Where's the diversity in sci-fi? Five authors to read now

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This week's question: What's behind the lack of diversity in sci-fi publishing?

This is a question without a satisfying answer.

Fireside Fiction magazine published a report on the state of diversity in sci-fi this month, and the results are stark, if not entirely surprising: The report found that of 2,039 speculative fiction stories published in magazines last year, only 38 of them were by black writers. That's less than 2 percent.

"Fiction, we have a problem," Brian White, the editor of Fireside Fiction, declared. The report looked at popular sci-fi magazines like Clarkesworld, Tor.com, Strange Horizons and more. In the speculative fiction — more so than other genres — getting a short story published can be a launching pad to book deals. (The full report is available from Fireside Fiction.)

Author Nnedi Okorafor had perhaps the best response to the report. She told The Guardian: "Why is anyone surprised about that report? We all know the problem, can we focus on the solution?"

So, here's a reading list not to miss: Five black sci-fi authors you should read now. It is in no way complete — add your suggestions in the comments below.

Five black sci-fi authors to read right now

1. "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

Octavia Butler should be a much bigger fixture on people's bookshelves than she is. A legendary sci-fi writer, she was posthumously inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in 2010. If you've never read Butler, pick up "Kindred," her time-traveling story that transplants a woman from the 1970s onto a plantation in Maryland before the Civil War.

2. "Lagoon" by Nnedi Okorafor

In "Lagoon," an alien ship lands in the waters off of Lagos, Nigeria, causing the seas to rise and for marine creatures to take on curious shapes. The aliens, who can take on any form they choose, begin to invade the city in curious ways, sparking an unlikely alliance between three strangers with secrets in their past.

Fans of young adult fiction (and "Harry Potter") should also check out Okarafor's "Akata Witch," which follows a young girl studying magic in Nigeria.

3. "The Fifth Season" by N.K. Jemisin

"The Fifth Season" is climate change taken to a terrifying future. It's set on a distant planet with one massive continent — and enough spewing ash to block out the sun. This book is only the first in her "Broken Earth" series. The second, "The Obelisk Gate," comes out this month. (N.K. Jemisin reviews sci-fi and fantasy in the New York Times Book Review, so if you ever need more reading recommendations, she's a fantastic source.)

4. "Dhalgren" by Samuel Delany

This little-known gem from 1975 is worth picking up: It's set in a Midwestern city completely cut off from the world by a disaster that goes unnamed. There's no phones, no radios and only one bridge in and out of the city. The story follows "the Kid," the unnamed narrator who is stumbling through the city, suffering from partial amnesia.

5. "The Best of All Possible Worlds" by Karen Lord

Set in a world where people inhabit a spread of planets, "The Best of All Possible Worlds" begins with an exodus. The Sadiri people must leave their decimated planet behind, and seek refuge on a world known for taking in refugees and exiles. It's rumored that some of the Sadiri's ancestors came to this planet once before, and they set out to find any remnants of their history in their new home.