Lost Ark Dreaming

In this powerhouse tale of social inequality from Okungbowa (the Nameless Republic series), survivors of the Second Deluge, an environmental catastrophe that destroyed the city-nation of Lagos, are now holed up in the Pinnacle, a self-sustainable high-rise surrounded by ocean. Rigid protocol ensures near-totalitarian order within the Pinnacle, limiting interaction between its three socioeconomic strata: the Uppers, the Midders, and the “paler, vitamin-D-deficient” Lowers, who are forced to reside below sea level. Chaos erupts when a sea monster, believed to be the offspring of the devil Yemoja, claws its way inside the building, infiltrating Lower level nine. Three Pinnacle residents—Tuoyo, the level nine foreman; Yekini, a special operative from the mid-level; and Ngozi, a high-ranking government official—are assigned to the case. Okungbowa skillfully probes the trio’s immediate distrust of each other, exposing their prejudices and ignorance, while ramping up the action to almost Dune-like intensity. The author packs this story with so many meaty themes—among them the power of history, gods, memory, and story-telling—that some inevitably get short shrift. Where the writing really shines, however, is in the small details, like the orange-peel necklace Ngozi wears in memory of his lost sister. Readers will be gratified. (May)