The Prey of Gods
Ratings12
Average rating3.6
15
Ratings12
Average rating3.6
Winner of the Compton Crook Award From a new voice in the tradition of Lauren Beukes, Ian McDonald, and Nnedi Okorafor comes The Prey of Gods, a fantastic, boundary-challenging tale, set in a South African locale both familiar and yet utterly new, which braids elements of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and dark humor. In South Africa, the future looks promising. Personal robots are making life easier for the working class. The government is harnessing renewable energy to provide infrastructure for the poor. And in the bustling coastal town of Port Elizabeth, the economy is booming thanks to the genetic engineering industry which has found a welcome home there. Yes—the days to come are looking very good for South Africans. That is, if they can survive the present challenges: A new hallucinogenic drug sweeping the country . . . An emerging AI uprising . . . And an ancient demigoddess hellbent on regaining her former status by preying on the blood and sweat (but mostly blood) of every human she encounters. It’s up to a young Zulu girl powerful enough to destroy her entire township, a queer teen plagued with the ability to control minds, a pop diva with serious daddy issues, and a politician with even more serious mommy issues to band together to ensure there’s a future left to worry about. Fun and fantastic, Nicky Drayden takes her brilliance as a short story writer and weaves together an elaborate tale that will capture your heart . . . even as one particular demigoddess threatens to rip it out.
Reviews with the most likes.
One of the most surprising stories I've read in a Long time. Nicky takes us on a wild, magical, bit of science fiction.
A quirky mix of SF and Fantasy set in a future South Africa. Humans, robots, and demi-gods, in a strange plot, all competing for power by various means.
I'm afraid it did not do it for me; I had to struggle to finish it.
This book was the result of ‘shelf surfing' and it never results in an enjoyable read for me. Perusing the ‘new books' or ‘fiction' shelf at the local library or buying an interesting book cover at the local bookstore seems to always result in a very depressing or unsatisfactory read. And this was was not different.
It seemed like 95% of the characters were ‘seedy' and what they were saying was negative and depressing. I was hoping to get a sense of storytelling in South Africa, I'm crossing my fingers this was the exception and not the rule.
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