Fantasy has a long tradition of mixing pantheons with modern day settings. Most of these offerings in the U.S. are western or christian pantheons for example Good Omens, Thor, or the Iron Druid series. I loved reading these books, but always wanted a different viewpoint. After all, as a reader, I became familiar in general terms with these pantheons. And while authors can put their individual twists upon the gods, generally they all have a lot in common. So, when Wole Talabi’s Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon showed up on my radar, I knew I wanted to read this book. It features gods from the Nigerian pantheon, which I knew nothing about prior to this book. (To be fair, I only know a little more after reading this book.) Talabi didn’t let me down. This is his debut novel, and it shows an author with promise and with many more good stories in his future.
Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.
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TL;DR
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi is a wonderful debut novel. The beginning was a bit slow for me, but the heist story was great fun. Recommended.
From the Publisher
The debut fantasy novel from an award-winning, Nebula-nominated Nigerian author
A mythic tale of disgruntled gods, revenge, and a heist across two worlds, perfect for fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Neil Gaiman, Marlon James, and Karen Lord
Shigidi is a disgruntled and demotivated nightmare god in the Orisha spirit company, reluctantly answering prayers of his few remaining believers to maintain his existence long enough to find his next drink. When he meets Nneoma, a sort-of succubus with a long and secretive past, everything changes for him.
Together, they attempt to break free of his obligations and the restrictions that have bound him to his godhood and navigate the parameters of their new relationship in the shadow of her past. But the elder gods that run the Orisha spirit company have other plans for Shigidi, and they are not all aligned—or good.
From the boisterous streets of Lagos to the swanky rooftop bars of Singapore and the secret spaces of London, Shigidi and Nneoma will encounter old acquaintances, rival gods, strange creatures, and manipulative magicians as they are drawn into a web of revenge, spirit business, and a spectacular heist across two worlds that will change Shigidi’s understanding of himself forever and determine the fate of the Orisha spirit company.
Review: Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
Shigidi finds himself in the back of a British cab dying when the book opens. Nneoma is with him as they’re fleeing on the spirit side of London. Their currently unnamed cab driver is doing his best to avoid the guardians chasing them. Thus opens Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, and like any good heist story, chapter two goes back in time to before everything went pear-shaped. Shigidi is a former nightmare god from Nigeria and former member of the Nigerian spirit company. Nneoma is a succubus who is a freelance spirit, and she also convinced Shigidi to join her as a freelancer. Yep, even the spirit world has corporations and a gig economy. Sadly for Shigidi and Nneoma, they have been exiled from Nigeria by the head of the Orisha Spirit Company, Olorun. When Olorun tracks them down, he makes an offer they can’t resist. Steal an artifact from the British Museum and their exile is finished. Not only that, they’ll be shareholders in the Orisha Spirit Company, which means they’ll partake in the spiritual profits from their human worshipers. The theft could leave them trapped in the museum forever or find them on the spirit side of London dealing with the ancient spirits of England. Shigidi and Nneoma seize their chance to end their exile and strike back at the colonizers. But can they succeed?
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon is a third person novel with Shigidi and Nneoma as the primary narrators. The book switches between past and present to fill out the information needed to advance the heist. Most of the first half of the novel is backstory about the relationship between Shigidi and Nneoma, but it’s an interesting story in and of itself. Recommended with caution.
Shigidi is a Bad Boyfriend
Shigidi and Nneoma’s relationship is complicated. Very complicated beyond the fact that they feed on the souls of humans. Nneoma is a succubus; her magic is sex based. Shigidi loves her, and he’s very possessive. Her nature bothers him greatly. And he’s vocal about it. Nneoma loves him, but it’s not in her nature to say it. Yet, Shigidi continues to push that point throughout the opening parts of the novel. It was difficult for me to get through and slowed down the novel. He very much reminded me of people who want their partners to change after they get into a relationship. No, Shigidi knew what Nneoma was prior to their partnership. She’s the reason he’s got the body he resides in, and she’s the reason he’s free from being a peon in the Orisha Spirit Company. Yet, once she “becomes his,” he expects her to be different. He’s jealous, petty, and a bit insufferable. I imagine this will be a sticking point for a lot of readers.
However, if you can push through this section, it’s worth it to finish the book. I’ll leave it up to you to determine if Shigidi improves. But I did enjoy the heist portion of the novel. Talabi put interesting ideas in the book outside of this. The unnamed cab driver was a pleasant surprise that I really enjoyed.
Conclusion
Wole Talabi’s debut novel, Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon, shows a lot of promise. Shigidi and Nneoma’s relationship leaves a lot to be desired, but their adventures are wonderful. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Talabi’s next novel. Recommended.
Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi is available from Daw Books now.
© PrimmLife.com 2023