From beloved actor and producer Omar Epps and writer Clarence A. Haynes comes the biggest epic fantasy of the year. A powerful saga of three teens, the children of refugees from a fallen African utopia, who must navigate their newfound powers in a climate-ravaged New York City. Perfect for fans of Black Panther and Children of Blood and Bone . For Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho, Nubia is a mystery. Before they were born, a massive storm destroyed their ancestral homeland, forcing their families to flee across the ocean to New York City. Nubia, a utopic island nation off the coast of West Africa, was no more, and their parents’ sorrow was too deep for them to share much of their history beyond the folklore. But New York, ravaged by climate change and class division, is far from a safe haven for refugees, and Nubians live as outcasts, struggling to survive in the constantly flooding lower half of Manhattan, while the rich thrive in the tech-driven sky city known as the Up High. To many, being Nubian means you’re fated for a life plagued by difficulties and disrespect. But Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho are beginning to feel there might be more. Something within them is changing, giving each of them extraordinary powers. Extraordinary and terrifying powers that seem to be tied to the secrets their parents have kept from them. And there are people Up High watching, eager to do anything they can to become even more powerful than they already are. Now Zuberi, Uzochi, and Lencho will be faced with the choice—do they use their inheritance to lift their people, or to leave them behind. The fate of their city, and their people, hangs in the balance. Gr 7 Up-This team's action-packed Afrofuturist novel features multiple, seemingly unrelated perspectives that slowly come together in an explosive climax. In a near-future New York City, the stratification between the elite and the lower classes becomes literal; the wealthy live Up High in a sky city to avoid the effects of climate change, while those with less live on the ground, a crumbling seawall that's the only thing between them and annihilation. Zuberi, Lencho, and Uzochi are children of those who fled Nubia, a utopian society off the coast of West Africa, and each has their own approach to dealing with living in a society that views their Nubian heritage and refugee status as proof of their inferiority. But things are changing, and this new generation of Nubians is awakening to extraordinary powers-a legacy their families hid from them. Now, they will have to decide whether to leave their people behind and align with the rich and powerful Up High or find a way to help their own before it's too late. This novel offers a powerful critique of capitalism, classism, and racial injustice through the intertwining perspectives of Zuberi, Lencho, Uzochi, and Sandra, daughter of the manipulative Krazen St. John, the architect of Up High. The point-of-view characters are dynamic and engaging. While the relationships between Nubians and the African diaspora could be more clearly articulated, and the fantasy elements explored more in-depth, this novel combines a high-action plot with engaging characters and will keep readers on the edge of their seats. VERDICT A complext dystopian novel that will circulate well with fans of Black Panther, Tomi Adeyemi, and Roseanne A. Brown.-Ness Shortleyα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. “Perfect for fans of Divergent and Black Panther .” — In Touch Weekly     “A Fascinating Dystopian Page-Turner” — The Root     “ Nubia: The Awakening is a story with a familiar sci-fi trope of dystopian futures but is done in a revolutionary way that brings diversity, camaraderie and familiarity to the forefront.” — MadameNoire     “This novel offers a powerful critique of capitalism, classism, and racial injustice . . . [and] combines a high-action plot with engaging characters and will keep readers on the edge of their seats. VERDICT: A complex dystopian novel that will circulate well with fans of Black Panther , Tomi Adeyemi , and Roseanne A. Brown .” — School Library Journal    “Epps and Haynes’ characters are admirable; each of the narrators is given agency and motivation in a way that makes them memorable in their own right . . . Readers will find plenty of familiar sf and fantasy tropes here, but these are made fresh by the story highlighting the power of the African diaspora.”  — Booklist     “Epps and Haynes skillfully build emotional and narrative suspense by weaving the cast members’ conflicting needs and expectations into an explosive adventure.” — Publishers Weekly   “A justifiable critique of today.” — Kirkus Reviews Actor and producer Omar Epps was first introduced to audiences as Q in Ernest Dickerson’s cult classic Juice , opposite Tupac Shakur. He has gone on to star in the beloved romance Love & Basketball , as Dr. Eric Foreman on massiv