Reviews
“”The strength of Lost Ark Dreaming lies in Okungbowa’s careful attention to the details. . .The story of three characters from different social classes learning to work together remains compelling.”—The Washington Post
“Okungbowa’s writing prods at divisions and hierarchies, walls and structures, widening the cracks that already existed to deftly reveal that such separations are not as solid as they pretend to be.”—Los Angeles Review of Books
“Both an imaginative work of climate fiction and a shrewd condemnation of contemporary sociopolitical institutions. Lost Ark Dreaming is truly the best of its genre—cautionary, humanizing, and reflective all at once.“—Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
“A quick read with novel-sized tension and lovely, high-concept ideas about immigration, class and community. It’s thought-provoking while maintaining the pacing and enjoyment of the action-adventure kind of book I expect from Okungbowa.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author
“Lost Ark Dreaming reads like a locked-room-styled dystopia slick as a fast-paced horror with the tones of social commentary. A surreal fusion of African politics, climate fiction, and mythology in the tongue of poetry and philosophy.”—Tlotlo Tsamaase, author of Womb City
“Prepare to be swept away by this epic-on-the-inside novella that will immerse you deeply and immediately with its intensity, pace and vision. Absolutely unputdownable!”—Samit Basu, author of The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport
“Seriously well-worth reading.”—Lightspeed
“Okungbowa successfully layers POVs to pull off a very big story in a small amount of time, a tale of a future that seems all too possible given the pace of gentrification and climate change. Lost Ark Dreaming simply cannot be missed.“—Reactor
“Beautifully written, paced, and imagined, Lost Ark Dreaming is a novella I hope every fan of dystopian post-apocalyptic fiction picks up and tries out.”—Grimdark Magazine
“A potent and heady mixture of science fiction, myth, allegory and the power of story and communication”—Nerds of a Feather
“Okungbowa’s clear-eyed look at present dangers and the compassion and conviction of his characters as they come to confront the dark realities of their society lend the tale a memorable and even heroic resonance.”—Locus
“Lost Ark Dreaming dares us to imagine an alternative future – if we can but find the language for it.”—Interzone
“For fans of genre benders, dystopia, and stories of great humanity, Lost Ark Dreaming is a feast of meaning. The novella may be short, but Okungbowa achieves a feat of compression. Readers will be drawn into a fast-paced story set in an intensely imagined world of science, spirits, and poetry.”—Shelf Awareness
“Okungbowa (Warrior of the Wind) offers readers an amazing, character-driven story set in a vivid, dystopian world.”—Library Journal, starred review
“Okungbowa skillfully probes the trio’s immediate distrust of each other, exposing their prejudices and ignorance, while ramping up the action to almost Dune-like intensity. . . .Where the writing really shines, however, is in the small details, like the orange-peel necklace Ngozi wears in memory of his lost sister. Readers will be gratified.“—Publishers Weekly
“Okungbowa’s latest is action packed and bold, a Mami Wata folklore–inspired story of capitalist, green-washing corruption and of postapocalyptic revolution, reminiscent of Rivers Solomon and Ursula K. Le Guin. 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.” —Booklist