It creates a more stable read without losing the sense of wonder that fantasy brings to the table. Gray, by keeping her mythos to the continent of Africa, unites the layers of her world with a foundation a reader can firmly stand on as each new aspect of the world is introduced to them. Sometimes it works, but often it ends up a cacophony of different real-world triggers that creates messy, non-immersive worldbuilding. I’ve seen examples of literature where authors try to pull from many different cultures across many different continents to create a new world. Additionally, that Gray rooted her fantasy mythology in Pan-African culture provides a grounding, common root for her world. Even the flora and fauna of Lkossa are touched by the fantasy that Gray has created. Social politics, economics, religion, gender politics.
The fantastic permeates all levels of society in this book. To me, it felt like the coming together of a thousand different myths to make something totally new and fresh and mind-blowing. The fact that she pulls from many different real-world cultures and histories creates a varied world that does feel very fantastic. Gray provides us a different take on the genre. Fantasy has been stuck in the white, European, medieval, slap a wizard in a forest and call it magic, blah blah zone for a long time. I personally loved this aspect of the book from page one. She has taken inspiration for her work from cultures all across the African continent and its history. Gray describes her book as Pan-African fantasy. However, only a few pages into Beasts of Prey proved to me that this book was going to be more than an in-betweener it was going to be a page-turning adventure! Gray provides her readers with a new take on the fantasy genre and a rather stellar presentation of characters. I read Beasts of Prey right after plowing through an adult sci-fi series, and my original plan was to use it as a palette cleanser. But the hunt for the Shetani leads the teens into the Greater Jungle, a place of danger, splendor, and secrets. Normally, Koffi and Ekon would never meet, but after they both survive an encounter with the deadly Shetani, a demon beast plaguing the city, they are thrust together on a mission to capture the creature-Koffi to earn her freedom from the Night Zoo, and Ekon to secure his position as a Son of the Six. Ekon is training to become a Son of the Six, an elite warrior class that serves the six gods and goddesses of Lkossa.
Koffi is an indentured servant to the Night Zoo, a place of wonder where all manner of creature can be found.
Intrigued, I looked up Beasts of Prey and that cover! Wow! I immediately put in for a request at my library and devoured this book in just a few days.īeasts of Prey follows Koffi and Ekon, two very different teens in the city of Lkossa. I was first introduced to author Ayana Gray and her debut fantasy book Beasts of Prey during a San Diego Comic-con At Home panel.
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