A Killing in the Sun

‘A Killing in the Sun’ is a collection of speculative fiction from Africa. It draws from the rich oral culture of the author’s childhood, to tell a wide variety of stories. Some of the stories are set in a futuristic Africa, where technology has transformed everyday life and a dark force rules. Others are set in the present day, with refugee aliens from outer space, ghosts haunting brides and grooms, evil scientists stalking villages, and greedy corporations creating apocalypses. There are murder mysteries, tales of reincarnation and of the walking dead, and alternative worlds whose themes any reader will identify with. This collection is deftly crafted, running along the thin boundary of speculative and literary genres.

“A Killing in the Sun is a truly stunning début collection by Dilman Dila. One that will not only stand as an underivative keystone in the new wave exploration of Science Fiction and Fantasy by African writers, but keep you riveted from the first page till last with his magnificent worlds and deeply fascinating characters with compelling stories, all firmly rooted without compromise in our highly unique African perspectives and mythologies. This is the zephyr of fresh air international and local readers have been waiting for, works that enliven, diversify, enrich, and broaden, our understanding of what it means to be human and the immense range of possibilities in all our futures.” ~ Ivor W. Hartmann, writer, editor, visual artist, author, and publisher of the African Roar annual anthologies and AfroSF

"Dilman manages to convey aching humanity in stories that explore the fantastical and beautiful aspects of our world, whether imagined or real. A storyteller in the true sense." ~ Dave De Burgh, writer.