Praisers of the Lost Ark
Art for the US cover of Lost Ark Dreaming, by Raphael Lacoste.
Lost Ark Dreaming has been getting a lot of love lately, and I want to talk a bit about how much this means to me.
I wrote this novella as a rewiring of my authorial self, a refocusing of my artistic locus, to reorient myself and therefore be reminded of the kind of work I want to do in this world. Of course, the subject of the tale lent itself to an urgency of telling, but making this work was less about speaking toward the moment than it was about speaking to myself. So it is with glee that I see the story being well received by those who have read it.
One of those early readers who really vibed with what I was reaching for was Rebecca Roanhorse, who left the so far most popular review of LAD on Goodreads (and a very gracious one at that). I particularly loved her (hopefully prophetic) note that she “see[s] this one in the award conversations for 2024, and well-deserved.” Fingers crossed, Rebecca!
You’ve probably come across the excited blurbs from some my excellent peers in the SFF field like Tlotlo Tsamaase (“A surreal fusion of African politics, climate fiction, and mythology in the tongue of poetry and philosophy”) and Samit Basu (“Prepare to be swept away by this epic-on-the-inside novella…Absolutely unputdownable!”). Then there’s that very gracious blurb from Olivie Blake (who I recently spent a good deal of time chatting with at the Tucson Festival of Books, where I handed her a copy of the novella), saying:
“Suyi Davies Okungbowa is a scholar of place and a master of worlds—his grasp of how we are shaped by the spaces we occupy makes him one of the most exciting authors writing in SFF. Lost Ark Dreaming is both an imaginative work of climate fiction and a shrewd condemnation of contemporary sociopolitical institutions. In that senseLost Ark Dreaming is truly the best of its genre—cautionary, humanizing, and reflective all at once.”
I can’t say how much I appreciate all these good words from friends and colleagues, and how much it means to me. That joy is now even compounded by more colleagues and professionals in the field adding to the chorus! Arley Sorg, in Lightspeed Magazine, says: “The authorial decisions Okungbowa makes…elevate this book from good to great and seriously well-worth reading.” Joh-Folk Williams at Sci-Fi Mind says: “Lost Ark Dreaming is a remarkable piece of writing.” The trade pubs even get in on the act, with Publishers Weekly describing the book as a “powerhouse tale of social inequality” and saying that “readers will be gratified.” Booklist, in their review (by Leah von Essen): “This novella is thought provoking and will spur readers to challenge their own complicities and take action. while also featuring a fast pace and a compelling narrative.” And best of all, Library Journal’s Kristi Chadwick, in a starred review, delivers the following verdict:
“Okungbowa offers readers an amazing, character-driven story set in a vivid, dystopian world.”
But the best reviews have come from friends and peers in private, texting me to tell me what the novella has made them think about. Here’s one:
“Read Lost Ark this weekend, loved it. The poems are well-done and add something that only poetry could add - they become more & more integral as the book goes on & really prepare the reader for the conch speaking - core of the book in my read. Amazing to see all these elements (thematic / genre) come together. Another big takeaway for me is a parabolic view of the futility of “climate solutions” that just replicate the same historical violences - class division is the killer…I hope & pray big things for this book my friend!”
And another:
“LAD is SO GOOD, OMG! I read it on my flight all in one go and *love it! It’s gorgeous and moving and resonated with my soul. Thank you for letting me read—such an honor!”
Two more related pieces of news before I go. The first: Did you know that Lost Ark Dreaming is getting a Nigerian edition? That’s right! It’ll be published by Masobe Books in May (!), with its own alternate cover (!!) dropping alongside the US version on the same day (!!!).
Nigerian cover for LAD, from Masobe Books (coming May 2024)
Ain’t this a beaut! I love how they’ve focused on the undersea aspect of the story, while the US cover focuses on the oversea aspect. Best of both worlds!
And lastly, some news on the audiobook front: the audiobook is being published by Audible! We’ve just completed the selection process for narrators, and we’re looking at something close to a full cast narration (about 6 narrators!), with all narrators being of Nigerian heritage. I could not be prouder of the work that’s being put into the audio, and I’m so excited to hear the final product.
