.

World-class writers… show more.