11-13-2025 Latham's Last Words:Amazon Original Stories: Black Stars series
- Donna Latham
- 11 hours ago
- 2 min read
Welcome to Latham's Last Words, where I give you my last words on books I've enjoyed. This week's offering will be a little different. I will be giving short reviews on the Amazon Original Stories Black Stars series. Six short stories by black authors and all amazing.
New worlds. Alternate realities. Technology. Magic. Enjoy the journeys these stories provide.
The Visit by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Very eye opening alternate reality story where male self pleasuring is illegal, men in shorts and tank tops are considered prostitutes and men are expected to stay home and raise the children. Reading this story I have to say it hit home how women are treated daily all over the world. I think all young men should read this. My favorite of the series, I have to read more by this author.
The Black Pages by Nnedi Okorafor
I was whisked away to Timbouctou in Mali during an al-Queda occupation. Dark fantasy with definite horror aspects, this is a harrowing tale of a being older than time facing the reality of modern day Africa after escaping her imprisonment in a book with black pages.
2043 A Mermaid I Should Turn To Be by Nisi Shawl
A dark sci-fi tale of racism and future technology that can give humans the ability to live in the ocean. There's a giant siphonophore that guards the underwater city of Bahari from the white supremecists. And the USians we follow are planning the first ever underwater concert. This is one of my favorites of the series.
These Alien Skies by C.T. Rwizi
Quite frankly, this story broke my heart. Space travel, supposedly uninhabited worlds and an accident leave Tariro and Msizi stranded while testing a new wormhole. Love, loss and new worlds. Not everything is as it seems in this story. Guard your heart. The ending made me cry.
Clap Back by Nalo Hopkinson
Engrossing story of Hoodoo, nano technology, Black memorabilia this is overtly racist coming to life and a young woman who decides to combine nano tech and Hoodoo to make that memorabilia come alive. This one I wish had been longer.
We Travel The Spaceways by Victor LaValle
Out of the whole series, this one was the most heartbreaking. It's a love story. It's a story of homelessness and it's a story of hope.
Get them all here: