My Thoughts:
This is book 2 of the Desert Magician Duology by Afrofuturist author Nnedi Okorafor. Because Okorafor spends so much energy building this postapocalyptic world (or worlds), this last book is a little more chaotic. It is told from the point of view of Dikéogu Obidimkpa, the rainmaker who accompanied young Shadowspeaker Ejii Ubaid in Book One. Taking place several years after the two separate, the book starts at the point where Dikéogu is losing his mind in a world that is also losing its mind.
Like the first book, Okorafor weaves magic and ecological warfare, world building, as well as world destruction into a cautionary tale reminiscent of Ursula K. LeGuin. The power of this duology for me, though, is the smaller scenes of mental chaos. It changes the perspective in this novel because Dikéogu is so unreliable as a narrator.
At the end, because I wanted to hear the correct pronunciation for Okorafor's book, I ended up finishing this book as an audiobook. I would recommend this as a read along. I recommend reading this book and then listening to it again with Délé Ogundiran as narrator on the audiobook. I needed a second "read" to be able to notice things that I rushed through in the first reading so that I could get to the conclusion.
From the Publisher:
Niger, West Africa, 2077
Welcome back. This second volume is a breathtaking story that sweeps across the sands of the Sahara, flies up to the peaks of the Aïr Mountains, cartwheels into a wild megacity—you get the idea.
I am the Desert Magician; I bring water where there is none.
This book begins with Dikéogu Obidimkpa slowly losing his mind. Yes, that boy who can bring rain just by thinking about it is having some…issues. Years ago, Dikéogu went on an epic journey to save Earth with the shadow speaker girl, Ejii Ubaid, who became his best friend. When it was all over, they went their separate ways, but now he’s learned their quest never really ended at all.
So Dikéogu, more powerful than ever, reunites with Ejii. He records this story as an audiofile, hoping it will help him keep his sanity or at least give him something to leave behind. Smart kid, but it won’t work—or will it?
I can tell you this: it won’t be like before. Our rainmaker and shadow speaker have changed. And after this, nothing will ever be the same again.
As they say, ‘Onye amaro ebe nmili si bido mabaya ama ama onye nyelu ya akwa oji welu ficha aru.’
Or, ‘If you do not remember where the rain started to beat you, you will not remember who gave you the towel with which to dry your body.’
Welcome back. This second volume is a breathtaking story that sweeps across the sands of the Sahara, flies up to the peaks of the Aïr Mountains, cartwheels into a wild megacity—you get the idea.
I am the Desert Magician; I bring water where there is none.
This book begins with Dikéogu Obidimkpa slowly losing his mind. Yes, that boy who can bring rain just by thinking about it is having some…issues. Years ago, Dikéogu went on an epic journey to save Earth with the shadow speaker girl, Ejii Ubaid, who became his best friend. When it was all over, they went their separate ways, but now he’s learned their quest never really ended at all.
So Dikéogu, more powerful than ever, reunites with Ejii. He records this story as an audiofile, hoping it will help him keep his sanity or at least give him something to leave behind. Smart kid, but it won’t work—or will it?
I can tell you this: it won’t be like before. Our rainmaker and shadow speaker have changed. And after this, nothing will ever be the same again.
As they say, ‘Onye amaro ebe nmili si bido mabaya ama ama onye nyelu ya akwa oji welu ficha aru.’
Or, ‘If you do not remember where the rain started to beat you, you will not remember who gave you the towel with which to dry your body.’
Publication Information:
Author: Nnedi Okorafor
Publisher: DAW (Nov 28, 2023)
Print length: 303 pages
Narrator: Délé Ogundiran
Audiobook Publisher: Tantor Audio (Dec 5, 2023)
Listening Length: 10 hours 23 minutes
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